Call for Participants Begins April 3 (Fri) for the Japan-Netherlands Collaboration Support Program 'MONO MAKERS PROGRAM 2026'
Key facts
- Call for Participants Begins April 3 (Fri) for the Japan-Netherlands Collaboration Support Program 'MONO MAKERS PROGRAM 2026'
- Japan Cultural Exchange and NN Life Insurance are launching the 'MONO MAKERS PROGRAM 2026' to foster collaboration between Dutch creators and young Japanese traditional industry leaders. The program aims to develop products for modern lifestyles and expand into European markets, with applications opening on April 3, 2026.
- Source: PR Times
- Date: March 30, 2026
Direct answer
Japan Cultural Exchange and NN Life Insurance are launching the 'MONO MAKERS PROGRAM 2026' to foster collaboration between Dutch creators and young Japanese traditional industry leaders. The program aims to develop products for modern lifestyles and expand into European markets, with applications opening on April 3, 2026.
- Citation
- Call for Participants Begins April 3 (Fri) for the Japan-Netherlands Collaboration Support Program 'MONO MAKERS PROGRAM 2026' (March 30, 2026), PR Times
- Source
- PR Times
- Date
- March 30, 2026
Japan Cultural Exchange and NN Life Insurance are launching the 'MONO MAKERS PROGRAM 2026' to foster collaboration between Dutch creators and young Japanese traditional industry leaders. The program aims to develop products for modern lifestyles and expand into European markets, with applications opening on April 3, 2026.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: March 30, 2026 at 17:50
- 🔍 Collected: March 30, 2026 at 22:56 (5h 6m after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: June 2, 2026 at 13:02 (1526h 6m after Collected)
Japan Cultural Exchange (Representative: Emiko Chujo; Headquarters: Voorschoten, Netherlands; hereinafter "JCE"), which promotes Japanese traditional culture, crafts, and design from its base in the Netherlands, and NN Life Insurance Co., Ltd. (Representative Director and President: Marius Popescu; Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; hereinafter "NN Life") will begin accepting applications for the "MONO MAKERS PROGRAM 2026," a Japan-Netherlands collaboration support program for Dutch creators and young business leaders in Japan's traditional industries, starting Friday, April 3.
This program aims to fuse Japanese craftsmanship with Dutch creative talent to develop products suited to modern lifestyles, explore new sales channels with an eye toward the European market, and enhance brand value. Participants will receive hands-on support, including participation in a study tour to the Netherlands, through the end of March 2027.
Additionally, prior to the start of the program, an online kickoff event will be held on Thursday, April 16.
JCE, which has been promoting Japanese craftsmanship culture and distributing Japanese goods in the Netherlands and Europe through "MONO JAPAN," and NN Life, which supports Japan's traditional industries—facing challenges such as a shortage of successors and declining demand—as a "SME Supporter," will create opportunities for international business development and innovation led by the next generation.
Application Overview
Please register on the online platform "MONO MAKERS MEET," operated by JCE. On this platform, young business leaders who will carry the future of Japanese craftsmanship can meet Dutch creators online and find collaboration partners to develop products through interaction. Once you have found a partner and established a match, you will submit your pair application and ideas to the program. Selection will be based on these submissions.
The selected pairs of young Japanese business leaders and Dutch creators will receive support through the end of March 2027, including domestic presentations of their achievements. Please visit the website for details.
- MONO MAKERS PROGRAM Website: https://www.monojapan.nl/mono-makers-program-jp
- MONO MAKERS MEET Website: https://monomakersmeet.com/
Those wishing to apply should proceed to "Pre-register" from "Become a member" on the top page of the MONO MAKERS MEET website. Please note that the supported language is English only.
Schedule
- Application Period: April 3, 2026 (Fri) 16:00 – May 22, 2026 (Fri)
- Selection Announcement: June 4, 2026 (Thu)
- Hands-on Support: Mid-June 2026 – End of March 2027
The program's selection committee will deliberate and review all applicants and projects. Selected pairs will be announced on our website and social media. Please note that we will not provide comments, reviews, or reasons for the selection results to applicants.
Format
Online (excluding local visits to the Netherlands and domestic reporting sessions).
Cost: Free
Production costs related to domestic exhibitions or product development/improvement in collaboration with designers, product shipping costs, fixture costs, and domestic travel expenses in Japan are to be borne by the participants themselves.
