カテゴリー(英語): blog

As SHIP’s founding partner, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has established UNDP Accelerator Labs (Acc. Labs) in country offices since 2019. Working with governments and diverse local partners, the Labs map challenges, experiment with local solutions, and explore ways to scale impact, drawing on ideas from local communities. Today, 89 Acc. Labs operate across 113 countries, sharing insights and know-how through a global network.

Acc. Labs also actively collaborate with private sector partners. Since 2020, with funding from the Cabinet Office of Japan, Acc. Labs have implemented the Japan SDGs Innovation Challenge, a program in which Acc. Labs and Japanese companies co-develop and experiment with solutions leveraging Japanese technologies and expertise, while supporting the development of companies’ business models. SHIP supports the implementation of the program.

A key feature of the program is that it is implemented in line with the “innovation activity process” defined in ISO 56002 (Innovation Management System), published in 2019 (see figure below). Initially, the program focused on concept creation and concept validation, but as it has progressed, it has expanded to include solution development and solution implementation, moving closer to on-the-ground application.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Over the past five years since July 2020, the program has been implemented in 10 countries across Asia and Africa (see table below).

                       Projects under the Japan SDGs Innovation Challenge

 

 

 

 

 

 

Learn more about projects in 2020-2022 here.
Learn more about projects in 2022-2023 here.

In the Zimbabwe project launched in January 2023, a solution leveraging Pegara Japan’s AI technology was developed to reduce damage caused by quelea birds, a major pest species that arrive in large flocks and devastate cereal crops. Locally, women and children often walk through fields banging cans to scare the birds away, a time-consuming practice that can also prevent children from attending school. In some cases, governments use pesticides to control the birds, raising concerns about potential impacts on human health.

To address this challenge, Pegara Japan developed and refined a technology that uses cameras and AI to analyze bird movements and automatically deploy drones that emit deterrent sounds to drive the birds away. Co-developed with UNDP, the solution goes beyond bird control by working with local communities—who have traditionally captured these birds with nets as a valuable source of protein—to build a value chain that includes bird capture and sale in local markets. To ensure the solution can be sustainably delivered through a viable business model, Pegara Japan has already begun hiring young local talent and is planning to establish a local company to scale the solution on the ground.

AI analysis of incoming quelea birds

Local community members in Zimbabwe observing large flocks of quelea birds and drone operations

Source) Pegara Japan

Pegara Japan staff in Zimbabwe demonstrating the solution to UNDP and local stakeholders (two wearing vests)

Source) UNDP

Acc. Lab video featuring the Zimbabwe project (5’38”)

In Samoa, a project with Think Sea (brand: tototo) began in February 2023 to make effective use of fish skins that are otherwise discarded. The project leverages Think Sea’s technology for tanning fish skins into fish leather and producing items such as wallets. The Think Sea team visited Samoa multiple times to assess the availability and condition of locally sourced fish skins and to share techniques for tanning fish leather and producing products such as accessories and bags with local communities.

Building on these efforts, the project aims to establish a community-based production system in Samoa and sell the products as souvenirs to tourists.

Think Sea team (center) training local communities in fish skin tanning techniques


Accessories and bags made from fish leather by local communities

Source) Think Sea

Online article by Acc. Lab Samoa (published April 27, 2023)

NHK World FRONTRUNNERS feature on Think Sea (March 19, 2025)
* Samoa project is featured from 17:25 to 19:42

In August 2024, building on the results of a two-year project launched in 2020 that developed a satellite imagery–based model to detect plastic waste accumulation hotspots in rivers across Metro Manila, including the Pasig River, Alpha Space Designlab developed a model to detect plastic waste accumulation around Samal Island near Davao City and analyze where the waste originates.

Samal Island, whose economy depends on tourism, has faced challenges from marine pollution caused by large amounts of plastic waste flowing in from nearby cities and rivers, threatening the local tourism industry. The analysis results on plastic waste accumulation are available at any time through an online dashboard and are used to support policy planning by local government officials.

Beyond detecting plastic waste, the solution can also identify water turbidity, algal blooms, and coral reef degradation, and is expected to have broader applications in environmental conservation in the future.

