Urban Innovation Japan (UIJ) has announced four collaborative pilot challenges being pursued by Hachinohe City, Aomori Prefecture.
Applications are now open for participating companies, including startups.
One of the challenges is related to wine.
Here are the details.
About Hachinohe X-Tech Innovation
UIJ is a project that works with startup companies on collaborative demonstration trials to solve social challenges faced by municipalities.
Since its first initiative with Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture, in 2018, it has worked with municipalities across Japan.
Hachinohe City’s demonstration project, “Hachinohe X-Tech Innovation,” nicknamed Hachikuro, is now in its second year.
A wine-related challenge too!
There are four challenge themes this fiscal year:
★ Solve the complex puzzle! Sustainable Hachinohe city-bus operations powered by AI
★ “Let’s join the neighborhood association!” Making neighborhood associations easier to join and sustainable
★ Make Hachinohe wine even better! Improve grape quality and yields together with farmers
★ Move bulky-waste reception from phone to digital? Introduce a method everyone finds easy to use
The third challenge, related to Hachinohe wine, is especially noteworthy.
Sensors installed in vineyards in the Nango area will measure weather and soil data. The project will examine whether analyzing relationships with grape growth, sugar and acidity, suppressing pests and diseases, and using the data can improve quality and yields.
Applications close Thursday, July 31. Participating businesses are scheduled to be selected in August, with collaboration planned from September through the end of January next year.
Project expenses are capped at 500,000 yen including tax per project.
If you are interested, why not apply?
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