JSOL and Ku-an Forge Partnership to Accelerate New Business Development through Playground Platform

JSOL and Ku-an Join Forces for Business Innovation

In a strategic move to revolutionize new business development, JSOL and Ku-an announced on February 20, 2026, that they have formalized a partnership agreement aimed at creating an innovative platform known as "Playground." This collaboration seeks to streamline the entire process of new business development—from concept to implementation and demonstration—by leveraging digital technologies and real-world business concepts.

Building the Playground

The Playground will harness JSOL's prolific operational expertise and robust system development capabilities while integrating Ku-an's Hakoniwa solutions, which include APIs and a real business sandbox for regional innovation. This combination aims to create a seamless environment where businesses can progress without hurdles, allowing for rapid development and deployment of new ideas.

Background: Transition from Individual Support to a Unified System

Previously, Ku-an supported JSOL’s specific projects through its Borderful Studio service, assisting in new business development with tailored guidance. However, the previous model often resulted in isolated pools of knowledge and varying project launch speeds and quality. To address these challenges, Ku-an has now restructured its expertise and insights gleaned from Borderful Studio into a shared testing environment accessible across JSOL’s new business development teams.

The Core Solution: Hakoniwa

Hakoniwa is composed of two essential components:

1. Hakoniwa API: This foundation provides instant access to necessary back-end functionalities, such as user management, payment systems, Web3 connections, and NFT issuance.

2. Real Business Sandbox: Ku-an operates real businesses—including supply chains and stores—that can serve as practical grounds for experiments, spanning various sectors like primary industries, food services, retail, and tourism.

Features of the Playground

Here’s how Playground elevates new business development:

1. Vibe Coding & Hakoniwa API: The integration of JSOL’s AI development capabilities with Hakoniwa API allows businesses to access required back-end functions without the need for building from scratch. This drastically reduces the time needed to construct prototype systems.

2. Immediate Validation through Real Business Sandbox: By utilizing real business environments for testing, organizations can move beyond theoretical scenarios and test prototypes in operational settings quickly.

3. Integrated Development Process: The Playground allows simultaneous launches of both working systems and businesses, enabling immediate incorporation of feedback from validation results to ongoing development processes. This approach aims to initiate demonstration experiments within just two days from an initial idea.

Practical Implementation: A Real-World Example

An exemplary initiative utilizing the Hakoniwa API is the "mame de aru", a community cafe specializing in soy coffee that opened on February 12, 2026. Initially developed through workshop discussions, the idea of a "Student Support Ticket" was transformed into a prototype in just one day. This ticket system was successfully launched during the cafe’s opening event and now serves as an experimental platform to connect local businesses with students, enriching community engagement.

This venture demonstrates how Playground transcends mere system validation, immersing itself in tangible business operations to explore new forms of communication and economic circulation in the local community.

Future Prospects

Ku-an envisions continuing its role as a vital player in the regional economy by launching and nurturing new businesses across primary industries, food services, retail, hospitality, and tourism. The insights gained through these grassroots practices will be shared with enterprises, local governments, and community stakeholders to contribute to the sustainable development of regional economies.

Company Overview

JSOL:
Headquarters: Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan
CEO: Kenji Nagai
Business: IT consulting, system development, software package development
Website: JSOL

Ku-an:
Headquarters: Uwajima, Ehime, Japan
CEO: Makoto Hamamura
Business: Specializing in regional innovation and business development facilitation
Website: Ku-an