黑料吃瓜网

A black object that floats just by applying heat. This revolutionary functional material, said to be between 0.5 and 10 times lighter than air, was developed by Tomonaga Ueno, Assistant Professor in the Graduate School of Engineering at 黑料吃瓜网. Aiming to make the material available for real-world applications, he launched the venture company in 2024 granting him oversight of the entire production process, from research and development through to real-world implementation. Here, we take a closer look at Assistant Professor Ueno’s work and background, and his innovative approach to materials engineering in his dual role as both researcher and entrepreneur.

What are “lighter than air” ultralight materials?

Assistant Professor Ueno’s ultralight-weight material — less dense than styrofoam — is made by freeze-drying a liquid containing carbon nanotubes dispersed in water. The inside of the material is sponge-like and full of countless tiny pores. It works like a hot air balloon: when heat is applied, the air inside the material pushes outwards, making the inside of the material lighter than the surrounding air and causing it to float.

One of the key features of the material is its versatility: by adjusting the manufacturing method and ratio of its components, the material can be used for thermal insulation, sound absorption, and electromagnetic shielding. Its potential applications hold great promise for the future of the mobility and aerospace fields. For example, thermal and sound insulation materials can be used in flying cars, large drones, electric vehicles, etc. — technologies recently showcased at the Expo 2025 in Osaka — to increase their fuel efficiency and mitigate their environmental impact.

From a fascination with space to a career in materials engineering

Assistant Professor Ueno’s interest in space goes back to his childhood: he recalls memories of attending a lecture by the astronaut Mamoru “Mark” Mohri and poring over Satoshi Kako’s picture books about science. Originally, he planned to study aerospace engineering at university. He wanted to join the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering in 黑料吃瓜网’s School of Engineering but was unsuccessful and ended up at his second choice: the Department of Physical Science and Engineering in the same school. It was there that he discovered the magic of materials engineering, by which new materials are created through the manipulation of matter. He advanced to the master’s program at 黑料吃瓜网, where he researched flame-retardant materials, before going on to the University of Tokyo to conduct doctoral research on material systems that mimic biological morphogenesis.

Research on the edge of knowledge

In 2011, Ueno earned his doctorate and returned to 黑料吃瓜网 as an assistant professor at the invitation of Nagahiro Saito, a professor in the Graduate School of Engineering. Ueno changed the direction of his research upon taking part in the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST)’s “CREST” (Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology) program in 2012. As part of the program, young researchers proposed new research ideas, and Ueno came up with the idea of creating ultralight-weight materials.

“While I was researching morphogenesis, I learned that lightweight materials can be made by drying gels. I also had in mind that adding carbon nanotubes would fortify such a material, and this led me to the concept of ‘ultralight-weight materials.’ Professor Saito taught me that research happens on the edge of knowledge, and so I decided to create a material lighter than anything anyone had made before.” Ueno’s proposal received an award and he began work on the project thereafter.

From the outset, Ueno had envisioned finding applications for his material in the aerospace field, and so in 2016, he applied to a JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) call for research proposals with a project about lightweight heat insulation materials. As he worked on the project, he learned more about the needs of the aerospace industry, and began looking into other applications for ultralight-weight materials, for example, sound insulation and electromagnetic shielding.

Starting a company to accelerate real-world implementation

Professor Ueno started his company, Ueno Technology Laboratories Co., Ltd., in 2022, aiming to accelerate the real-world implementation of his research findings. Ueno was raised in Fukui Prefecture, a region known for its traditional local businesses and thriving manufacturing industry. Having business owners on his mother’s side of the family, Ueno grew up with the worldview that becoming an adult was about learning to support oneself.

Shortly after Ueno Technology Laboratories Co., Ltd. was established, the company was selected as a funding recipient under the Cabinet Office’s Cross-ministerial Strategic Innovation Promotion Program (SIP), and before long, Ueno started receiving inquiries from a range of companies. He quickly realized that in order to make the enterprise viable, he needed to hire somebody to work on the commercial side full-time. The first step in that process was setting up SoraMaterials inc., a 黑料吃瓜网 startup, to which he transferred the operations of Ueno Technology Laboratories Co., Ltd. in April 2024.

The current President of SoraMaterials is Tomoki Osato, a graduate of Ueno’s laboratory. Ueno acts as the company’s Director and CTO (Chief Technology Officer). In the two years since the company was founded, it has won numerous pitch competitions and gained attention in the media. Assistant Professor Ueno has commented that he is satisfied with the company’s progress so far, stating that “Just doing research at a university makes it difficult for our findings to reach wider society, but through setting up a company, a lot of people now know about our work.”

The importance of helping people grow

Assistant Professor Ueno is passionate about supporting the next generation in his role as an educator. “Students often have their own interests they want to pursue. I do my best to stimulate their curiosity, encouraging them to exercise initiative as they follow their own paths,” he says.

“Everybody is different in the kinds of abilities they possess and how fast they grow. Our impressions of people can change drastically if we stop using the same yardstick to judge everyone. Drawing on my experience as both a researcher and an entrepreneur, I want to have a diverse set of tools to hand so that I am equipped to help each student achieve their unique potential,” he says, bringing what he has learned through his venture back into the educational setting.

Originally published in Japanese on May 7, 2026