GENERAL INCORPORATED FOUNDATION CENTER FOR INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC COLLABORATION

Their core work

IIST is a Tokyo-based foundation focused on international economic cooperation, serving as a bridge between European and Asian institutions in the space and satellite navigation domain. Their core H2020 contribution has been facilitating the adoption and market uptake of Europe's Galileo GNSS system across Asian markets. They operate at the intersection of economic diplomacy and technology transfer, organizing matchmaking events and institutional partnerships to connect European GNSS providers with Asian users and regulators.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

IIST's involvement spans from 2015 to 2021, participating in three successive iterations of the same GNSS.asia programme. The early phase (GNSS.asia2, 2015-2016) focused broadly on industrial cooperation across continents, while later iterations shifted toward more specific goals: matchmaking, institutional partnerships, economic diplomacy, and driving concrete user adoption of Galileo in Asia. This progression suggests a move from general awareness-building to targeted market development activities.

IIST is moving from broad international cooperation toward focused technology diplomacy and market facilitation for European satellite navigation in Asian markets.

How they like to work

IIST has participated exclusively as a partner, never as a coordinator, across all three projects. With 8 unique consortium partners across 7 countries, they work in moderately sized, geographically diverse teams. Their value lies not in leading technical work but in providing the Japan-based institutional gateway that European-led GNSS initiatives need to access Asian markets and regulatory bodies.

IIST has collaborated with 8 partners across 7 countries, reflecting a compact but internationally distributed network. As a Japanese organization in European-led projects, their network likely spans both EU member states and Asian partners relevant to Galileo market expansion.

What sets them apart

IIST is one of very few Japanese organizations participating in H2020 space programmes, making them a rare non-European institutional partner with direct access to Asian markets and government bodies. For any consortium seeking to promote European space technologies in Japan and broader Asia, IIST offers institutional credibility and local networks that European partners cannot replicate. Their consistent involvement across three iterations of the same programme signals trusted, reliable partnership.

Highlights from their portfolio

• GNSS.asia 4
  The most recent and best-funded iteration (EUR 118,725), with the clearest mandate around economic diplomacy and Galileo user adoption in Asia.
• GNSS.asia2
  Their largest single EC contribution (EUR 144,515) and earliest H2020 involvement, establishing the EU-Asia industrial cooperation framework.