2025
4th Makinohara City Challenge Business Contest
The largest edition ever. 168 companies from 11 countries participated. The grand prize was increased to ¥2,000,000 to celebrate the city's 20th anniversary, growing into one of Japan's largest business contests from a regional city.
168+
Participating Companies
95 domestic + 73 international
11 countries
Countries
17 companies
Finalists
¥2,000,000
Grand Prize
— Schedule
Schedule
April 18 – May 31, 2025
Entry Period
95 domestic + 73 international companies
June 1 – 29, 2025
First Round (Document Screening)
June 30, 2025
37 Semi-Finalists Announced
July 1 – 30, 2025
Second Round
July 31, 2025
17 Finalists Announced
August 7, 2025
Final Judging (Open Pitch Session)
August 26, 2025
Award Winners & Ceremony
— Awards
Awards
MakiChalle Grand Prix
¥2,000,000
MakiChalle Runner-Up
¥300,000
Mayor's Special Award
¥100,000
glafit Inc. / Sun Reality Inc.
glafit: Updating Makinohara's transportation for the future / Sun Reality: Establishing and operating a regional co-creation education facility
【Financial Institution Special Award】
Shizuoka Bank Award
¥100,000
【Audience Award】
Audience Award
¥50,000
Space Inc.
Next-generation BtoB wholesale starting from fresh produce and processed goods
【Sponsor Special Award】
Daiwa House Award
¥100,000
Space Inc.
Next-generation BtoB wholesale starting from fresh produce and processed goods
【Sponsor Special Award】
Infic Award
¥50,000
【Sponsor Special Award】
SVSA Award
¥50,000
【Sponsor Special Award】
MIC Award
¥50,000
WAH Care
AI training program for early childhood development and reducing developmental disabilities
【Sponsor Special Award】
General Sponsor Award
¥50,000
KAMAMESHI Inc. / Zero G Tec Co., Ltd
KAMAMESHI: DX platform to save manufacturing from equipment failure / Zero G Tec: Ergonomic product development
— Sponsors
Sponsors
Supported by 31 companies and organizations.
Special Partners — Special Partners
Partners — Partners
Supporters — Supporters
— Judges
Judges
7 judges conducted rigorous evaluation.
Kohei Takachi
EXPACT Inc.CEO / Representative Director, Venture Investment & Incubation Research Association
— Finalists
Finalists
17 companies were selected as finalists.
Ashaya Waste Recyclers Private Limited
IndiaHigh recycling rate waste plastic processing through automated mixed plastic sorting plant
Representative: Anish Malpani
KAMAMESHI Inc.
TokyoDX platform to save manufacturing from equipment failure
Representative: Shun Kobayashi
Caricon.com Inc.
KanagawaCreating Makinohara's safety circulation project with 'toHANAS'
Representative: Mitsuaki Shimohira
glafit Inc.
WakayamaUpdating Makinohara's transportation for the future
Representative: Teizo Narumi
CogICogI Inc.
TokyoSustainable transportation for Makinohara City through a regional mobility trading company
Representative: Mikiaki Nakajima
Sun Reality Inc.
TokyoEstablishing and operating a regional co-creation education facility as a new community symbol
Representative: Kosuke Saijo
Joycle Inc.
TokyoMaking Makinohara City an upcycling leading city with new infrastructure that turns waste into resources without transporting or burning!
Representative: Yutaro Koyanagi
Space Inc.
AichiNext-generation BtoB wholesale starting from fresh produce and processed goods
Representative: Mie Murai
Zero G Tec Co., Ltd
South KoreaErgonomic product development pursuing ultimate usability! Developer of ZeroG Ball
Representative: Taeyeop Kim
Tesser Inc.
South KoreaMedical innovation starting from Makinohara — OnTol's vision for a new era of regional healthcare
Representative: Ahn, Jaesung / Lee, Suhyun
Turiya Softech Pvt Ltd
IndiaDX support for manufacturing and agriculture through high-precision 3D scanning
Representative: Vishnu Vardhan Vithanala
dozo Inc.
ShizuokaA 300-year revolution in Shizuoka tea: DIY tea cocktails challenging the ¥15 trillion global market
Representative: Kohei Miura
Nebraska Inc.
TokyoOpening the future of regions through automation
Representative: Takuya Yokoyama
whyme Inc.
TokyoAI platform dramatically improving the quality and speed of business plan creation
Representative: Takayuki Suzuki
Lillycover Co., Ltd.
South KoreaRobot KIOSK that auto-compounds optimal personalized skincare cosmetics after AI skin analysis
Representative: SUNHEE AN
roly-poly Organics
ShizuokaSustainable circular fertilizer business created by pill bugs
Representative: Yuta Masugi
WAH Care
IndiaBrain AI training program platform for early childhood development and reducing developmental disabilities
Representative: RAJESH PANDYA
— Semi-Finalists
Semi-Finalists
20 companies were selected as semi-finalists.
— Collaboration
Winners & Regional Co-Creation
MakiChalle 2024 Grand Prix
Midwest Composites
Successfully developed proprietary pellets with 25% kenaf and waste tea tree blending. Completed prototyping of automotive interior parts using tea at an injection molding factory in Makinohara in July.
MakiChalle 2024 Shizuoka Bank Award
MIH LLC
Developing regional revitalization through vacant house renovation and rental model.
MakiChalle 2023 Grand Prix
M-Weddings
Established in collaboration with ParaLux, a wedding business utilizing Makinohara's landscape.
— Previous Year
Introducing Last Year's Finalists & Their Businesses
| Company | Region | Award |
|---|---|---|
| Midwest Composites Sdn Bhd | Malaysia | Grand Prix |
| 株式会社4kiz | Tokyo | Runner-Up |
| PLUXITY Co.Ltd | South Korea | Mayor's Special Award |
| Morgenrot Inc. | Tokyo | Mayor's Special Award |
| fabula Inc. | Tokyo | Daiwa House Award |
| MIH LLC | Shizuoka | Shizuoka Bank Award |
| Genuv Inc. | South Korea | ITO EN Award |
| Glaiven LLC | Shizuoka | M2Lab Award |
| Neuropilot VR | Georgia | Shizuoka Venture Startup Association Award |
| Zenkou Research Institute, Inc. | Tokyo | Makinohara Incubation Center Award |
| Dorami Company Inc. | Shizuoka | Audience Award |
| Nexretail Co., LTD. | United States | — |
| Macnica, Inc. | Kanagawa | — |