#Japan #startups #Yabu City #Adlib Works

Startups Showcase Results from Business Contest in Yabu City

On October 8, 2025, Yabu City will host a report and networking event where four startups will present the成果 from their activities undertaken as part of the ‘Business Contest in Yabu City’. Organized by Adlib Works, the startups will share insights from their trials conducted between June and September, which earned them the Yabu City Award.

Background of the Event

The Business Contest in Yabu City was initiated by Yabu City, a designated National Strategic Special Zone located in Hyogo Prefecture, on June 22, 2025. This contest invited business plans from across the country to address various regional challenges faced by communities situated in mountainous areas. It aims to enhance local industry vitality by connecting innovative ideas with the realities of the region.

What to Expect at the Event

The report session will feature presentations by the winners of the Yabu City Award, showcasing their successful collaborations with local businesses and the results of their trials. Following the report, an interactive networking session will allow participants to engage and create new business opportunities. Everyone interested in startup initiatives or business expansion in Yabu City is encouraged to attend.

Event Overview

• - Event Name: Business Contest in Yabu City Report and Networking Session
• - Date: October 8, 2025, from 13:30 to 15:00 (Doors open at 13:00)
• - Location: Yabu City Community Hall, Room A, 2nd Floor (250 Hirotani, Yabu City)
• - Capacity: Approximately 40 attendees (first-come, first-served basis, free of charge)
• - Target Audience: Startups presenting, industry professionals, and those interested in business development within Yabu City.
• - Streaming: Online streaming available for the report session only.

Event Program

1. Opening Remarks
- Kentaro Yamaoka, CEO of Adlib Works (Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture)

2. Presentation of Results
a. OTERA Corporation (Zushi, Kanagawa)
- Plan: `Mamoruba`, a community support service for elderly single-person households.
- A free app for easy safety checks using the last usage time of the monitored individual's mobile phone, aiming for efficient and less burdensome monitoring through digital transformation.

b. Swell Corporation (Shinano Town, Nagano)
- Plan: `TypeGO`, striving for sustainability in educational settings through English digital transformation.
- Addresses challenges like teacher shortages and educational disparities by building a system less reliant on teaching experience and personnel, providing equal high-quality English learning to all children using ICT.

c. BOVLIFE Corporation (Chiyoda, Tokyo)
- Plan: Providing a future for those facing visual difficulties through their dark-vision support equipment, intending to hold a unique experience event for visually impaired individuals in Yabu City.
- Testing the equipment in various indoor and outdoor settings, increasing understanding for the able-bodied about disabilities.

d. THE Robotics Corporation (Daejeon, South Korea)
- Plan: `botbox`, a self-following transport robot aimed at solving labor shortages in farming.
- Conducting trials in Yabu City’s pepper and pear farms, demonstrating labor-saving and usability results across various agricultural products.

3. Networking Session
- Opportunities for business creation through networking and consulting sessions on entrepreneurship and business development strategies.
- Experience Booths: Participants can experience the service offerings of each company:
- OTERA: Experience the community support app `Mamoruba`.
- THE Robotics: Try out the outdoor self-following transport robot `botbox`.
- BOVLIFE: Experience the dark-vision support equipment (goggles).
- Swell: Test the English digital transformation software `TypeGO`.

Attendees can register via the link provided to ensure maximum benefit from this dynamic and innovative event at Yabu City. For more past case articles relating to Yabu City, visit the linked resource.