Dashboard displaying analysis results of plastic waste accumulation around Samal Island


Mr. Ito of Alpha Space Designlab explaining plastic waste accumulation analysis results to local government officials

Source) Alpha Space Designlab

Acc. Lab video featuring the Philippines project (3’27”)

Online article by Acc. Lab Philippines (published June 25, 2025)

Since its launch in 2020, the Japan SDGs Innovation Challenge has entered a new phase in its fifth year, shifting its focus to sharing solutions and know-how generated through past projects across the Acc. Lab global network and scaling them to other countries.

From June to September 2024, R&D workshops were held in Kenya, Bhutan, Zimbabwe, and the Philippines, bringing together Acc. Lab members from around the world. Five Japanese companies that had participated in past Japan SDGs Innovation Challenge projects presented their technologies, know-how, and project results, and engaged directly with country teams to explore opportunities for expanding their solutions to other countries.

Mr. Ichihara of Pegara Japan speaking about experiences in Zimbabwe during the workshop in Bhutan


Mr. Urabe of Tenchijin speaking about experiences in Burkina Faso during the workshop in Zimbabwe

Building on these results, in the fifth year of the Japan SDGs Innovation Challenge, starting in fall 2025, the program plans to scale solutions generated from past projects to other countries.

Creating solutions to address development challenges together with local communities and turning them into sustainable businesses for Japanese companies is a long-term process, but the Japan SDGs Innovation Challenge is steadily making progress toward that goal.

Visit the UNDP Accelerator Labs Japan SDGs Innovation Challenge page here.

Since its establishment in 2016, SHIP has been providing workshops on designing businesses to address social challenges, including workshops that apply the Purpose Engineering methodology in recent years.

On September 10, SHIP conducted a workshop at Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd. (OKI) using the Purpose Engineering approach to explore the company’s vision two years ahead and the business models needed to achieve it.

Following the adoption of the SDGs, OKI was one of the first companies in Japan to launch employee-driven innovation initiatives aimed at achieving the SDGs and addressing social challenges. As part of this innovation program, known as Yume Pro, OKI holds the Yume Hub Meetings, a nine-month initiative in which around 30 employees—including group employees from Japan and overseas—collaborate each year to create ideas for operational reform and new businesses.

The workshop delivered by SHIP was conducted as one session within the Yume Hub Meetings. After gaining an understanding of the relationship between the SDGs and innovation through a lecture, participants defined their personal aspirations and areas of expertise as “infra (small) purpose,” the achievement of the SDGs as the “meta purpose,” and then set driving objectives for the next two years (the “mid-purpose”) to explore potential business model ideas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From a lecture on the relationship between the SDGs and innovation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Purpose Engineering framework: infra (small) purpose,  meta purpose, mid-purpose (driving objectives), and their relationship to the SDGs

The workshop lasted just three and a half hours, yet participants based in Japan and abroad, both in person and online, actively engaged in group discussions and identified driving goals for the next two years while generating ideas for operational innovation and new business concepts.

Workshop was held in the innovation room “Yume ST”

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), a founding partner of SHIP, operates UNDP Accelerator Labs (A-Labs) in 91 locations around the world. Working together with local governments, various organizations, and private companies, the A-Labs aim to create and implement innovative solutions to development challenges, contributing to the achievement of the SDGs.

To accelerate these efforts, each A-Lab actively collaborates with private-sector partners. Since 2020, by utilyzing funding from Japan’s Cabinet Office, Japanese companies have been working together with A-Labs to explore and test solutions that leverage Japanese technology and expertise. At the same time, the “Japan SDGs Innovation Challenge” project supports the development of Japanese business models, with SHIP assisting in its management.

This project is implemented in accordance with the innovation process defined in ISO 56002: Innovation Management System, published in 2019, with a focus on the “concept (solution) creation” and “concept (solution) validation” stages of the process (see the process diagram below).

