The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has selected a total of 11 companies for its “Open Innovation Challenge TSUBASA,” a program that invited Japanese startup companies considering expansion into the Latin America and Caribbean region from January 5 to February 3, and will provide support for business development in the region over the next six months. The decision was made to provide support for business development in the region over the next six months.
This is an open innovation program that aims to contribute to the SDGs in Latin America and the Caribbean by combining innovative businesses of Japanese startups with the strong support of JICA and the IDB Lab of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Group.
The Latin America and Caribbean region faces development challenges in various areas, such as social disparity, deforestation and environmental pollution, delays in water and sewage system development, and access to medical care. On the other hand, with a population of approximately 650 million and a GDP of over US$4.7 trillion, the region’s economy is larger than that of ASEAN. In addition, a startup ecosystem has been rapidly forming in the region in recent years. In light of this environment, JICA and IDB Lab are offering this support program to help solve development issues by encouraging Japanese start-ups to expand their businesses into the region.
Selected startups will receive support over the next 6 months to materialize their business ideas through advice from JICA, IDB Lab, and consulting firms, introductions to local networks, and on-site travel. Through this support, the program also aims to provide financial support for demonstration projects and business expansion, including access to IDB Lab’s support tools for promising businesses.
List of companies adopted
Company Name: R.T. Corporation
Representative: Yukiko Nakagawa
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Proposed Idea: Manpower-saving and efficiency-enhancing field robotics for agriculture and food processing industries
Company Name: AXELSPACE Corporation
Representative: Tomoya Nakamura
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Proposal idea: Utilization of optical satellite image data for environmental monitoring and other SDGs promotion
Company Name: Altarena Inc.
Representative: Toshimasa Yagi
Location: Hyogo Prefecture
Proposed Idea: Carbon Minus Coffee Support Project by Carbon Platform
Company name: WOTA Corporation
Representative: Maeda Yosuke
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Proposed Idea: Advanced housing free from water problems through small-scale decentralized water infrastructure
Company name: Green Carbon Co.
Representative: Jun Ohkita
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Proposed Idea: Project to generate carbon credits using agricultural land storage in Mexico
Company Name: Credit Engine Co.
Representative: UCHIYAMA, Kenichiro
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Proposed Idea: Demonstration project for DX to enhance the sophistication and visibility of debt collection operations of individuals and SMEs through Saas systems in Latin America, and to strengthen legal and ethical compliance.
Company Name: Sakaegumi Co.
Representative: Eihiro Sasaki
Location: Iwate Prefecture
Proposed Idea: Support for Extending the Service Life of Concrete Structures with the Pressure-Regulated Injection Method
Company Name: Sagri Corporation
Representative: TSUBOI Shunsuke
Location: Hyogo Prefecture
Proposed Idea: Fertilizer optimization and decarbonization through soil analysis using satellite data
Company name: TOWING Co.
Representative: Kohei Nishida
Location: Aichi, Japan
Proposed Idea: Soil improvement using high-performance biochar and carbon credit business initiatives
Company Name: Melody International, Inc.
Representative: Yuko Ogata
Location: Kagawa Prefecture
Proposal Idea: Mobile fetal monitor iCTG provides a safe and secure pregnancy and delivery environment for mothers around the world.
offer
Company Name: Eukarya Inc.
Representative: Kenya Tamura
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Proposed Idea: OSS platform for visualization and analysis of disaster prevention and recovery GIS data
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