Calling for domestic case studies for the "Japan Co-Creation Awards 2014," which honors innovation through co-creation.

Dentsu Inc. and Infobahn are now accepting submissions for the "Japan Co-Creation Awards 2014," which will recognize outstanding co-creation initiatives by companies, municipalities, and organizations conducted within Japan in 2014.

Currently, activities where people from diverse backgrounds collaborate in various ways to spark new innovation are expanding across multiple sectors. Both companies have championed "Co-Creation" as a broad keyword encompassing such activities, launching the "Japan Co-Creation Awards" in 2012 to spotlight advanced and exemplary domestic cases. The purpose is to decipher innovation trends and contribute to fostering an open society.

Applications are accepted via 'cotas'*, the open innovation information web media launched by both companies in June 2012. To encourage submissions, recommendations from judges and the cotas editorial team are accepted alongside open public submissions. Following this, a preliminary screening involving public voting nominates 10 cases. A second round of judging will involve a final vote by the judges to select five best case studies. Leading up to the award announcement, we are seeking unconventional case studies, whether self-nominated or recommended by others. The announcement is scheduled for December 16, and the selected cases will be published in Web Dentsu Inc. and on 'cotas '.

Application guidelines are as follows.

[Application Guidelines]
・Eligible Entries: Co-creation initiatives implemented in Japan in 2014 by companies, local governments, organizations, etc. (self-nominations and third-party nominations accepted).
・Submission/Information Contact: cotas.award.2014@infobahn.co.jp
Email subject line must include: "Japan Co-Creation Award 2014 Case Submission"
・Application Period: Friday, September 19 to Tuesday, October 14 ※Deadline: 1:00 PM
・Judging Period: [First Round] Wednesday, October 15 to Wednesday, October 22, [Second Round] Wednesday, November 26 to Wednesday, December 3
・Judges: The following seven members.
　Hiroto Kobayashi (CEO, Infobahn Inc.)
　Kazunori Kuroyanagi (Director, Business Creation Center, Dentsu Inc.)
　Noboru Konno (Representative, KIRO Inc.; Professor, Tama University Graduate School)
　Naoki Sakata (CEO, Blabo Inc.)
　Shigeru Sumitomo (President, Conselax Inc.)
　Yasuhiko Nomura (President and CEO, Future Sessions Inc.)
　Chiaki Hayashi (President, Loftwork Inc.)

*cotas: A web media platform focused on creating new value for products and services through borderless participation, including open innovation. It introduces new innovation cases and business models from Japan and abroad, conducts interviews with practitioners and opinion leaders, and aims to promote the creation of an open society. URL: http://cotas.jp

Dentsu Inc. Information http://www.dentsu.co.jp/news/topics/2014/0918-003822.html