Hiroshima Prefecture Launches 'The Meet 2026' to Tackle Local Government Challenges with Startups - Cumulative 926 Proposals, 93 Adopted, with Implementation and Nationwide Expansion Achievements
Key facts
- Hiroshima Prefecture Launches 'The Meet 2026' to Tackle Local Government Challenges with Startups - Cumulative 926 Proposals, 93 Adopted, with Implementation and Nationwide Expansion Achievements
- Hiroshima Prefecture will launch "The Meet 2026 Hiroshima Open Accelerator" on June 22, 2026, an open accelerator program that aims to solve administrative challenges of municipalities within the prefecture by using them as demonstration fields for collaboration with startups. An information session will be held on the same day, where participating municipalities will present their recruitment challenges, followed by a networking session, and applications for solution proposals will open. The program has a track record of 926 proposals and 93 adoptions, with successful implementations in local governments and expansion to other municipalities.
- Source: PR Times
- Date: June 13, 2026
Direct answer
Hiroshima Prefecture will launch "The Meet 2026 Hiroshima Open Accelerator" on June 22, 2026, an open accelerator program that aims to solve administrative challenges of municipalities within the prefecture by using them as demonstration fields for collaboration with startups. An information session will be held on the same day, where participating municipalities will present their recruitment challenges, followed by a networking session, and applications for solution proposals will open. The program has a track record of 926 proposals and 93 adoptions, with successful implementations in local governments and expansion to other municipalities.
- Citation
- Hiroshima Prefecture Launches 'The Meet 2026' to Tackle Local Government Challenges with Startups - Cumulative 926 Proposals, 93 Adopted, with Implementation and Nationwide Expansion Achievements (June 13, 2026), PR Times
- Source
- PR Times
- Date
- June 13, 2026
Hiroshima Prefecture will launch "The Meet 2026 Hiroshima Open Accelerator" on June 22, 2026, an open accelerator program that aims to solve administrative challenges of municipalities within the prefecture by using them as demonstration fields for collaboration with startups. An information session will be held on the same day, where participating municipalities will present their recruitment challenges, followed by a networking session, and applications for solution proposals will open. The program has a track record of 926 proposals and 93 adoptions, with successful implementations in local governments and expansion to other municipalities.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: June 13, 2026 at 00:00
- 🔍 Collected: June 12, 2026 at 15:21
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: June 12, 2026 at 16:52 (1h 30m after Collected)
Hiroshima Prefecture will launch the "The Meet 2026 Hiroshima Open Accelerator" on June 22, 2026, an open accelerator program that aims to solve administrative challenges of municipalities within the prefecture by using them as demonstration fields for collaboration with startups.
On the same day, an information session will be held at Tokyo Innovation Base, featuring a "Government Pitch" where representatives from participating municipalities will present their recruitment challenges, followed by a networking session. Applications for solution proposals will open from the same day.
What is The Meet Hiroshima Open Accelerator?
This project matches "municipalities within the prefecture facing various regional and administrative challenges" with "startups utilizing digital technology" on a platform, supporting collaborative development and demonstration.
It promotes the creation of value-added services and the development of new markets through the resolution of regional issues, implementation in local governments, and expansion throughout the prefecture and nationwide, thereby fostering the advancement of startups into the prefecture and revitalizing their business activities.
This fiscal year, 14 municipalities within the prefecture are participating, and solutions for 40 challenges are being sought.
Program Features and Achievements
Since its launch in fiscal year 2023, "The Meet" has received 926 proposals for 114 recruitment challenges, with 93 proposals being adopted. Development and demonstrations are being conducted in various administrative fields. Among the adopted projects, some have led to full-scale adoption by local governments after demonstration, expansion to other municipalities, and continuous orders.
Among the adopted companies, there have been 7 cases of continuous orders, 7 cases of expansion to other municipalities, and expansion to 18 municipalities within the prefecture alone.
Representative Case: Satellite Data x AI for Identifying Idle Farmland (Fukuyama City x SPACE SHIFT Inc.)