Kickoff Event
To mark the start of the "MONO MAKERS PROGRAM 2026," we will hold a kickoff event. The event will feature a lecture on overseas market development by JCE Representative Emiko Chujo, a talk by Ms. Erika Kojima of Kojima Orimono Co., Ltd., a participant in the "MONO MAKERS PROGRAM 2025," and an explanation of the program overview and application details.
Overview
- Date and Time: April 16, 2026 (Thu) 19:00 – 20:30 (scheduled)
- Format: Online
- Application and Details: https://20260416mmp.peatix.com
- Cost: Free
Achievements of MONO MAKERS PROGRAM 2025
Ms. Erika Kojima of Kojima Orimono Co., Ltd., which produces high-end wallpaper using traditional weaving techniques, and Dutch designer Samira Boon, who explores textiles from an architectural perspective, developed new vertical blinds using wallpaper. Additionally, Mr. Yusuke Uebayashi of Kyoto Some-moto Shobien (Katsumi Shoten Ltd.), which manufactures and sells wax-resist dyed textiles, and Dutch designer Lena Winterlink developed an accordion-style blind as a new expression of wax-resist dyed textiles. Both new products were unveiled at the Kyoto International Gift Show held on March 11-12, 2026.
About the Operating Organizations
- Japan Cultural Exchange: https://www.japanculturalexchange.nl/
Organizes "MONO JAPAN," an exhibition and sale of Japanese design and craft goods in the Netherlands, and operates the "MONO JAPAN STORE." Since the first MONO JAPAN exhibition in Amsterdam in 2016, a total of approximately 150 brands have exhibited across eight events, aiming to expand their overseas sales channels. Beyond sales and buyer meetings, many collaborations have been born. In 2019, it registered as a cultural foundation in the Netherlands to create creative collaborations between Japan and the Netherlands, and in 2023, it launched "MONO MAKERS MEET," an online platform for Japan-Netherlands creative collaboration.
- NN Life Insurance Co., Ltd.: https://www.nnlife.co.jp/
A member of the NN Group, which has roots in the Netherlands and boasts a tradition spanning over 175 years. The NN Group operates insurance, pension, banking, and investment businesses in 10 countries, with its main bases in Europe and Japan. Its name is derived from its origin, "Nationale-Nederlanden." Since starting operations in Japan in 1986 as the first European-born life insurance company, NN Life has served as an "SME Supporter" for 40 years, providing products and services that protect the "important things" of small and medium-sized enterprises. As part of its "Connections that Realize Visions" activities, it supports successors and young business leaders who take on the challenge of new corporate management and support the future of Japan's SMEs. It provides opportunities for learning that lead to innovation and for building human connections.
Support
Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
This program aims to fuse Japanese craftsmanship with Dutch creative talent to develop products suited to modern lifestyles, explore new sales channels with an eye toward the European market, and enhance brand value. Participants will receive hands-on support, including participation in a study tour to the Netherlands, through the end of March 2027.
Additionally, prior to the start of the program, an online kickoff event will be held on Thursday, April 16.
JCE, which has been promoting Japanese craftsmanship culture and distributing Japanese goods in the Netherlands and Europe through "MONO JAPAN," and NN Life, which supports Japan's traditional industries—facing challenges such as a shortage of successors and declining demand—as a "SME Supporter," will create opportunities for international business development and innovation led by the next generation.
Application Overview
Please register on the online platform "MONO MAKERS MEET," operated by JCE. On this platform, young business leaders who will carry the future of Japanese craftsmanship can meet Dutch creators online and find collaboration partners to develop products through interaction. Once you have found a partner and established a match, you will submit your pair application and ideas to the program. Selection will be based on these submissions.
The selected pairs of young Japanese business leaders and Dutch creators will receive support through the end of March 2027, including domestic presentations of their achievements. Please visit the website for details.
- MONO MAKERS PROGRAM Website: https://www.monojapan.nl/mono-makers-program-jp
- MONO MAKERS MEET Website: https://monomakersmeet.com/
Those wishing to apply should proceed to "Pre-register" from "Become a member" on the top page of the MONO MAKERS MEET website. Please note that the supported language is English only.
Schedule
- Application Period: April 3, 2026 (Fri) 16:00 – May 22, 2026 (Fri)
- Selection Announcement: June 4, 2026 (Thu)
- Hands-on Support: Mid-June 2026 – End of March 2027
The program's selection committee will deliberate and review all applicants and projects. Selected pairs will be announced on our website and social media. Please note that we will not provide comments, reviews, or reasons for the selection results to applicants.