 

 

In 2020–2022, projects were carried out in the Philippines, Vietnam, India, Turkey, and Malawi, followed by projects in Malaysia, Burkina Faso, and South Africa. In the beginning of 2023, new projects were launched in Zimbabwe and Samoa, while the second phase of the project in Malaysia is also underway. (Learn more about projects in 2020-2022 here)

　　　　　　　　　　　Projects under theJapan SDGs Innovation Challenge

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Japan SDGs Innovation Challenge does not conclude its activities once the project period ends. Even after the project, Japanese companies continue to collaborate with UNDP A-Labs to implement and scale up solutions, while promoting the local commercialization of Japanese business models.

In the Philippines and Vietnam, where Japan Manned Space Systems Corporation (JAMSS) has been using satellite image analysis technology to identify hotspots with large amounts of plastic waste flowing into rivers and the sea, in the second phase of the project, the target areas and detection scope were expanded.

To help local stakeholders utilize the findings for waste management policies, an information dashboard was developed, allowing them to access detection results anytime via website or smartphone. JAMSS plans to expand the provision of this service across Southeast Asia.

Dashboard view on a smartphone
Source) JAMSS

As a result of the project carried out by NEC India and A-Lab India over one and a half years, the Spices Board of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry released a new platform, “eSpiceBazaar”, in August 2022. The platform is equipped with NEC India’s blockchain technology, marking the start of its use for spice trading and traceability.

Following the outcomes of this project, NEC India plans to expand its blockchain-based services to other platforms in India.

     
Farmers whoho participated in field testing　Product with a QR code for traceability information
Source) A-Lab India

In Turkey, public spaces designed by Sotonoba in consultation with local residents were built by the residents themselves by 2022 and are now being actively used by the community. The placemaking methods and design expertise of Sotonoba’s public spaces have been introduced to municipalities and other organizations across Turkey by the A-Lab, and their expansion to other regions is expected.

Community Kitchen Built on Former School Site (Kahrat)

Design sketch and Opening event of the community kitchen (October 22, 2022)

Community Relaxation Space for Local Cats and Residents (Karşıyaka)

Construction and completed public space by community residents

Community Space for Residents to Enjoy Greenery (Karşıyaka)

Public space built by community residents and the completed space
Source) UNDP Turkey

The project in Malaysia, launched in 2021, completed its first phase with the design and fabrication of a pilot solar-powered agricultural dryer using AGC Green-Tech’s fluoropolymer film, F-CLEAN®, as well as drying trials in two communities in Sabah. The project is now in its second phase, focusing on expanding the food dryer to other regions.

Food dryer demonstration for community members　　Drying trials of vegetables and fruits
Resource) A-Lab Malaysia

In Burkina Faso, Tenchijin has integrated ground-based rainfall measurements with its satellite data and AI technologies to enable more accurate rainfall monitoring and forecasting. This has made it possible to provide farmers—who have previously suffered crop losses due to flooding and other weather-related events—with rainfall information and forecasts through a web platform as well as via SMS on mobile phones.

Web platform interface displayed on mobile phones

Rainfall information via SMS
Source) Tenchijin

In South Africa, starting in January 2022, Seaweed Resources Research Institute conducted surveys and analyses—including field studies—to identify coastal areas suitable for seaweed aquaculture and seaweed species appropriate for cultivation. Based on these findings, the project team examined the value chain for seaweed-based industries and decided to foster an industry in the Western Cape focused on cultivating Gracilaria seaweed for agar production, primarily for export to Japan. In the second phase, the project plans to conduct cultivation and processing trials for Gracilaria with the participation of local communities, aiming toward export.

The project in Zimbabwe, launched in January 2023, is developing AI-based bird control measures using Pegara Japan‘s technology to reduce damage caused by pest birds that fly into farmlands in large flocks and consume grain crops. The project is currently examining bird deterrent technologies to be combined with AI, and Pegara Japan plans to visit the site and conduct pilot demonstrations in the summer of 2023.

In Samoa, a project with Think Sea (brand: tototo)—which has technology to tan fish skins into fish leather for products such as wallets—was launched in February 2023 to make effective use of fish skins that are otherwise discarded. From June to July, the Think Sea team visited Samoa to assess the local availability and condition of fish skins and to share fish-skin tanning techniques with local communities.

