The 4th Beyond Conference 2025 in Awaji Island: April 25 & 26

and Beyond Company ( Secretariat: ETIC. ) will hold the " 4th Beyond Conference" over two days, Friday, April 25 and Saturday, April 26, on Awaji Island, Hyogo Prefecture.

The Beyond Conference is an annual event hosted by and Beyond Company. It is designed as a unique platform for companies, universities, and NPOs exploring sustainable societies and well-being to promote collaboration and cooperation beyond industry and business scale differences. This marks its fourth iteration.

The conference has consistently fostered shared purpose among both companies and individuals, generating diverse mechanisms for collaboration and co-creation. It has become a platform for practicing "collective impact" domestically, and recently, participation from students highly interested in solving social issues has been increasing. Furthermore, concepts like "related population," advocated by entities such as Japan Airlines and gaining significant social attention, are being realized in various forms. These include the establishment of dual-base living lifestyles promoted by the government and the development of "peacetime disaster prevention systems" tailored to specific regions.

At this year's conference, Awaji Lab, a co-organizer, will showcase the outcomes of its hands-on internship program connecting Awaji Island businesses with young people nationwide. This will be done through field dialogues visiting businesses scattered across Awaji Island. Awaji Lab currently advocates the "Ura Expo Concept," envisioning the entire island as a venue with 100 projects serving as pavilions. It promotes activities offering authentic experiences and interactions with locals to domestic and international travelers, helping them discover new ways of living and values. The conference will present this as a case study offering insights for new inbound tourism strategies.
Related article: https://drive.media/posts/66340

【Event Overview】
Date & Time: April 25 (Fri) 1:00 PM - 6:00 PM (Registration opens at 12:00 PM) (Reception to follow)
　　　April 26 (Sat) 9:00 AM - 5:30 PM (Registration 8:30 AM -)
Location: Main Venue - Awaji Yumebutai International Conference Center
　　　Co-creation Field Dialogue Venue: Throughout Awaji Island
Capacity: 300 people
Participation Fee: 〈General Admission〉2-Day Pass: ¥20,500 (includes networking event/lunch ticket)
　　　　〈General Admission〉1-Day Pass (April 25) ¥11,000
　　　　〈General Admission〉1-Day Pass (April 26): ¥5,000
　　　　*Student rates available
Organizer: and Beyond Company (Secretariat: ETIC.)
Partners & Sponsors: ABeam Consulting, Ezaki Glico, ENEOS Renewable Energy, Seino Holdings, Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance, Japan Airlines, Japan Post, Hitachi, Monex Group, Mizu, YUIDEA, Rohto Pharmaceutical, ETIC.
Co-hosted by: Awaji Lab
Supported by: Hyogo Prefecture Awaji Prefectural Office
Cooperation: UMF General Incorporated Association, hitoto
Media Partner: PR Consulting Dentsu Inc.

■Conference details here

【Main Program】

Day 1: April 25 (Fri) - Sharpening Individual Aspirations / Connecting Individual to Individual

Opening Session
Guest Talk "Envisioning the Future 100 Years From Now" 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
SackOmi Chairman / Former President and Professor Emeritus, Kyoto Seika University / Director, Tokyo Metropolitan University Corporation
Usubi Sako

Field Dialogues (Held at 12 locations) 15:00–18:00
Across Awaji Island, participants will visit local players tackling diverse themes in their respective fields—such as "Food & Agriculture," "Sustainability," "Disaster Prevention," "Education," "Traditional Culture & Lifestyle," and "Cross-Border Initiatives." Inspired by their stories and on-site experiences, participants will engage in circle-style dialogue to share their own thoughts. In small groups of 15-20 people, this will be a time to connect as individuals, transcending organizational affiliations, titles, and positions.

Networking & Exchange Session (Held at 4 separate venues) 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
An opportunity to deepen connections among participants and discover seeds of co-creation while enjoying Awaji Island's delicious ingredients. After the split-venue sessions, move to the hotel for a full-group Networking & Exchange Session.

Day 2: Saturday, April 26 ~ Mixing Together to Spark Innovation ~

Opening Session: 9:00 AM - 9:40 AM
Sharing how to make the most of Beyond Conference Day 2 and the goals beyond.

Input Talk Sessions (20 min × 2 rounds × 5 venues, 10 themes) 10:00–10:35
Ten input talk sessions will be held, covering actions for co-creation, proposals for the space, and other topics to prepare for the subsequent Vortex Sessions.

Whirlpool Sessions (75 min × 3 sessions, approx. 10 themes per session) 10:45 AM - 3:45 PM
The main content of Beyond Conference 2025. Participants engage in participatory discussions toward "co-creation," mixing positions, sectors, and even session owners themselves, responding to topics and issues raised by session owners. Discussions cover not only pre-prepared themes but also new themes emerging throughout Day 1.

Harvest Session 16:00–17:30
Finally, a session to reflect on and share the harvest of these two days with participants.

◼️About ETIC.
Move Forward. ETIC.
We accompany, connect, and collaborate with those taking action to build a "new society."
Founded in 1993, incorporated as an NPO in 2000, and certified as a recognized NPO in 2017. We focus on entrepreneur development, coordinating co-creation between different sectors like businesses and local governments, and training coordinators. Approximately 14,000 people have participated in our hands-on internships and startup support programs, with about 2,000 going on to start their own businesses. In 2021, aiming to become an "organization where each individual's entrepreneurial spirit is unleashed and co-creation flourishes," it transitioned from a pyramid structure to an autonomous, decentralized organizational model (Teal organization). Consequently, it does not have a representative like typical organizations.
http://etic.or.jp/

◼️About Awaji Lab
Launched five years ago, Awaji Lab has connected Awaji Island businesses with young people nationwide through hands-on internships. This year, it began the "Ura Expo Concept," envisioning the entire island as a venue with 100 projects as pavilions. This initiative offers domestic and international travelers authentic experiences and interactions with locals, helping them discover new ways of living and values.