Fukuyama City and SPACE SHIFT Inc. analyze images from SAR satellites (Synthetic Aperture Radar satellites), which are less affected by weather or day/night conditions, in addition to optical satellites, using AI to automatically identify idle farmland and extract target farmland for investigation. This has reduced the workload for on-site investigations by staff and agricultural committee members by approximately half compared to the past. In addition to full-scale adoption in Fukuyama City, expansion to other municipalities within the prefecture, such as Aki-Takata City and Kitahiroshima Town, and nationwide expansion are progressing.
Comments
We want businesses with solid technology to seize opportunities in Hiroshima.
We want individuals and new businesses with solid technology who are struggling to seize business opportunities right after starting their ventures, or who wish to enhance their credibility, to demonstrate their skills in Hiroshima.
- Mr. Yamasaki, Director (at the time), Commerce, Labor and Tourism Department, Hiroshima Prefecture
Although we have technology, we lacked a venue to directly present it to local governments, etc. Gaining such an opportunity allowed us to feel the expansion of our company's technology.
This initiative has also created connections with other municipalities in Hiroshima Prefecture.
- Representative of a previously adopted company
We felt challenges but lacked ideas on how to solve them.
By leveraging the advanced technologies of startups and other companies, and by having them think together with us to find solutions tailored to our challenges, we achieved results in unprecedented ways.
- Representative of a participating local government
Past Adoption Results
Fiscal Year
Participating Municipalities
Number of Challenges
Number of Proposals
Number of Adoptions
FY2025
16 Municipalities
40
296
33
FY2024
14 Municipalities
40
326
34
FY2023
15 Municipalities
34
304
26
Total
114
926
93
Information Session / Government Pitch Overview
Date and Time
June 22, 2026 (Monday) 14:00 - 16:00
Venue
Tokyo Innovation Base (3-8-3 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo)
Organizers
Hiroshima Prefecture / Hirogin Area Design Co., Ltd. / Creww Inc.
Participation Fee
Free
Content
14:00 Program Overview
14:20 Recruitment Challenge Presentation (Government Pitch)
15:20 Q&A
15:30 Networking Session: Local Governments x Startups (until 16:00)
Application
Advance registration required: https://themeet20260622.peatix.com
*On-site participation only (online participation not available)
Project Overview and Schedule
Target Audience
Startups nationwide utilizing digital technology, etc.
Participating Municipalities
Kure City, Takehara City, Mihara City, Fukuyama City, Fuchu City, Miyoshi City, Shobara City, Higashihiroshima City, Aki-Takata City, Etajima City, Fuchu Town, Kumano Town, Akiota Town, Kitahiroshima Town
Recruitment Challenges
40 challenges presented by participating municipalities regarding regional/administrative issues.
Details will be released on the information session and official website on June 22.
Proposal Submission Period
June 22, 2026 (Monday) - July 10, 2026 (Friday) (scheduled)
Selection and Matching
Until mid-September (document screening and brushing up period)
Judging and Adoption
Until October (final presentation)
Demonstration Period
October - March 2027
Results Presentation
Mid to late March 2027 (scheduled)
On the same day, an information session will be held at Tokyo Innovation Base, featuring a "Government Pitch" where representatives from participating municipalities will present their recruitment challenges, followed by a networking session. Applications for solution proposals will open from the same day.
What is The Meet Hiroshima Open Accelerator?
This project matches "municipalities within the prefecture facing various regional and administrative challenges" with "startups utilizing digital technology" on a platform, supporting collaborative development and demonstration.
It promotes the creation of value-added services and the development of new markets through the resolution of regional issues, implementation in local governments, and expansion throughout the prefecture and nationwide, thereby fostering the advancement of startups into the prefecture and revitalizing their business activities.
This fiscal year, 14 municipalities within the prefecture are participating, and solutions for 40 challenges are being sought.
Program Features and Achievements
Since its launch in fiscal year 2023, "The Meet" has received 926 proposals for 114 recruitment challenges, with 93 proposals being adopted. Development and demonstrations are being conducted in various administrative fields. Among the adopted projects, some have led to full-scale adoption by local governments after demonstration, expansion to other municipalities, and continuous orders.
Among the adopted companies, there have been 7 cases of continuous orders, 7 cases of expansion to other municipalities, and expansion to 18 municipalities within the prefecture alone.
