Inventor x Art Producer x Investor Discuss "Social Implementation of Creativity" in Shibuya

WE AT, a general incorporated association aiming to develop the well-being industry through solving global social issues, will hold a pre-event for "WE AT CHALLENGE 2026" TRACK 4 on July 24, 2026 (Fri) at Sakura Deeptech Shibuya (Shibuya-ku, Tokyo).

This event, held as a pre-event for "WE AT CHALLENGE 2026" TRACK 4, aims to share practical knowledge for establishing creativity as a business by conducting cross-disciplinary discussions among companies, creators, researchers, and investors on the theme of the potential of socially implementing creativity and connecting it to well-being.

New Intersection of Social Implementation and Well-being Pioneered by Creativity

In recent years, there has been growing expectation not only for creative activities such as art, design, and content as mere expressions, but also for their role in solving social issues and creating new businesses.

WE AT views such creativity as "the power to generate new value from people's interests and discomfort" and positions it as an important element contributing to the improvement of well-being.

This event will bring together inventors, art producers, investors, and WE AT to engage in a rare cross-disciplinary dialogue, sharing perspectives on "establishing creativity as a business" from their respective practices. The networking session following the sessions will provide an opportunity to speak directly with the speakers, offering a valuable chance to connect directly with pioneers who have already commercialized their ventures and with investors. This event is designed to provide such a dialogue platform in conjunction with the launch of "WE AT CHALLENGE 2026" TRACK 4 (Creativity Well-being).

About "WE AT CHALLENGE 2026" TRACK 4

"WE AT CHALLENGE" is a core program that supports the creation and growth of startups focused on solving social issues, in collaboration with academia, government, corporations, and investors. The 2026 edition, the third iteration, aims to evolve into a "continuous growth support platform" based on the achievements of the 2025 competition, which attracted approximately 600 entries from 40 countries worldwide.

Among these, TRACK 4 "Creativity Well-being," first established as a challenge track in 2025 and receiving a significant response, became an official track in 2026. It positions creativity as "the power to generate new value from people's interests and discomfort" and supports individuals and teams who establish this power as a business and deploy it to the market as new products, services, and experiences.

How to Socially Implement Creativity? Dialogue and Networking by Practitioners

This pre-event was planned to coincide with the launch of TRACK 4, aiming to convey the keys to socially implementing and commercializing creativity in the words of practitioners themselves, and to support those considering entry. On the day, following a short lecture by Mitsuyo Demura, an inventor and CEO of Konel, a talk session will be held with Hiroshi Maruhashi (Project Associate Professor, Tokyo University of the Arts / Representative Director, Maruhashi Kikaku Co., Ltd.), Eriko Suzuki (Representative Director, Kind Capital / Partner, Dears Capital), and Itaru Yoshizawa (Executive Officer, Hakuhodo DY Holdings / Co-Representative Director, WE AT). A networking session will be held after the session to create connections between participants considering entry and practitioners/investors.

Program

17:00 Opening (Overview of WE AT / Purpose of this Event)

17:10 Short Lecture Theme: Creativity x Well-being x Business

Speaker: Mitsuyo Demura

17:30 Talk Session Theme: How to Socially Implement Creativity?

Speakers: Mitsuyo Demura, Hiroshi Maruhashi, Eriko Suzuki, Itaru Yoshizawa

18:10 Networking

Speakers

Mitsuyo Demura (Inventor / CEO of Konel)

Hiroshi Maruhashi (Project Associate Professor, Tokyo University of the Arts / Representative Director, Maruhashi Kikaku Co., Ltd.)

Eriko Suzuki (Representative Director, Kind Capital / Partner, Dears Capital)

Itaru Yoshizawa (Executive Officer, Hakuhodo DY Holdings / Co-Representative Director, WE AT)

"WE AT CHALLENGE 2026" TRACK 4 Pre-Event Overview

Name: "WE AT CHALLENGE 2026" TRACK 4 Pre-Event

Date and Time: July 24, 2026 (Fri) 17:00 - 19:00 (Doors open 16:30)

Venue: Sakura Deeptech Shibuya (12F, Shibuya Sakura Stage Central Building, 1-2 Sakuragaoka-cho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo)

Format: Offline

Participation Fee: Free

Capacity: Approximately 100 people (planned)

Target Audience: Creators/designers/artists, startups/entrepreneurially-minded individuals, VCs/corporate new business & BD personnel, researchers/students, etc.

Application Method: Apply via Peatix (closes when capacity is reached)

Organizer: General Incorporated Association WE AT

Apply here (Peatix)

Regarding "WE AT CHALLENGE 2026" TRACK 4 Entry

Eligible Applicants: Startups, pre-startup students/researchers, corporate internal projects, individuals, groups (must be considering global expansion of their business)

Awards: WE AT Award / WE AT BEST AWARD / Other awards, various awards for pre-startup entries, etc.

Selection Criteria: Comprehensive judgment based on the scale of social issues, business impact, technological uniqueness, business scalability, team composition, strong commitment to well-being, etc.

Entry Deadline: August 31, 2026 (Mon) 23:59 (JST)

Selection Schedule:

August 31 (Mon) Entry Deadline / 1st Screening Begins (Document Review)

October 5 (Mon) 1st Screening Results Notification

October 26 (Mon) & 27 (Tue) 2nd Screening (Online Interview, English)

November 2 (Mon) 2nd Screening Results Notification

November 27 (Fri) Final Screening @ Tokyo Innovation Base (On-site Presentation, English)

Entry Form: https://airtable.com/appIJ07wt6ZOJOzUw/pagleB1efo0GfUWFB/form

Overview of General Incorporated Association WE AT

WE AT supports startup businesses and projects by companies and research institutions that contribute to the accumulation of economic capital, natural capital, human capital, and social capital, which form the foundation of the well-being economy, with the "Well-being framework" advocated by the OECD in mind. Through this, we aim to achieve multifaceted well-being, including not only the physical and mental health of people, but also a society where diverse people coexist and connect, and the realization of a sustainable global environment that forms its foundation.

Organization Name: General Incorporated Association WE AT

Founders: The University of Tokyo, Kyoto University, The University of Electro-Communications, UTokyo Innovation Platform Co., Ltd., Hakuhodo Inc., Sumitomo Life Insurance Company, Canon MJ Inc.

Member Companies: Kyoto University Innovation Capital, Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank, Panasonic Holdings Corporation, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, TBS Holdings, Inc., ABeam Consulting Ltd., Tokyu Land Corporation

Establishment Date: May 16, 2024

Location: Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo

Representatives: (Co-Representative Directors) Itaru Yoshizawa, Hiroki Fujimoto / (Vice Representative Director) Daisuke Kanma

Business Activities: Discovery and nurturing of social entrepreneurs, support for startup creation and growth, event planning and co-hosting, human resource development, research and recommendations, etc.

Official Website: https://we-at.tokyo/

[Inquiries]

General Incorporated Association WE AT

Contact: https://we-at.tokyo/contact/