Sho Nakanose, Founder & CEO of GITAI, was selected as one of the awardees by “Innovators Under 35 Japan 2020” hosted by MIT Technology Review (Japan Edition).
Innovators Under 35 is a global award organized by MIT Technology Review, a global media company owned by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, since 1999 to celebrate and support the activities of talented young innovators. In the past, Sergey Brin, co-founder of Google, and Mark Zuckerberg, co-founder, chairman and CEO of Facebook, have won the award.
The Innovators Under 35 Japan is the Japanese version of the awards, and is the seventh local version held this year, following China and Europe. This year, more than 300 domestic and international candidates were nominated and applied for the award in the five fields of computer/electronics, transportation, Internet, AI/robotics, and software, and 13 winners were finally selected. The winners of the Japanese version will be nominated as candidates for the next year’s global version.
For more information about the winners, please refer to the MIT Technology Review (Japan Edition) Website.
On Friday, February 19, “Innovators Under 35 Japan Summit 2020” will be held at Muromachi Mitsui Hall in Tokyo to introduce the winners, and Sho Nakanose will also be speaking at the event. This event will be streamed online. For more information, please visit the Innovators Under 35 Japan website.
About MIT Technology Review
MIT Technology Review, founded in 1899 by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, is the world’s oldest and most prestigious technology magazine. More than 80% of the readers of the U.S. edition are managing technology sectors, and 60% of the readers are executives. The Japanese edition has been operated by Kadokawa ASCII Research Institute, a subsidiary of KADOKAWA, Inc. as a membership-based web media since October 2016 under a license agreement with Technology Review Inc.
https://gitai.tech/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/29d3bc99193cb0b837fb8cc53f050ae5.jpg10021998gitaitechhttps://gitai.tech/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/gitai-logo.svggitaitech2021-01-20 14:22:152024-06-01 20:42:58Sho Nakanose is awarded as “Innovators Under 35 Japan 2020” hosted by MIT Technology Review (Japan Edition)
GITAI Inc. (Tokyo, Japan; CEO: Mr. Sho Nakanose), developing robots that conduct tasks in space, has released a video showing the successful ground demonstration of its single-armed robot “S1” executing In-Space Assembly (ISA) tasks.
ISA is one of the markets that is starting to draw attention in the blooming commercial space industry. With restrictions to launch mass and size, there are high expectations for the utilization of advanced robotics to assemble large structures from pieces that fit in the limited launch capacity.
GITAI has succeeded on the ground, in executing a group of tasks that resemble an ISA operation with its single-armed “S1” robot. The S1 put together a mount-rack from pillar-shaped parts and attached panels to it which imitates a large structure such as a solar panel, antenna, or telescope mirror.
S1 conducting ISA tasks, recorded in the GITAI Tokyo office
In this ground demonstration, the robot is operating autonomously recognizing its environment with image processing and real-time motion planning. GITAI has already succeeded in autonomous operations of switch and cable manipulations, but took it one step further. As a technical challenge, the S1 has also succeeded in executing tasks utilizing tools (a screwdriver) and has proven its versatility and dexterity.
GITAI will conduct a technical demonstration of the S1 inside the ISS in 2021. The demonstration will be conducted inside the Nanoracks’ Bishop airlock module which was just launched to the ISS on December 6, 2020. Development of the hardware flight model and safety reviews are well underway. This ground demonstration proves the technical feasibility of autonomous ISA operations with the S1, marking a huge step in realizing the in-space technical demonstration in 2021.
GITAI will continue its endeavors to develop space robots for In-Space Assembly and Manufacturing (ISAM) in LEO (low-earth orbit) and on the moon, to achieve its mission to reduce space labor costs by 100 times.
GITAI is a space robotics start-up developing robots that can answer the demand for tasks to be conducted in various realms of space, with a goal to reduce the cost of space labor by 100 times. Focusing on:
1.IVA and EVA (Extra-Vehicular Activity) tasks on space stations;
2.Tasks related to OOS satellites (Docking, refueling, and repairs of existing satellites; debris removal);
3.Various tasks for lunar exploration and lunar base construction;
GITAI will develop robots that can work in the harsh space environment and conduct any kind of task required by the customer. This in turn will bring about a true dawn of the space commercialization age.
https://gitai.tech/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/gallery_s1_01.jpg7201280gitaitechhttps://gitai.tech/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/gitai-logo.svggitaitech2020-12-15 09:00:162024-06-01 20:42:58Space robotics start-up GITAI succeeds in ground demonstration of In-Space Assembly tasks with an autonomous robot
GITAI Japan, Inc. (CEO: Sho Nakanose, Meguro-ku, Tokyo), a space robotics startup, has been selected and awarded a grant, FY2020 “Program to Support Ventures for Developing Space Components” by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO). GITAI has started the development of a robotic arm with high performance and maintainability for extravehicular environment.
