【Chiba Prefecture × eiicon】eiicon Commissioned for "FY2026 Open Innovation Promotion Project"! Chiba Prefecture Companies Invited to Participate in This Year's "Chiba Prefecture Open Innovation Program"!

eiicon Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and President: Ayuko Nakamura; hereinafter "eiicon"), which operates "AUBA," Japan's largest open innovation platform, has been commissioned by Chiba Prefecture for the "FY2026 Open Innovation Promotion Project." As one of the core initiatives of this project, the "Chiba Prefecture FY2026 Open Innovation Program" (hereinafter "this Program") has been decided. This program will match companies in Chiba Prefecture that are working on new business creation and solving their own challenges with companies nationwide, providing hands-on support for business co-creation. Applications for companies in Chiba Prefecture wishing to receive support from this Program began today, April 30, 2026.

Chiba Prefecture × eiicon

■ About the "Chiba Prefecture FY2026 Open Innovation Program"

Chiba Prefecture aims to foster a climate of open innovation throughout the prefecture, consistently supporting the process by which local companies with excellent technological seeds create new businesses with new business partners through external collaboration. In its efforts in 2025, the "Chiba Prefecture FY2025 Open Innovation Program" was implemented, matching companies in Chiba Prefecture working on new business creation and solving their own challenges with companies nationwide, providing hands-on support for business co-creation. Currently, 8 selected companies are aiming for co-creation.

■ "Chiba Prefecture FY2026 Open Innovation Program" Application Guidelines for Participating Companies in Chiba Prefecture This Year

Target Applicants:

・Companies with headquarters or business offices in Chiba Prefecture

Number of Companies to be Selected:

・Approximately 3 to 5 companies

Application Conditions:

・Eager to create new businesses or solve problems by leveraging their strengths

・Aiming to create businesses through collaboration with external partners

・Able to participate in designated workshops (around July 6 and late October)

・Able to participate with a multi-person team

・Involvement of a manager or decision-maker

*Company size does not matter if the above application conditions are met.

*In addition to the above, there are prescribed application qualifications and terms of agreement.

*Document screening will be conducted based on the application content, and interview screening will be conducted if necessary.

Application/Details URL: https://forms.gle/UJo2ehUiqZbfg99s5

*Application Deadline: June 5, 2026 (Friday) 23:59

■ Briefing Sessions for This Program / Open Innovation Seminar & Mini-Workshop (Venue), Briefing Session for This Program & Guest Session (Online) will be held

For companies in Chiba Prefecture wishing to participate in this Program, we will hold briefing sessions for this Program and seminars/mini-workshops to help them understand the process of business creation through open innovation.

Additionally, an online briefing session for this Program and a guest session introducing co-creation examples from other regions will be held.

Please feel free to join either!

□ Briefing Session / Open Innovation Seminar & Mini-Workshop (Venue)

Application/Details URL: https://chiba-oi-2026.peatix.com

*Application Deadline: May 18, 2026 (Monday) 23:59

Date and Time: May 19, 2026 (Tuesday) 14:00-16:00

Venue: TKP Chiba Station East Exit Business Center (Ezawa Building 3F, 1-20 Shinmachi, Chuo-ku, Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture)

*4-minute walk from JR Sobu Line Chiba Station East Exit *No online streaming on the day.

Content:

・Explanation of program content

・Open Innovation Seminar & Mini-Workshop

Speaker: Masahiro Soda, eiicon Co., Ltd.

・Networking session

・Consultation with the secretariat, etc.

Participation Fee: Free

Target Participants: Companies in the prefecture, support organizations, universities, government, etc.

□ Briefing Session & Guest Session (Online)

Application/Details URL: https://chiba-oi-2026-online.peatix.com

*Application Deadline: May 26, 2026 (Tuesday) 23:59

Date and Time: May 27, 2026 (Wednesday) 14:00-15:00

Format: Online

Content:

・Explanation of program content

・Guest Session

"The Power to Create New Businesses (Introduction to Advanced Open Innovation Cases)"

Speaker: Daisuke Kamiyama, Executive Officer, Group CIO, IX Holdings Co., Ltd. & President, IX Digital Co., Ltd.

Participation Fee: Free

Target Participants: Companies in the prefecture, support organizations, universities, government, etc.

□ Future Schedule (Planned)

April 30: Start of recruitment for participating companies in Chiba Prefecture *This press release

May 19: Briefing Session & Open Innovation Seminar