"DREAM JAPAN PROJECT 2025" Award-Winning Ideas Presentation and Awards Event Held to Change the Future with the Power of Students and Companies

The DREAM JAPAN PROJECT 2025, a public project to solve Japan's social issues hosted by Dentsu Inc. Sodejin (Social Design Engine)*,The presentation of winning ideas and the awards ceremony took place on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, at Dentsu Inc. Hall. Approximately 30 students participated, including remote attendees, along with over 30 representatives from the 14 companies involved in the project planning. The event featured passionate presentations and lively exchanges between students and between companies and students, concluding in great success.

This project was launched with the aim of fostering students' free-thinking ideas and collaborating with companies to build a vibrant, future-oriented Japan.It targets a broad range of students nationwide, including high school, vocational school, junior college, undergraduate, and graduate students. For students, it provides experience useful for comprehensive admissions (formerly AO admissions), job hunting, and entrepreneurship, free from constraints of academic background or financial status. For companies, it offers a platform to encounter energetic students and their ideas.

The project is divided into three courses: the "Corporate Challenge Course," where participants submit ideas to solve social issues of their choice based on orientations provided by participating companies, aiming to commercialize those ideas with corporate support; the "Free Venture Planning Course," which matches submitted ideas with venture capital (VC) firms and startups and provides support; and newly added this year, the "AI Challenge Course," utilizing AI, which is already deeply integrated into daily life.Approximately 168 proposals were gathered from students nationwide during the roughly three-month application period.

In its second year, the program refined its challenge-setting approach to better target commercialization and productization. Participants were asked to conceive ideas that they themselves genuinely wanted or needed for the future, grounded in solving societal challenges. Global innovator Shuji Hamaguchi, resonating with the project's significance, delivered a 90-minute Zoom lecture to all applicants, followed by dedicated time for idea refinement.Furthermore, DORINAVI, an organization within Dentsu Inc. supporting realization alongside students and companies, was launched. It is already advancing new business proposals born from collaborations with companies based on last year's student ideas.

The presentations featured the top-ranked proposal selected by each of the seven companies participating in the "Corporate Challenge Course," along with presentations of the top three proposals from both the "Free Entrepreneurship Course" and the "AI-Based Challenge Course." The seven proposals from the Corporate Challenge Course were refined based on advice from each company after selection before being presented. Awards were then given to the top three proposals from each course.

[Corporate Challenge Solution Course: Top Ideas from Each Company and Award Recipients]
Inoue Kiln Award
Challenge: "A new kind of tableware that grows more cherished and develops a lustrous patina with use, revealing its true value only through long-term use."
1st Place: Ayaka Wada, Momoka Yoshida, Natsumo Shinshiro
Idea: "Drawing parallels with the culture of 'growing' jeans, we provide an experience where the vessel becomes more than just tableware—a special presence that holds 'our family's unique story'."
2nd Place: Aoi Ishikawa, 3rd Place: Yuki Ikeda & Kai Ishii

Ishiken Award
Challenge: Effective utilization of scrap materials and batting generated during manufacturing, plus product ideas utilizing artificial down beyond bedding
1st Place: Yuki Ikeda & Kai Ishii
Idea: "Allergy-free stuffed animals to reduce the number of children suffering from atopic dermatitis and allergies."
2nd Place: Yuto Wakabayashi, 3rd Place: Aoi Ishikawa

Delight Lab Award　
Challenge: A portable ballpoint pen boasting beautiful, show-off-worthy design and incredible precision technology. Or a unique, cool, and mysterious desktop ballpoint pen stand that sparks conversation.
1st Place: Aoi Morita
Idea: "A stand that holds a ballpoint pen upright from any direction"
2nd Place: Mr. Kazuma Okamura, Mr. Kensuke Takeda, Mr. Yuki Tabata, 3rd Place: Mr. Yuto Wakabayashi

Sekisui House Award
Challenge: Expand on something you love to create an object, activity, or service that excites children.
1st Place: Yuto Wakabayashi
Idea: "Play-Specific Sound Effect Playlist × Sticker Set Supporting Children's Imagination"
2nd Place: Aoi Morita, 3rd Place: Mio Takasaki

