Aichi Startup Center

The Aichi Startup Center was newly established on the second floor of STATION Ai, a startup support center developed by Aichi Prefecture.

For centuries, Aichi Prefecture has been home to numerous entrepreneurs who have contributed to the development of its industries. This exhibition aims to unravel the mysteries of their encounters and inspirations, how they overcame adversity, and how they fostered innovation. Through encounters with their beliefs, challenging spirit, and visions, we hope to provide a timeless and inspiring displays that will serve as a hint for the future and stimulate the creativity of aspiring entrepreneurs and the next generation of children.

The museum is divided into four zones, broadly introducing everything from the roots of Aichi's industries to the challenges of many entrepreneurs associated with Aichi. By utilizing digital technologies such as video and AI to create interactive displays, it offers a learning experience that resonates with everyone, from children to adults, both sensory and emotionally.

In addition to the digital displays, we have also set up a library with a selection of books that are linked to the facility's content.

With the intention of guiding these various displays contents, which fuse digital and analog elements, across time and space into the future, we incorporated the three elements that created Aichi—wood, water, and earth—into the spatial composition, realizing a flexible, streamlined spatial concept design.

① Obtain cooperation and understanding from over 50 companies with ties to Aichi Prefecture for this displays, and collect information relevant to displays content.
② To create displays that is appropriate for STATION Ai, a hub for highly perceptive innovators of the future.
③ As it is a facility located within a park, we will explore ways to create displays that will be of interest to children and school groups.
The above requests were received.

Regarding point ①, by holding simultaneous online briefing sessions for the target companies, we were able to share common objectives and displays rules with each company at an early stage.
Furthermore, by establishing a dedicated contact point for each participating company, we are creating a system that prioritizes hospitality, while also building an online platform where information and progress can be shared, leading to the appropriate and efficient aggregation of displays information.
Next, regarding point ②, while most facilities introducing the founder typically involve displaying vast amounts of information through graphic panels or using concept design that evokes a sense of grandeur and history, we challenged ourselves to create a spatial concept design that respects the past while conveying a future-oriented concept, and actively incorporating new technologies such as digital information, the latest sensing technology, and AI.
Finally, regarding point ③, we create learning opportunities by incorporating visually-oriented content that is intuitively understandable to children, as well as interactive and experiential content. We also create worksheets tailored to each grade level, from elementary to junior high school, and incorporate mechanisms to deepen learning according to the level of knowledge.