Expert Views
Staying an “Outsider”: Innovation from an “Unconventional Organization” at Nagoya WorksRyuhei Sumisaki
First Published in Japanese in May 2026 [2 parts]
Summary
Finding innovation in “new combinations.”
Using this idea as a basis, the Open Innovation Department at Mitsubishi Electric’s Nagoya Works is an organization that believes in creating new value by cutting across internal and external boundaries. Rather than starting from customer needs alone, the department focuses on existing assets, guided by a spirit of “what sparks interest.” It is also defined by an approach that prioritizes action over planning.
Ryuhei Sumisaki, who became the department’s general manager in December 2024, describes the organization as “an outsider that brings positive stimulation to the company.” With an unconventional career path stretching from research laboratories to the front lines of solutions sales, Sumisaki shares his perspective on the essence of innovation in manufacturing and his unique practical philosophy.
Ryuhei Sumisaki
General Manager of the Open Innovation Department at the Mitsubishi Electric Factory Automation Systems Group’s Nagoya Works. He joined the company in 2001, working on development of embedded systems and software infrastructure at the Systems Department of the Advanced Technology R&D Center. After developing the SCADA business and working on AI, 5G, and security technologies, in 2021 he took charge of new business creation as senior director of the North American Development Center. He was appointed to his current position in December 2024.
- The names of organizations and job titles listed here are as of the time of the interview (November 2025).
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