Vivinavi : Nara : (Japan) Nara

This text has been translated by auto-translation. There may be a slight difference between the original text and the translation. (Original Language: 日本語)

[Nara City] “Nara Business Summit” to Be Held in Osaka on September 18

The City of Nara will host the “Nara Business Summit” on Friday, September 18, 2026 （, at “Blooming Camp” （, Grand Green Osaka North Building, JAM BASE 3F ）. Registration for the event is now open.


Located near Osaka ・ and Kyoto and home to a concentration of educational ・ and research institutions, Nara is seeing a variety of new challenges emerge, including the establishment of new bases, demonstration projects, and collaborative initiatives involving industry, academia, and government.

At this event, we will invite companies, organizations, and students active in Nara to discuss the challenges they have undertaken—challenges that could only be realized in Nara—as well as initiatives born out of their engagement with the local community. This event is highly recommended for anyone interested in learning about the new businesses emerging in Nara and their potential, or for those seeking insights that could lead to new business ventures or recruitment opportunities.

Following the panel discussion, there will be a networking session where you can interact directly with the speakers.

[Recommended for]

・ Those looking for inspiration for new business ventures

・ Those interested in new business ventures through community collaboration and pilot projects

・ Business owners considering expanding their operations in the Kansai region ・ Business managers

・ Business owners facing challenges in recruiting engineers and other talent a> HR managers

■ Event Overview

Date ： September 18, 2026 （ Fri ）

Time ： 4:00 PM ～ 6:30 PM （ 5: 45 ～ Networking Event ） *Doors open at 15: 30 doors open

Venue ： Blooming Camp Event Square （ 6-38 Ofuka-cho, Kita-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture; Grand Green Osaka North Building, JAM BASE 3F ）

Admission Fee ： Free （ Registration Required ）

Co-hosted by ： Sakura Internet , Inc., Blooming Camp



■ Schedule

4: 00 Opening ・ Opening

16:15 Talk Session ① “Tips for Business Growth from the Challenges Faced by Local Companies”

4:45 PM Panel Discussion ② “Business Opportunities Expanded by a Nara Base”

5:15 PM Panel Discussion ③ “The Next-Generation Engineer Community Growing in Nara”

5: 40 Announcement from the Nara City Business Location Concierge

17:45 Social Gathering （ Networking ）

18: 30 End



■ Program

・ Talk Session

Theme: “Hints for Business Growth from the Challenges Faced by Regional Companies”

Drawing on case studies of support provided to regional companies nationwide in “brand strengthening” and “digital adoption,” we will introduce the unique value created by regional contexts and key points for business growth, incorporating the unique perspective of a digital marketing company that expanded into Nara City this past April.

Speakers


SoldOut Co., Ltd.

Hiroaki Date, Manager of the Nara Sales Office, West Japan Sales Headquarters （ Hiroaki Date ）

Joined the company as a new graduate in 2017. The following year, he was assigned to the Osaka Sales Office, where he supported the business growth of companies in the Kansai region. In 2023, he assumed a leadership role in the Account Consulting Division, where he gained experience as the primary point of contact for LINE Yahoo, developing strategies for new proposals, and fostering organizational development. In March 2026, he established the Nara Sales Office and serves as its Manager.

・ Panel Discussion ②

Theme “Business Opportunities Expanded by the Nara Hub”

Companies and organizations active in Nara will discuss, from their respective perspectives, their engagement with the local community, the potential they have identified while expanding their businesses in Nara, and their achievements in areas such as new business initiatives ・ and talent recruitment.

Speakers


TOMOSU, General Incorporated Association

Representative Director Akira Nakajima （ Akira Nakajima ）

Born in 1982 in Nara City. After graduating from university, he worked for a total of 10 years in Tokyo at a human resources services company and a management consulting firm before returning to Nara. After moving to Nara, he simultaneously undertook multiple projects, including establishing “Nara Migration Project,” an organization that supports newcomers to the area, revitalizing commerce in Nara City’s downtown area, and providing management support to NPOs. In April 2019, he established the General Incorporated Association TOMOSU, and in 2020, he was commissioned to manage Nara City’s startup support program. Based at the startup support facility “BONCHI,” he oversees startup support initiatives, operates a coworking space, and advances various projects aimed at creating a sustainable local community. In his personal life, he is a father of three living in a 100-year-old traditional Japanese house in Tenri City.


Procmo Co., Ltd.

Representative Director Ken Kawamura （ ）

Born in Kyoto City, currently residing in Nara City. After graduating from Osaka Public University, he worked on cost-reduction projects for major listed companies at a domestic consulting firm. After serving as Head of Marketing for an overseas operation ・ in the Republic of Fiji, he founded Prokumo in 2013 as a comprehensive support firm that bridges management and marketing strategy ・ execution; the company is now in its 14th fiscal year. The company provides comprehensive support to a wide range of clients, from publicly traded companies to small and medium-sized enterprises, and is also engaged in collaboration with corporate CMOs and the promotion of AI-driven marketing. He organizes the “CROSS POINT” marketer networking event. While maintaining a dual-base lifestyle between Nara and Tokyo, he is also involved in activities that connect the local community with business, such as attracting companies to Nara City.


