Plantio Enters into Capital and Business Alliance with Hibiya-Kadan

(Left) Hiroaki Miyajima, President and CEO of Hibiya-Kadan Floral Co., Ltd. (Right) Takayoshi Serizawa, CEO of Plantio, Inc.

Plantio, Inc. (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo / CEO: Takayoshi Serizawa, hereinafter "Plantio"), a social impact startup aiming for the democratization of agriculture and food and the social implementation of an "agri-food infrastructure" that anyone can participate in anywhere, has concluded a capital and business alliance with Hibiya-Kadan Floral Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo, President and CEO: Hiroaki Miyajima, hereinafter "Hibiya-Kadan"), which develops flower and greenery businesses nationwide.

Through this alliance, both companies will create wide-ranging synergies, including the "installation of agriculture" through designated management of parks, local area management, and the deployment of DtoC products for general consumers, thereby accelerating the realization of a circular society.

■ Background and Purpose of the Alliance

Plantio has redefined the ideal state of sustainable agriculture and food in cities through "grow", a platform where anyone can easily engage with "agriculture". Meanwhile, Hibiya-Kadan, under the corporate message of "Bringing splendor to every tomorrow", aims to realize sustainable production and distribution together with producers nationwide as a leading company in the floral industry, and to create well-being local communities that fulfill both mind and body.

Both companies agreed on a vision of going beyond merely "providing green spaces" to increasing the number of people who "grow" plants, thereby creating a new cycle of community and well-being within urban life. Through this collaboration, we aim to co-create a new lifestyle and urban infrastructure based on "agriculture" centered on the following three pillars, multiplying the strengths of both companies.

1. Multifaceted Area Management Centered on "Experience" (BtoB / BtoG)

Implementing community formation centered on farms, or the "installation of agriculture," in various locations such as parks, commercial facilities, and office buildings where Hibiya-Kadan is commissioned for spatial maintenance, management, and operation. We propose a new form of urban greenery where users are proactively involved and share the "joy of growing," going beyond mere maintenance and management.

2. Product Deployment for the Popularization of a "Lifestyle with Agriculture" (BtoC)

Deploying Plantio's DtoC products to the network of consumers that Hibiya-Kadan has built over many years. In addition to "flowers" for ornamental purposes, we propose a new lifestyle that incorporates the "food" experience—combining the joy of growing, eating, and sharing—into daily life.

3. Social Implementation of a Sustainable Agri-Food Infrastructure

By collaborating, both companies, as plant professionals, will build social infrastructures that contribute to biodiversity conservation, improvement of urban resilience, and food security. Fusing technology with sensitivity, we will implement democratic forms of "agriculture" in which anyone can participate everywhere in the city.

■ Comments from the Representatives

Takayoshi Serizawa, CEO, Plantio, Inc.

"I am extremely honored to build such a strong partnership with Hibiya-Kadan, which has driven the culture of flowers and greenery in Japan. 'Installing agriculture' into public spaces like parks is a landscape we have always envisioned. I am confident that urban life will become much more enjoyable and sustainable through the fusion of Hibiya-Kadan's overwhelming network and our technology and products. I look forward to our future initiatives."

Hiroaki Miyajima, President and CEO, Hibiya-Kadan Floral Co., Ltd.

"By adding the concept of an agri-food infrastructure proposed by Plantio to the comfortable space creation that Hibiya-Kadan has pursued, urban greenery will evolve into something more active and valuable.
Establishing a system where anyone can smartly participate in agriculture and green spaces by utilizing IT and digital technology is extremely important when considering the sustainability of the industry. Together with the many customers who support us daily, I am convinced that we can create a new cycle in cities nationwide, fusing the culture of admiring flowers with the joy of growing them oneself."

■ Kickoff at the Otemachi Farm

Prior to the alliance, we held a networking event gathering about 80 members of the Hibiya-Kadan Group at a farm in Otemachi. Through dialogues at the ground level, the creation of specific synergies has already begun.

Passionate presentations, over 80 participants in total, inspection of the smart community farm.
Group photo.

■ Information on Special Dialogue Interview Article

A dialogue interview regarding the thoughts behind this alliance and the future vision drawn by both representatives is published on the owned media "grow JOURNAL". Please take a look.