Over the past three years, these projects—implemented across 10 countries through collaboration between Japanese companies and UNDP A-Lab—have worked to address development challenges in developing countries by leveraging Japanese technologies and expertise, while also supporting the development of sustainable business models for Japanese companies.

The initiative is now entering a consolidation phase. Going forward, the project outcomes and accumulated know-how will be compiled and shared within the A-Lab Global Network as the Japan SDGs Innovation Challenge model, with plans to expand the initiative through broader partnerships to advance the SDGs and support the commercialization of participating companies.

The Creative Response-Social Innovation School (CR-SIS) fosters human resources capable of solving social issues through the power of innovation. This school, started in 2020 and headed by Seiichiro Yonekura, Professor Emeritus of Hitotsubashi University as well as Professor of Hosei University Graduate School, has been offering 6-month classes for businessperson in charge of corporate CSR/SDGs, business strategy and brand strategy, and those who are planning to start their own social business.

Ai Ohara, the Director of SHIP, was invited for the third time to speak at the 7th class of CR-SIS on May 19, 2023. The lecture was given in Sendai, under the title of “The Essence of the SDGs and Innovation,” she explained that the SDGs are not just icons but are unique in that they are measurable goals with a three-tier structure of goals, targets, and indicators (KPIs), and that when you look into targets and indicators, you can find opportunities for innovation. She also emphasized that it is essential to know how to initiate innovation to achieve the SDGs, by showing the cases of projects between UNDP and Japanese companies, in line with the concept of innovation activities defined by ISO 56002: Innovation Management System.

The lecture was attended not only at the Sendai venue but also those who attended online from Tokyo, Nagoya, Hiroshima and Fukuoka. A wide range of 90 people, from high school and university students aiming to teachers, entrepreneurs and businesspersons listened to the lecture and lively discussion was taken place after the lecture.

Participants commented, “I understood that innovation is ‘Invention x Insight’, which means creating both economic and social value. In other words, it is difficult to continue solving social issues that do not generate economic value, so we must not run away from creating economic value when working to solve social issues,” “I learned that a deep learning of the 232 indicators of the SDGs can help us find the seeds of business. I have only skimmed over the SDGs, so I would like to take time to read them in depth,” “I thought the idea that we should use the SDGs in our business was particularly good. I learned how to initiate innovation and create new value in the world. In aiming for such business, I understood that I should work together with others, not alone, to discover raw issues and understand the issues, and by doing so, we can broaden the scope of various concepts.”

SHIP is thus connected with many external stakeholders to promote activities to achieve the SDGs through innovation.

 
Lecture in Sendai                                  Remote class in Tokyo

 
Remote class in Osaka                        Remote class in Fukuoka

Hitachi Channel Solutions, Corp. boasts the top share of the ATMs in Japan. The company provides solutions using sensing, handling and security technologies not only in the financial sector, but also in manufacturing, distribution, public service, transportation and healthcare.

Based on the company’s vision, “Shaping a sustainable future by connecting the real and the digital, people and society with technology and trust,” Hitachi Channel Solutions is exploring and pursuing images of the future that it envisions and promoting the realization of these images. In this context, a two-hour workshop was held by SHIP on November 8, 2022 to encourage employees of the company to “shape the future” based on the SDGs, and to inspire them to take actions.

In the workshop, after a lecture on the relationship between the SDGs and business, as well as the innovation process, participants were asked to find his/her own relationship to a few selected SDG targets. Then, by utilizing the methodology of Purpose Engineering*, participants discussed what kind of driving goals should be set and what kind of specific projects should be launched and acted upon to achieve their personal goals and the social goals of the SDGs.

*Purpose engineering: A method to create a clear and strong pivotal purpose by organizing purpose in three levels: Intra purposes (personal purposes), Pivotal purpose (driving goals of a project or business), and Meta purpose (social purpose), and to launch a project and make it successful.

After the workshop, participants commented, “It was an opportunity to think deeply about the SDGs,” “I was able to feel closer to the SDGs,” “I was surprised that we have to make the SDGs our business,” “I was able to understand the method to incorporate the SDGs into my work,” “My awareness of the SDGs has increased. And I will be more conscious of them in my daily work,” and “It was an opportunity to consider how my work can contribute to the SDGs. I understood that I need to take the initiative in line with the goals.”

