FUKUOKA × AFRICA = INNOVATION

The Kyushu University, Faculty of Design, together with the Japan International Cooperation Agency Kyushu (JICA Kyushu), work towards achieving the SDGs.
With the incoming 7th Africa Development Conference (TICAD 7), which was held in Yokohama in August 2019, JICA’s information and experiences on Africa and the creativity of the citizens and businesses of Fukuoka, a series of two events were organized with the theme, “Fukuoka! Innovation for Africa”.
The first event was a seminar titled “Know, Connect, Africa Now” to invite people doing business in Africa to learn about the dynamism that is happening in Africa. It was held in December 2018. There were more than 70 participants attended the seminar, and it created an opportunity to explore the possibilities of Africa.
The up-and-coming second event is the workshop titled “Creating, Establishing: The Future of Africa.” We held an “Ideathon” that envisioned concrete business ideas that helped to solve Africa’s problems. This workshop hoped to create innovative business ideas to present in the TICAD 7 to the African leaders.

In the “Ideathon”, groups (of approximately five people) will be formed according to the following five themes, and each group brainstormed business ideas.

THEMES
1. Electricity: What is a sustainable solar sharing business in rural Africa?
2. IT human resource development: What is an IT human resources development business that can create a win-win between Japan and Africa?
3. Agriculture: What are innovative technologies and systems that can increase income for small-scale farmers in Africa?
4. Education: What is the revolutionary educational service that promotes improved learning for students in elementary and junior high schools in Africa?
5. Nutrition: What kind of home is able to provide a stable supply of water, electricity ,and nutrition to the Bottom of the Pyramid (BOP) in Africa?

EXPECTED OUTPUT
Business concept (business model campus)
Prototype of new product/service (sketch)

PROGRAM
10:00 – 10:20 Outline of the event
10:20 – 12:00 Inspiration session, team building
12:00 – 13:00 Lunch
13:00 – 17:00 Ideathon Breaking into five groups of five different themes, groupwork, presentation by each group
17:00 – 17:45 Commentary/Future schedule
18:30 – 20:00 Get-together (venue: Tenjin)

NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS
About 20 people (pre-registration is required; registration is not accepted on the day)

PARTICIPATION FEE FOR IDEATHON
Free

GET-TOGETHER PARTICIPATION FEE
3,000 JPY (anticipated) (※ Please pay the participation fee in cash on the day)

ORGANIZER
JICA Kyushu

CO-ORGANIZERS
UN Development Program (UNDP) &
Kyushu University, Faculty of Design, SDGs Design Unit, Kyushu University Future Design Studies Center

SUPPORT
City of Fukuoka, Kyushu Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry,
Fukuoka Directive Council（FDC)