Denso and STATION Ai launched RE-CORE, a co-creation program on August 5, 2026, to help Denso's suppliers develop new businesses by leveraging Denso's technical expertise alongside startups and STATION Ai's network.
The program includes two tracks—one focused on digital transformation and market matching, the other on translating supplier technology into new business opportunities—and represents a structured way for Denso to unlock innovation within its supply chain.
What happened
Denso and STATION Ai began a joint program called RE-CORE on August 5, 2026, designed to help Denso's business partners launch and develop new businesses by combining Denso's technology and know-how with startups and STATION Ai's network.
Why it matters
Denso has long-standing relationships with many suppliers across its supply chain; this program formalizes a way to unlock new business opportunities and technologies from that ecosystem by pairing suppliers' needs with startup solutions and expertise, potentially creating competitive advantages for Denso's partner network.
What to watch
RE-CORE offers two tracks—RE-CORE Link (which pairs suppliers with startups and provides support for DX initiatives) and RE-CORE Fusion (which helps suppliers' technology become new business models). The RE-CORE Link process is expected to take roughly three months per cycle.
Denso and STATION Ai announced the launch of RE-CORE on August 5, 2026, a joint program aimed at supporting Denso's suppliers in creating and developing new businesses. The program leverages Denso's accumulated technology and operational know-how alongside the startup ecosystem and network that STATION Ai has built as Japan's largest open-innovation platform.
RE-CORE operates on two distinct tracks. The first, RE-CORE Link, uses artificial intelligence and digital transformation tools to connect Denso suppliers with startups and relevant expertise. Participating suppliers first identify their business needs; those needs are then matched against startups and consulting partners in STATION Ai's network to find appropriate solutions. Once a match is made, Denso provides support tailored to the supplier's specific situation, helping them adopt suitable solutions and connect with other startups or venture capital resources. The second track, RE-CORE Fusion, takes a different approach: it starts with a supplier's existing technology or know-how and works to identify where that capability could evolve into an entirely new business model. Denso provides comprehensive support throughout this process—from identifying promising directions, to technology validation (PoC, or proof of concept), through full implementation. The RE-CORE Link cycle is expected to take approximately three months per iteration, with the aim of accelerating the pace of business development.
Denso manages relationships with a large number of suppliers across multiple sectors within its supply chain, including logistics, materials, components, and others. The company has historically worked with these partners to support their growth and technological development. Through RE-CORE, Denso is formalizing and systematizing this support by creating structured pathways for suppliers to discover new markets and business opportunities. The program draws on STATION Ai's established network of startups, academic institutions, and other venture organizations, significantly expanding the resource pool available to each participating supplier.
Denso operates within a complex supplier ecosystem spanning logistics, materials, components, and more. The company has historically maintained direct relationships with many of these partners. By formalizing a structured co-creation program with STATION Ai—which operates Japan's largest open-innovation platform—Denso is creating a systematic way to surface latent opportunities within that network. Rather than simply relying on suppliers to innovate independently, Denso is now actively facilitating connections between its suppliers' capabilities and startup solutions, as well as providing institutional support for business model innovation. This approach appears designed to accelerate the pace at which suppliers can move from traditional manufacturing into new service or technology-driven ventures, potentially extending Denso's influence and competitive reach beyond its core automotive and industrial focus.
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