Source: Peatix

The Shimanto Seaweed Eco-Innovation Co-Creation Center, jointly proposed by Kochi University as the representative institution, academic institutions such as Kyoto University, companies such as Riken Foods Co., Ltd., Shimanto City, and Kochi Prefecture, has been selected for the Regional Co-Creation Category (Nurturing Type) of the National Research and Development Agency's (JST) 2024 Co-Creation Space Formation Support Program (COI-NEXT).

Project details page (※Consortium membership applications are being accepted via the banner in the center of the project page)

https://www.kochi-u.ac.jp/seawheat/

The vision of this project is to "create sustainable local industries and communities through seaweed-based innovation." Based in Shimanto City, the project will carry out environmental conservation activities, business creation, and human resource development. It will also form a consortium to bring together many companies and researchers in the project, and regularly hold forums to disseminate research and results.

This time, we will be presenting on "The cutting edge of integrated fish and seaweed farming systems." If you are interested in this project, each research theme, and the consortium, please come and join the forum.

<Shimanto Seaweed Eco-Innovation Co-Creation Forum Overview>

Date and time: Monday, July 28, 2025 18:00-20:00 (on-site registration begins at 17:30)
Event: On-site and online (hybrid event)
*If you wish to participate online, please register and access the online URL below.

[Online URL]
(The online URL will be provided separately.)
Venue: SAKURA DEEPTECH SHIBUYA 1-2 Sakuragaokacho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Shibuya Sakura Stage Central Building 12th floor (right next to the JR Shibuya Station Shinminami ticket gate)
Participation: Free

<Time Schedule
17:30 On-site registration begins

18:00 Opening Talk 1 - What is SHIMANOVA? What happens at SHIMANOVA?
"What is the Shimanto Seaweed Eco-Innovation Co-Creation Center Project?"
Shinichiro Sera, Specially Appointed Lecturer, Kochi University Next Generation Regional Creation Center

18:10 Opening Talk 2 - What is SHIMANOVA? What will happen at SHIMANOVA?
"Outline of Kochi Prefecture's Fisheries Industry and Efforts to Promote Aquaculture"
Keizo Hamauzu, Deputy Director, Fisheries Promotion Department, Kochi Prefecture

18:20 Researcher Pitch 1 - Presentations by universities and researchers -
"The necessity of land-based aquaculture and its future prospects"
Professor Shunichiro Oshima, Faculty of Agriculture, Forestry and Marine Sciences, Kochi University

18:40 Researcher Pitch 2 - Presentations by universities and researchers -
"Rare Seafood Made from Green Laver and Sea Urchin: Challenges and Prospects for Sustainable Seafood Production"
Associate Professor Yoshihisa Kurita, Fisheries Research Institute, Kyushu University

18:55 Enterprise Pitch ~Company Presentations~
"Application of cutting-edge technology in land-based aquaculture systems and efforts toward social implementation"
Hiroaki Enomoto, Visiting Researcher, Japan Aquaspace Association

19:10 Startup Pitch ~Presentation by startups~
"The cutting edge of integrated fish and seaweed farming systems"
ARK Inc. Representative Director Isamu Yoshida
19:25 Closing ~Information from Shimanoba~
19:30 Online distribution ends
19:30 Networking ~A place for co-creation~ (On-site only)
20:00 Closing

<Speakers introduction>

[Researcher Pitch 1: The necessity of land-based aquaculture and future prospects]
Professor Shunichiro Oshima, Faculty of Agriculture, Forestry and Marine Sciences, Kochi University
https://researchers.kochi-u.ac.jp/DET01_G01/DET01_G01View/617

In recent years, a stable supply of marine products is becoming increasingly difficult due to factors such as global population growth, climate change, and the depletion of marine resources. Against this background, the importance of "land-based aquaculture" as a sustainable means of food production is increasing. The advantage of land-based aquaculture is that it allows precise hygiene and growth management while minimizing the burden on the environment. In this research, we have been working from various perspectives to achieve this. We would like to introduce our efforts to establish a safe and efficient land-based aquaculture system by combining the results of previous research, with a focus on integrated aquaculture of fish and algae.

