News
2026/09/29
[Event Report] Japanese and Canadian Students Take on Challenges in the Narita Area! “2026 Global Entrepreneurship Program: Japan Segment”
As part of the GTIE program, the Chiba University Entrepreneurship Center, in collaboration with Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU), hosted the Japanese leg of the “2026 Global Entrepreneurship Program” from June 18 to 22, 2026.
A total of 20 selected students from Japan and Canada gathered and, in partnership with the Canadian incubator “DMZ,” engaged in an international, co-creative, hands-on PBL project under the theme “From a Transportation Hub to a Place of Experience: Rebuilding the Area Around Narita Airport for International Travelers.”
During the first half (Days 1–2), students learned about the current state of inbound tourism through lectures at Narita Airport and participated in transit tours in six surrounding cities and towns. They experienced firsthand the hurdles travelers face, such as “time-related anxiety” and “the burden of lugging suitcases.”
In the second half (Days 3–4), we conducted field research to test our hypotheses.Along the approach to Naritasan Shinsho-ji Temple, they conducted street interviews with foreign travelers, gathering firsthand feedback from more than 20 groups to identify customer pain points. With guidance from experts, they refined their value proposition.
At the presentation session on the final day (Day 5), all five teams proposed a variety of business ideas, including a scheduler with a return guarantee and transportation-integrated packages. The “Aha! Moment Award”—given to the team that gained the deepest insights during the validation process—was awarded to Team 5 for their proposal of a traditional Japanese house lounge.
Through five days of passionate discussion, the students gained hands-on experience with the “problem identification → hypothesis formulation → hypothesis verification → pivot” cycle. The ideas born here—aimed at opening up the Narita area to the world—will be carried forward to the next stage: AI prototyping in Toronto, Canada, where they will continue to evolve.
• Click here for a detailed activity report
https://entrepreneurship-center.chiba-u.jp/program/2026202661822.html
• Click here for the report on the Canada segment