JICA & DI launch the “Social Innovator Hub” a collaborative space to nurture next-generation social innovators The first program will take place this summer in Sendai

Dream Incubator Inc. (headquartered in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and President Takayuki Miyake; “DI”), in collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation agency (“JICA”), announces the launch of the “Social Innovator Hub” (SIH), a space for co-creation where talents from developing countries & Japan collaborate to “solve social issues through business”.

SIH is a co-creation ecosystem led by JICA, aimed at solving social issues through business. As part of the SIH incubation program, talented individuals from developing countries with a strong commitment to social issue resolution will be invited to Japan. Utilizing JICA’s network & DI’s business implementation capabilities, these participants will collaborate with Japanese universities, research institutions, and social entrepreneurs to develop their problem-solving abilities & business skills.

From August 5, 2024, ~ September 20, 2024, the 1^st pilot project will be held in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture (Tohoku University), with a focus on the environment & disaster prevention, leveraging Tohoku University’s technology & Sendai City’s key areas of interest. Participants from Indonesia, Mongolia, Nigeria, Peru & Japan will work together to explore social issues they wish to solve & develop ideas for social businesses during the two-month program.

SIH program overview

In this program, lecturers & mentors from DI, Tohoku University, & DENTSU INC. etc. will provide methodologies for understanding the structural aspects of social issues, along with lectures & workshops on Japan’s advanced technologies & expertise. Participants will use the knowledge & methodologies gained to co-create ideas for solving social problems from a business perspective, working towards developing prototypes & business models.

• Location ：Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture（Tohoku University）
• Theme ：Environment, Disaster Resilience（Focusing on Circular economy, Carbon Neutral, Nature positive & Disaster resilience）
• For participant recruitment information please visit the website.

Through the program, we aim to connect talent, information & technology between Japan & developing countries, establishing a hub for co-creating solutions to social issues even after the program ends. By collaboratively addressing social issues in Japan & developing countries, we hope to attract talented individuals to Sendai, and encourage them to study at Tohoku University or start businesses in Sendai. Additionally, by matching participants with Japanese startups, we aim to facilitate overseas expansion & contribute to regional revitalization through ODA.

Media Contact

For more information, media requests, or details on collaborating with this initiative please contact DI through the following email address. (E-mail: info@dreamincubator.co.jp )

Contact for Interviews: DI Manager, Yasuhiro Yamauchi

Comments on this initiative

Our mission is to “Create Business and Change Societies”. We have promoted various industry & business production activities that transcend domestic & international, public & private as well as academic boundaries. With JICA, we have continued close co-creation activities through multiple projects & initiatives, including new public-private partnerships & startup support systems.

We are delighted to launch the “Social Innovator Hub” PoC, a testament to the extensive cooperation of various stakeholders. We are committed to using our full knowledge & capabilities to support this initiative in the long term. This includes considering the expansion to other regions & developing countries based on the PoC’s success & creating a new JICA business model that balances “support for developing countries & regional revitalization”.

About Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) ( https://www.jica.go.jp/index.html )

JICA is the implementing agency for Japan’s official development assistance (ODA), unifying technical cooperation, concessional loan aid & grant aid to address the challenges facing developing countries. It operates in over 150 countries & regions. International issues are closely related to Japan, & by working with partners domestically & abroad, JICA aims to solve these problems, contributing to global peace, prosperity & the further development of Japanese society.