Press Release
July 3, 2024

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- An incubation program where talents from developing countries& Japan collaborate to solve social issues through business -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 fromdeveloping 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 1st 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 providemethodologies 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 theprogram 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 startbusinesses in Sendai. Additionally, by matching participants with Japanese startups, we aim tofacilitate overseas expansion & contribute to regional revitalization through ODA.
■ Comments on this initiative (DI Executive Officer, Makoto Miyauchi)
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, wehave 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 theextensive cooperation of various stakeholders. We are committed to using ourfull knowledge & capabilities to support this initiative in the long term. This
includes considering the expansion to other regions & developing countries based on the PoC’ssuccess & 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 tosolve these problems, contributing to global peace, prosperity & the further development of Japanese society.
-About Dream Incubator Inc. ( https://www.dreamincubator.co.jp/ )With the mission of “Create Business and Change Societies”, we support the creation & growth of new businesses &industries as “The Business Producing Company”. Combining strategic consulting services with practical management skills
nurtured through incubation, we provide daily support to numerous public & private clients both domestically & internationally.

[Press release inquiries]
Dream Incubator Inc. (Contact: Yamauchi)
Tel: +81-3-5532-3200 / Email: info@dreamincubator.co.jp