Asahi Kasei has set a target of signing at least 10 new licensing agreements during fiscal 2025–2027
Asahi Kasei has signed a non-exclusive license agreement with HighChem Shanghai to produce and sell its Acetolyte™ lithium-ion battery electrolyte in China, marking the Japanese company’s first licensing deal for the technology in the Chinese market.
The agreement comes amid rapid growth in China’s electric vehicle (EV) and energy storage system (ESS) sectors, which is driving demand for high-performance lithium-ion batteries. Under the partnership, HighChem Shanghai will manufacture and market the acetonitrile-containing electrolyte using Asahi Kasei’s technology for local battery manufacturers.
Asahi Kasei said the collaboration is a key step in its licensing-led growth strategy and is expected to accelerate adoption of Acetolyte™ in China by leveraging HighChem Shanghai’s established customer network and presence in the country’s battery industry.
“Acetolyte™ offers excellent low-temperature performance, and we believe that our collaboration with Asahi Kasei will enable us to maximize the value of this technology and open up new possibilities for the battery industry,” said Yueyuan Long, General Manager of HighChem Shanghai.
Osamu Matsuzaki, Senior Executive Officer of Asahi Kasei and Head of Corporate R&D, said the company has been expanding the Acetolyte™ business through licensing partnerships in Europe and that the China agreement represents “a significant advance in the global extension of our technology.”
Acetolyte™ is designed to provide high ionic conductivity, enabling higher battery power output at low temperatures and improved durability at high temperatures. Asahi Kasei said the electrolyte can also support smaller battery packs with higher energy density, helping reduce manufacturing costs.
The deal aligns with Asahi Kasei’s medium-term management plan announced in April 2025, under which the company is pursuing Technology-value Business Creation (TBC). The initiative aims to monetize patents, know-how, data, and algorithms through licensing and other asset-light business models.
Asahi Kasei has set a target of signing at least 10 new licensing agreements during fiscal 2025–2027 and generating cumulative profit contributions of ¥10 billion or more by around 2030 through such licensing-based business development.