Representative Case: Satellite Data x AI for Identifying Idle Farmland (Fukuyama City x SPACE SHIFT Inc.)
Fukuyama City and SPACE SHIFT Inc. analyze images from SAR satellites (Synthetic Aperture Radar satellites), which are less affected by weather or day/night conditions, in addition to optical satellites, using AI to automatically identify idle farmland and extract target farmland for investigation. This has reduced the workload for on-site investigations by staff and agricultural committee members by approximately half compared to the past. In addition to full-scale adoption in Fukuyama City, expansion to other municipalities within the prefecture, such as Aki-Takata City and Kitahiroshima Town, and nationwide expansion are progressing.
Comments
We want businesses with solid technology to seize opportunities in Hiroshima.
We want individuals and new businesses with solid technology who are struggling to seize business opportunities right after starting their ventures, or who wish to enhance their credibility, to demonstrate their skills in Hiroshima.
- Mr. Yamasaki, Director (at the time), Commerce, Labor and Tourism Department, Hiroshima Prefecture
Although we have technology, we lacked a venue to directly present it to local governments, etc. Gaining such an opportunity allowed us to feel the expansion of our company's technology.
This initiative has also created connections with other municipalities in Hiroshima Prefecture.
- Representative of a previously adopted company
We felt challenges but lacked ideas on how to solve them.
By leveraging the advanced technologies of startups and other companies, and by having them think together with us to find solutions tailored to our challenges, we achieved results in unprecedented ways.
- Representative of a participating local government
Past Adoption Results
Fiscal Year
Participating Municipalities
Number of Challenges
Number of Proposals
Number of Adoptions
FY2025
16 Municipalities
40
296
33
FY2024
14 Municipalities
40
326
34
FY2023
15 Municipalities
34
304
26
Total
114
926
93
Information Session / Government Pitch Overview
Date and Time
June 22, 2026 (Monday) 14:00 - 16:00
Venue
Tokyo Innovation Base (3-8-3 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo)
Organizers
Hiroshima Prefecture / Hirogin Area Design Co., Ltd. / Creww Inc.
Participation Fee
Free
Content
14:00 Program Overview
14:20 Recruitment Challenge Presentation (Government Pitch)
15:20 Q&A
15:30 Networking Session: Local Governments x Startups (until 16:00)
Application
Advance registration required: https://themeet20260622.peatix.com
*On-site participation only (online participation not available)
Project Overview and Schedule
Target Audience
Startups nationwide utilizing digital technology, etc.
Participating Municipalities
Kure City, Takehara City, Mihara City, Fukuyama City, Fuchu City, Miyoshi City, Shobara City, Higashihiroshima City, Aki-Takata City, Etajima City, Fuchu Town, Kumano Town, Akiota Town, Kitahiroshima Town
Recruitment Challenges
40 challenges presented by participating municipalities regarding regional/administrative issues.
Details will be released on the information session and official website on June 22.
Proposal Submission Period
June 22, 2026 (Monday) - July 10, 2026 (Friday) (scheduled)
Selection and Matching
Until mid-September (document screening and brushing up period)
Judging and Adoption
Until October (final presentation)
Demonstration Period
October - March 2027
Results Presentation
Mid to late March 2027 (scheduled)
FAQ
What is the purpose of 'The Meet 2026'?
To use administrative challenges of municipalities within the prefecture as demonstration fields, find solutions through collaboration with startups, and aim to solve regional issues and revitalize startup business activities.
What kind of startups can participate?
Startups nationwide utilizing digital technology, etc., are eligible. In the past, there have been cases utilizing satellite data x AI.
What are the benefits of participating in the program?
Participants gain opportunities to experience real municipal challenges and test their technologies in demonstration fields. If selected, there is potential for full-scale adoption by local governments and nationwide expansion.
Please tell me about past adoption results.
A total of 926 proposals were received, and 93 were adopted. Some cases have led to full-scale adoption by local governments after demonstration or expansion to other municipalities.
Is participation in the information session mandatory?
The information session will cover the program overview and present recruitment challenges, offering opportunities for interaction with municipalities. As it is also the start date for proposal submissions, participation is recommended (on-site only).