Business Co-creation Company Relic Establishes 'HYOGO VENTURE FORGE' in Kobe to Drive Innovation and Cultivate Innovator Talent in Hyogo Prefecture

Relic Inc. (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Takao Kitajima; hereinafter "Relic"), a business co-creation company, has established its 18th regional base in Japan, "HYOGO VENTURE FORGE," in Kobe City, to foster innovation and discover and develop innovator talent in Hyogo Prefecture. Moving forward, Relic will use "HYOGO VENTURE FORGE" as a starting point to accelerate industry-academia-government-finance collaboration in Hyogo, further promoting the creation of regional innovation and the development of innovator talent.

■ Background of Establishing the Kobe Base

Relic is a leading company with the No. 1 market share in Japan (*1), having supported and co-created new business development for over 5,000 companies, including major Japanese corporations, with "business co-creation" at its core. With bases in 18 prefectures across Japan, the company has been promoting initiatives to generate new businesses and innovation alongside local enterprises. Based on this track record and expertise, Relic is focused on discovering and nurturing innovator talent in regional areas and revitalizing industries through the creation of new local businesses. The company plans to continue expanding its presence to all 47 prefectures to further accelerate business co-creation efforts nationwide.

In March 2026, the company established this new base in Kobe to further accelerate innovation and the development of innovator talent in Hyogo Prefecture, contributing to the region's sustainable development.

"HYOGO VENTURE FORGE" will actively recruit and train innovator talent rooted in Hyogo Prefecture. Furthermore, it will serve as a platform where all types of challengers can intersect—including startup entrepreneurs co-created by Relic, intrapreneurs leading new business and open innovation at major corporations, and "next-preneurs" who are the next generation of management for small and medium-sized enterprises that support the Japanese economy and local regions—to generate new businesses and innovation.

*1: 2024, "Boutique Consulting Market Research in New Business Development," Relic Inc. & Digital Infact Inc., https://relic.co.jp/press-release/54696/

■ Base Overview

Base Name: HYOGO VENTURE FORGE

Address: Kigyō Plaza Hyogo, 56 Naniwa-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo 650-8660

Access: 7-minute walk from JR Sannomiya Station or Hankyu Kobe-Sannomiya Station

Business Activities: Focusing on Hyogo Prefecture, collaborating with local governments, universities, and regional financial institutions...