Relic CEO Takao Kitajima to Speak at Opening Event of Ehime Prefecture's Public-Private Co-creation Base 'E:N BASE' on May 26

Relic Inc. (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Takao Kitajima; CTO: Ryo Ooba), a business co-creation company, announces that Representative Director, CEO, and Founder Takao Kitajima will deliver the opening talk at the opening event of Ehime Prefecture's public-private co-creation base, "E:N BASE," scheduled to be held in Ehime Prefecture on Tuesday, May 26, 2026.

The newly established "E:N BASE" by Ehime Prefecture serves as a starting point for diverse entities to meet, connect, and take on challenges together through co-creation. At this event, following the opening remarks by Ehime Prefecture Governor Tokihiro Nakamura, Relic CEO Kitajima will take the stage for the "Opening Talk."

Relic has established bases in 18 prefectures across Japan, supporting regional innovation creation through collaboration with local governments and businesses. In Ehime Prefecture, the company opened a base in February 2025 and accelerated its expansion by establishing the joint venture "Cross West Innovation Inc." with Iyo Bank and Nankai Broadcasting in February of this year. Through these partnerships with local companies and municipalities, Relic is promoting the discovery and cultivation of innovator talent and the creation of new businesses.

To mark the opening of this base, Kitajima will share insights based on his practical experience regarding the essence of "co-creation" aimed at revitalizing the regional economy and solving social issues, as well as the mindset required to generate new businesses.

■ Event Overview
Event Name: Ehime Prefecture Public-Private Co-creation Base "E:N BASE" Opening Event
Date & Time: Tuesday, May 26, 2026, 14:00 - 16:00 (Planned)
Venue: Ehime Prefecture Public-Private Co-creation Base "E:N BASE" 1st Floor, E:N STAGE
Address: 1-4-2 Ichibancho, Matsuyama City, Ehime (Ehime Prefectural Office 2nd Annex 1st/2nd Floor)
Format: Hybrid (In-person + Online streaming)

Event Program
14:00 - Start
- 01. Opening Movie
- 02. Opening Remarks (Ehime Governor Tokihiro Nakamura)
- 03. Opening Talk (30 minutes)
Speaker: Takao Kitajima, Representative Director & CEO/Founder, Relic Inc.
(Break)
- 04. Panel Talk (60 minutes)
Speakers:
Suzuka Sano, CEO, sf. Inc.
Takamasa Takatsuji, Senior Managing Director, Yamadaya Co., Ltd.
Yu Okumura, Uwajima Project Co., Ltd.
Satoru Segawa, Heart Network Co., Ltd.
Tokihiro Nakamura, Governor of Ehime Prefecture
Moderator:
Mizuki Shimada, Representative Director & Co-CEO, ATOMica Inc.
(Networking session scheduled afterward)

■ Speaker Profile
Takao Kitajima
Representative Director & CEO/Founder, Relic Inc.
After working at a venture firm specializing in organizational change and new business, and the IT mega-venture DeNA, he founded Relic Inc. in 2015. He has grown the company into a platform holding the top domestic market share in new business development support and co-creation. He also leads the Relic Group, which has expanded to over 10 billion yen in scale, comprising 27 companies and over 350 employees. Author of the bestseller "New Business Development Management that Enhances the Reproducibility of Innovation."

■ About Business Co-creation Company Relic
Relic is a "business co-creation company" that supports new business development and innovation creation for Japanese companies. It comprehensively operates an "Incubation Tech Business," a "Business Produce/New Business Development Support Business," and an "Open Innovation Business." With a track record of supporting over 5,000 new business developments, Relic is a leading company driving regional innovation from bases across 18 prefectures in Japan.