Yamaha Motor is set to rejuvenate its new-business segment by concentrating on mobility services in emerging markets and a forestry surveying initiative in Japan using unmanned aircraft. According to Nikkei, the company anticipates generating ¥10 billion ($64 million) in revenue from new businesses this year, falling short of the ¥30 billion target in its current medium-term business plan.
Despite missing its initial revenue goal, Yamaha CEO and President Yoshihiro Hidaka remains optimistic, noting that “initiatives are steadily expanding, and we’ll be able to scale up at certain points.”
While Yamaha’s core segments include two-wheelers and machinery such as outboard motors, and its growth segments comprise power-assisted vehicles and robotics, new projects are classified separately. To spearhead these initiatives, Yamaha launched the New Business Development Center in January 2023. This center has taken over business development support functions previously managed by Yamaha’s technical research and development center.
The center will develop strategies to expand new businesses, which will be incorporated into the company’s forthcoming three-year plan starting in 2025. Mobility services are expected to generate a significant portion of this year’s new-business revenue. Yamaha is partnering with local firms to supply two-wheelers for home delivery and logistics businesses in India, Nigeria, and other African nations, addressing mobility gaps and creating job opportunities.
Jim Aota, the chief general manager of Yamaha’s new business development center, emphasized the company’s commitment: “Our intent is to contribute to the use of two-wheeled vehicles for performing work, and [mobility services] is becoming the focal point of new businesses.”
In Japan, Yamaha is collaborating with Nagoya-based self-driving startup Tier IV to commercialize automated transportation services within factory grounds. Additionally, the company has rebranded its aerial forest measurement service as RINTO, which uses uncrewed helicopters equipped with lasers to collect detailed three-dimensional forest data. This service, marketed for forest monitoring, thinning estimates, and disaster prevention, provides more detailed information than drones or crewed aircraft and is managed by trained pilots for safety.
Beyond mobility and forestry services, Yamaha is exploring opportunities in the medical field, including robot technology for drug discovery. Aota stated that these efforts stem from “an analysis of megatrends to make future predictions” and develop businesses aligned with those trends.
As Yamaha prepares for its new three-year plan, the company is poised to expand its footprint in innovative sectors, leveraging its expertise to drive sustainable growth and address emerging market needs.
