Our team at Kumano Shindo attended the INNO-vation Program's 10th anniversary OPEN INNO-vation event, held on January 25, 2023, at Tokyo Midtown Hibiya BASE Q. The event looked back at the history of INNO-vation, and brought together some of the program's earliest collaborators, past winners, and new challengers.
Mr. Tadashi Fukuda, chairman of Kadokawa ASCII Research Institute and secretary general of the INNO-vation program, praised the program's achievements throughout the past decade. "I think we've been successful in fostering an environment where creative people can thrive," Fukuda said.
Yoshifumi Tsuge, State Senior Vice-Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications, also graced the event. The minister spoke about the significance of persevering: "The energy to take on new challenges without being bound by conventional ways and believing in yourself will bring forth a new future."
INNO-vation is a program that started in 2014, which is backed by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications to support innovators and create value at a global scale in the field of information and communication technology (ICT).
New Challengers
With more than 1,700 entries in the Disruptive Challenge category alone, this year's OPEN INNO-vation has attracted the highest number of applicants to-date. It has also provided existing members with multiple avenues to present and display their businesses and innovative ideas.
Kumano Shindo representative director Adam Lobel has been affiliated with OPEN INNO-vation since 2019 when he received a Generation Award. In 2020, Kumano Shindo began serving as a "network hub" for recruiting applicants to the program. Adam was first introduced to the OPEN INNO-vation program by Dr. Shinya Saka, who works at Kadokawa ASCII Research Institute.