SmartCityX Achievements 2023

Overall program overview

In addition to recruiting and selecting global startups, we have held multiple unique workshops and promoted business co-creation by bringing together Japan's leading companies and domestic and international startups, local governments, and mentors.

Program results

In the third program, startups selected from among 10 large companies representing each industry in Japan and 134 companies from around the world will work together with advanced local governments, economic organizations, and expert mentors to develop services and applications under four themes. We worked on the development of 36 promising business co-creation ideas.

In addition, at "Scrum Open Innovation Day 2023" on December 7, 2023, we presented the results of two projects and reviewed the activities for 2023.

❶ Project to improve the happiness of the elderly through mobility

Participating companies/organizations:

Suzuki Motor Corporation & LOOVIC Corporation

Overview:

Suzuki's handle-type electric wheelchair "Senior Car" and the voice navigation service LOOVIC are teaming up to create a system that will encourage elderly people who tend to stay at home to use the Senior Car to go around town. In November, we conducted a demonstration experiment in Amane Ward in the northern part of Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture, and we are currently considering future developments.

❷ Accessible tour product creation

Participating companies/organizations:

Japan Airlines Co., Ltd. & YAMADA Co., Ltd.

Overview:

Japan Airlines, which promotes "accessible tourism" that anyone can participate in and enjoy without hesitation, regardless of age or disability, utilizes "futto", a walking muscle support gear that assists walking with the power of rubber. We are currently working on creating a tour product that allows customers who are concerned about walking for long periods of time on their own to sightsee on foot.

❸ Scrum Open Innovation Day 2023 Panel discussion “Trends in Metaverse business in Japan”

Participating companies/organizations:

TV Asahi Co., Ltd. & Japan Airlines Co., Ltd. & Japan Post Co., Ltd.

Overview:

The three partner companies, who have had many discussions about the Metaverse, which is one of the main themes of SmartCityX2023, held a discussion session to introduce each company's efforts so far and discuss future prospects. After one year of discussions, each company spoke about the challenges they felt and their plans for next year and beyond.

Program Contents 2023

Schedule

Theme settings

ThemeWorkshop was held on February 15, 2023, and 13 people from 5 companies gathered. Each participant wrote their own work on a theme that they were interested in, and then had each team write a summary. Based on the workshop, we decided on four theme areas and confirmed the major direction we should take.

Program launch

We have started the third term of the global open innovation program "SmartCityX'', which collaborates with large companies representing each industry in Japan and startups from around the world to co-create business.

Partner companies: Japan Airlines Co., Ltd., East Japan Railway Company, Japan Tobacco Inc., Lion Corporation, Suzuki Corporation, TV Asahi Co., Ltd., Hakuhodo Co., Ltd., Japan Post Co., Ltd., Woven by Toyota Co., Ltd. , Panasonic Holdings Co., Ltd.
Local government partners: Fukui Prefecture, Mie Prefecture, Shibuya Ward, Kaga City, Ishikawa Prefecture, Kashima City, Ibaraki Prefecture, Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture, Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry

1.TV Asahi has newly joined “SmartCityX”. Third phase of the Global Open Innovation Program begins in four areas including mobility and metaverse

2.Open innovation program “SmartCityX” begins recruiting startups in four areas including mobility and metaverse

Phase 1

Face-to-face discussions are held every other week for each of the four themes. We invited experts from local governments and various fields to provide input on issues and the latest trends, and to refine our ideas. We also held a thematic discussion and used Scrum's original worksheet to help organize and visualize ideas.

Phase 2

Through face-to-face discussions on each theme and individual company meetings, we matched large companies and startups while formulating and verifying business hypotheses.

Startup Showcase

SmartCityX and Well-BeingX jointly held a matching event with 11 global startups. Exhibitions and presentations by 18 startup companies from 6 countries. There will also be a keynote on the theme of femtech and healthcare, as well as a panel discussion with founders of overseas startups. After the event, 26 individual interviews were held and collaboration opportunities were created.

Global Startup Discovery

JETRO, which is also an SCX resource partner, invited a total of 10 advanced overseas startups carefully selected from over 1,000 startups supported by CEATEC to coincide with the CEATEC session.

Scrum Open Innovation Day2023

To conclude the third period of the initiative, "Scrum Open Innovation Day 2023" was held jointly with the "Well-BeingX" program at Tokyo Midtown Hibiya BASEQ Hall on December 7, 2023.

There were panel discussions on overseas startups' service development in Japan and co-creation with Japanese companies, and a demo booth was set up where people could experience cutting-edge technologies from domestic and overseas global startups. Among business co-creation projects between startups, four projects representing the SmartCityX and Well-BeingX programs were announced ahead of time. More than 200 people attended the event, and many also watched online.

1.In the third year of the global business co-creation program "SmartCityX", large companies such as Suzuki, Japan Airlines, TV Asahi, and Japan Post announce the results of business co-creation with startups and others.