Sony Corporation - Digital Transformation Strategies

Sony Corporation - Digital Transformation Strategies

Summary

This report provides insight into Sony Corporation's tech activities, including its digital transformation strategies, its innovation programs, its technology initiatives, its estimated ICT budget, and its major ICT contracts.

Sony Group Corp (Sony) is a manufacturer of electronic equipment, semiconductors, medical-related equipment, instruments, and devices. The company’s products include televisions, mobile phones, cameras, music systems, game consoles and software, semiconductors, batteries, and other electronic components. Sony produces, acquires, and distributes recorded music, motion pictures, and television programming; and operates television and digital networks. It also provides banking and financial services, including life and non-life insurance. The company markets products through sales subsidiaries, distributors, and direct sales through the internet. It markets products under Sony, PlayStation, Walkman, Blu-ray, Cyber-shot, Bravia, Exmor, Experia, and Airpeak brand names.

In 2020, The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) and Sony signed a cooperative agreement in the area of innovation. UNOPS and Sony begins their collaboration with the Global Innovation Challenge, a UNOPS programme that supports startups and businesses that provide solution to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Selected startups and businesses will be able to relocate to the UNOPS Global Innovation Center in Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture.

In February 2023, Sony Network Communications partnered with Astar to introduce Web3 Incubation Program, which aims to foster cutting-edge Web3 use cases by leveraging knowledge and resources of both companies. The online program is open to participants around the world, which runs for three months, from March to June. The program offers free sessions and mentorship for participating companies and provides opportunity to receive support for developing Proof of Concept project.

Scope

• Sony actively engages in acquisitions, joint ventures, capital expenditures and other strategic investments to acquire new technologies, efficiently develop new businesses and enhance its business competitiveness. For instance, in the fiscal year 2021, Sony invested in Bilibili and Epic Games, and acquired minority interests in both companies, with the goal of accelerating business expansion in entertainment.
• Sony’s Corporate R&D carries out various research and development activities in collaboration with multiple R&D organizations located in Japan, China, India, Europe, and the United States, utilizing the different characteristics and strengths of each area. While striving to attract skilled research personnel locally, Corporate R&D aims to promote further collaboration between the various businesses within the Sony Group.
• Sony has begun to apply its AI technology to a variety of sectors including entertainment. Sony established Sony AI in 2020 that aim to accelerate AI research and development by combining it with the Sony Group's imaging and sensing technologies, robotics technologies, and entertainment assets such as movies, music, and games, to drive change across business sectors and help create new ones.

Reasons to Buy

• Gain insights into Sony's tech operations.
• Gain insights into its tech strategies and innovation initiatives.
• Gain insights into its technology themes under focus.
• Gain insights into various product launches, partnership, investments and acquisition strategies.