News
2026/06/25
Online Inquiry Program: GTIE and Waseda University—High School Social Entrepreneurship Course: Announcement Regarding Recruitment and Information Sessions
1. Course Overview
The GTIE・Waseda University Social Entrepreneurship Course is an online, inquiry-based program aimed at commercialization and social implementation, jointly offered by Waseda University—one of GTIE’s lead institutions— and the NPO EdFuture.
GTIE (Greater Tokyo Innovation Ecosystem) is a platform led by Waseda University, the University of Tokyo, and Tokyo University of Science, comprising 18 universities primarily in the Greater Tokyo Area, dedicated to “fostering university-based startups that will change the world.” This program is held with support from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) and the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) under the “Phase 2 Startup Ecosystem Formation Support Project,” which aims to foster individuals with entrepreneurial skills and for which GTIE has been selected.
In this course, based on EdFuture’s inquiry-based program (Global Project), students will engage in learning that incorporates the perspective of entrepreneurship. Rather than simply preparing for a business idea contest,
- it involves identifying familiar challenges, meeting with those directly affected,
- test ideas on a small scale and refine them
- and nurturing them into a form that can be implemented in society
.
Through this program, we aim to nurture high school students who will thrive as social entrepreneurs by fostering the following mindset:
・Addressing social issues based on personal experiences
・Connecting what they learn in school to society
・Taking on challenges with a focus on contributing to society rather than wealth
Please visit the website below for more details.
“Global Project 2026: GTIE & Waseda Social Entrepreneur Course Added!” – NPO EdFuture
2. Program Overview
| Organizer | GTIE |
| Planning and Operation | Waseda University / NPO EdFuture |
| Target Audience | Japanese high school students in grades 1 through 3 (enrolled in the 2026 academic year) |
| Capacity | Approximately 10 participants (selection process applies) |
| Participation Fee | Free |
| Format | Online (Zoom) / A stable internet connection and a PC or tablet are required
Final Presentation In-person in Tokyo |
| Program Duration | July–December 2026 |
3. Who This Is For
- ・Those interested in entrepreneurship and business
- ・Those who want to take social issues personally and take action
- ・Those who want to gain experience testing ideas and bringing them to life
- ・Those interested in entrepreneurship, NPOs, or social enterprises in the future
- ・Those who want to experience Waseda University’s entrepreneurship education
4. Program Content and Schedule
In addition to the main sessions (6 sessions total) common to all courses, this course includes an entrepreneurship workshop (2 sessions) and a pitch presentation at Waseda University (for selected participants).
① Main Sessions (6 sessions total) — 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. each session
| Schedule and Content | Details |
| Session 1: Sunday, July 19, 9:00–12:00 | Setting a Theme and Formulating a Question: Articulate your interests and personal experiences to tentatively define a research theme. Learn the basics of design thinking. |
| Session 2: Sunday, August 9, 9:00–12:00 | Research and Outreach (Empathy): Meet with people who are actually facing challenges. Learn interview techniques and outreach methods. |
| Session 3: Sunday, August 23, 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. | Problem Definition and Idea Generation (Ideate): Clarify whose problems you are solving and what those problems are, then generate a wide range of ideas. |
| Session 4: Sunday, September 13, 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. | Prototyping (Prototyping and Validation): “Start small.” Give shape to your ideas and have users test them. |
| Session 5: Sunday, October 4, 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. | Improvement and Presentation Preparation: Continue refining the prototype while developing a presentation narrative for Expo Day and the Waseda presentation. |
| Session 6: Sunday, October 25, 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. | Expo Day (Presentation of Results) An internal presentation session to share three months of actions, learning, and changes. Outstanding participants will be selected. |
② Additional Entrepreneurship Courses (2 sessions)
| Schedule and Content | Details |
| Additional Session 1: Sunday, September 27, 9:00–11:00 | Business Model Workshop: Who is the target audience? Who will pay? Designing a sustainable business model. |
| Session 2: Sunday, October 18, 9:00–11:00 | Final Pitch Slide Preparation Workshop: In preparation for the pitch presentation at Waseda University, participants will develop revenue and expense models and intensively refine their slides and presentation delivery. |
③ GTIE-Hosted High School Entrepreneurship Program Results Presentation (Mandatory Attendance)
| Date and Time | Scheduled for late December 2026 *Time and details to be announced separately |
| Location | Tokyo Innovation Base (TIB) (tentative)
3-8-3 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0005 |
| Event | Final pitch presentations by projects that passed the selection process at Expo Day. |
| Notes | Projects that have passed the selection process will present. Details will be provided in the program. |
5. Eligibility
Applicants must meet all of the following conditions:
- Applicants must be enrolled as first- through third-year high school students in Japan as of the 2026 application deadline.
- As a general rule, applicants must be able to participate in the entire training schedule (Sessions 1–6 + 2 additional sessions + the Waseda event)
- You must have a stable internet connection and be able to participate in the online training sessions using a PC or tablet
- Have an interest in entrepreneurship, business, and solving social issues
* English proficiency is not required.
* If you are unable to attend for unavoidable reasons, you may be asked to make up the session by watching the video at a later date or submitting an assignment.
6. Application Process and Selection Schedule
| Information Session | To be held online on Sunday, June 28
You may apply even if you do not attend the information session, but we strongly recommend that you do. |
| Application Period | Until 11:59 PM on Sunday, July 12, 2026 (Japan Standard Time) |
| How to Apply | Fill out the required information on the application form and submit it |
| Selection Process | Selection will be conducted on a first-come, first-served basis through a document review (including your reasons for applying, past activities, and areas of interest) . |
| Notification of Results | We will contact you via email 1–2 weeks after you apply |
* Applications will close once the capacity (approximately 10 participants) is reached. We recommend applying early.
* We cannot answer inquiries regarding the selection process.
7. Required Application Information
Please submit the following information via the application form:
- ・Full name, grade, school name, contact information (email address)
- ・Reason for Applying (300 characters or less)
- ・Confirmation that you can attend the entire program
- ・Program Consent Form (checkbox on the form)
In your statement of purpose, please address the following points:
- Please explain why you wish to participate in the GTIE・Waseda Social Entrepreneurship Course and describe the challenges you wish to address, drawing on your own experiences.
8. Inquiries
| Program Secretariat | NPO EdFuture |
| info@edfuture2022.org | |
| Website | https://edfuture.org |
That’s all