DENSO Expands Presence in Silicon Valley

Contact: Bridgette LaRose
DENSO International America, Inc.
Phone: (248) 372-8266
Email: bridgette_larose@denso-diam.com

SOUTHFIELD, Mich. – Global automotive supplier DENSO is expanding its Silicon Valley, California office to further support and promote startup companies and advanced research and development activities in multiple areas of technological innovation. DENSO plans to grow its “think tank” steadily over the next three years. Key focus areas will be cyber security, big data and autonomous driving. DENSO currently is targeting to hire researchers and developers with advanced degrees in software and systems engineering.

“Our intention is to leverage the creative talent in Silicon Valley to quickly bring new technologies to the automotive industry. To do that, we need some of our advanced R&D facilities to be located where the expertise lies,” said Roger Berg, vice president of North American Research and Development for DENSO International America’s Silicon Valley office. “The accelerated pace of technology development means taking a different approach to innovation rather than the traditional process of making incremental improvements to existing products. The idea of “think big, execute quickly and readily adapt” will help lead us to rapid innovations for our customers.”

Also, as part of its substantial innovation efforts, DENSO has created a dedicated team in the Silicon Valley office that will aggressively pursue investments into entrepreneurs and startup companies. Not only will DENSO be investing in automotive technologies, but also startups pursuing unique solutions in key non-automotive sectors, such as health and medical, security, power storage, electric mobility, sensors and biotechnology.

“Over the next 20 years, the nature of the automobile will undergo a revolutionary change. DENSO is committed to supporting, and investing in new advanced technologies that will become the foundation of the next generation automobile,” said Tony Cannestra, Director of Innovation for DENSO International America’s Silicon Valley office. “We believe that many of those technologies will be created in startup companies by innovative entrepreneurs focused on bringing advancements to the market quickly, and DENSO intends to support those startups through investment and strategic partnerships.”

DENSO first opened its Silicon Valley office in 2011, with the dual intention of strengthening and growing its core automotive business and to also discover and promote unique non-automotive technologies the company can deploy to expand its business into new markets.

This investment news is part of DENSO’s expansion plan to invest nearly $1 billion and create more than 2,000 jobs in North America from 2012 – 2016.

About DENSO:
DENSO Corporation, headquartered in Kariya, Aichi prefecture, Japan, is a leading global automotive supplier of advanced technology, systems and components in the areas of thermal, powertrain control, electronics and information and safety. Its customers include all the world’s major carmakers. Worldwide, the company has more than 200 subsidiaries and affiliates in 38 countries and regions (including Japan) and employs nearly 140,000 people. Consolidated global sales for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2014, totaled US$39.8 billion. Last fiscal year, DENSO spent 9.0 percent of its global consolidated sales on research and development. DENSO common stock is traded on the Tokyo and Nagoya stock exchanges. For more information, go to www.globaldenso.com, or visit our media center at or visit our media website at www.densomediacenter.com.

Currently, in North America, DENSO employs more than 17,000 people at 32 consolidated companies and affiliates. Of these, 28 are manufacturing facilities located in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. In the U.S. alone, DENSO employs more than 14,000 people in California, Michigan, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia, Iowa, Ohio, and Arkansas. DENSO’s North American consolidated sales totaling US$7.9 billion for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2014.

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