Representative, Japan Planet Social Insurance and Labor Consultant Corporation ・ Representative, Japan Planet Co., Ltd.

Toshihiro Onishi Toshihiro Onishi ） （ Certified Social Insurance and Labor Consultant ）

Guided by the principle of “doing the basics right,” the company aims to balance practical support grounded in legal compliance with business management.

In addition to certified social insurance and labor consultant services, the company operates a BPO business for payroll ・ and social insurance procedures, through process standardization ・, visualization （, and BPR ）, we are committed to redesigning the role of professional services—shifting from “person-dependent tasks” to a “system-driven business.” Under the banner of “Sustena Labor ®,” which pursues sustainable labor management, we are establishing a satellite office in Nara to decentralize operations to the region while advancing the creation of a network of BPO centers that collaborate with certified social insurance and labor consultants across various locations. The goal is to enable specialized work to be carried out in local communities rather than being concentrated in urban areas.

・ Panel Discussion ③

Theme: “The Next-Generation Engineer Community Growing in Nara”

An engineer community fostered through collaboration among students ・, companies ・, and government “Kotona Tech Project” （ * ） Participants will discuss the project’s initiatives, as well as the new businesses and challenges that have emerged as a result of the project, from their respective perspectives.

（ * ） Kotonara Tech Project

Under the slogan “Bringing Inspiration to Life,” the group hosts events such as ideathons and hackathons to solve local challenges in Nara using technology. The group is run primarily by current students, with a focus on students from the Nara National College of Technology.

Speakers


Karabina Technology Co., Ltd. / JLead

Ryuto Tamichi （ ）

Nara National College of Technology, after attending Osaka Prefectural University, and completed his graduate studies at Osaka Metropolitan University. He works fully remotely from the Kansai region for a major telecommunications company, where he is involved in verifying technology and developing products to automate network operations using AI agents. He also participates in the “Kotona Tech Project” as a member of Karabiner Technology Co., Ltd., supporting the organization of events aimed at solving Nara’s challenges through technology.


5th-year student at Nara National College of Technology / Student Representative, Kotonara Tech Project

Takashi Masui （ Shu Masui ）

Currently enrolled in the Department of Information Engineering at Nara National College of Technology Department of Information Engineering. He is studying program design methods and bioinformatics analysis, and is conducting research on the mechanisms of brain activity during programming. As the student representative for the “Kotona Tech Project,” he is responsible for planning ・ and managing events, and is taking on the challenge of solving regional issues in Nara through the use of technology. In addition to his research and community activities, he is also engaged in contract development and personal projects, deepening his knowledge through hands-on experience.


Nara City Business Location Concierge （ Nara City Industrial Policy Division ）

While working to attract companies from outside the prefecture to Nara City, the organization connects incoming companies with local businesses ・ and educational institutions to foster an environment that encourages new collaborations and co-creation. In collaboration with the “Kotonara Tech Project,” we are promoting human resource development and the formation of an engineering community. By creating opportunities for students to interact with engineers from newly attracted companies, we are fostering a community that sparks new encounters and challenges between students and these companies.

・ Networking Sessions

You can speak directly with the speakers of sessions that interest you.

■ How to Apply

Please apply using the registration form below. *Registration Deadline ： September 17, 2026 （ Thu ）

https:// www.city.nara.lg.jp/ques/questionnaire.php?openid=1024


Nara City Industrial Policy Division About the [Business Location Concierge]

In addition to its excellent access to Osaka ・ and Kyoto, Nara City offers an environment conducive to business development, including a relatively low risk of natural disasters, competitive cost levels, and a workforce with a high level of education. Building on these strengths, the city has recently been gaining attention as a location for decentralized business operations.

The Nara City Industrial Policy Division’s “Business Location Concierge” serves as a consultation desk for companies considering establishing a base in Nara City. It provides support tailored to business expansion, including providing property information, coordinating site visits, explaining subsidy programs, and facilitating networking with the local community.

This event aims to widely publicize the initiatives of companies and communities taking on new challenges in Nara, fostering new connections and collaborations.

List of official social media accounts for the Nara City Industrial Policy Division [Business Location Concierge]

▼ Official “LinkedIn”

https://www.linkedin.com/company/107904096/

▼ Official “X”

https://x.com/ Invest_In_Nara

▼ Official “Facebook”

https://www.facebook.com/profile. php?id=61584217343397

▼ Official “note”

https://note.com/ invest_in_nara

Contact Information for Inquiries Regarding This Matter
Nara City, Tourism and Economy Department, Industrial Policy Division

Tel ： 0 742-34-4741