eiicon Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Ayuko Nakamura, hereinafter "eiicon"), which operates Japan's largest open innovation platform "AUBA" (hereinafter "AUBA"), announced that entries will open on July 6, 2026, for the "ICF Deeptech Acceleration Program 2026 (DAP2026)" hosted by the Platinum Society Network (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Chairman: Hiroshi Komiyama, hereinafter "PNW") and Kepple Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representatives: Tsuyoshi Yamashita, Hayato Yane, hereinafter "Kepple").

This program aims to solve and implement solutions for social issues through robotics and physical AI, in collaboration with partner companies including Mitsubishi Research Institute, Inc. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Kenji Yabuta, hereinafter "MRI").

ICF Deeptech Acceleration Program 2026 (DAP2026)

https://eiicon.net/about/dap2026/

[AUBA] Platinum Society Network "ICF Deeptech Acceleration Program 2026 (DAP2026)"

This program is an acceleration program targeting seven themes: Wellness, Food & Agriculture, Energy & Environment, Mobility, Resilience, Education & Human Resource Development, and DE&I, aiming to solve social issues with robotics and physical AI technologies. To address labor shortages and strengthen the competitiveness of domestic industries, a robust support system, including business mentor support, will be established to promote social implementation.

AUBA has been supporting the operation of this program since FY2020.

*On June 1, 2026, the Platinum Society Network took over the member business of the Future Co-creation Initiative from Mitsubishi Research Institute. Please visit the following links for an overview of each organization's activities.

About Platinum Society Network: https://platinum-network.jp/

About Future Co-creation Initiative: https://icf.mri.co.jp/

Concept of "ICF Deeptech Acceleration Program 2026 (DAP2026)"

"The Future Unfolded by Robotics and Physical AI"

Labor shortages and declining competitiveness of domestic industries have emerged as significant social issues in recent years. In particular, labor shortages due to the declining working-age population are expected to worsen, leading to a lack of personnel in various service sectors.

In this context, there is growing expectation for initiatives that utilize AI robot technology to increase productivity. This program focuses on solving social issues through robotics and physical AI, and broadly seeks proposals from startups.

"Wellness," "Food & Agriculture," "Energy & Environment," "Mobility,"

"Resilience," "Education & Human Resource Development," "DE&I."

Through these seven themes, we aim to create and implement social problem-solving businesses in collaboration with startups, working in conjunction with the Platinum Society Network's extensive network and member organizations.

Overview of "ICF Deeptech Acceleration Program 2026 (DAP2026)" Implementation

This program is an acceleration program that aims to co-create and socially implement solutions for social issues by recruiting venture companies with ideas, technologies, and business models that can realize the ideal future society envisioned by the Platinum Society Network through open innovation.

□ Recruitment Themes

Seven themes have been set as focus social issues for realizing an ideal future society.

Theme 1: Wellness

"A society where everyone shines with health and vitality."

<Social Issues to Solve>

- Improving the efficiency of medical and nursing care resource utilization

- Support for individuals with declining physical function

- Appropriate intervention to suppress mental deterioration

Theme 2: Food & Agriculture

"A society where safe and secure water and food reach everyone."

<Social Issues to Solve>

- Expanding farming opportunities and ensuring smooth succession

- Mechanization of agriculture and collaboration with welfare services* to expand the workforce and add high value

- Advancement of production and processing processes

* Initiatives where agriculture and welfare cooperate to create workplaces and a sense of purpose in the agricultural sector for the elderly and people with disabilities.

Theme 3: Energy & Environment

"A society where everyone enjoys sustainable and clean energy, resources, and environment."

<Social Issues to Solve>

- Horizontal recycling while maintaining quality levels

Theme 4: Mobility

"A society where everyone can meet their mobility needs cleanly, freely, and safely, and live comfortably."

<Social Issues to Solve>

- Improving the efficiency of loading and unloading

- Advancing automated delivery for efficient and profitable last-mile delivery

- Mobility support for the elderly

Theme 5: Resilience

"A resilient society where everyone can live safely and securely."

