Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Releases Key Explanatory Video for Large-Scale "AI for Science" Public Offering (5 Million Yen x 1,000 Projects) — Free Consultations Also Available for Researchers

Humanome Lab Inc. (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and President: Jun Seze; hereinafter "Humanome Lab") has released an explanatory video regarding the "AI for Science Sprouting Challenge Research Creation Project (SPReAD 1000)" which the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology will begin accepting applications for on Friday, April 17, 2026. In conjunction, they have started accepting applications via a dedicated form for 30-minute free consultations (brainstorming sessions) for researchers considering applying.

▶ Explanatory Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIxVP7AiN_k ▶ Free Consultation Application Form: https://forms.gle/B5BKJFPraAfeqXzu7

Background On April 3, 2026, the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology announced the implementation of a large-scale public offering to promote AI for Science. The "AI for Science Sprouting Challenge Research Creation Project (SPReAD 1000)" plans to provide research funding of up to 5 million yen (direct costs) per project, with approximately 1,000 projects to be adopted through two rounds of public offerings. The target fields range from humanities and social sciences to natural sciences, providing bottom-up support regardless of whether the discipline is science or humanities.

About the start of the public offering for AI for Science Sprouting Challenge Research Creation Project (SPReAD): Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology

This public offering explicitly aims to open doors to researchers who have had little contact with AI until now. A major pillar of the project is to support researchers in taking the first step to incorporate AI into their own research processes.

On the other hand, actually proceeding with an application requires practical preparation such as "how to integrate AI into research," "how to secure computing resources and plan the budget," and "how to write the application form." Humanome Lab, from its position of having handled AI development and research support primarily in the life sciences field, aims to help researchers interested in this public offering take their first step.