Shingo Potier is an expert on worldwide innovation and has been involved in creating a community in Japan based on “value”, and Tsuyoshi Aizawa is a former Yokohama real estate agent who is now...
Why Yokohama
Connect with global Japanese corporations at YOKOHAMA GADGET FESTIVAL 2019
During the month of October, “Yokohama Gadget Festival 2019,” a new multi-stage public event to celebrate innovation will be held in Yokohama through a joint partnership with local SMEs, large...
YOXO BOX – New support center opening in Yokohama to stimulate startup ecosystem
On October 31 an opening event will be held to celebrate the establishment of Yokohama’s new startup growth center—YOXO BOX. YOXO BOX will be located in Kannai, one of Yokohama’s major...
Former Yokohama City Hall to be transformed into Innovation Center
Yokohama City Hall is scheduled to relocate to Minato-Mirai district from Kannai district in 2020, and the city recently announced that it would be redeveloping the former building and surrounding...
Open Innovation is the Key to Survival (Innovation Interviews, Ep. 5)
(Right) Shingo Nagai, Executive Manager and Head of Area Management, Sotetsu Building Management Co., Ltd.(Left) Yuta Hashimoto, Assistant Section Chief, Keikyu Corporation Business Creation...
New Support Base for Startups Opens in Yokohama
[Update: The new support base for startups has opened! Learn more about YOXO BOX here!] Yokohama city announced the “Innovation City Yokohama” initiative in January this year, in which researchers,...
How Location is Shaping the Future of (Open) Innovation in Japan (Innovation Interviews, Ep. 4)
The Minato Mirai (MM) area of Yokohama is currently transforming into a central hub for the headquarters of Japan’s large companies and R&D centers. It is the home of businesses such as Fuji...
How “Real Local Issues” Create Business (Innovation Interviews, Ep. 3)
(Left) Ms. Ayako Amari, Business Strategy Section Engineer at the Application Management System Headquarters of Hitachi Solutions. (Center) Ms. Tanabe Keiko, Senior Staff of the Corporate Planning...
Increasing entry of foreign companies into Yokohama
Since the beginning of this year, the City of Yokohama’s partnership with Kanagawa prefecture and JETRO has successfully helped three foreign companies to establish new bases in Yokohama. Two out of...
Initiatives to Educate Entrepreneurs (Innovation Interviews, Ep. 2)
Interview with Dr. Emi Tamechika, Professor at Yokohama National University’s Center for Economic Growth Strategy Becoming a launchpad for innovation, and establishing initiatives to educate...
City of Yokohama introduces TechDay New York to new Japanese startups
On May 2nd, 2019, the City of Yokohama hosted a booth at TechDay New York, the largest startup event in the US. This year's annual TechDay was the busiest to date, with over 20,000 attendees...
Company Spotlight: Aperza Inc.
Makoto Ishihara, CEO, Aperza Inc. We interviewed Mr. Makoto Ishihara, the CEO of Aperza Inc., a Yokohama-based startup that participated in the startup convention “Slush Tokyo 2019” which took place...
Job Fairs for International Students in Yokohama
In March of 2019, to support the job-search efforts of international students in Japan, the City of Yokohama held the first of many job fairs for international students. Job fairs for international...
“Creating the best products by utilizing the talent and technology that Yokohama has to offer” (Innovation Interviews, Ep. 1)
Interview with Mr. Hideyuki Fujisawa, Representative Director, NITTO CO.,LTD. NITTO is a global pioneer of state of the art technology. Founded in 1918 to produce electrical insulation...
Cure×Clothing Project: Developing clothes that inspire movement
Workout clothes that make you want to work out.As part of the “Cure×Clothing Project” to support people’s natural movement from a fashion standpoint, Yokohama City University’s Communication Design...
Company Spotlight: OPPO
OPPO, the 5th largest smartphone maker in the world, opened a research center in Yokohama one year ago. Interview with Mr. Cho, the head of OPPO’s Yokohama Research Center.Q. Can you give us an...
IDEC Yokohama announces winners of Yokohama Business GP 2019
The Yokohama Industrial Development Corporation (IDEC Yokohama) has been hosting the Yokohama Business Grand Prix since 2003, a business plan competition to support entrepreneurs and business...
Yokohama startups to exhibit in TechDay New York, the largest startup event in the US
On May 2, 2019, the City of Yokohama will host a “Yokohama Pavilion” at TechDay New York, a large-scale startup event to be held at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in Manhattan’s West Side...