In recent years, as the world competition for space development and space resources acquisition intensifies, the demand for space operations, such as the development of a Mars base and lunar base, space debris retrieval, and ISS/Community Space Station in-flight operations, has been increasing rapidly. However, astronauts, the only ones who can work in space, are very costly and pose a high safety risk such as exposure to space radiation.
GITAI has been developing robots to substitute for in-vehicle operations and the project will also contribute to cost reduction and further advancement of space development by developing a maintainable robotic arm that can be operated for a long period of time for the extravehicular environment.
The purpose of this project is to research and develop the motor module of the external robotic arm for space use by developing an electrical system with radiation resistance, a modularized drive unit, and testing its environmental resistance.
About Program to Support Ventures for Developing Space Components
The goal of this project is to enhance the competitiveness of Japan’s space equipment industry by utilizing technology seeds possessed by small and medium-sized companies, startups, and other organizations, and by partially supporting research and development related to the development of satellites and other space parts and components, thereby expanding the range of the space equipment industry and achieving higher reliability and lower costs for satellites and other equipment.
About the project: JP / EN
For FY2020: JP only
About GITAI
GITAI is a space robotics start-up developing robots that can answer the demand for tasks to be conducted in various realms of space, with a goal to reduce the cost of space labor by 100 times. Focusing on:
1.IVA and EVA (Extra-Vehicular Activity) tasks on space stations;
2.Tasks related to OOS satellites (Docking, refueling, and repairs of existing satellites; debris removal);
3.Various tasks for lunar exploration and lunar base construction;
GITAI will develop robots that can work in the harsh space environment and conduct any kind of task required by the customer. This in turn will bring about a true dawn of the space commercialization age.
https://gitai.tech/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/extravehicular.jpg431391gitaitechhttps://gitai.tech/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/gitai-logo.svggitaitech2020-10-07 09:00:342024-06-01 20:42:58GITAI was selected by NEDO for Program to Support Ventures for Developing Space Components
Sho Nakanose is awarded as “Innovators Under 35 Japan 2020” hosted by MIT Technology Review (Japan Edition)
NEWSSho Nakanose, Founder & CEO of GITAI, was selected as one of the awardees by “Innovators Under 35 Japan 2020” hosted by MIT Technology Review (Japan Edition).
Innovators Under 35 is a global award organized by MIT Technology Review, a global media company owned by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, since 1999 to celebrate and support the activities of talented young innovators. In the past, Sergey Brin, co-founder of Google, and Mark Zuckerberg, co-founder, chairman and CEO of Facebook, have won the award.
The Innovators Under 35 Japan is the Japanese version of the awards, and is the seventh local version held this year, following China and Europe. This year, more than 300 domestic and international candidates were nominated and applied for the award in the five fields of computer/electronics, transportation, Internet, AI/robotics, and software, and 13 winners were finally selected. The winners of the Japanese version will be nominated as candidates for the next year’s global version.
For more information about the winners, please refer to the MIT Technology Review (Japan Edition) Website.
On Friday, February 19, “Innovators Under 35 Japan Summit 2020” will be held at Muromachi Mitsui Hall in Tokyo to introduce the winners, and Sho Nakanose will also be speaking at the event. This event will be streamed online. For more information, please visit the Innovators Under 35 Japan website.
About MIT Technology Review
MIT Technology Review, founded in 1899 by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, is the world’s oldest and most prestigious technology magazine. More than 80% of the readers of the U.S. edition are managing technology sectors, and 60% of the readers are executives. The Japanese edition has been operated by Kadokawa ASCII Research Institute, a subsidiary of KADOKAWA, Inc. as a membership-based web media since October 2016 under a license agreement with Technology Review Inc.
Space robotics start-up GITAI succeeds in ground demonstration of In-Space Assembly tasks with an autonomous robot
NEWSGITAI Inc. (Tokyo, Japan; CEO: Mr. Sho Nakanose), developing robots that conduct tasks in space, has released a video showing the successful ground demonstration of its single-armed robot “S1” executing In-Space Assembly (ISA) tasks.
ISA is one of the markets that is starting to draw attention in the blooming commercial space industry. With restrictions to launch mass and size, there are high expectations for the utilization of advanced robotics to assemble large structures from pieces that fit in the limited launch capacity.
