Tohoku University, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and two other organizations have launched the Social Innovator Hub (SIH) program in Sendai City, with the aim of fostering human resources in emerging countries. It will run until the 20th of September, will include lectures by entrepreneurs and hands-on workshops aimed at generating business ideas on the themes of disaster prevention and the environment.

The program is being attended by 21 university and graduate students, as well as working professionals, from eight countries — including Indonesia, Mongolia, and Nigeria. The aim of SIH is to provide these highly-skilled individuals from overseas with an opportunity to study or start a business in Japan, particularly in Sendai.

Tohoku University has been selected as the first ‘International Research University’; an initiative to strengthen the function of connecting human resources, technology, and information between Japan and emerging countries.

In addition to Tohoku University and JICA, Sendai City and the consulting firm Dream Incubator are also participating in the operation of SIH.

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