Pitch by Shanthanu Menon, CTO & Co‑Founder of Aster
Company Profile
- Startup Name: Aster Co. Ltd. (株式会社Aster)
- Stage: Early-stage (founded in 2019)
- Location: 1-12-4 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0061, Japan
- Website: https://www.dis-aster.com/
- Business Content: Aster is a Japanese social-impact startup with the mission of “Zero Earthquake Deaths.” The company develops Aster Power Coating, a new material that, when simply applied as a coating on masonry surfaces, significantly improves their earthquake resistance. The technology grew out of research at the University of Tokyo and targets the problem that around 80% of earthquake victims over the last 100 years have been caused by collapse of masonry structures. The coating is water-based, low-VOC, easy to apply like paint, and offers a low-cost alternative to traditional seismic retrofitting. Aster is currently deploying its technology in earthquake-prone countries such as the Philippines (with JICA support) and Indonesia, with a particular focus on retrofitting schools.