Format
Online (excluding local visits to the Netherlands and domestic reporting sessions).
Cost: Free
Production costs related to domestic exhibitions or product development/improvement in collaboration with designers, product shipping costs, fixture costs, and domestic travel expenses in Japan are to be borne by the participants themselves.
Kickoff Event
To mark the start of the "MONO MAKERS PROGRAM 2026," we will hold a kickoff event. The event will feature a lecture on overseas market development by JCE Representative Emiko Chujo, a talk by Ms. Erika Kojima of Kojima Orimono Co., Ltd., a participant in the "MONO MAKERS PROGRAM 2025," and an explanation of the program overview and application details.
Overview
- Date and Time: April 16, 2026 (Thu) 19:00 – 20:30 (scheduled)
- Format: Online
- Application and Details: https://20260416mmp.peatix.com
- Cost: Free
Achievements of MONO MAKERS PROGRAM 2025
Ms. Erika Kojima of Kojima Orimono Co., Ltd., which produces high-end wallpaper using traditional weaving techniques, and Dutch designer Samira Boon, who explores textiles from an architectural perspective, developed new vertical blinds using wallpaper. Additionally, Mr. Yusuke Uebayashi of Kyoto Some-moto Shobien (Katsumi Shoten Ltd.), which manufactures and sells wax-resist dyed textiles, and Dutch designer Lena Winterlink developed an accordion-style blind as a new expression of wax-resist dyed textiles. Both new products were unveiled at the Kyoto International Gift Show held on March 11-12, 2026.
About the Operating Organizations
- Japan Cultural Exchange: https://www.japanculturalexchange.nl/
Organizes "MONO JAPAN," an exhibition and sale of Japanese design and craft goods in the Netherlands, and operates the "MONO JAPAN STORE." Since the first MONO JAPAN exhibition in Amsterdam in 2016, a total of approximately 150 brands have exhibited across eight events, aiming to expand their overseas sales channels. Beyond sales and buyer meetings, many collaborations have been born. In 2019, it registered as a cultural foundation in the Netherlands to create creative collaborations between Japan and the Netherlands, and in 2023, it launched "MONO MAKERS MEET," an online platform for Japan-Netherlands creative collaboration.
- NN Life Insurance Co., Ltd.: https://www.nnlife.co.jp/
A member of the NN Group, which has roots in the Netherlands and boasts a tradition spanning over 175 years. The NN Group operates insurance, pension, banking, and investment businesses in 10 countries, with its main bases in Europe and Japan. Its name is derived from its origin, "Nationale-Nederlanden." Since starting operations in Japan in 1986 as the first European-born life insurance company, NN Life has served as an "SME Supporter" for 40 years, providing products and services that protect the "important things" of small and medium-sized enterprises. As part of its "Connections that Realize Visions" activities, it supports successors and young business leaders who take on the challenge of new corporate management and support the future of Japan's SMEs. It provides opportunities for learning that lead to innovation and for building human connections.
Support
Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
FAQ
When does the application period begin for the MONO MAKERS PROGRAM 2026 collaboration initiative between Japan and the Netherlands?
The application period for the MONO MAKERS PROGRAM 2026 begins on Friday, April 3, as announced by Japan Cultural Exchange and NN Life Insurance Co., Ltd.
Which organizations are jointly operating the MONO MAKERS PROGRAM 2026 for Japanese and Dutch creative collaboration?
The MONO MAKERS PROGRAM 2026 is jointly operated by Japan Cultural Exchange (JCE) based in Voorschoten, Netherlands, and NN Life Insurance Co., Ltd. headquartered in Shibuya-ku, Tokyo.
What is the primary goal of the MONO MAKERS PROGRAM 2026 involving Dutch creators and Japanese traditional industry leaders?
The program aims to fuse Japanese craftsmanship with Dutch creative talent to develop modern lifestyle products, explore European market sales channels, and enhance brand value through international collaboration.
What kind of support will participants in the MONO MAKERS PROGRAM 2026 receive during the program period?
Participants in the MONO MAKERS PROGRAM 2026 will receive hands-on support, including a study tour to the Netherlands, and access to collaboration tools on the MONO MAKERS MEET platform until March 2027.
When and how will the MONO MAKERS PROGRAM 2026 officially launch before the main program begins?
The program will officially launch with an online kickoff event on Thursday, April 16, prior to the start of the main activities in the MONO MAKERS PROGRAM 2026.