By combining NTT Group's communication infrastructure, customer touchpoints, and data foundations with startups' cutting-edge technologies, speed, and innovative products, we will jointly create businesses that solve social and industrial challenges in Japan and Southeast Asia across key areas such as AI, IoT, Smart Cities, Robotics, Agri, SME Solutions, and IP Business.


Challenges we want to solve through co-creation：
Leveraging communications and data to eliminate inefficiencies and labor shortages in society and industry, contributing to the creation of a sustainable smart society.

・Addressing Labor Shortages and Low Productivity
-Persistent staffing gaps and analog operations remain in manufacturing, logistics, agriculture, fisheries, and services.
-Aim to reduce staffing and enhance safety through remote monitoring and automation using robotics/drones, IoT, and AI.
・Smart Cities/Advanced Urban Infrastructure
-Common urban challenges exist: traffic congestion, environmental impact, disaster risks, and energy waste.
- We aim to realize smart cities where government, businesses, and citizens collaborate through data integration platforms using 5G/IoT and digital twins (with early deployment in Southeast Asia).
・Supporting the Digital Shift for SMEs
- SMEs, the backbone of the economy, lack digital talent and expertise.
- We aim to contribute to productivity gains and financial inclusion through SaaS-based business tools, payment solutions, credit services, and supply chain visibility.
・Smart Transformation of Primary Industries like Agriculture and Fisheries
- Climate change and labor shortages make stable production and quality control increasingly difficult.
- We aim to build sustainable food systems through precision agriculture/aquaculture utilizing sensors, drones, satellite data, and AI analysis.

 

The Technology We Seek in Startups
・AI
- Generative AI, large language model applications, demand forecasting, anomaly detection, image recognition, speech recognition, natural language processing, edge AI.
・IoT / Robotics / Drone
-Low-power sensors, industrial IoT platforms, robot control, remote operation technology, drone technology applicable to infrastructure inspection, logistics, security, etc.
・Smart City / IP Business
-City OS, digital twins, mobility management, energy management, smart building/smart home technology.
・Businesses centered on proprietary intellectual property in communications, optics, quantum technology, algorithms, etc.
-Agri / Aquaculture
・Growth and environmental monitoring using sensors, image analysis, and remote sensing; automated feeding; disease prediction, etc.
・SME Solution
-Solutions supporting the digital transformation (DX) of SMEs' back office, sales, and finance operations, including SaaS, Fintech, HRtech, Supply Chain Tech, etc.

Examples of Co-Creation Ideas

・Combine 5G with startup AI/robotics to co-create labor-saving operations through remote monitoring and automated transport at factories and logistics hubs.


・Collaborate to create a smart city platform that integrates traffic, disaster prevention, and energy management by linking communication infrastructure with urban OS/digital twin technology.

・Collaborate to create smart primary industry solutions for agriculture and aquaculture by combining networks with IoT sensors, satellite data, and AI analysis for environmental monitoring and automated feeding.

Available resources

・Network Infrastructure
- Japan's largest mobile network (4G/5G) and fixed-line network, plus a testbed for future 6G.
- Networks with overseas telecommunications companies and group affiliates (particularly in Southeast Asia).
・Customer Base & Data Infrastructure
- Platform serving tens of millions of mobile subscribers, including payment, points, and ID services.
- Extensive transaction history with enterprises, local governments, and partner companies.
・Sales Channels & PoC Fields
- Provision of proof-of-concept fields across group companies' business domains: smart cities, agriculture/aquaculture, manufacturing/logistics, sports/entertainment.
- Scale support through joint marketing and sales.
・Technology & Development Resources
- R&D capabilities in telecommunications, cloud, edge computing, AI, and security.
- Product co-creation and integration support through collaboration with NTT Laboratories and group system integrators.