SHIP continues to support the creation of SDG-driven business models in line with the vision and philosophy of companies.

The Creative Response-Social Innovation School (CR-SIS) fosters human resources capable of solving social issues through the power of innovation. This school, started in 2020 and headed by Seiichiro Yonekura, Professor Emeritus of Hitotsubashi University as well as Professor of Hosei University Graduate School, has been offering 6-month classes for businessperson in charge of corporate CSR/SDGs, business strategy and brand strategy, and those who are planning to start their own social business.

Ai Ohara, the Director of SHIP, was invited to speak at the 6th class of CR-SIS on November 11, 2022. Under the title of “The Essence of the SDGs and Innovation,” she explained that the SDGs are not just icons but are unique in that they are measurable goals with a three-tier structure of goals, targets, and indicators (KPIs), and that when you look into targets and indicators, you can find opportunities for innovation. She also emphasized that it is essential to know how to initiate innovation in order to achieve the SDGs, by showing the cases of projects between UNDP and Japanese companies, in line with the concept of innovation activities defined by ISO 56002: Innovation Management System.

The lecture was attended not only at the Tokyo venue but also online from Sendai, Nagoya, Hiroshima and Fukuoka. A wide range of people, from high school and university students aiming for social business to teachers, entrepreneurs and businesspersons listened to the lecture and asked many questions after the lectures.

SHIP is thus connected with many external stakeholders to promote activities to achieve the SDGs through innovation.

From April to July 2022, SHIP gave six lectures to business persons, titled “SDGs and Innovation – Ways for Japanese companies to achievement of the SDGs through innovation” at Sophia University Professional Studies.

This lecture course was attended by 20 businesspersons from a diverse range of companies, including food manufacturers, transportation, financial institutions, trading companies, mass media, and consulting firms. In the course, Japan Innovation Network (JIN) gave lectures on how to initiate innovations addressing to the achievement of the SDGs and case studies of collaboration between the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Japanese companies. UNDP Representation Office in Japan gave a lecture on the “SDG Impact Standards” for integrating the SDG into corporate decision-making. In addition, representatives from Kokubu Group was invited as a guest speaker to talk about how Kokubu strategically integrated the SDGs into their business strategies.

In the last two sessions of the course, each group of 6-7 participants picked up a specific issue related to the SDG 12 target 3: “By 2030, halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses,” and came up with ideas how to innovate in the value chain to solve the issue.

Participants who completed the course commented, “The concept of the SDGs changed the way I thought about them. I learned that to be an innovative company, it is necessary to have a clear vision and objectives based on that vision,” “It was a revelation that not only is it possible, but is the essence of the SDGs, to be compensated for the value created by innovation, which overturned my previous understanding of the SDGs,” and “The biggest lesson I learned was that activities by private sector to achieve the SDGs should not charity or donations, but can (rather must) generate profit as a business.”

Lecture by Kokubu Group representatives

Presentation at a workshop

Founded in 1712 in Nihonbashi, Edo (old name of Tokyo), Kokubu Group is one of Japan’s leading food wholesalers. Kokubu Group plays a key role in Japan’s food distribution industry by providing its service to 35,000 customers including supermarkets, convenience stores, department stores, drugstores, liquor stores and the food service and restaurant industry, as well as by sourcing from 10,000 food manufacturers.

For more than 300 years since its establishment, Kokubu Group has continued and expanded its business to this day while constantly confronting society and making changes, overcoming crises such as the Great Kanto Earthquake in1923 and World War II. SHIP supported the company’s “SDGs Strategy Development Project” for 6 months from 2019 to 2020.

In this project, a core team of eight members was formed, including members from the corporate planning, sales and logistics divisions in addition to the Sustainability Promotion Section, to reflect the SDGs in the management plan and to directly incorporate the SDGs strategy to business in the field.

The project was also part of Kokubu’s innovation activities and used the framework of ISO 56002: Innovation Management System, which JIN was involved in developing.