<Social Issues to Solve>

- Improving disaster prediction and situation awareness for climate change adaptation

- Evacuation actions based on self-help and mutual aid among local residents

- Labor-saving and automation of infrastructure maintenance

Theme 6: Education & Human Resource Development

"A society where everyone can gain the ability to contribute to society."

<Social Issues to Solve>

- Human resource development, standardization of operations, and skill transfer to support robot utilization

Theme 7: DE&I

"A society where everyone accepts individual differences and can thrive as themselves."

<Social Issues to Solve>

- Individual support for children requiring additional assistance

□ Strengths and Assets Provided by This Program

Accompanying support by business mentors

1. Connections to potential client organizations

The Platinum Society Network has a total of 1,110 corporate and individual members (as of June 2026), and in addition to participating companies in the preparatory committee for the Japan Robotics and Manipulation Application Promotion Council (tentative), Kepple, Mitsubishi Research Institute, and Dentsu Institute for Human Sciences have networks with government agencies, major manufacturers, and major construction companies, providing a wealth of potential client organizations.

2. Support for proposal activities to potential client organizations

Joint planning and proposals will be made with co-creation partners (Mitsubishi Research Institute, Dentsu Institute for Human Sciences, or Platinum Society Network) targeting companies and organizations deemed optimal from among numerous potential client organizations. Resources for this will be subsidized (up to 1 million yen).

3. Mentoring from both think tanks and VCs

It is possible to receive both mentoring to mitigate social implementation risks cultivated through the past nine business acceleration programs, and mentoring to thoroughly refine business strategies.

(※) Japan Robotics and Manipulation Application Promotion Council (tentative)

An organization that Mitsubishi Research Institute, Inc. and Dentsu Institute for Human Sciences, Inc. aim to establish jointly. With the goal of resolving labor shortages and strengthening the competitiveness of domestic industries, it aims to expand the adoption and practical application of AI and robots through demonstration of robot manipulation technology in the service sector, formation of alliances, and development of implementation roadmaps.

□ About the Japan Robotics and Manipulation Application Promotion Council (tentative)

https://www.mri.co.jp/news/press/20260414.html

□ Schedule

July 6, 2026: Entries Open

August 21, 2026: Application Deadline

Late August to Mid-October 2026: First and Second Screening Period

Late October 2026: Announcement of Selected Companies

Late October to Early December 2026: Mentoring Period

December 2026 onwards: Final Presentation and Start of Co-creation Activities

□ Implementation Details

□ Application Deadline

August 21, 2026 (Friday)

□ Eligibility

- Must be a legally registered corporation in Japan (company size is not a constraint).

- Must possess products, solutions, or technologies related to robotics and physical AI.

- Must have reviewed and agreed to the "ICF Deeptech Acceleration Program 2026 (DAP2026) Participation Rules."

□ Application Content

We are seeking social issue solutions (business models) that contribute to the realization of "the ideal future society envisioned by the Platinum Society Network" for the seven focus social issue areas (Wellness, Food & Agriculture, Energy & Environment, Mobility, Resilience, Education & Human Resource Development, DE&I).

AUBA "ICF Deeptech Acceleration Program 2026 (DAP2026)" Entry Page

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSct8iiiaMrxlKTi7KpNYXFD5BcOqBuCl5QBLIHVH31Q3jn3cg/viewform?usp=header

*Application Deadline: August 21, 2026 (Friday)

Platinum Society Network Overview: https://platinum-network.jp/

Company Name: Platinum Society Network

Headquarters Location: 2-10-3 Nagata-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

Representative: Chairman Hiroshi Komiyama

Kepple Overview: https://corp.kepple.co.jp/

Company Name: Kepple Co., Ltd.

Headquarters Location: Azabudai Hills Garden Plaza B 5F, 5-9-1 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo

Representative: Tsuyoshi Yamashita, Hayato Yane

Mitsubishi Research Institute Overview: https://www.mri.co.jp/

Company Name: Mitsubishi Research Institute, Inc.

