Digital Garage Group to Cooperate in the 7th Digital Innovation Grand Prix Organized by the Keio Research Institute at SFC

〜Supporting the Training of Data Scientists through the Provision of Tabelog Store Data〜

Digital Garage, Inc. (TSE first section: 4819; HQ: Tokyo, Representative Director, President Executive Officer and Group CEO: Kaoru Hayashi, DG), under the cooperation of the DG Group, will cooperate as a business partner in the 7th Digital Innovation Grand Prix with organizer Keio Research Institute at SFC Data Management Creation Lab (Location: Fujisawa, Kanagawa; Executive Director: Hiroya Tanaka; Lab Director: Jun Murai, SFC Institute). The aim of the Digital Innovation Grand Prix is to “train data scientists in the digital native generation” through a competition for high school and university students of ideas derived from the analysis of data based on government, industry, and academia cooperation. DG will be involved in the formulation of the Grand Prix theme and the overall management, including screening and awards. Also, in association with the theme of this year’s Grand Prix of “Creating Value through Japanese Cuisine”, the DG Group’s Kakaku.com, Inc. (TSE first section: 2371; HQ: Tokyo, President and Representative Director: Shonosuke Hata, Kakaku.com) will provide store data from “Tabelog” that is operated by the company.

DG Group decided to assist in the Digital Innovation Grand Prix because the group believes that the promotion of open innovation requires the training of data scientists. DG Lab (https://www.dglab.com/en/), a jointly established open innovation R&D organization between Kakaku.com and Credit Saison Co., Ltd. (TSE first section: 8253; HQ: Tokyo, President and CEO: Hiroshi Rinno), requires personnel trained in high levels of data analysis technologies in the core technologies of blockchain, AI (artificial intelligence), VR/AR, security, and biotechnology for the R&D and business development of new products and services. It is hoped that through this cooperation with Grand Prix, many more students will be exposed to the data analysis techniques that are required for the further development of services in the field.

“DG along with Joi Ito has been given many opportunities by Jun Murai (SFC Institute Lab Director) ever since DG had managed Internet World Expo ’96, the world’s first “cyber-space expo” connecting 80 countries at the dawn of the Internet era. We are excited to support the Digital Innovation Grand Prix with Professor Murai. Through this Grand Prix, we look forward to future data scientists that will lead the fourth industrial revolution and create new business ideas.” (Kaoru Hayashi, DG Representative Director, President Executive Officer and Group CEO).

The DG Group will look to deepen its cooperation with the SFC Institute in various ways, as well as contribute to training data scientists who will focus on creating new businesses.

【7th Digital Innovation Grand Prix Outline】http://dmc-lab.sfc.keio.ac.jp/dig7/
■Topic (Purpose): “Creating Value through Japanese Cuisine”
■Examination Criteria:
・Data Utilization:Is the provided data utilized effectively?
・Data Collection:Are there other data, excluding the provided data, collected?
・Data Analysis:Is the data accurately analyzed?
・Effect of Measures:Is cost-effectiveness considered?
・Innovation:How original is the idea?
■Schedule:
Application Start Date: Friday, December 8, 2017
Entry Deadline: Sunday, February 18, 2018
Announcement of Finalists: Friday, March 2, 2018
Final Presentations and Awards Ceremony: Saturday, March 17, 2018 (held at Keio University Mita Campus North Hall)
■Eligibility: Students of Japanese high schools, technical colleges, universities, and graduate schools (excluding persons with experience in the workforce)
■Head Judge: Jun Murai (Dean of the Keio University Graduate School of Media and Governance, Professor of the Faculty of Environment and Information Studies)
■Organizer: Keio Research Institute at SFC Data Management Creation Lab
■Business Partner: Digital Garage, Inc.

For more details, please visit the official 7th Digital Innovation Grand Prix website: (http://dmc-lab.sfc.keio.ac.jp/dig7/).

【About the Keio Research Institute at SFC Data Management Creation Lab】http://dmc-lab.sfc.keio.ac.jp/
The Data Management Creation Lab is a group within the Keio Research Institute at SFC that studies the fusion of IT, statistics, and business design. The Digital Innovation Grand Prix has been held since 2014 as a competition for ideas derived from data analysis in cooperation between industry, government and academia, in addition to creating the curriculum for training of data scientists and collaborative research for advanced big data collection and analysis methods. Competitors in the first Grand Prix (April 2014), under the theme of “Social Data”, focused on the development of new services and value. For the second Grand Prix (September 2014), the focus was on new policies and solutions for municipalities with the theme of “Open Data”. For the third Grand Prix (September 2015), the focus was on new product and service development ideas and new promotion measures with the theme of “Consumer Purchasing Behavior Data”. The fourth event (March 2016), with the theme of “Smiles for Parents through Creativity and Data!”, focused on the collection and analysis of the competitor’s own data to deepen an understanding of the declining birthrate, as well as proposing business ideas derived from the data analysis. Finally, the fifth Grand Prix (March 2017) focused on the theme of “Regional Development and Revitalization”, analysis of the rapidly increasing number of foreign visitors to Japan, and promoting visitors and consumption in regional areas.

【About the Keio Research Institute at SFC】https://www.kri.sfc.keio.ac.jp/en/
The Keio Research Institute at SFC is affiliated with the Graduate School of Media and Governance, the Graduate School of Health Management, the Faculty of Policy Management, the Faculty of Environment and Information Studies, and the Faculty of Nursing and Medical Care. Its purpose is to act as a research base for advanced 21st century technologies, contributing to the development of society through educational and research activities at the Keio University Shonan Fujisawa Campus (SFC), and nurturing cooperative relationships between government, industry and academia, and domestic and overseas activities to conduct advanced scientific research in various fields.


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