Musashino Art University to Hold 'MAU SOCIAL IMPACT AWARD 2026' with Sponsorship from Sony Marketing Inc.
Musashino Art University will hold the 'MAU SOCIAL IMPACT AWARD 2026' with Sony Marketing as a sponsor. This business design award aims to discover and support art students creating businesses with social impact.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 8, 2026 at 01:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 7, 2026 at 16:30
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 20, 2026 at 21:41 (317h 10m after Collected)
Musashino Art University (Location: Kodaira, Tokyo / President: Yuka Kabayama), as part of its startup support project 'Musashino Art University Jikkenku,' has been holding the 'MAU SOCIAL IMPACT AWARD,' a business design award to discover art students who create new businesses with social impact, since 2024. This year, it will be held as the 'MAU SOCIAL IMPACT AWARD 2026' with the sponsorship of Sony Marketing Inc. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President: Daisuke Kawaguchi).
## About 'MAU SOCIAL IMPACT AWARD 2026'
The 'MAU SOCIAL IMPACT AWARD' is a business design award held as part of the 'Musashino Art University Jikkenku CREATORSHIP PROGRAM,' a startup support program originating from an art university. It aims to create business models that can gain empathy and support by delving into personal experiences and perspectives, sublimating business ideas starting from a first-person perspective 'story as a stakeholder' into a third-person perspective 'story that resonates widely in society,' and questioning society with the envisioned vision. It generates unique ideas by fusing creative thinking backed by the 'formative education' unique to art universities with the diversity brought by co-creation with students from other fields.
This year, with the sponsorship of Sony Marketing Inc., employees of the company will participate as mentors. They will provide hands-on support throughout the entire selection process, from workshops conducted during the initial screening to the business idea formation camp for the final presentation. In addition, winners of the 'Sony Marketing Special Award' will be given the opportunity to discuss with the company as a venue for considering the possibility of a Proof of Concept. This will allow them to connect their ideas with actual social issues and explore the possibility of commercialization, rather than keeping them as mere concepts. Such consistent corporate involvement is a first for the 'MAU SOCIAL IMPACT AWARD.' Through this initiative, Musashino Art University will promote the discovery of new talent and the practical support of next-generation creative activities in collaboration with companies.
## Event Overview
Official Website: https://jikkenku.musabi.ac.jp/
Organizer: Musashino Art University
Collaborating Partner: Sony Marketing Inc.
**Program Schedule**
Entry Period: April 7 (Tue) - May 12 (Tue) 13:00 Deadline
Entry Document Screening: May 15 (Fri)
1st Screening Workshop: May 24 (Sun), 31 (Sun)
Camp: June 12 (Fri), 13 (Sat)
Final Presentation: August 7 (Fri)
**Awards**
Grand Prix: 1 winner (Prize money: 100,000 yen)
Runner-up: 2 winners (Prize money: 50,000 yen)
Sony Marketing Special Award: An opportunity to discuss the possibility of concept implementation with Sony.
## About 'MAU SOCIAL IMPACT AWARD 2026'
The 'MAU SOCIAL IMPACT AWARD' is a business design award held as part of the 'Musashino Art University Jikkenku CREATORSHIP PROGRAM,' a startup support program originating from an art university. It aims to create business models that can gain empathy and support by delving into personal experiences and perspectives, sublimating business ideas starting from a first-person perspective 'story as a stakeholder' into a third-person perspective 'story that resonates widely in society,' and questioning society with the envisioned vision. It generates unique ideas by fusing creative thinking backed by the 'formative education' unique to art universities with the diversity brought by co-creation with students from other fields.
This year, with the sponsorship of Sony Marketing Inc., employees of the company will participate as mentors. They will provide hands-on support throughout the entire selection process, from workshops conducted during the initial screening to the business idea formation camp for the final presentation. In addition, winners of the 'Sony Marketing Special Award' will be given the opportunity to discuss with the company as a venue for considering the possibility of a Proof of Concept. This will allow them to connect their ideas with actual social issues and explore the possibility of commercialization, rather than keeping them as mere concepts. Such consistent corporate involvement is a first for the 'MAU SOCIAL IMPACT AWARD.' Through this initiative, Musashino Art University will promote the discovery of new talent and the practical support of next-generation creative activities in collaboration with companies.
## Event Overview
Official Website: https://jikkenku.musabi.ac.jp/
Organizer: Musashino Art University
Collaborating Partner: Sony Marketing Inc.
**Program Schedule**
Entry Period: April 7 (Tue) - May 12 (Tue) 13:00 Deadline
Entry Document Screening: May 15 (Fri)
1st Screening Workshop: May 24 (Sun), 31 (Sun)
Camp: June 12 (Fri), 13 (Sat)
Final Presentation: August 7 (Fri)
**Awards**
Grand Prix: 1 winner (Prize money: 100,000 yen)
Runner-up: 2 winners (Prize money: 50,000 yen)
Sony Marketing Special Award: An opportunity to discuss the possibility of concept implementation with Sony.