Headquarters Location: 2-10-3 Nagata-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

Capital: 6.33624 billion yen

Representative: President and CEO Kenji Yabuta

Business Activities: Think tank and consulting services, IT services

□ eiicon Company Overview: https://corp.eiicon.net/

Company Name: eiicon Co., Ltd.

Representative: President and CEO Ayuko Nakamura

Establishment Date: April 3, 2023

Headquarters: 2F, Toranomon 36 Mori Bldg., 3-4-7 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo *Relocated to the above address as of April 1, 2026

Tokai Branch (within STATION Ai): 1-2-32 Tsurumai, Showa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi

Shizuoka Base (within FUSE): B1F, The Zaza City Hamamatsu Chuo-kan, 100-1 Kaji-cho, Chuo-ku, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka

Kanagawa Base (within WeWork Ocean Gate Minatomirai): 8F, Ocean Gate Minatomirai, 3-7-1 Minatomirai, Nishi-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa

Kansai Base (within Kigyō Plaza Hyogo): KiP, 56 Naniwa-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo

Okinawa Base 1 (within Lagoon KOZA / KSA Works): 1-7-8 Chuo, Okinawa City, Okinawa

Okinawa Base 2 (within Have a good day): 18-4 Higashi-machi, Naha, Okinawa

Singapore (eiicon Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd.): 20 Anson Road, #11-01 Twenty Anson, Singapore 079912

Business Activities: Operation of the open innovation platform "AUBA," event planning and support services, sourcing services, etc.

eiicon Co., Ltd. supports business creation through hands-on consulting specializing in open innovation (OI) and Japan's largest open innovation platform, tailored to the business phase of each company.

What is Open Innovation?

An innovation methodology proposed by Henry W. Chesbrough (USA) in 2003, which "creates innovative new value by combining internal and external media and technologies within a company." It is an approach that advocates for actively incorporating external collaborations, rather than relying solely on internal resources.

Services Offered by eiicon

Japan's Largest Open Innovation Platform "AUBA"

An open innovation-focused web platform, the largest in Japan, with over 39,000 cumulative registered companies. It provides an all-in-one system for creating businesses, enabling discontinuous growth and business survival. AUBA is a service designed to intentionally create innovation. ISO 56001 certified.

https://auba.eiicon.net

Overseas Company Co-creation Platform to Support and Accelerate International Co-creation (Overseas Companies x Japanese Companies)

"AUBA for Global"

An open innovation platform that supports and accelerates approaches from overseas companies and organizations aiming for co-creation with Japanese companies and organizations. It provides support through innovation advisors for connections with Japanese companies and organizations registered on "AUBA," applications for acceleration programs operated by eiicon and companies/municipalities, etc. Many overseas companies and organizations, primarily in Southeast Asia, are registered, accelerating encounters between overseas and Japanese companies and aiming to create an environment where cross-border co-creation can occur more intentionally.

https://corp.eiicon.net/forglobal

Full Hands-on Support Service "AUBA Enterprise"

Our consultants, experienced in business creation support, design fully customized support tailored to the specific challenges and needs of each company, including internal new business and open innovation projects. We support business creation by providing phase-specific assistance, from business strategy support to creating concrete opportunities for partner co-creation and team building, and new business creation support.

https://corp.eiicon.net/service/enterprise

Media to Vitalize Business "TOMORUBA"

A "media to vitalize business" for business professionals who create businesses. It delivers information on funding, funding provision, joint research, and know-how for creating businesses from startups, SMEs, and large corporations across various industries and regions nationwide, as well as local governments and universities.

https://tomoruba.eiicon.net/

Major Awards

December 2022: Received the Excellence Award at the "4th Japan Service Awards" for its innovative and excellent service.

https://service-award.jp/result04.html

February 2023: Received the Commissioner's Award of the Sports Agency at the "5th Japan Open Innovation Awards" for its initiatives in open innovation, including matching and co-creation between sports teams/organizations nationwide and partner companies through acceleration programs.

https://www8.cao.go.jp/cstp/stmain/20230120oip.html

*The information presented here is current as of the publication date. Please note that it may be subject to change without prior notice.

FACT BOX

  • Source: PR TIMES
  • Category: プレスリリース