Resolving Societal Issues Through Business Innovation
BAP is an Acceleration Program aiming to "co-create the future"
with startups to realize a sustainable society where 10 billion people
can live in affluence to the age of 100.
Backcasting
Innovation
We are in the midst of unpredictable and turbulent times.
In order to realize a sustainable society where 10 billion people can live
in affluence to the
age of 100,
it is important to think and act in a backcasting manner,
asking "What should we do now to reach our desired future?"
The six themes are "Wellness," "Water and Food," "Energy and
Environment,"
"Mobility," "Disaster Prevention and Infrastructure," and "Education and
Human Resource
Development."
Proposals are invited from all six themes to help resolve societal issues.
The goal is to create a collective impact by co-creating solutions to
societal issues
with startups through the involvement of the Mitsubishi Research Institute's
diverse
network and its member organization, the Initiative for Co-creating the
Future (ICF).
We will work together to create a new market focused on a desirable future.
We are looking for venture companies with ideas/technologies/business models to realize Mitsubishi Research Institute's vision of an ideal future society.
ICF Business Acceleration Program 2022 Features
Specializing in creating businesses that
solve societal issues
Soliciting solutions to
societal issues that
MRI is focusing on and
collaborating with
MRI's business
divisions to create
co-creation projects.
Matching and
discussion
opportunities with
approximately 540
large corporations,
local governments,
and venture
companies
Abbreviation for
Initiative for
Co-creating the Future
Support system by
MRI researchers x
external
professionals
ICF advisors and
others working with
MRI researchers to
support early
commercialization
Up to 1 million yen
in prizes
Up to 1 million yen in
prize money at
Venture Pitch 2022
Open Innovation.
Aiming for co-creation and
social implementation of businesses
that solve societal issues
Mitsubishi Research Institute's vision of
an ideal future society
wellness
A society where all can enjoy a vibrant and healthy life
Water & Food
A society where all are provided safe and secure water and food
Energy &
Environment
A society where all can enjoy sustainable and clean energy, resources
and environment
mobility
A society where all can satisfy their mobility
needs in a clean,
free, and safe manner
Disaster
Prevention and
Infrastructure
A resilient society where all are assured the safety and security
Education and
Human Resource
Development
A society where all are empowered to contribute to the society
wellness
A society where all can
enjoy a vibrant and
healthy life
Issues to be Solved
Increased and emerging health risks for women
Increased medical costs due to lifestyle-related
diseases, and increased nursing care benefit
costs due to the aging of the population
Increase in the number of people with
impaired mental health
Inadequate and disproportionate access to
health care
Solution image (example)
Support for medical checkups and consultations, mental health support, childcare support,
infertility treatment support, career
support
Utilization of marketing and other multifaceted
perspectives, point allocation for medical
checkups/examinations, and support services for
exercise implementation
Measures to address worker leave and
turnover, mental health care, and community
building
Widespread use of online medical services and
knowledge sharing among physicians through
digitization of medical care
A society where all are
provided safe and
secure water and food
Issues to be Solved
Emerging environmental impacts in global food production, distribution, and selection
Lack of supply chain efficiency and reliability
Need for food diversity and usability for communication
Solution image (example)
Plant factories, cultured meat and genome
editing, technology to reduce methane
emissions from cattle, services to promote
behavioral change in food selection
Platform for visualization of production,
supply, and consumption, improvement of food
traceability, and expansion of exports
Sharing the process of food preparation and
cooking, local community building
A society where all are
empowered to
contribute to the society
Issues to be Solved
Insufficient acquisition of skills required by the
times
Insufficient penetration of new ways of working
and the accompanying construction of an
organization that is easy to work in
Imbalance between supply and demand of
human resources, decline in productivity and
competitiveness
Solution image (example)
Mechanisms to provide new learning,
introduction and penetration of digital
technology
Mechanisms for capacity development and
organization building, and employment of
diverse human resources
Mechanisms to resolve the balance between
supply and demand of human resources,
provision of recurrent education opportunities
and learning opportunities, and
promotion of autonomous learning
Mentoring by researchers with a wide range of expertise unique to a think tank,
and networking among MRI divisions and ICF members, for co-creation
application
MRI Researcher
ICF Advisor
Mentoring / Co-Creation Business PoC
MRI Divisions
ICF Members
・Business collaboration and investment with MRI
・Co-creation of business with MRI
・Business collaboration and investment with MRI
・Co-creation of business with MRI
・Business collaboration with about 540 members of companies and organizations
Toward Collaboration and Co-Creation
Strengths and Assets Offered
Business Support by MRI
Full use of think tank's unique knowledge and network
MRI's proprietary methods
Providing Impact
Strategy Support
Introduced and provided support for a study
frame to examine business strategies from the
viewpoint of impact. Quantitatively and
qualitatively visualize the social impact of each
product and service from short-, medium-, and
long-term perspectives. We develop the
necessary strategies to maximize the ripple
effect on society.
