Think Nature Launches Two Educational Programs Utilizing Biodiversity Visualization App "Dugongs' EYE"

Think Nature Inc. (Headquarters: Urasoe City, Okinawa Prefecture; CEO: Yasuhiro Kubota; COO: Yosuke Masuda; hereinafter referred to as "the Company") is launching two participatory educational programs that utilize the biodiversity visualization app "Dugongs' EYE" to promote the mainstreaming of biodiversity. These programs are the "Nature Positive Class Design Award 2026" (entry deadline: October 6, 2026) for teachers and the "Dugongs' EYE Creature Survey Challenge 2026" (submission deadline: August 30, 2026) for families and children.

Both programs are based on the shared awareness of the issue that "what cannot be seen cannot be protected." They aim to transform biodiversity into a "common language" that everyone can discuss through the experience of "comparing, noticing, and recording" familiar nature using the app. The initiatives involve educational settings and local communities, starting from two distinct entry points: teachers and children/families.

Background: Making "What Cannot Be Seen Cannot Be Protected" a Common Societal Language

Globally, "Nature Positive" (stopping nature loss and guiding it towards recovery) is set as a common goal. However, biodiversity is a theme that is "difficult to see and difficult to talk about," and the reality has been that "where and what kind of creatures exist" have been largely invisible to anyone other than experts.

The Company has developed the biodiversity visualization app "Dugongs' EYE" as a "social mechanism" to transform expert knowledge into a common societal language. These two programs are designed to create opportunities for educational settings, families, and local communities to engage with nature as one, starting with this app.

Common Concept: "Compare, Notice, Record" with the App

"Dugongs' EYE" is an app that visualizes the nature around us on a smartphone, based on the latest AI technology and ecology. Both programs center their learning around the following three steps:

Compare: Intuitively check the richness of nature by region and location on a MAP.

Notice: Become aware of the differences from expectations by looking at the creatures displayed in order of ease of discovery at that location.

Record: Accumulate the joy of discovery as "local nature data" that connects to the future.

This common experience will be developed as "lesson designs" for teachers and as "independent studies" for children and families, with the outcomes being fed back into educational and local resources.

Program ①: Nature Positive Class Design Award 2026 (For Teachers)

This is an open innovation award that solicits lesson designs for inquiry-based learning utilizing "Dugongs' EYE" from teachers nationwide. Award-winning lesson plans and teaching materials will be consolidated into the "Dugongs' EYE Lesson Library" and made available as open educational resources for anyone to use freely. By disseminating these to municipalities and model schools, we aim to create an environment where high-quality biodiversity education can be replicated anywhere. Companies protecting local nature will also participate by offering "outreach classes" and "field provision" to support participating teachers.

Participants: Teachers of elementary, junior high, and high schools (responsible for science/mathematics inquiry/integrated studies/STEAM education), graduate students in teacher training programs, supervisors from boards of education, and education staff at museums and science centers (team participation is welcome).

Themes: Any of the following: Schoolyards/Commuting Routes; Urban Nature/Parks; Beaches/Watersides; Invasive/Native Species; Climate Change and Species Distribution.

Main Awards: Grand Prize, School Level Award, Inquiry Design Award, Community Collaboration Award.

Entry Deadline: October 6, 2026 (Tuesday) 23:59

Details (LP): https://think-nature.jp/2026.openinnovation/

Program ②: Dugongs' EYE Creature Survey Challenge 2026 (For Families and Independent Studies)

This is a summer participatory project that turns children's "why?" into independent studies. Since the app displays creatures in order of ease of discovery, even beginners can proceed with observation without getting lost. It does not focus on species identification competitions, rare species hunting, or number of posts, but rather values the "process of thinking and understanding" by predicting, searching, and recording discoveries. Submitted independent studies will be analyzed from the perspective of "Summer Creature Map of XX City" and shared with municipalities, schools, and museums, connecting to comparative analysis in subsequent years.

Participants: Individuals or parent-child teams (elementary school grades 3-6 must apply as a team with a guardian). Junior high school students can also participate in independent studies. Teams spanning different schools, grades, or municipalities are also possible.

Theme: "Compare" based on any of the following: Differences by Location; Differences by Taxonomic Group; Relationship with Human Use.

Main Awards: "Great Comparison Award," "Interesting Discovery Award," "City Nature Expert Award," "Parent-Child Inquiry Award" (All participants will receive a "Biodiversity Researcher Certificate").

Submission Deadline: August 30, 2026 (Sunday) 23:59

Details (LP): https://think-nature.jp/2026.summerstudy/

Utilization and Awards for Achieved Results

Open Educational Resource Creation: Award-winning teaching materials from the Lesson Award will be collected in the "Dugongs' EYE Lesson Library" and released as reusable resources nationwide.

Local Nature Data Creation: Records from the Survey Challenge will be organized as "Local Summer Creature Maps" and shared with municipalities, schools, and museums.

Judging and Awards: Judging for both programs will be handled by the Company's science team. Award ceremonies will be held at a symposium event hosted by the Company, with awards and public announcements scheduled from late October to December 2026.

Endorsement: A message of support from Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank, Limited.

We hope that children observing the creatures around them will foster a heart that cherishes nature through their individual discoveries, and that this will become a force for passing on a rich natural environment to the next generation.

Under our purpose of "Opening Up the Future Entrusted to Us," we support this activity towards the realization of a sustainable society in harmony with nature.

About Think Nature

The Company is a nature-tech startup that operates at the intersection of basic sciences such as biogeography and macroecology, and applied sciences such as biodiversity conservation and systematic conservation planning, within a business context.

Our vision is to "realize a world where investment in natural capital is valued and leads to a prosperous society." We aim to visualize the "value of nature" using data technology, creating a state where decisions can be made based on "visible information about nature" in the activities of corporations, finance, government, and citizens.

Our strengths lie in big data derived from terrestrial and marine fieldwork observations and satellite observations (high-resolution visualization maps of global biodiversity), advanced data analysis integrating socioeconomic information, and the provision of business intelligence for adapting to global environmental crises. In addition to supporting corporate IR disclosure (e.g., TNFD compliance) and natural capital management, climate and nature due diligence for financial institutions, and DX support for local governments, we also provide services for mainstreaming biodiversity (education and dissemination) for citizens through the "Dugongs' EYE" creature visualization app.