What is the "locally-driven" industry-academia collaboration project pursued by Kanazawa University and the Dentsu Group?

Initiatives aiming for sustainable regional development are gaining attention. Transformation SHOWCASE launches a series introducing case studies of activities that build unique business models leveraging area characteristics and contribute to revitalizing the regional economy.

The first installment features a 2020 industry-academia collaboration project between Kanazawa University and Dentsu Japan (domestic Dentsu Group). This project generates new ideas to solve regional challenges through cooperation with Kanazawa University students and local businesses, then challenges their social implementation.

This time, we interviewed Professor Atsuro Tsutsumi of Kanazawa University, who leads the project ; Kyoko Hiromatsu of Dentsu West Japan Inc.; and Teppei Moriguchi of Dentsu BX Creative Center. We explore the significance of industry-academia collaboration for regional revitalization and the approaches needed to realize a better future for the region.

Collaboration with Academia: Designing Regional Economic Revitalization Through Industry-Academia Partnerships

Q: First, could you tell us about the background leading to the start of this industry-academia collaboration project between Kanazawa University and Dentsu Japan?

Tsutsumi: In the academic world (research positions) where I work, social issues tend to be perceived as "dark topics." While seriously addressing them is important, I felt that if they lack fun or playfulness, they remain confined within a closed world, unable to generate broader impact...

Amidst this, dentsu Japan approached us asking, "Can we collaborate on something for regional revitalization?" I felt that combining academia with creative power could generate new synergy and break through this stagnation. My response was, "Let's definitely do it," and that's how our collaboration began.

Hiromatsu: Subsequently, in 2020, we launched an industry-academia collaboration project. We started by holding classes at Kanazawa University focused on regional social issues, where students generated ideas for solving these problems and presented their solutions.

Morikuchi: I was invited by a senior colleague to participate in a workshop held on campus in 2022, coinciding with the establishment of the Tourism Design Department within the Interdisciplinary Studies Division at Kanazawa University. There, I met Professor Tsutsumi and Mr. Hiromatsu. They invited me to lecture in the "Entrepreneurship Fundamentals Course" for first-year students in that department, which is how I became involved in the industry-academia collaboration project.

Q: What specific academic fields does the Tourism Design Program cover?

Tsutsumi: "Tourism" encompasses various aspects, such as marketing to attract visitors and pursuing exceptional hospitality. The Tourism Design Program aims to cultivate talent equipped with the mindset to create new tourism industries and local jobs, driving social transformation. It's also characterized as a "liberal arts and science integrated learning environment" that combines social sciences and natural sciences, including big data analysis.

Morikuchi: At Dentsu Inc., we've also sought to expand the creative capabilities we've cultivated in marketing and advertising communication into business development and brand building. There's significant overlap between the areas the Tourism Design Program covers and our own direction.

Q: From a business perspective, what is the significance of collaborating with academia?

Morikuchi: In today's mature and affluent market, it's increasingly difficult for companies to meet user needs. In other words, I believe companies and brands now require a clear reason to introduce new products or services. On the other hand, when we look at the social challenges specific to each region, there is a clear "pain" people are experiencing. I think the core of future business will be finding that "reason" by empathizing with and addressing that pain.

Academia is home to many individuals working on the front lines of addressing these social challenges. This was strongly evident in my discussions with Professor Tsutsumi, particularly in his deeply committed stance as a stakeholder addressing regional issues. Collaborating with academia to build new business models holds tremendous potential.

What is business design for solving regional issues that leverages student ideas?

Q: Could you share specific examples of projects you're tackling through industry-academia collaboration?

Hiromatsu: Our first full-scale project was "Social Design Hokuriku," launched jointly in 2021 by Kanazawa University, Dentsu West Japan Inc., and a local TV station. We offer special lectures in collaboration with local companies, challenging students to implement their ideas in society.

