#Japan #Tokyo #AI Support #wildlife conservation #NEC Social Entrepreneurship

NEC's Social Entrepreneurship Program Invites New Initiatives for 2025

In a bold step towards social change, NEC Corporation has unveiled the four organizations chosen for its 2025 Social Entrepreneurship Program, marking the 24th cohort of its unique initiative aimed at nurturing young social entrepreneurs. Since its inception in 2002, the program, developed in collaboration with NPO ETIC, has focused on addressing social issues and building sustainable solutions aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through innovative entrepreneurial efforts.

The selected organizations for 2025 reflect NEC's commitment to creating a safe, fair, and efficient society where everyone's unique humanity can thrive. Here are the four organizations making their mark:

1. Tomoiku Co., Ltd.
- Representative: Yukako Takemura
- Mission: Tackling the social issue of 'isolation in child-rearing' where mothers often feel alone in their parenting journey. Tomoiku utilizes AI-driven childcare support, offering immediate counseling through LINE and fostering community ties among parents. Their aim is to build a collaborative parenting society that promotes shared responsibilities between couples.
- Website: Tomoiku
- Vision: Takemura looks to enhance policy collaborations and strengthen networks, aspiring to establish an impactful business model for a future free of solitary parenting.

2. Rooting Our Own Tomorrows
- Representative: Kanako Anka
- Mission: Confronting the illegal wildlife trade, which poses severe threats to biodiversity and public health. Leveraging media's influential power, the organization offers expert advisory services to craft high-quality communications that can protect wildlife and mitigate corporate risks associated with negative publicity.
- Website: Rooting Our Own Tomorrows
- Vision: Anka aims to develop organizational management skills through the program, focusing on sustainable economic models to support their NPO's goals.

3. Glocal Solutions from Classroom
- Representative: Saori Imaizumi
- Mission: Aiming to enhance Japan's manufacturing sectors and foster cultural diversity, this organization employs digital manufacturing tools to conduct online international collaborations and cross-cultural training.
- Website: Glocal Solutions
- Vision: Imaizumi wishes to refine their business direction, ensuring that their enterprise delivers significant societal value and impact.

4. Matsuri Co., Ltd.
- Representative: Maiko Shimizu
- Mission: In Japan, it's estimated that about 30 million people are suffering from mental conditions without anyone to confide in. Matsuri aims to combat this through a community care-based social media platform that fosters empathy and support while offering connections to appropriate resources through emotional analysis via AI.
- Website: Matsuri
- Vision: Shimizu envisions using the program as a platform to reconnect with their mission and to collaborate with like-minded individuals committed to changing societal narratives.

Throughout the six-month program, these organizations will receive mentorship and guidance to iteratively develop their business strategies and validate their hypotheses in real-world settings. NEC continues to strive towards enhancing employees' awareness around social issues while co-creating further social value through dialogue with social entrepreneurs.

The overview of the selected organizations showcases NEC's dedication to fostering innovative solutions to pressing social challenges. Through the commitment of these emerging social entrepreneurs, the 2025 program promises to inspire a wave of transformative initiatives that resonate far beyond traditional entrepreneurship, paving the way for a sustainable future in Japan and beyond.