　　　　　　　　　　Framework of ISO 56002

To this end, the project team first clarified the “Context of the organization” including the environment surrounding the Kokubu Group and confirmed the role of Kokubu as required by stakeholders and society. Then, the team analyzed the 169 targets of the SDGs in detail, listed the “Relationship between the SDGs and the Kokubu Group’s business,” and identified which SDGs targets the Kokubu Group should contribute to achieving.

And the SDG strategy was developed after clarifying the Kokubu Group’s strength, what kind of “value” it currently provides to stakeholders, what kind of value it would like to provide in the future, as well as “Intent” and what kind of corporate group it would like to become over the next 100 years.

In addition, with the aim of realizing the Kokubu Group’s ideal state, the project team proceeded to determine what business opportunities exist (“Identify opportunities” in ISO 56002), and to develop a business model (“Create concepts”) to realize them.

Orie Hiraga, Group Manager of the Sustainability Promotion Section, who participated in the project as a core team member, said, “Through the process of this project, we were able to discuss and think about what significant role the Kokubu Group can play in the society, and what kind of value we can offer. In the process of this discussion, we did not deny opinions that might be taken as so-called “grievances,” but instead took them as opportunities to create value by solving issues, and thoroughly and earnestly discussed them. I feel that the fact that the discussion was able to proceed without deviation was largely due to the understanding of the SDGs that we were able to deepen through the thorough analysis of the 169 targets in the beginning. These free discussions helped us envision the future for the next generation and led to the setting of major goals for the Kokubu Group.”

The project team developed a statement of the Kokubu Group’s SDGs strategy, ” We will pass on the business we have built up over 300 years to the next generation. We will create happiness and smiles for everyone across the globe through food.” And in September 2020, the Chairman and the President announced the strategy. This SDGs strategy was also reflected in the 11th Long-term Business Plan.

[Kokubu Group websites]
Corporate site: https://www.kokubu.co.jp/english/
Social & Environmental Conservation Activities: https://www.kokubu.co.jp/english/sustainability/

Subsequently, Sustainability Promotion Section has communicated the SDGs strategy and the methods for identifying business opportunities in the SDGs and creating business models to Group employees. And each group company is currently working toward the realization of Kokubu’s ideal state identified in the strategy.

Hideyuki Koga, General Manager of the Sustainability Promotion Section, who was a member of the core team, commented on their activities after the project, “Based on the materiality, targets, and basic action policy developed, and the 30 SDG targets selected in the project, a 12-member project team, including new members from the human resources and healthcare divisions, established 18 KPIs for realization of the SDGs strategy. Then, the project team evaluated the business model based on the ISO 56002 framework and shared it with the committee members of the 11th Long-term Business Plan, which started in 2021. And finally, the SDGs were integrated into our business strategy.

One year has passed since then, and various exiting projects and working groups have been launched within the Group, and efforts are being made to solve environmental and social issues through innovations. As JIN has taught us in the SDGs Strategy Development project, it was very important to integrate the SDGs into business strategy. The approach to the SDGs has become much easier for Kokubu Group, as the implementation of our business plan is now directly leads to the achievement of the SDGs.”

Creating SDG-driven business models in accordance with the innovation management process implemented in the Kokubu Group’s project is one of the SHIP’s expertise. SHIP will continue to provide support to Japanese companies in such activities to make further use of their technology and know-how to achieve the SDGs.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has established 91 UNDP Accelerator Labs around the world, working with local governments, various organizations, and private companies to create and implement new solutions to development challenges with the aim of achieving the SDGs.

To accelerate this, Accelerator Labs are actively pursuing partnerships with the private sector including those in developed countries. In 2020, funded by the Cabinet Office of Japan, Japan SDGs Innovation Challenge was initiated, and Accelerator Labs and Japanese companies have been jointly creating and verifying solutions by utilizing technology and know-how of the Japanese private sector, while also developing business models for the partner Japanese companies. SHIP has been supporting the implementation of this Challenge.

