Being driven by technology



Canon’s growth is driven by its development of distinctive and innovative technologies. The company consistently ranks among the top 10 U.S. patent holders. Acquiring as many patents as possible ensures we continue to benefit from our technical endeavours while also providing intellectual property for cross-licensing purposes. In turn, this encourages more freedom in the design and development stages.

Canon’s patent strategy allows the company to further diversify and expand its products. By ensuring their full deployment in the cornerstone technologies of precision engineering and optics—and also in electronic engineering, recording technologies, system engineering and communication—the company continues to broaden its horizons.

The company’s collaborative corporate culture and organizational structure means goals get shared across divisions, which work together to create industry-leading and –changing products.



Expanding technology



To further strengthen our technologies, Canon pushes to expand the breadth and increase the depth of the fields in which we currently excel, opening the realm of new possibilities.

In an age marked by technological competition and fluctuating market conditions, it’s necessary to have flexible research and development capable of anticipating and adapting to change. Canon has positioned itself to have as many technologies as possible to draw upon, and therefore be able to immediately respond to the market’s needs.




Leading the way



Never satisfied with its successes, Canon actively seeks out research and R&D collaboration opportunities with research organizations from around the world.

In addition to utilizing its proprietary technologies, Canon provides distinctive technologies to companies in various industries, research institutions and universities to create new systems and adopt an approach of open innovation.

A Three Regional Headquarters management system of research and development—Japan, Europe and the United States—combines R&D efforts around the world. In the U.S., Canon established a research institute dedicated to technologies applicable to medical science. Through collaborative studies with university hospitals and research institutes, Canon seeks to shorten the turnaround time from R&D to commercialization.



Valuing people



Canon's greatest R&D strength is its development environment, which values people. Canon actively trains its engineers and encourages them to share their knowledge with their colleagues.

The company’s annual Innovative Technology Forum includes sessions and workshops focused on R&D themes making significant progress. And its Engineer Study Abroad System develops engineers capable of competing and cooperating on the international stage.

The Patent Grade-Up Activity allows inventors, as well as other engineers, to work together with intellectual property division personnel to discuss a single invention. This not only improves the quality of patents but also leads to the creation of more new innovations. Thanks to these collaborations, Canon consistently ranks among the top U.S. patent holders.