TOYOTA CONIQ, Inc. Pro Award
Challenge: A business venture with TOYOTA CONIQ Pro, Inc. to make Japan a more livable, enjoyable, and happy place
1st Place: Akari Ota
Idea: "100-Color Paint Set for Painting Cars"
2nd Place: Kanade Takasugi, Tied for 2nd Place: Mao Sato & Yui Shimazu

Mitsubishi Chemical Award
Challenge: Technologies, products, and services for the space industry or for terrestrial life utilizing space industry advancements
1st Place: Keita Omura
Idea: "Community-Based Disaster Prevention and Agriculture Platform"
2nd Place: Kazuki Hayashi, Tied for 2nd Place: Kaede Nishioka

Seven-Eleven Japan Award
Challenge: Design services and products for a future convenience store experience that makes Gen Z and Alpha Generation people want to stop by 7-Eleven every day!
1st Place: Mr. Kanato Takasugi
Idea: "App Service Transforming Convenience Stores into Adventure Stages"
2nd Place: Yū Moriguchi, 3rd Place: Shōta Arai

[Free Entrepreneurship Course: 1st Place Idea and List of Winners]
Challenge: Business ideas that solve social issues while creating a happy future for yourself
1st Place: Soma Sakairi, Osuke Kubota, Reiku Fujiyama, Hayato Kameyama
Idea: "Portable Shower Using Air as a Water Source"
2nd Place: Mirei Tomoyama, Hayato Tomonari, Mitsuhiro Arai; 3rd Place: Mitsuki Hara

【AI Problem-Solving Project Course: 1st Place Idea and List of Winners】
1st Place: Sōi Morita
Idea: "AI-Powered Simulation Job Hunting" *Details undisclosed due to AI field
2nd Place: Rui Konishi, 3rd Place: Shota Arai

In the comments for each award, many judges remarked, "There were many new and innovative ideas we wouldn't have thought of ourselves; it was very stimulating. We want to realize them in various ways." Participating students shared comments such as, "I'm grateful for this opportunity to speak with company representatives I've wanted to talk to," and "I'm happy that my experiences and values were turned into an idea and recognized."

At the closing, Yuta Shimono (CEO of Muni), Chair of the Free Entrepreneurship Project Course judging committee, stated: "The level of ideas has significantly improved compared to last year. Ideas emerged from diverse perspectives and angles, truly demonstrating this event's role as a diverse space where individuals can showcase their ideas. I believe participants will find even greater enjoyment if they take their ideas to society and the market to see the actual reactions. I encourage them to challenge themselves to reach that stage."

Susumu Namikawa, Representative of Dentsu Inc. Sodegin, the organizer, remarked, "It was very clear that the students have a strong desire to improve society. I truly felt that by connecting that strong desire with ideas and realizing them one by one, we can build a better society. We aim for this initiative to develop further in the future."

"DREAM JAPAN PROJECT 2025"
Organizer: Dentsu Inc. Sodegin (Social Design Engine)
Cooperation: 47CLUB Inc.
Sponsors:
① "Corporate Challenge Course"... Sekisui House, TOYOTA CONIQ Pro, Inc., Mitsubishi Chemical, Seven-Eleven Japan, Inoue Kiln (Fukushima Prefecture / Pottery), Ishiken (Hiroshima Prefecture / Bedding Manufacturer), Delight Lab (Hyogo Prefecture / Metal Stationery Manufacturer)
② "Free Entrepreneurship Planning Course"…Muni, Creww, East Ventures, Quantum Leap Ventures, Gazelle Capital, Zero One Booster Capital

*Details on "DREAM JAPAN PROJECT 2025" can be found here: https://note.com/dreamjjapan615/

※ Dentsu Sodejin (Social Design Engine): An internal virtual team originating from the aspirations of Dentsu Inc. employees seeking to improve society. Since its inception, it has pioneered new themes, insights, communication approaches, and systems within social design. https://www.dentsu.co.jp/labo/socialdesignengine/index.html