TOKYO, March 12, 2026 - Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (TOKYO: 6503) announced today that it has invested in Elephantech Inc., a startup developing proprietary nano-ink technology for inkjet printing, and signed a partnership agreement with the company. Through the partnership, Mitsubishi Electric aims to accelerate the industry's shift to manufacturing printed circuit boards (PCBs) using inkjet printing, a process known for its significantly reduced environmental impact. Previously, Mitsubishi Electric's Corporate Venture Capital (CVC) fund invested in Elephantech in May 2023.

Elephantech has developed advanced copper nano-ink^* technology for an innovative manufacturing process that prints the ink on a substrate only where needed to form circuits. Compared to conventional methods, this process dramatically reduces the number of manufacturing steps while lowering copper and water usage as well as CO₂ emissions. The result is lower manufacturing costs and reduced environmental impact.

Under the agreement, Mitsubishi Electric will begin offering factory automation (FA) solutions incorporating Elephantech's inkjet printing technology to PCB manufacturers. In the future, Mitsubishi Electric's manufacturing sites will use specialized technology from Elephantech for the mass production and sales of inkjet printing equipment, and the two companies will collaborate to expand the market.

The advancing Internet of Things (IoT) and the widespread adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) are driving an increasing demand for PCBs used in electronic devices. Concurrently, lowering the environmental impact of PCB manufacturing has become an urgent issue. Conventional PCB manufacturing forms circuits by using chemical etching to remove excess copper foil from substrates. This process generates significant waste and consumes large amounts of water, creating environmental burdens. Against this backdrop, innovation in PCB manufacturing methods is in high demand.

Going forward, Mitsubishi Electric will continue to promote open innovation by partnering with companies that offer diverse ideas and advanced technologies to help address manufacturing challenges worldwide.

Shinya Shimizu, CEO of Elephantech Inc., said: "Driven by our commitment to revolutionize the PCB industry through nanomaterials innovations, we have come to the stage where stable equipment production, smooth delivery to the market and reliable operation at customer sites are the top priorities. Our partnership with Mitsubishi Electric, a leading manufacturing equipment supplier in the PCB industry, provides a fueling prompt for us to accelerate the global deployment of new manufacturing method."

Takayuki Tsuzuki, Executive Officer and Group President, Factory Automation Systems at Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, said: "Elephantech's new manufacturing method is an extremely effective solution that meets the growing need to both lower manufacturing costs and reduce the environmental impact of PCB production. We are confident that combining our long-standing expertise in FA development, manufacturing and sales with Elephantech's innovative technology will create ideal synergy and deliver added value to our customers."