Ikoma City is implementing an industry-academia-government collaboration program, with Mirai Works Inc. providing strong commercialization support. Three selected research seeds will receive hands-on support in preparation for the launch of the fiscal 2026 program.
On 14 October 2026, Ikoma City, Nara Prefecture, announced that it had commissioned Mirai Works Inc. to implement the Ikomа Industry-Academia-Government Acceleration Program (I-SAP). This is a hands-on support framework through which the city leads university-originated research seeds toward commercialization, and is a measure for which the city has been commissioned for 3 consecutive years.
At the launch of the fiscal 2026 program, 3 projects were selected: regenerative medicine technologies for neurological conditions, including cerebral infarction and Parkinson’s disease; nanoparticle manufacturing technology to improve the efficacy of anticancer drugs while reducing side effects; and a digital tourism experience system combining 360-degree video with VR goggles to provide a three-dimensional sense of immersion.
The selected researchers and participants will work for approximately 6 months on developing business models, preparing for fundraising and securing opportunities for demonstration trials while receiving mentoring from professional talent. Examples of startups launched following demonstration trials in Ikoma City through past programs have also been introduced.
The program overview is as follows: program name, Fiscal 2026 Ikomа Industry-Academia-Government Acceleration Program (I-SAP) implementation services; commissioning party, Ikoma City, Nara Prefecture; commissioned service provider, Mirai Works Inc.; target institution, NAIST; activities, commercialization support for research seeds, mentoring, support for demonstration trials and holding a results presentation; schedule, kickoff on 2 October 2026, results presentation scheduled for February 2027, and project completion on 31 March 2027.