Media Produced by ASCII STARTUP
Media Produced by ASCII STARTUP
Hyogo, Kobe City
Godot, Inc. is a deep-tech startup specializing in research into human behavioral principles and AI system development. By integrating human behavior models based on behavioral and cognitive science with models of urban spaces and physical environments, we predict “why and how people move in a given environment, and what kind of support they need.” We are developing AI that supports citizens’ lives as they adapt to ever-changing environments. This simulation technology structurally predicts the diverse characteristics and growth processes of individuals, enabling the design of optimal environments and initiatives for next-generation talent development. Furthermore, grounded in Trustworthy AI, we contribute to value creation toward the realization of an inclusive society where people can adapt to an era defined by AI evolution and actively participate in economic activities.
In this initiative, we are conducting research to expand "Narrative Finder"—an urban behavior simulation platform that fuses behavioral science and AI—into transport policy design grounded in an understanding of human behavior. By reproducing "Synthetic Citizens" with diverse attributes and values using LLM agents, and running and visualizing multiple transport policy scenarios within a dynamic mobility environment, we aim to develop a prototype that allows for the pre-assessment of policy impacts and side effects. Looking to the future, we also envision expanding this business to support urban design in emerging nations where traffic congestion and travel stress are severe challenges.
| Representative |
Ken Moriyama Born in Kobe and raised in Seattle. After joining Goldman Sachs’ investment banking division as a new graduate, he worked at an investment fund before engaging in the launch of numerous social businesses, including business development at Grameen Shakti (the Grameen Group’s energy company). Following stints as a visiting researcher at the University of Oxford and elsewhere, he founded Godot, Inc. in 2022 and currently serves as its CEO. He also serves as a director of Policy Garage, a specified nonprofit corporation that tackles policy challenges using behavioral science and design thinking. In June 2026, he was selected for the World Economic Forum’s “Technology Pioneers Program.” |
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| Main Achievements | 2022: Obtained ISO/IEC 27001 (Information Security Management System) certification 2023: Established Godot GmbH, a research and development center, in Vienna, Austria 2023: Entered into a business partnership with Aflac and Hatch Healthcare (to promote cancer prevention) 2025: Signed a “Comprehensive Partnership Agreement on Policy Promotion Utilizing Behavioral Science” with Yomitan Village, Okinawa Prefecture 2025: Obtained Japan’s first ISO/IEC 42001 (AI Management System) certification |
| Company Name | Godot Inc. |
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| Representative Name | Ken Moriyama |
| Address | Inside Kigyo Plaza Hyogo, 56 Naniwamachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo |
| Official Site and Social Media, etc. |
Official Website |
| Founding Date | July 1, 2022 |
| Awards |
October 2022: Selected for the Austrian government initiative “GO AUSTRIA Fall 2022” December 2022: Received the “SDGs Special Award” at the “22nd Japan Venture Awards” hosted by the Japan Small and Medium Enterprise Agency September 2023: Selected for “J-Startup KANSAI” as a promising startup from the Kansai region February 2024: Selected for the U.S. market entry support program of SkyDeck, an accelerator spun out of UC Berkeley July 2024: Selected as a company to receive ongoing support under the “Reiwa 6 Kobe City Intellectual Property Management Support Model Region Creation Project” organized by the Japan Patent Office and Kobe City September 2024: Selected for the startup support program at New York University’s Stern School of Business October 2024: Selected for the startup support program of 500 Global, a global venture capital network February 2025: Selected as a finalist in the startup category of the “6th IP BASE AWARD,” an intellectual property award hosted by the Japan Patent Office March 2025: Selected as one of Forbes Japan’s “50 Promising Domestic AI Startups” April 2025: Selected for the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry’s “Global South Future-Oriented Co-creation Project Grant (FS Project)” September 2025: Selected for the “J-StarX AI Medical Course,” a medical AI program organized by the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) May 2026: Selected for the “Deep Tech Startup Support Fund / International Joint R&D” program by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) June 2026: Selected for the “Startup-Generating Pioneering R&D Support Program: ICT Startup League” by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications June 2026: Selected for the World Economic Forum’s “Technology Pioneers Program” |