GITAI has succeeded on the ground, in executing a group of tasks that resemble an ISA operation with its single-armed “S1” robot. The S1 put together a mount-rack from pillar-shaped parts and attached panels to it which imitates a large structure such as a solar panel, antenna, or telescope mirror.
S1 conducting ISA tasks, recorded in the GITAI Tokyo office
In this ground demonstration, the robot is operating autonomously recognizing its environment with image processing and real-time motion planning. GITAI has already succeeded in autonomous operations of switch and cable manipulations, but took it one step further. As a technical challenge, the S1 has also succeeded in executing tasks utilizing tools (a screwdriver) and has proven its versatility and dexterity.
GITAI will conduct a technical demonstration of the S1 inside the ISS in 2021. The demonstration will be conducted inside the Nanoracks’ Bishop airlock module which was just launched to the ISS on December 6, 2020. Development of the hardware flight model and safety reviews are well underway. This ground demonstration proves the technical feasibility of autonomous ISA operations with the S1, marking a huge step in realizing the in-space technical demonstration in 2021.
GITAI will continue its endeavors to develop space robots for In-Space Assembly and Manufacturing (ISAM) in LEO (low-earth orbit) and on the moon, to achieve its mission to reduce space labor costs by 100 times.
Related Press Release:GITAI and Nanoracks announce technical demonstration of a GITAI robot inside the ISS BISHOP Airlock (September 10, 2020)
About GITAI
GITAI is a space robotics start-up developing robots that can answer the demand for tasks to be conducted in various realms of space, with a goal to reduce the cost of space labor by 100 times. Focusing on:
1.IVA and EVA (Extra-Vehicular Activity) tasks on space stations;
2.Tasks related to OOS satellites (Docking, refueling, and repairs of existing satellites; debris removal);
3.Various tasks for lunar exploration and lunar base construction;
GITAI will develop robots that can work in the harsh space environment and conduct any kind of task required by the customer. This in turn will bring about a true dawn of the space commercialization age.
Company: GITAI Inc. (US HQ), GITAI Japan (Japan subsidiary)
CEO: Mr. Sho Nakanose
URL：https://gitai.tech/en/
Inquiries: info@gitai.tech
Official Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/GITAI-1515952648445089/
Official Twitter Account: https://twitter.com/GITAI64818084
GITAI was selected by NEDO for Program to Support Ventures for Developing Space Components
NEWSGITAI Japan, Inc. (CEO: Sho Nakanose, Meguro-ku, Tokyo), a space robotics startup, has been selected and awarded a grant, FY2020 “Program to Support Ventures for Developing Space Components” by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO). GITAI has started the development of a robotic arm with high performance and maintainability for extravehicular environment.
In recent years, as the world competition for space development and space resources acquisition intensifies, the demand for space operations, such as the development of a Mars base and lunar base, space debris retrieval, and ISS/Community Space Station in-flight operations, has been increasing rapidly. However, astronauts, the only ones who can work in space, are very costly and pose a high safety risk such as exposure to space radiation.
GITAI has been developing robots to substitute for in-vehicle operations and the project will also contribute to cost reduction and further advancement of space development by developing a maintainable robotic arm that can be operated for a long period of time for the extravehicular environment. The purpose of this project is to research and develop the motor module of the external robotic arm for space use by developing an electrical system with radiation resistance, a modularized drive unit, and testing its environmental resistance.
About Program to Support Ventures for Developing Space Components
The goal of this project is to enhance the competitiveness of Japan’s space equipment industry by utilizing technology seeds possessed by small and medium-sized companies, startups, and other organizations, and by partially supporting research and development related to the development of satellites and other space parts and components, thereby expanding the range of the space equipment industry and achieving higher reliability and lower costs for satellites and other equipment.
About the project: JP / EN
For FY2020: JP only
About GITAI
GITAI is a space robotics start-up developing robots that can answer the demand for tasks to be conducted in various realms of space, with a goal to reduce the cost of space labor by 100 times. Focusing on:
1.IVA and EVA (Extra-Vehicular Activity) tasks on space stations;
2.Tasks related to OOS satellites (Docking, refueling, and repairs of existing satellites; debris removal);
3.Various tasks for lunar exploration and lunar base construction;
GITAI will develop robots that can work in the harsh space environment and conduct any kind of task required by the customer. This in turn will bring about a true dawn of the space commercialization age.
Company: GITAI Inc. (US HQ), GITAI Japan (Japan subsidiary)
CEO: Mr. Sho Nakanose
URL：https://gitai.tech/en/
Inquiries: info@gitai.tech
Official Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/GITAI-1515952648445089/
Official Twitter Account: https://twitter.com/GITAI64818084