Tokyo Metropolitan Small and Medium Enterprise Support Center × eiicon: Accelerating Open Innovation for SMEs in Tokyo! TOKYO SME OPEN INNOVATION PROGRAM "Change"

eiicon Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Ayuko Nakamura; hereinafter referred to as eiicon), which operates "AUBA," Japan's largest open innovation platform, announces that it has been commissioned by the Tokyo Metropolitan Small and Medium Enterprise Support Center (hereinafter referred to as the Tokyo SME Support Center) to operate an open innovation program (hereinafter referred to as this service) as part of the "Business Resilience Enhancement Project for Sustainable Growth."

As one of its support contents, eiicon will operate the open innovation program "TOKYO SME OPEN INNOVATION PROGRAM 'Change'" (hereinafter referred to as this program), which aims to commercialize new products and services through co-creation between SMEs in Tokyo and other SMEs or startups.

A business transformation seminar, serving as a kickoff event, will be held on Monday, June 8, 2026, to explain this project and program. Participant recruitment has started today.

We look forward to the participation of SMEs in Tokyo interested in open innovation.

Tokyo Metropolitan Small and Medium Enterprise Support Center × eiicon

■ "TOKYO SME OPEN INNOVATION PROGRAM 'Change'"

For SMEs in Tokyo, the importance of business development through external collaboration, i.e., open innovation, is increasing due to labor shortages and the growing difficulty of creating new businesses.

This program is implemented to address these challenges, with the aim of promoting understanding of open innovation and creating opportunities for its practice among SMEs in Tokyo.

eiicon aims to foster a climate of co-creation and promote new business creation among Tokyo's SMEs. Through seminars and workshops, eiicon will provide end-to-end support, from basic understanding of open innovation to practical assistance, and committed to providing hands-on support for the creation of co-creation projects. Through this program, we aim to expand the participation of many companies and opportunities for practical application, and provide the following support to SMEs in Tokyo:

・Holding seminars to promote understanding of open innovation

・Practical programs (co-creation partner search and business development support)

・Accompanying support by experts

Regardless of industry or sector, we will recruit diverse companies to participate, starting with seminars, and encourage participation in practical programs, thereby expanding the base of open innovation in Tokyo and leading to the creation of new businesses and strengthening competitiveness.

□ Overview of the Business Transformation Seminar (Participant Recruitment)

As the start of this project, we will hold a seminar where participants can learn about open innovation from its basics to practical case studies. Through this seminar, even companies new to open innovation can deepen their understanding and connect it to their next actions.

"Business Transformation Seminar: Learning New Business Development for Company Growth ~ Open Innovation for SMEs ~"

・Date and time: Monday, June 8, 2026, 13:30-16:00 (Reception starts at 13:00)

・Venue: AP Nishi-Shinjuku N+O+P Room / Online (Zoom)

・Target participants:

　　SMEs in Tokyo *No industry or sector restrictions

　　・Companies facing challenges in new business development

　　・Companies interested in external collaboration

　　・Companies interested in collaborating with startups, etc.

・Participation fee: Free

・Organizer: Tokyo Metropolitan Small and Medium Enterprise Support Center Operated by: eiicon Co., Ltd.

・Program (tentative):

　　・Introduction to the "Business Resilience Enhancement Project for Sustainable Growth"

　　・Building Earning Power! ~The Company Transformation Required Now~ (Kazuo Akishima, President and CEO of IAC Co., Ltd.)

　　・Open Innovation Basic Course: Innovation Basic Course: Breaking Away from Self-Sufficiency! Thinking about New Business Development through External Collaboration (Kazuhito Narutomi, Representative Director of Japan Open Innovation Association)

　　・Open Innovation Practical Course: Introduction to Practical Cases of Open Innovation by SMEs

　　・Networking (on-site venue only)

Details and application: https://forms.gle/KpkEFynsze3aX6xc6

□ About the Tokyo Metropolitan Small and Medium Enterprise Support Center's "Business Resilience Enhancement Project for Sustainable Growth"

This project aims to improve the corporate transformation capabilities of SMEs in Tokyo, providing accompanying support for up to three years, from strategy formulation for self-transformation to plan development and execution. In the open innovation program handled by eiicon, we support SMEs aiming to commercialize new products and services through co-creation with other SMEs and startups. After holding seminars that widely convey the importance of corporate transformation and the utility of open innovation, eiicon's open innovation platform will be utilized.