Contract Award for 'FY2026 Saitama Super City Project: Municipal Urban Development Support via Public-Private Partnership'

Region Design Lab Saitama (President: Takafumi Sonoda, hereafter 'Labo-Tama'), a member of the Resona Group, has been awarded the 'FY2026 Saitama Super City Project: Municipal Urban Development Support via Public-Private Partnership' (hereafter 'the Project'), promoted by Saitama Prefecture. Under this contract, the company will facilitate matching between municipalities participating in the Project and private enterprises possessing technologies or services that address regional issues.

Anticipating a society with a declining birthrate and aging population, the company will support sustainable urban development—characterized by 'compact,' 'smart,' and 'resilient' features—tailored to the unique needs of each region. This contributes to the goal of making Saitama the most livable prefecture in Japan, where every resident can live a prosperous, safe, and comfortable daily life by supporting one another.

The contract is held by a consortium led by Labo-Tama, in partnership with JTB Communication Design, Inc. and Creww Inc.

Main Support Activities: 1. Hosting Government and Business Pitches In 'Government Pitches,' municipalities present their regional challenges and needs, and enterprises are invited to propose solutions. Following the pitches, the company supports matching between municipalities and enterprises offering the most suitable proposals to promote collaboration. In 'Business Pitches,' enterprises propose their technologies and services aimed at solving regional challenges, with the company facilitating matching and collaboration with municipalities.

2. Hosting Networking Events and Seminars on Urban Development Case Studies Networking events provide a venue for municipalities to meet with enterprises interested in public-private partnerships, fostering dialogue and partnerships. Seminars showcase leading case studies of public-private cooperation to promote project understanding and increase corporate participation.

3. Creation of a Dedicated Landing Page (LP) A dedicated LP for the Project will be created to broadcast information on events like pitch sessions. It will present municipal challenges clearly to encourage proposals from enterprises. Additionally, success stories from business pitches will be published as a 'Seeds Collection' to further promote matching. Leading initiatives will also be published as a 'Public-Private Partnership Case Collection' to raise the project's profile.

4. Outreach Support for Municipal Regional Urban Development Planning The company will provide hands-on support for developing regional urban development plans in participating municipalities, helping officials identify challenges, needs, and effective projects, and refining those projects for implementation.

Future Outlook Through this project, the company will connect diverse regional challenges in Saitama with private sector technologies and services, promoting the creation of new urban development models based on public-private partnerships. The company will go beyond simple matching, providing comprehensive support from proof-of-concept through to commercialization, aiming to create sustainable business models that take root in the region. By scaling these advanced initiatives and networks, the company aims to form an ecosystem for solving regional problems and creating continuous value across all of Saitama Prefecture.