Yoren Awarded METI's 'Global South Co-Creation Project' and Begins Operations as JACCI Secretariat

株式会社Yoren (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Osamu Kaneda) is pleased to announce that it has been awarded the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI)'s 'FY2025 Supplementary Budget: Co-creation Project with the Global South through Technology and Human Resource Collaboration (Future Business Partner Development Program based on Japan-Africa Collaboration).'

Background of the Project In recent years, Africa has seen remarkable growth in local startups driven by smartphone penetration and a growing young population. These startups are successfully formalizing and tapping into middle-to-low-income consumer markets using digital technologies. For Japanese companies, collaborating with local startups—which act as guides and are deeply familiar with local needs—and the venture capital firms that back them is considered an effective strategy that also contributes to solving social issues.

In this context, METI launched the 'Japan Africa Co-Creation for Industry (JACCI)' framework to support Japanese companies' entry into Africa. Yoren has served as the JACCI secretariat since last year and has been awarded this project again for the current fiscal year.

Policy and Initiatives for the Current Fiscal Year Following last year's validation, the focus for this year will be on identifying business opportunities and conducting proof-of-concept (PoC) studies in three key areas: 1. Mobility: Aiming to implement and validate an entry model that aggregates Japanese companies with proven track records in Africa. 2. Healthcare: A new area for JACCI. We will review Japanese entry cases and investment areas of Japanese VCs to formulate hypotheses for business opportunities. 3. AI & Digital Talent: Leveraging the AI training supply base established last year to validate the realization of a talent circulation ecosystem for African industries and Japanese companies.

Recruiting JACCI Secretariat Members The fourth open call for JACCI participating members (Deadline: June 30, 2026, 23:59) is currently underway. [Target Applicants] - Companies that resonate with JACCI's philosophy (the 'bundling' concept). - Companies capable of building packaging solutions for the local African industrial ecosystem (including startups). - Companies capable of building business models and creating new ventures with Japanese companies. *Applications require a summary of a proposed business plan sent via email.