Accompanying support for
co-creation and social
implementation with MRI
MRI researchers, who are well versed in
industry structure and regulatory trends,
provide the knowledge and network necessary
for commercialization, including industry and
business analysis, business model
development, and sales channel development.
New Organization and Structure
Enhanced support for
commercialization
Enhanced support for commercialization
during the program period, including advice from
ICF advisors and other external
professionals, and consideration of investment
by the newly established Corporate Venture
Office (CVO).
*Appropriate support will be provided for each applicant.
Cooperation with ICF
Utilization of network of approximately 540 members* of companies and
organizations focused on resolving societal issues
*Note：As of July 1, 2022
Co-Creation Promotion
Conduct business matching with ICF members.
Coordinates collaboration and co-creation
with ICF members seeking to resolve societal
issues and accompanies them toward early
social implementation.
Providing various ICF member services
Providing opportunities to participate in
various seminars, discussion events, research
groups, etc. organized by MRI and
ICF.Introducing institutional investors and
other investors who understand businesses
that solve societal issues. Promoting solutions to
societal issues through the use of ICF's diverse
membership.
*Appropriate support will be provided for each applicant.。
Co-Creation Case Studies
Co-creation with MRI
Mental Care Support "COCOPRO" and
Risk Measurement Technologies' Business Collaboration
Study
MRI has developed "COCOPRO," a mental care support service that uses AI to quantify the
mental health of employees and allows analysts to monitor the data. Risk Measurement
Technologies, winner of the BAP2021 Grand Prize, offers "Motivel," which visualizes mental
health in five seconds using only voice. Business collaboration is under consideration,
leveraging the commonality of understanding mental health and the strengths of each service.
Co-creation with ICF
Building consortiums with
FemTech Ventures
ICF has designated women's health and activity as a priority issue and is conducting
co-creation activities with ventures that provide preconception care, postpartum care
measures, childcare support, etc. ICF is planning to conduct research and educational
activities for menopausal women with Cinq Cinq, a BAP2021 finalist that provides healthcare
services specializing in menopausal care. a menopause-specific health care service. In the
future, the consortium aims to promote research and business creation with FemTech ventures
participating in ICF.
July 1, 2022
Start of Entries
August 26, 2022
Application Deadline
Early September
to late October 2022
1st and 2nd round selection (documents, online pitch)
November 1, 2022
finalists selected
November 2022
mentoring
Support for commercialization of proposed business
Pitch Advice
In principle, online interviews are conducted
(real interviews are arranged on an individual basis).
December 9, 2022
Venture Pitch 2022 (Final Judging Session)
Grand Prize (prize money of 1 million yen),
Mitsubishi Research Institute Prize and others (prize money available)
*Format and location to be determined based on the situation in Corona.
December 2022
to late February 2023
Co-creation business PoC period
Support for commercialization of proposed business
Co-creation business study (new business idea study,
customer acceptance check (PoC implementation), business model study)
Impact Strategy Study
Matching support with ICF members
In principle, online interviews are conducted
(real interviews are arranged on a case-by-case basis).
March 10, 2023
DEMODAY
(Presentation of the results of the Co-Creation Project)
*The format and location of the event will be decided in consideration of the COVID-19 situation
From April 2023
Entering the Full-Scale Collaboration Phase
Participation in ICF and co-creation with members through activities
Business collaboration with MRI investment, and research activities
BAP2022 Advisory Board
Hiroshi Komiyama
Chairman,
Mitsubishi Research
Institute,Inc.
Richard Dasher
Director,
US-Asia Technology
Management Center,
Stanford University
Tomy Kamada
CEO and Founder of
TomyK Ltd.
Yasuo Sugiyama
Professors Emeritus, Kyoto University and Professor, Graduate School of Modern Management, Sugiyama Jogakuen University
Hiroshi Menjyo
Managing Partner,
NSV Wolf Capital
Will also oversee the final judge panel
Application
Deadline
Friday, August 26, 2022
Eligibility for
Application
■Applicants must be corporations (non-profit businesses are not eligible)
■Applicants must have a business model hypothesis
■Applicants must be new businesses (businesses that have already been launched but need further business promotion, and second-stage businesses are also acceptable, but new businesses of large corporations are not eligible)
■Applicants must agree with Mitsubishi Research Institute's "Vision of an Ideal Future Society" and aim to resolve societal issues in the present and future through business.
Application
Details
Based on the six priority societal issue areas (wellness, water/food, energy/environment, mobility, disaster prevention/infrastructure, and education/human resource development), applicants will submit solutions (business models) to current and future societal issues that will contribute to the realization of Mitsubishi Research Institute's vision of an ideal future society.
Other
■Intellectual property rights for business models and products developed during the
Acceleration Program belong to the applicant.
■Mitsubishi Research Institute, Inc. and
ICF members will not be involved in any disputes related to intellectual property
rights contained in the above entries. Mitsubishi Research Institute and ICF members
will not be involved in any disputes regarding intellectual property rights contained
in the above application contents.
