{"id":176614,"date":"2026-03-24T12:06:43","date_gmt":"2026-03-24T03:06:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/?post_type=event&p=176614&lang=en"},"modified":"2026-03-24T12:06:43","modified_gmt":"2026-03-24T03:06:43","slug":"thursday-gathering-64","status":"publish","type":"event","link":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/en\/event\/thursday-gathering-64\/","title":{"rendered":"Thursday Gathering #64: Thursday Gathering #64: Estonia, Ocean Plastic Design, and New Business Co-Creation with Students"},"content":{"rendered":"

From Estonia\u2019s digital startup ecosystem to student-company collaboration and ocean plastic upcycling in Fukuoka, this edition of Thursday Gathering spotlights new approaches to entrepreneurship, sustainability, and innovation. Join founders, students, and industry professionals for an evening of practical ideas and fresh connections.
\n\"\"
\nDate and Time:<\/strong> Thursday, April 2, 2026, 16:00 to 20:00
\nLocation:<\/strong> ONE FUKUOKA BLDG. 6F SKYLOBBY
\nAdmission:<\/strong> Free (registration required)
\nRegistration & details:<\/strong> Event website<\/a> (Japanese)<\/p>\n

Event Highlights (In-person only):<\/h3>\n

16:00 \u2013 16:50
\nEstonia: A Digital Nation for Global Entrepreneurs<\/strong>
\nDid you know Estonia is known as one of the world\u2019s most advanced digital nations? This session explores how the country has built an environment that attracts entrepreneurs from around the world, with insights from guests familiar with Estonia\u2019s startup ecosystem. Through firsthand perspectives from e-Residency users, the session examines simplified procedures, the advantages of digital infrastructure, and Estonia\u2019s appeal as a gateway to the European market.
\nMore info<\/a>: Event website (Japanese)<\/p>\n

17:00 \u2013 17:50
\nHow Can Companies and Students Co-Create Compelling New Business Ideas?<\/strong>
\nMany companies talk about creating new businesses, but often struggle to move beyond existing frameworks. This session looks at a Project Based Learning initiative by welzo and Momoyama Gakuin University, exploring what became possible when companies and students worked together as equal co-creators. Over the course of a 12-week challenge, what did students learn, what did companies discover, and how did new business ideas begin to take shape? The discussion also asks whether co-creation with Gen Z is a form of talent development, organizational transformation, or both.
\nMore info<\/a>: Event website (Japanese)<\/p>\n

18:30 \u2013 19:20
\nInnovation from the Sea: Ocean Plastic in Itoshima and Fukuoka, and the Potential of Upcycling<\/strong>
\nThis session focuses on innovation inspired by the sea, highlighting marine plastic in Itoshima and Fukuoka and the potential of upcycling. Expect ideas at the intersection of sustainability, design, and regional creativity.
\nMore info<\/a>: Event website (Japanese)<\/p>\n

Organized by Venture Caf\u00e9 Fukuoka<\/strong>
\nLanguages: Japanese and\/or English (varies by session)
\nAll sessions are in-person only. Pre-registration required via the event website.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

From Estonia\u2019s digital startup ecosystem to student-company collaboration and ocean plastic upcycling in Fukuoka, this edition of Thursday Gathering spotlights…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":30292,"featured_media":176615,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","tags":[],"class_list":["post-176614","event","type-event","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","location-chuo-ku","location-fukuoka-city","event-type-community","event-type-seminar","en-US"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/event\/176614","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/event"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/event"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/30292"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=176614"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/176615"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=176614"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=176614"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}