Further innovation is required to ensure sustainable economic growth and social development.?More scientific ideas and technologies should be transformed into new values in society. Universities, industry and government in Japan have promoted collaborative activities for innovation, but it cannot be said that they work well with each other and maximize their innovation functions.

To boost innovation through collaboration between industry and universities, all involved parties should seriously team up. Collaboration should be deepened to address domestic and global threats such as our low birth rate, an aging population, and environmental concerns, and to break up stagnant conditions to encourage economic revitalization.

The 18 case studies in Japan and abroad demonstrate that three actions are needed to boost innovation through collaboration between industry and universities: (1) Find a partner to team up with; (2) set up an innovation team; (3) facilitate an environment that enables industry and universities to co-create innovation.

This proposal recommends that universities, industry, government and funding agencies promote the activities listed below, and sets goals to boost innovation through collaboration between industry and universities.

To find a partner to team up with.
　-Universities should improve global research competitiveness and make attractive proposals to industry.
　-Industry should overcome the "not-invented-here" syndrome and discover promising ideas and technologies in universities.
　-Government and funding agencies should encourage the process of matching the needs in industry with the expertise of universities.

To set up an innovation team.
　-Universities should attract the necessary research talent and support specialists across departments, and should create an international network of excellence (NOE) with both domestic and foreign organizations.
　-Industry should make a concerted effort to invest strategically in collaborative research with universities.
　-Hence, universities and industry should share visions and strategies, and build and manage innovation teams.
　-Government and funding agencies should increase funds to encourage universities and industry to co-create innovation and attract the human resources necessary for innovation teams.

To facilitate an environment that enables industry and universities to co-create ?
innovation.
　-Universities should cultivate talent for future innovation, and should make greater contributions to innovation in communities.
　-Industry should improve personnel systems to accelerate innovation, and should cooperate with universities to improve the education system.
　-Government and funding agencies should increase the global research competitiveness of Japan, and should accelerate strategic collaboration amongst industry, universities and the government as well as the cultivation of talent for future innovation.