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公式X
Childcare Map App 'iiba' Selected for JR West Group's Co-Creation Program 'Bernal' ― Creating railway lines that inspire family outings by leveraging station and railway assets ―
iiba Inc. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Nana Aizawa), the developer and operator of the childcare map app "iiba," announced on December 18 that it has been selected for "Bernal," a business co-creation program hosted by the JR West Group.
Moving forward, the company will collaborate with the JR West Group to conduct demonstrations and verifications utilizing station and railway line assets. Their goal is to create new businesses that bring value to both child-rearing households and the local community.
■ Turning "Isolating Parenting" into "Fun Parenting": Changing Society Starting from the Station
Guided by the vision of "Building a new childcare infrastructure for a society where raising children is easier," iiba operates a map app that visualizes real-life experiences and reviews from parents and children.
For this program, the mission is set to "Turn 'isolating parenting' into 'fun parenting' through the power of the community." By leveraging the JR West Group's abundant assets—such as station premises, commercial facilities, digital signage, and traffic flow data—they aim to realize "a society where child-rearing households are inspired to go out, starting from the station."
■ What is the Business Co-Creation Program "Bernal"?
"Bernal" is a program that utilizes the JR West Group's management resources to tackle social issues and create new businesses in collaboration with startups.
Partner companies that pass the selection process will form teams with JR West Group employees to conduct demonstrations and verifications over a period of approximately 10 months. After assessing feasibility for commercialization, capital alliances, including investment from JR West Innovations, will also be considered.
Regarding the future schedule, the project is expected to proceed to full-scale verification from 2026 to 2027, following a series of staged review meetings.
■ ICT Startup League
This support program was launched in FY2023, sparked by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications' "Startup Creation-type Germination Research and Development Support Project."
The ICT Startup League supports startups through four main pillars:
① R&D Funding / Hands-on Support
Up to 20 million yen in research and development funding is provided in the form of subsidies. In terms of hands-on support, the evaluation committee members who were involved in selecting the league members will continue to provide guidance and promote growth even after selection. For companies that evaluators feel they "absolutely want to see selected," a dedicated support system—akin to "fandom" or "advocacy"—is established, where the evaluators themselves provide continuous support, such as advice on business plans and offering growth opportunities.
② Discovery & Incubation
We provide learning opportunities and networking venues to promote the business growth of league members.
We also expand the scope of the ecosystem by discovering and supporting those aiming to start new businesses.
③ Competition & Co-creation
The program serves as a venue for positive competition, similar to a sports league, where startups learn together and hone their skills while competing to win the necessary funding (up to 20 million yen). Additionally, through various opportunities such as sessions with evaluation committee members, we provide a space for co-creation where league members can collaborate to expand their businesses.
④ Dissemination (PR)
We broadcast the initiatives of league members in cooperation with media outlets! By letting more people know about these businesses, we aim to expand opportunities for new matching and chances for success.
■ Related Websites
ICT Startup League
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iiba Inc. (Official Site)
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iiba Inc. (LEAGUE MEMBER)
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Business Co-Creation Program "Bernal"
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Original Press Release (Japanese)
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For more details on STARTUP LEAGUE's startup support, please see here.