Announcement of the Livanes Award for the National Knowledge-Based Manufacturing Grand Prix Challenge

At the National Knowledge-Based Manufacturing Conference 2026 (held on March 27, 2026), Ribanes Co., Ltd. launched the “National Knowledge-Based Manufacturing Grand Prize Challenge.” The purpose of this initiative is to ensure that the new connections and discussions generated at the conference do not end as mere “ideas,” but rather lead to the next steps toward joint verification, joint development, and commercialization. Through this, the initiative aims to foster more impactful collaborations and secure a win at the “National Knowledge-Based Manufacturing Awards.” We will select companies to participate in the Grand Prize Challenge from among candidates proposed by four partner companies and Ribance Co., Ltd.

We are pleased to announce that Ribane Co., Ltd. has selected teams to participate in a collaboration that contributes to “advancing science and technology and contributing to the planet.” *The other selected teams will be announced at a later date.

Theme Name

Pioneering New Possibilities in Building Materials by Achieving “100% Mold-Resistant Food Waste Tiles” Through Precision Polishing

Collaboration Team

MyPox, Inc. × fabula, Inc. × QRONOS (in the process of being established)

Going forward, in addition to awarding a cash prize of 200,000 yen as a supplementary prize, we will work closely with these teams to help them turn their collaborative hypotheses into initiatives that have a significant impact on society.

1. What Is the “National Knowledge-Based Manufacturing Awards Challenge”?

The National Knowledge Manufacturing Conference brings together a diverse range of players, including small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and venture companies, who are striving to solve social issues and create new industries. The new encounters and constructive discussions that emerge at these conferences generate new ideas for collaboration.

On the other hand, it is not uncommon for ideas born out of events to stall before they can be fleshed out and implemented. The “National Knowledge-Based Manufacturing Awards Challenge” supports the entire process—from initial encounters to discussion, ideation, and the next steps—and, with the National Knowledge-Based Manufacturing Conference as its starting point, helps participants take that “first actionable step.” Partner companies participating in this initiative will propose themes they wish to tackle collaboratively and actively solicit ideas for collaboration.

2. background of the project

The National Knowledge Manufacturing Conference has been working to create opportunities to combine the knowledge and expertise of small, medium, and venture businesses across the country to create new knowledge and develop it into concrete partnerships and commercialization.

In the “National Knowledge-Based Manufacturing Awards Challenge,” in addition to our experience in conference management, we have also drawn on our pastValue Creation Challenge" project undertaken on behalf of the Kanto Bureau of Economy, Trade and IndustryDrawing on the insights gained regarding the promotion of collaboration, we will establish a framework to move the ideas generated at the conference toward implementation.