TDK Strengthens Commitment to Innovation with Sixth Consecutive Year of iCAN Sponsorship
TDK Corporation (TSE: 6762) has announced the renewal of its strategic partnership with the iCAN Innovation Contest for the sixth consecutive year, reinforcing its long-term commitment to nurturing the next generation of innovators in China. As a strategic brand partner, TDK will continue supporting university students and young entrepreneurs by encouraging creativity, technological exploration, and entrepreneurial thinking while expanding its involvement in the competition’s newly introduced artificial intelligence (AI) track.
The TDK continued collaboration reflects TDK’s long-standing Corporate Motto, “Contribute to culture and industry through creativity,” and underscores the company’s dedication to helping young innovators transform ideas into practical solutions that address real-world challenges. Through mentorship, technology engagement, and industry collaboration, TDK aims to inspire students to pursue innovation while strengthening connections between academia and the technology industry.
Supporting Innovation for Six Consecutive Years
Since first partnering with iCAN, TDK has viewed the competition as more than a sponsorship opportunity. Instead, it has become an important platform for discovering emerging talent, promoting technological innovation, and encouraging entrepreneurship among university students.
The TDKsixth consecutive year of cooperation demonstrates TDK’s confidence in the value of innovation competitions as a means of developing future engineers, researchers, entrepreneurs, and technology leaders.
By maintaining its long-term partnership, the company continues to invest in young talent while contributing to China’s rapidly growing innovation ecosystem.
About the iCAN Innovation Contest
Founded in 2007, the iCAN Innovation Contest has become one of China’s leading innovation competitions for university students.
The TDK program encourages participants to develop original ideas, strengthen practical engineering skills, and transform research into commercially viable technologies.
Guided by its philosophy of “Confidence, Persistence, and Dream,” iCAN provides students with opportunities to explore emerging technologies while addressing real-world social and industrial challenges.
Over TDK nearly two decades, the competition has evolved into a comprehensive innovation platform connecting universities, research institutions, technology companies, investors, and entrepreneurs.
Rather than focusing solely on technical excellence, iCAN encourages interdisciplinary collaboration and entrepreneurial thinking, helping participants develop both technical expertise and business capabilities.
Promoting Industry-Academia Collaboration
One of the TDK defining features of the iCAN competition is its emphasis on strengthening cooperation between industry, academia, and research institutions.
The contest supports projects across a wide range of high-growth technology sectors, including:
- Artificial intelligence
- Next-generation information technology
- Biotechnology
- New energy
- Advanced materials
- High-end manufacturing
- Green technologies
- Environmental sustainability
By bringing together students, educators, researchers, and corporate partners, iCAN creates an environment where innovative ideas can move beyond academic research toward practical industrial applications.
This collaborative ecosystem helps accelerate technology commercialization while preparing students for future careers in rapidly evolving industries.
Shared Values Between TDK and iCAN
TDK believes the philosophy promoted by iCAN closely aligns with its own corporate values.
The company’s Corporate Principles—Vision, Courage, and Trust—reflect the same spirit of innovation, determination, and responsibility that iCAN seeks to cultivate among participants.
Both organizations encourage individuals to think creatively, embrace challenges, and pursue meaningful technological breakthroughs that contribute to society.
For TDK, supporting iCAN represents an opportunity to reinforce these shared values while helping students better understand the company’s technologies, culture, and global mission.
Strengthening TDK’s Brand Among Young Innovators
The partnership also supports TDK’s broader brand strategy.
Through its continued participation in iCAN, the company aims to increase awareness of its global brand identity, highlighted by the tagline “In Everything, Better.”
Students participating in the competition gain greater exposure to TDK’s technological capabilities, products, research initiatives, and solutions across multiple industries.
This engagement helps position TDK not only as a technology manufacturer but also as an innovation partner committed to shaping the future of electronics and advanced technologies.
The collaboration also strengthens TDK’s employer brand among university students, supporting recruitment efforts by introducing talented young professionals to career opportunities within the company.
Venture Spirit Driving Innovation
Innovation has been central to TDK’s identity throughout its more than 90-year history.
The company attributes much of its long-term success to its entrepreneurial mindset, which has enabled it to adapt continuously as technology markets evolve.
This venture spirit has allowed TDK to expand beyond its original product portfolio and establish leadership across multiple sectors, including electronic components, energy storage solutions, sensors, magnetic technologies, and advanced materials.
