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Hiroshima Open Accelerator 2025 Gov-Tech Challenge

Creww Inc., guided by President Sorato Ijichi, has announced the start of the Hiroshima Open Accelerator 2025 Gov-Tech Challenge in collaboration with the Hirogin Area Design Corporation. The program is officially set to launch on August 19, 2025. This initiative is designed to foster collaboration between startups across Japan and the 16 municipalities within Hiroshima Prefecture, supporting the development and practical testing of digital solutions that address pressing regional challenges.

Objective of the Program

The Gov-Tech Challenge aims to assist local governments in integrating innovative solutions developed by startups into their operations, ultimately improving various aspects of citizen life, including administrative services. The program seeks to encourage startups to expand their presence in Hiroshima while effectively promoting the adoption of digital technologies in local governance and community initiatives.

Participating municipalities, each facing unique local challenges, aim to partner with startups that can offer innovative ideas and technological solutions. Key areas of focus include:

• - Environment and Agriculture: Efforts to create emergency inspection frameworks for irrigation ponds and visualize damage due to harmful wildlife.
• - Tourism: Developing strategies to enhance visitor experiences and increasing tourism content during evenings or winter seasons to boost spending.
• - Education: Initiatives to cultivate local pride among children through historical education and improve the efficiency of experiential educational trips.
• - Transportation: Aiming to create apps that optimize transportation routes for students and enhance accessibility in public transport.
• - Administrative Efficiency: Innovations to streamline government processes, analyze citizen feedback using AI, and improve intra-governmental workflow.
• - Infrastructure Management: Utilization of unmanned robots for sewer facility inspections and improving the management of local innovation labs.
• - Information Dissemination: Solving the challenge of effectively communicating with citizens and promoting local brands through digital platforms.
• - Regional Issues: Encouraging the development of workplaces attractive to younger generations and women and addressing societal issues proactively.

Program Details

The program will be open for applications from August 19, 2025, to September 7, 2025, targeting startups, small businesses, and organizations throughout the nation (excluding large-scale corporations). Interested candidates can find more details and submit their applications via the following link: Application Page.

• - Application Deadline: September 7, 2025, by 11:00 PM
• - Organizers: Hiroshima Prefecture, Hirogin Area Design Corporation, and Creww Inc.

Participating Municipalities

• - Hiroshima City
• - Kure City
• - Takehara City
• - Mihara City
• - Fukuyama City
• - Fuchu City
• - Miki City
• - Shobara City
• - Otake City
• - Higashihiroshima City
• - Akitakata City
• - Etajima City
• - Fuchu Town
• - Akiota Town
• - Kitahiroshima Town
• - Sera Town

Schedule

The program is structured into several phases:

• - Application Period: August 19 - September 7, 2025
• - First Screening: September 8 - September 19, 2025
• - Online Refinement Workshops: September 22 - October 17, 2025
• - Second Screening: October 20 - October 24, 2025
• - Presentation and Discussion Phase: October 27 - November 21, 2025
• - Final Selection Phase: November 25 - November 28, 2025
• - Validation Testing: Starting December 1, 2025
• - Information Exchange Event: March 2026 (planned)

About Creww Inc.

Creww Inc., located in Shibuya, Tokyo, was established on August 13, 2012, with a capital of 1.08455 billion yen. The company operates one of Japan's largest open innovation platforms and has successfully hosted over 550 collaborations between startups and public sectors, fostering more than 1,500 cooperative efforts. The platform boasts approximately 9,000 startups registered, aiming to support not only national but also regional startup ecosystems throughout Asia. Their vision is to create an age of great challenges by comprehensively supporting anyone willing to embark on innovative ventures.

For more information about Creww Inc., visit: Creww Official Website.