[Researcher Pitch 2: "Rare Seafood" Made with Green Laver and Sea Urchin: Challenges and Hopes for Sustainable Seafood Production]
Mr. Yoshihisa Kurita, Associate Professor, Kyushu University Graduate School of Fisheries Research Institute
https://katachiya.wordpress.com/

The catches of seafood that were once commonly caught in the sea are declining across the board. A decline in catches leads to a decline in income for fishermen, and a decline in income leads to overfishing. In response to these issues, Kyushu University Fisheries Research Institute is not only developing techniques to propagate and cultivate seafood that can no longer be routinely caught, but is also aiming to increase the price of fish by branding them with distinctive traits. This article introduces examples of sea urchins and turban shells, which are part of this initiative.

[Enterprise Pitch: Application of cutting-edge technology in land-based aquaculture systems and efforts toward social implementation]
Hiroaki Enomoto, Visiting Researcher, Japan Aquaspace Association

As a means of sustainable protein production in a society where climate change is progressing, the spread and expansion of the closed circulation land-based aquaculture industry is urgently needed. Furthermore, from the perspective of strengthening Japan's food security, whose vulnerability has become clear in recent years, we believe it is necessary to utilize various cutting-edge technologies from different industries and spread Japan's smart aquaculture technology to the world. Japan Aquaspace is working to translate the results of the demonstration experiments and technological developments we have undertaken into social implementation. In this presentation, we will introduce an overview of these technologies.

[Startup Pitch: The cutting edge of integrated fish and seaweed farming systems]
Isamu Yoshida, CEO of ARK Inc.
https://www.ark.inc/

During his time as a working student, he worked in plumbing, auto repair shops, building maintenance, etc., while also self-taught in programming. In 2000, while still a student, he joined IBS Japan Co., Ltd. and became a system engineer. In 2008, he planned and sold IoT gateways at Atmark Techno Co., Ltd., which achieved the top market share in Japan. In 2016, he participated in the launch of a new IoT business at Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd. In 2018, he joined Uhuru Co., Ltd. as a PM for its land-based aquaculture business, and while involved in the construction of several major land-based aquaculture systems, he discovered the need for small-scale land-based aquaculture, and in 2020, he co-founded ARK Co., Ltd. Taking advantage of his 15-year hobby of collecting and raising tropical fish by skin diving and his experience, he is in charge of aquarium development and design and growth research as the Chief Aqua Officer. He planned, designed, and developed the ARK-V1, REF-V1, and ARK-ZERO. He holds numerous patents.

ARK is a research and development startup that develops, manufactures, and sells small, distributed, closed circulation land-based aquaculture systems to create a system and culture in which anyone, anywhere can be involved in seafood production, based on the concept of "LET THE OCEAN REST, CREATE YOUR OWN." We provide products for land-based aquaculture and fisheries businesses, including the "ARK ZERO" series of lightweight, highly insulated, and airtight tanks, as well as aquaculture technologies centered on marine organisms that live in the Kuroshio Current basin.

<Additional Information>
What is the Shimanto Seaweed Eco-Innovation Co-Creation Center?
The Shimanto Seaweed Eco-Innovation Co-Creation Center is a national research and development project that was selected for the Regional Co-Creation Field (Nurturing Type) of the Japan Science and Technology Agency's (JST) FY2024 Co-Creation Space Formation Support Program. This project is an industry-academia-government-private partnership project with Kochi University as the representative institution, Shimanto City, Kochi Prefecture, and Riken Foods Co., Ltd. as the organizing institutions, and various other institutions are also participating.

The vision of this project is to "create sustainable local industries and communities through seaweed-based innovation," and it will focus on seaweed-centered environmental conservation, business creation, and human resource development in the Shimanto River basin.

Representative organization: National University Corporation Kochi University
Organizing agency: Riken Foods Co., Ltd., Shimanto City, Kochi Prefecture
Participating organizations: Kyoto University, Kyushu University, Asahi Foods Co., Ltd., Kayo Bussan Co., Ltd., Umi no Kenkyusha Co., Ltd., Urba Co., Ltd., Sanshiki Co., Ltd., Kochi IoP Plus Co., Ltd., The Shikoku Bank, Ltd., The Kochi Bank, Ltd.

What is the JST COI-NEXT Program?
The JST Co-Creation Space Formation Support Program is an industry-academia collaboration program in which universities and other institutions take the lead in formulating a vision for the future society (center vision) and promoting research and development toward realizing that vision. It also aims to create an independent industry-academia-government co-creation center that will continue to produce results even after the project is completed.

The name "COI-NEXT" comes from the fact that the system was designed based on the concept of "vision-led, backcasting research and development," which is the concept of the Center of Innovation (COI), the 12th of JST's existing core program.

Venue