By encouraging the same entrepreneurial mindset among students, TDK hopes to inspire future innovators who will develop technologies capable of addressing tomorrow’s global challenges.
Expanding Into Artificial Intelligence
One of the most significant developments in this year’s collaboration is TDK’s participation in the newly introduced AI track within the iCAN competition.
Artificial intelligence has become one of the fastest-growing areas of technological innovation, transforming industries ranging from manufacturing and healthcare to transportation and finance.
Recognizing AI’s growing importance, TDK is expanding its involvement to encourage students exploring intelligent technologies and AI-powered solutions.
Through brand support and technology engagement, the company aims to empower participants to explore new applications of artificial intelligence while fostering creative problem-solving.
TDK Ventures Continues Entrepreneurial Support
Beyond sponsorship, TDK Ventures will once again play an active role in supporting participating teams.
As the company’s venture capital arm, TDK Ventures brings extensive experience in startup development, emerging technologies, and innovation commercialization.
During the competition, TDK Ventures professionals will provide entrepreneurial guidance through a series of live-streamed educational sessions covering topics such as startup development, innovation strategy, business planning, investment readiness, and technology commercialization.
These sessions give participants valuable insights into the entrepreneurial process while helping bridge the gap between technical innovation and successful business execution.
Mentorship Beyond the Classroom
Mentorship remains one of the partnership’s most valuable components.
Rather than limiting its involvement to financial sponsorship, TDK actively connects students with experienced technology professionals and business leaders.
These mentors provide practical advice on refining business ideas, validating technologies, preparing investor presentations, and navigating commercialization challenges.
For many participants, this guidance offers valuable real-world perspectives that complement their academic education.
By connecting students directly with experienced innovators, TDK helps accelerate the development of promising technologies while encouraging entrepreneurial confidence.
Supporting Innovation at the Finals
It Ventures will also participate in the competition’s offline finals scheduled for late November.
Representatives have been invited to serve as judges, evaluating finalist projects from both technical and commercial perspectives.
Their expertise enables them to identify projects with strong market potential while offering constructive feedback that can help teams continue refining their innovations after the competition concludes.
The judging process also provides opportunities for outstanding projects to gain visibility among industry leaders and potential investors.
A Longstanding Commitment to China
It’s continued investment in iCAN reflects its deep roots within the Chinese market.
Since entering China in 1968, the company has steadily expanded its local operations through sustained investment and localization efforts.
Today, TDK operates more than 70 manufacturing facilities and sales offices throughout the Greater China region.
The establishment of It China Regional Headquarters in 2004 further strengthened the country’s role within the company’s global business operations.
China as a Strategic Growth Engine
China has become one of It’s most important strategic markets.
According to the company, approximately 60,000 employees now work across its Chinese operations, representing around 56% of TDK’s global workforce.
The market also plays a central role in the company’s financial performance.
For the fiscal year ending March 2026, sales generated in China accounted for approximately 55% of TDK’s global revenue, making the region one of the primary drivers of the company’s worldwide growth.
This strong presence allows It to collaborate closely with customers, universities, research institutions, and technology partners throughout China’s rapidly evolving innovation landscape.
Looking Toward the Future
As technology continues advancing, Itplans to focus its future growth strategy around four key sectors:
- Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
- Automotive technologies
- Industrial and Energy solutions
- Artificial Intelligence
These areas are expected to play increasingly important roles in global digital transformation, smart manufacturing, electrification, sustainability, and intelligent automation.
By investing in emerging technologies and supporting innovation ecosystems such as iCAN, It aims to contribute to the development of future technologies while strengthening collaboration between industry and academia.
Inspiring the Next Generation
Through its sixth consecutive year of support for the iCAN Innovation Contest,It continues demonstrating that technological leadership extends beyond product development.
By investing in education, mentorship, entrepreneurship, and AI innovation, the company is helping cultivate a new generation of engineers, scientists, entrepreneurs, and technology leaders.
As China’s innovation ecosystem continues to grow, It intends to work alongside platforms like iCAN to encourage creativity, accelerate technological breakthroughs, and help shape the future of the global electronics industry.
With a shared commitment to innovation, collaboration, and responsible technological advancement,It and iCAN are creating opportunities that empower young talent while contributing to the next wave of scientific and industrial progress.
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