Details of the Initiative

In the Yamauchi Isamu Seminar of the School of Information and Communication, we study the economics of innovation.
Innovation refers to the generation and promotion of new ideas. It is undeniable that innovation plays a critical role in addressing various emerging social challenges. Using the analytical methods of economics, the seminar seeks to identify the environments and conditions conducive to fostering innovation.
However, pinpointing the determinants of business success does not guarantee the straightforward achievement of innovation. This highlights the challenge of applying academic findings to the industrial sector. To understand and bridge the gap between theory and practical application, it is essential to engage with the real business world, even if only in a simulated manner.
Therefore, with the resolution of social issues as a long-term goal, the seminar engages in the joint development and sales of original products with companies, linking these activities to academic research.
For example, during the academic years 2022 to 2023, we developed and sold food menus using wasted vegetables, created prototypes of upcycled products from plastic waste, and have been jointly developing doggy bag products to reduce food waste.

We sold food products, such as salad wraps, pot-au-feu, potage, and pound cakes made from waste vegetables, through a kitchen truck. The challenges of doing business with wasted vegetables have been identified.
We developed new plastic containers in collaboration with Denka Polymer and sold fruit punch in them at the school festival. As for the container, we applied for the design right and the patent right of it with the company. Besides, we are also jointly developing pudding and doggy bag products.
In academic research, we conduct analyses using statistical approaches. In the 2023 academic year, a group conducting research on regional revitalization won the Best Block Award at the department’s Research Exchange Festival.(https://www.meiji.ac.jp/infocom/information/2023/mkmht000000piy8n.html)