DENSO Foundation Awards Nearly $1 Million in Education Grants to Universities Across North America

Funds help advance programs that encourage students to pursue STEM-related careers in automotive and manufacturing sectors

SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Jan. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — DENSO, a leading mobility supplier, announced today that the DENSO North America Foundation (DNAF), its philanthropic group, has awarded nearly $1 million in education grants to five North American universities.

The grants are focused on helping students advance their education in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields and explore career opportunities in engineering, mechatronics, advanced manufacturing, and other technical areas. Such grants enhance the company’s wider efforts to support the workforces of today and the future.

“At DENSO, we believe that investing in education is investing in the future of mobility,” said Marty Deschenes, president of DNAF and executive vice president and chief manufacturing officer for DENSO in North America. “By supporting universities across North America, we’re helping students unlock their potential and drive innovation in STEM fields that are critical to our industry’s growth and transformation.”

DNAF also provides disaster relief grants to the American Red Cross and other first responder organizations. Since 2001, DNAF has given more than $21 million in higher education, disaster relief, and community grants.

This year’s grant recipients will utilize funding for equipment investment, student support, student projects, and research in a wide range of fields, including engineering, autonomous mobility, advanced manufacturing, and mechatronics.

Institutions in the United States, Canada and Mexico were invited to submit proposals. The following schools were awarded funding:

• California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
• Kettering University
• Michigan Technological University
• University of Guelph (Ontario, Canada)
• University of Michigan

For those interested in advancing their career at an automotive supplier as committed to the future workforce as it is to the future of mobility, visit https://www.denso.com/us-ca/en/careers/locations/.

About DENSO 
Globally headquartered in Kariya, Japan, DENSO is a $47.9 billion leading mobility supplier that develops advanced technology and components for nearly every vehicle make and model on the road today. With manufacturing at its core, DENSO invests in around 180 facilities worldwide to provide opportunities for rewarding careers and to produce cutting-edge electrification, powertrain, thermal and mobility electronics products, among others, that change how the world moves. In developing such solutions, the company’s 158,000 global employees are paving the way to a mobility future that improves lives, eliminates traffic accidents, and preserves the environment. DENSO spent around 8.6 percent of its global consolidated sales on research and development in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025. For more information about DENSO’s operations worldwide, visit https://www.denso.com/global/en/.   

In North America, DENSO is headquartered in Southfield, Michigan, and employs 23,000+ team members across nearly 50 sites in the U.S, Canada and Mexico. In the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025, DENSO in North America generated $12.5 billion in consolidated sales. To learn more about DENSO operations in the region, please visit https://www.denso.com/us-ca/en/. 

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SOURCE DENSO