Projects in this Challenge follow the process of innovation activities as defined in ISO 56002 (Innovation Management System) which was published in 2019 and focusing on the “creation of concepts/solutions” and “verification of concepts/solutions” of the innovation process (see the diagram above).

Since December 2020, projects in India, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Turkey have been implemented, and for FY2021, project implementations in Malaysia, Burkina Faso and South Africa have been decided at the end of 2021.

The first cohort projects were conducted fully online because of the COVID19 pandemic over about six-month period. The hot spots of plastic waste accumulation were identified in the rivers of Pasig City in Metro Manila, the Philippines and in the rivers of Danang City, Vietnam by the partner company, Japan Manned Space Systems Corporation (JAMSS). The satellite image-based plastic waste detection models were developed in this project, and used to detect hot spots by comparing satellite images and photos taken on the ground by cameras and drones.

In India, the partner company, NEC India’s blockchain technology was incorporated into eSpiceBazaar, a spice trading platform that was being built by the Spices Board of India, and an app was developed for farmers to input farm and harvest information. User test was successfully conducted with 1,000 chili pepper farmers in Guntur City in the state of Andhra Pradesh.

Structure of blockchain empowered eSpiceBazaar

And in Turkey, on the island of Gökçeada, workshops to collect opinion of community residents, were held several times with the participation of adults and school children. The partner company, Sotonoba came up with the vision and designed the facilities for the outdoor public space, by reflecting the results of the workshops. As the output of this project, a method for constructing and operating public space with the participation of residents was developed.

Online workshop with community residents    Ideas developed by a student

Based on the significant outcome achieved, it was decided to implement the second phase of the above projects by expanding the target regions and by increasing the number of target beneficiaries and agricultural products.

For the FY2021, projects were initiated in Malaysia, Burkina Faso, and South Africa at the by the beginning of 2022. In these three projects, field visits by Japanese partners was conducted for the first time in South Africa, and collaboration across the three countries has begun in Malaysia project with the participation of third-country partners in addition to Japan.

[Blog by Accelerator Labs on the first cohort projects]
Philippines posted on September 29 2021 
Vietnam posted on June 3 2021 and March 9 2022 
India posted on September 29 2021
Turkey posted on April 28 2021 and September 29 2021

 

SHIP supported the implementation of “Support program for SDGs business development utilizing SATREPS project outcomes” sponsored by the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) for two years in FY2018 and FY2019.

SATREPS (Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development) is a program aiming to strengthen international science and technology cooperation between Japan and developing countries that has been implemented since 2008 by JST in collaboration with Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

The program provides funding of about 100 million yen per year for three to five years for science and technology projects to solve global issues, to be carried out jointly by Japanese and developing country researchers. To date, more than 150 projects have been implemented in about 50 countries in the fields of environment and energy, bioresources, disaster prevention and mitigation, and infectious diseases control.

SATREPS emphasizes deploying its research outcomes in the society, and the “Support program for SDGs business development utilizing SATREPS project outcomes” was implemented to strengthen this emphasis. Specifically, researchers who have raised their hand to commercialize their research outcomes were matched with Japanese private companies, and then spent about one year building a business model while finding local and Japanese business partners, customers, and investors (see the diagram above).

SHIP provided support for implementation of projects in Vietnam, Malaysia and Tunisia in FY 2018, and in Vietnam, Indonesia, and South Africa in FY 2019 (see the list of projects below). As a result, several patterns of results were achieved, including cases in which multiple companies participating in a project invested in and launched a new company to start a business, cases in which businesses were launched as new businesses of a company participated in a project, and cases in which verification of the business model was decided to continue toward commercialization.

Maximizing the use of STI to achieve the SDGs is on the global agenda. In supporting the implementation of this program, it became clear that scientific and technological research outcomes based on locally identified issues are very effective as business resources, and that the local networks that Japanese researchers have built over the years with governments, universities, and local companies in the partner developing country are key to develop concrete business models. On the other hand, the project experienced the difficulty of securing initial funds to launch businesses targeting developing countries.

SHIP plans to use its experience in supporting this program to continue to focus on developing “issue-driven” business models in collaboration with many stakeholders and to identify ways to expand investment in incubation-stage businesses.