Selected Companies Announced for Problem-First Matching Project "STARTUP ON DEMAND #5"!

JR East Startup Co., Ltd. (CEO: Yutaka Shibata, hereinafter referred to as "the Company") announced on March 3, 2026, the selected companies for "STARTUP ON DEMAND #5," a problem-first matching project. This project distributes challenges faced by various companies within the JR East Group via email newsletters and other channels, connecting them with startups possessing excellent ideas and technologies.

This iteration focused on the railway forests owned and managed by JR East, seeking proposals that would contribute to building sustainable new business models. These models aim to ensure the stable long-term maintenance of the railway forests' functions while simultaneously maximizing the value of forest resources and advancing maintenance management.

As a result, we received diverse applications from 38 companies. Following the selection process, we will begin discussions for collaboration with the following 5 proposals (6 companies). We will proceed with consultations with relevant departments within the JR East Group to explore the possibilities of demonstration experiments and other initiatives.

We will continue to hold "STARTUP ON DEMAND" events, so please pay attention to the challenges we announce!

〖Selected Companies for This Round〗

Selected Company

Agri-Norm Research Institute Inc.

Main Direction of Initiatives

This company is engaged in technological development in the agricultural and plant fields, leveraging its expertise in smart sensing, plant factories, and cultivation management. By nurturing and planting saplings utilizing JR East Group facilities, they aim to establish measures against damage from wild animals and construct a sustainable forest regeneration model.

Selected Company

DeepForest Technologies Inc.

Main Direction of Initiatives

This company excels in technologies that support the visualization and understanding of forest information by analyzing forest data acquired via drones using AI and other methods. In addition to identifying dead trees and assessing the condition of railway forests, they aim to improve the efficiency and sophistication of maintenance operations, considering integration with risk assessment and on-site inspections.

Selected Company

Greedy Inc.

Main Direction of Initiatives

This company specializes in the planning and development of aroma and fragrance products utilizing domestic natural materials and underutilized resources. They aim to create new relationships with local communities centered around stations by utilizing thinned wood and branches from railway forests for product development and creating experiential value, starting with scents.

Selected Company

KURIMOKU Inc.

Main Direction of Initiatives

This company specializes in circular initiatives that make full use of wood resources, engaging in forestry, lumber milling, wood processing, and the production of wood chips and pellets. They will explore the possibility of progressively utilizing thinned wood generated from railway forests for wood products, chips, pellets, and other applications.

Selected Company

TOKYO CHENSOZ Inc.

i-Forest Inc.

Main Direction of Initiatives

This corporate team is dedicated to creating value from forest resources, utilizing wood, and visualizing environmental value derived from forests. Through wood products and hands-on workshops using railway timber, they aim to foster connections with the surrounding areas. By also visualizing and utilizing forest-derived environmental value, they seek to achieve both sustainable maintenance and profitability of the railway forests.

What is "STARTUP ON DEMAND"?

"STARTUP ON DEMAND" is a problem-first matching project that connects startups with excellent ideas and technologies to solve challenges faced by various companies within the JR East Group. These challenges are disseminated through email newsletters and the Company's website.

Previously, we held 15 online events called "STARTUP PITCH," where we distributed challenges faced by the JR East Group, leading to co-creation of businesses between many startups and business departments. "STARTUP ON DEMAND" inherits the concept of "STARTUP PITCH" of disseminating challenges from JR East Group companies, but is distributed through media such as email newsletters.