JICA’s Co-Creation x Innovation Program QUEST aims to create innovative co-creation projects that contribute to solving issues in developing countries and Japan by matching diverse actors from the private sector, academia, civil society, and public institutions.
This program was launched at a launch event in May 2025, followed by a matching event in June, where actors seeking solutions to social issues met and deepened discussions. Many diverse and attractive ideas for co-creation projects were submitted by participants. After a document review process and a heated idea competition, nine co-creation ideas were selected, and the results of the four-month demonstration experiment (PoC) were presented at the final debriefing (Demo Day) held on January 19, 2026.
The demo day was held at the Tokyo Innovation Base and was attended by about 50 people in person and 130 people online. At the demo day, in addition to the results of the demonstration test for the realization of co-creation projects aimed at solving social issues, a report was also presented on the subsequent development plan. The event ended on a high note, with reports that provided a realistic sense of the issues that came to light through discussions with local government agencies and private companies, as well as the response to commercialization.
Summary of 9 adopted projects (in no particular order)
Country: Name of the demonstration experiment (PoC) (Adopted company) Project Summary Philippines: Generating carbon credits through community-led seaweed farming to support global climate change mitigation (Agrabah Ventures Inc. / Naga College Foundation, Inc.) Community-based carbon certification and Aiming to demonstrate a credit system, the challenge is to create a system that enables farmers and small and medium-sized enterprises to “visualize” their greenhouse gas reduction activities, and to certify and monetize them. Malaysia and Indonesia: Development of high-performance textile products specialized for prevention of mosquito-borne infectious diseases such as dengue fever and malaria (FiberCraze Co., Ltd. / Tropical Infectious Diseases Research & Education Centre (TIDREC)) Challenging to develop high-functional textile products with trapped insect repellent ingredients specialized for prevention of mosquito-borne infectious diseases such as dengue fever and malaria. Vietnam: Human resource development for autism support utilizing expertise in developmental support and AI video analysis technology (NPO Kaihatsu Wanpakukai / F Vital Co. Challenging to develop a model that enables local supporters to support children and their parents autonomously and continuously. Nigeria: Introduction of supercritical fluid technology (SFT) to traditional shea butter production (SheaPure NG / Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University / ACROSS Tohoku Co. Bangladesh: Establishment of remote cardiac rehabilitation and disease prevention system using ECG/pulse measurement and IT system to manage data (Generus Corporation / MITAS Medical Corporation) The challenge is to strengthen the care system for cardiac patients in Bangladesh, especially post-operative patients, and to establish a cardiac screening support system that can function even in non-urban areas. Mongolia: Development of a Mongolian cashmere goat breed that can produce high value-added cashmere (Seturotech Corporation / Sumitomo Corporation) The challenge is to promote the breeding of cashmere goats that can produce high quality cashmere with finer fiber through genetic improvement (precision breeding). Ecuador: Project to conserve biodiversity and improve livelihoods of small farmers in the Galapagos Islands through coffee cultivation and ecosystem monitoring using agroforestry (Saka-no-Tochu Corporation / Biome Co. The challenge is to create a new business model that contributes to the conservation of biodiversity in the Galapagos Islands through agroforestry and ecosystem monitoring, as well as to the improvement of small-scale farmers’ incomes. Thailand: Solving the world’s food problems using a new seed modification technology based on epigenomics (Kyushu University / Guan Co., Ltd.) Mongolia: Japan-Mongolia Space Education Cooperation Project – Practice of international joint education through CubeSat educational materials and stratospheric balloon experiments (Kagawa National College of Technology, National Institute of Technology / Mongolia-Japan Joint High School of Technology) The students from both countries collaborated to deepen space education by conducting stratospheric balloon experiments with a high recovery rate and safety, taking advantage of the vast grasslands.
Co-creation business ideas that have completed the verification experiment will move on to the next stage, such as additional verification and commercialization. Our goal is to ensure that each co-creation business idea is developed sustainably as a “solution that takes root in society.
QUEST2026 will be launched in March 2026. With the aim of creating an even greater impact on the complex issues faced by developing countries, we will be releasing in advance the countries/regions and themes for which we are particularly looking forward to receiving proposals. Details of the program, countries, and themes will be released in due course, so please stay tuned.
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