Japan-based tech firm Fujitsu has announced it is investing £22m to set up a new research and development centre in the northwest of England, creating over 200 highly skilled jobs over the next year.
The first phase of the project is already underway with a Centre for Cognitive and Advanced Technologies (C-Cat) set to be established later this year.
The C-CAT’s foundation aims to import new technology from Fujitsu, serve as a catalyst for cross-sectoral innovation, and focus on the commercialisation of research and partner collaboration, the firm said.
“Fujitsu is committed to and has confidence in the UK,” said Fujitsu’s Global CTO, Vivek Mahajan. “We share the UK Government’s ambitions to thrive as a science and technology superpower. We recognise the potential of the growing partnership between the UK and Japan, and we will look to contribute to this by building the C-CAT as an innovation bridge between the two countries.
"The establishment of the Centre for Cognitive and Advanced Technologies here demonstrates the UK’s importance in our global mission to create a more sustainable world through innovation.”
The new centre, which will be overseen by Dr Keith Dear, will focus on emerging technologies including quantum, AI, and digital twin technology, providing a “direct link to work in Japan so that the UK can benefit from Japan’s leadership in areas such as supercomputing”.
The announcement comes after the Free Trade Agreement was signed in October 2020 between the UK and Japan, allowing for more cooperation in the technology and science sectors.
