NTT Research, Inc., a division of NTT has announced the launch of Scale Academy, a new startup incubator designed to bring advanced research innovations to market. Alongside this initiative, the company introduced its first product, SaltGrain, a zero-trust data security suite powered by attribute-based encryption (ABE). The incubator is led by Bennett Indart, SVP of Product Innovation at NTT Research.
The announcement was made at Upgrade 2026, NTT Research’s annual research and technology innovation summit held on April 15–16 at the Signia by Hilton San Jose. The launch marks a strategic evolution for NTT Research as it expands its role beyond foundational scientific research to actively commercializing high-potential technologies.
Scale Academy has been established to identify promising innovations emerging from NTT Research and NTT R&D labs and guide them through early-stage development into viable market solutions. As part of this effort, SaltGrain becomes the first product to transition from research to commercialization under the new incubator model.
SaltGrain introduces a modern approach to data security by leveraging attribute-based encryption within a zero-trust framework. This enables organizations to apply fine-grained access controls directly to encrypted data, allowing specific portions of documents to be securely accessed while protecting sensitive information. The solution supports multiple data formats, including documents, images, and videos, making it adaptable for enterprise-wide use.
Kazu Gomi, President and CEO of NTT Research, emphasized the significance of this launch, stating that Scale Academy represents the company’s “2.0” phase focused on transforming breakthrough technologies into market-ready solutions. He highlighted SaltGrain as a timely innovation that addresses critical cybersecurity gaps and enhances privacy protection in an era increasingly driven by AI-powered systems.
Bennett Indart, who leads Scale Academy, noted that the incubator is structured to support the unique dynamics of startup innovation. He explained that Scale Academy provides dedicated governance, resources, and flexibility needed to accelerate product development, with SaltGrain positioned to address growing risks related to AI, identity security, and data protection.
SaltGrain is specifically designed for enterprises and institutions handling high-value or regulated data, including sectors such as financial services, healthcare, and global technology. By embedding access policies directly into encrypted data, the platform enables secure collaboration and data sharing without relying solely on traditional perimeter-based security models.
The solution also supports emerging use cases involving AI agents, which require access to large volumes of data while maintaining strict privacy controls. With its ability to selectively grant access to sensitive information, SaltGrain allows organizations to unlock new opportunities in secure data analytics and cross-organizational collaboration.
In addition, SaltGrain benefits from recent advancements by NTT Research that enhance the performance of attribute-based encryption, positioning the platform for future post-quantum security applications. This ensures that the solution is not only relevant for current cybersecurity challenges but also prepared for evolving threats.
As the first product launched under Scale Academy, SaltGrain represents the beginning of a broader pipeline of innovation-driven solutions from NTT Research. The incubator will continue to support new technologies with structured development stages and early funding, reinforcing the company’s commitment to bridging the gap between research and real-world impact.
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