Tokyo-based Sakana AI enters into strategic partnership with Google

Sakana AI, a Tokyo-based AI company, announced on January 23, 2026, that it has entered into a strategic partnership with Google.

Sakana AI Announces Strategic Partnership with Google
https://sakana.ai/google/

Sakana AI enters into strategic partnership with Google

Sakana AI has entered into a strategic partnership with Google and will also be receiving additional funding from Google.

Our technological capabilities and our mission to translate research results into social implementation in Japan were highly evaluated, leading to this partnership. … pic.twitter.com/EZYW6y9Khp

— Sakana AI (@SakanaAILabs) January 23, 2026

Sakana AI is a Tokyo-based AI company that successfully raised over 14 billion yen in Series A funding from NVIDIA and others in September 2024. It then raised a total of 20 billion yen in Series B funding in November 2025.

Sakana AI has published numerous research results,including AI development methods using evolutionary algorithms , memory efficiency methods for inference , AI scientists who allow AI to carry out research autonomously , and Darwin-Gödel machines that allow AI to rewrite itself to improve its performance . Sakana AI has also released image generation AI that can generate ukiyo-e-style images and a small language model that runs on the iPhone.

Sakana AI, based in Japan, releases the Japanese AI model 'TinySwallow-1.5B' that also works on iPhones, distilling knowledge from large-scale language models to realize small-scale, high-performance AI models - GIGAZINE

Through its partnership with Google, Sakana AI will be able to deeply integrate Google's AI models, including Gemini and Gemma, into its technology and product development. This will accelerate development in areas such as 'scientific research automation.' Sakana AI will also provide direct feedback to Google's AI ecosystem, leveraging the on-site knowledge and technical expertise gained through its services to users. Sakana AI also announced that it will develop solutions leveraging Google's platform in areas requiring high levels of security and data control, such as financial institutions and government agencies.

David Ha, CEO of Sakana AI, who previously worked at Google and Stability AI, commented, 'I founded Sakana AI after gaining experience at Google, and it feels like a wonderful fate to be working with them again. We will work together to achieve great results in developing Japan's AI ecosystem.'

I founded Sakana AI after working at Google, and I feel a strange connection to be working with you again. We aim to achieve great results together to develop Japan's AI ecosystem. https://t.co/wPHzqxdLLO https://t.co/2HSjeLNqvw

— hardmaru (@hardmaru) January 23, 2026

Sakana AI is recruiting new talent , as it aims to accelerate research and development and social implementation through its partnership with Google.

This partnership will further accelerate research and development and social implementation.

We are looking for people who will help us pioneer the future of AI in Japan together with Sakana AI. https://t.co/hbpNDyUKrj pic.twitter.com/GBIarHiJ1t

— Sakana AI (@SakanaAILabs) January 24, 2026