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38Open InnovationICT Deployment and Industry Promotion Department Information communication provides the infrastructure for social and economic activity. We are currently engaged in many activities in this field, such as promoting the commercialization of initiatives such as ventures that give rise to new services, enhancing our infrastructure to facilitate the use of diverse new forms of communication, promoting informa-tion barrier-free environments where information communication services can be used by anyone, promoting basic research in the private sector, and supporting international exchanges in research and development. Through these activities, we are helping to stimulate industry and facilitate rich lifestyles that are both safe and secure, and in order to support the adoption of highly convenient information communication services in people’s social and economic activi-ties, we are promoting the following initiatives in the field of information communication to eiciently and eectively implement various promotion activities.In FY2017, we supported twelve interna-tional research conferences including the International Conference on Light and Photonics 2017 and the 15th MST Radar Workshop.Supporting ICT startupsWe support the efforts of ICT entrepre-neurs to start up and commercialize their businesses from a strategic viewpoint aimed at strengthening Japan’s medium- to long-term industrial competitiveness in the field of information communication.(a) Providing ICT startups with informa-tion and exchange opportunitiesWe aim to provide opportunities for people to present and exchange informa-tion by holding real-life events and hosting * The Japan Trust International Research Co-operation Program is operated as a joint effort of NICT together with the New Energy and Indus-trial Technology Development Organization (NEDO). NICT invites researchers in the fields of communication and broadcasting, and NEDO invites researchers in fields related to the min-ing and manufacturing industries.an online ICT startup support center (http://www.nict.go.jp/venture/), and to provide entrepreneurs with matching op-portunities to promote the commercializa-tion of their businesses.(b) Investing in information communi-cation ventures, etc.We manage companies in which the TAO (a previous incarnation of the NICT) directly invested.(c) Providing grants and loan guaran-tees to information communication ven-tures and the likeWe provide grants and loan guarantees to businesses that use new technology de-velopment facilities, and to businesses that share area-specific telecommunication fa-cilities.(d) Discovering and nurturing ICT startupsTo discover and train promising ICT startups and young entrepreneurs, we have contributed to regional collaboration events by organizing activities such as kick-off seminars and brush-up seminars in cooperation with regional entrepreneur support groups. Also, to impart a global mindset to people planning to take part in NICT’s Kigyouka Koshien entrepreneur competition, we implemented a Silicon Valley Boot Camp that included exchang-Inviting overseas researchers and providing support for the hosting of international research conferencesThrough NICT’s own International Ex-change Program and the privately funded Japan Trust International Research Coop-eration Program, we are working to invite overseas researchers to research institutes other than the NICT, and we are providing support for the hosting of international re-search conferences as part of our Interna-tional Exchange Program.(a) Foreign Researcher Invitation Pro-gramIn FY2017, our International Exchange Program placed eleven researchers at do-mestic institutes including Kyushu Univer-sity and the University of Tokyo (although one dropped out after being placed).(b) Japan Trust International Research Cooperation Program*In FY2017, two overseas researchers were invited to the KDDI Research, Inc. and Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd. as part of the Japan Trust International Research Coop-eration Program.(c) International Conference Support ProgramResearch and Development