Bengaluru, July 15, 2021: Sony announced today that it is now accepting submissions for its Research Award Program, currently in its sixth year. The program provides funding for programs researching emerging and innovative technologies in collaboration with Sony’s own research groups, and is open to universities in the U.S., Canada,17 European countries (with8 new additions)*, and, starting this year, India.
“Since its inception in 2016, the Sony Research Awards have provided a tremendous opportunity both for researchers and for Sony itself,” said Toru Katsumoto, Executive Deputy President and Chief Technology Officer, Sony Group Corporation. “This year’s addition of India provides access to a sizable pool of amazing talent, and we are looking forward to the new relationships we can create in the coming year.”
The Sony Research Award Program is comprised of two awards – the Faculty Innovation Award and the Focused Research Award. Both awards are coordinated by Sony’s R&D Center and may fall within three broad subject categories: Information Technology, Devices & Materials, and Life Sciences. The awards create new opportunities for faculty members to engage in cutting-edge research, leading to the introduction of breakthrough technologies.
The Faculty Innovation Award grants up to $100,000 USD to principal investigators for one year, with the possibility of an extension, for research projects that fall more broadly within Sony’s current research interests. This award will help Sony catalyze and expand the creation of new concepts by building on existing research through university partnerships. The Focused Research Award provides support for up to $150,000 USD for one year, with the possibility of an extension, to conduct research more focused in the areas of Sony’s immediate interest. Through close collaboration with Sony’s own in-house research team, academic faculties can explore new and evolving research.
“Sony Research Award Program and the collaboration with the Sony team have been incredibly rewarding for us,” said Professor Mohit Gupta of the University of Wisconsin – Madison. “It has provided us with a rare opportunity to work together with industrial R&D. Throughout the project, the thoughtful discussions and advice from the Sony team has had a tremendous positive impact on our research; in particular the encouragement and the support for our endeavor to take our research “outside-the-lab” in the real world has been invaluable.”
“It was a fantastic experience collaborating with Sony for the past three years through the Sony Research Award Program”, said Professor Song Han of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “The leading AI research at Sony provides us with real-world problems to solve. Given that Sony powers many AI-capable edge devices, it is a great channel to expand the impact of our research to benefit human society.”
Proposals may be submitted by university principal investigators who may be assistant, associate, or full professors.Objectives, publication terms, and IP terms will be mutually agreed upon between the awarded institution and Sony. The deadline to submit applications is September 15, 2021 and award nominees will be notified around March 2022.
Sony Research India Private Limited (Sony Research India) was established in July 2020 as a research company in India as part of Sony’s global R&D centres. While enhancing the competitiveness and capabilities of research and development in India, Sony Research India aims to accelerate collaboration with its entertainment and electronic business groups. Sony research centre will be a foundation that contributes positively to the conservation of the environment and the dreams of future generations. Sony Research India is committed to promote Open Innovation in India by fostering partnerships with university faculty and researchers; and Sony Research Award Program is one of such programs that Sony Research India oversees in India.