For example, in a collaborative project with a Kanazawa car dealership, we are conducting a pilot test of a car-sharing service for Kanazawa University students. While the university campus is located on a mountain, there are some transportation challenges, such as limited bus schedules. To address this inconvenience, students took the lead in proposing a car-sharing service.

This service can be used not only for commuting and moving between classes but also for weekend trips. For the company, it provides an opportunity to utilize usage data for regional transportation research. Furthermore, by expanding students' mobility, it can stimulate the local economy. I believe this is a successful case where the students' perspective and the company's capabilities were effectively combined.

Tsutsumi: As for our most recent project, we launched the "Tourism Project Seminar" in 2024. This curriculum, jointly established by Kanazawa University and "The Bath & Bed Team" (a collaborative project between Dentsu Inc. and Enjoy Works Inc.), renovates unused storehouses into lodging facilities. It provides a practical learning environment for tourism businesses that connect with the city.

Morikuchi: While Kanazawa is known as a tourist destination, like other regional cities, it has many underutilized properties, including numerous storehouses. We are working with students to develop lodging facilities that utilize these spaces, creating mechanisms to foster organic connections between travelers and the city, as well as unique local experiences.

Q: How have students responded to these initiatives?

Tsutsumi: Many students find it interesting that they can actually take action, rather than just "thinking about social issues and leaving it at that."

What struck me during "The Bath & Bed Team" was a student whose family storehouse was completely destroyed in the Noto Peninsula earthquake saying, "Because I have this personal experience, I truly understand the meaning of restoring storehouses and the value they bring to the community." It made me realize how crucial it is to connect individuals' unique experiences to regional revitalization and town development. I hope this becomes an opportunity for students to reexamine their relationship with the town and leads to an experience of "re-valuing" their own lives.

Q: On the other hand, what benefits do local companies gain from collaborating with students?

Hiromatsu: I understand many regional companies currently struggle to secure talent. Collaborating with students to tackle social issues allows companies to directly showcase their approach and solutions to students, which is a significant advantage.

Furthermore, among the companies participating in the "Social Design Hokuriku" program, we often hear positive feedback from engineers and management who rarely interact with students, expressing delight at new discoveries like, "So this is how today's students think?" It seems to be a place where they discover new approaches for designing the region's future alongside young people.

To build a brighter society where regions thrive

Q: This marks the fifth year of the industry-academia collaboration project. Could you share any insights gained while advancing the project and future challenges?

Tsutsumi: My honest impression is that revitalizing a region is no simple task. Particularly with industry-academia collaboration, the difficulty lies in the differing missions and priorities inherent to each organization—the company and the university. Companies must prioritize profitability, while universities fundamentally focus on contributing to research and education. Even when gathered under the common theme of regional revitalization, I've truly felt the difficulty in finding the optimal solution for each party to achieve their respective goals. Still, achieving this form of industry-academia collaboration – where the university and company jointly offer a course, something with few precedents – was a significant step forward.

Q: How do you envision the future prospects for industry-academia collaboration projects?

Tsutsumi: For our main project, "The Bath & Bed Team," our concrete goal is to identify a suitable warehouse in Kanazawa, renovate it into lodging, and create a tangible success experience for the participating students. However, regional revitalization is a long-term endeavor. We don't want to chase only short-term results; sustaining the effort is crucial. Some changes will only become visible after a decade.

Morikuchi: This project strongly reinforced the importance of customizing approaches for each region, rather than simply applying models born in metropolitan areas. Innovation truly happens in regions facing real challenges. To prove this, we want to put down roots locally and create as many successful examples of unique industry-academia collaboration within each community as possible.

When considering business, the approach of focusing on regional social issues and working towards their resolution is becoming increasingly important. Through industry-academia collaboration initiatives, we've seen the potential to solve regional challenges in more interesting and multifaceted ways by combining the expertise and unique perspectives of young people from universities with the creative power of companies. For this to succeed, it seems crucial for both educational institutions and companies to build flat relationships, openly share difficulties, and leverage each other's experience and insights.