("RIVERNESS"), together with its partners, will hold special events and booths at "Science Castle Japan 2026". Through workshops, experiment classes, research exhibits, panel discussions, and exchanges with the next generation of researchers in Japan, we will extend the "researcher" in students and implement a culture of inquiry and research in society. We are now accepting applications from partner companies to participate in this initiative.

background

Science Castle is a platform that supports research activities in which junior and senior high school students find their own problems and seek solutions through scientific approaches. In collaboration with partners (companies, universities, etc.), we have stimulated the sensibilities of teenage researchers and promoted their research activities. In recent years, there has been a growing trend toward co-creation between companies and teenage researchers on an equal footing, sharing the same goals and vision for the future, rather than staying with CSR (educational support).

Value this initiative will bring to the company

(1) Making the brand a trust asset (recognition as a research culture support)

Gains recognition in society as a "research culture support" rather than an educational support. This leads to the accumulation of long-term trust, rather than short-term exposure.

(2) Contacts with future customers and future human resources (recruitment, fanning, understanding future markets)

Contacts with the next generation of explorers will lead to the formation of future recruitment populations, the acquisition of company fans, and an understanding of future markets.

(3) Exploratory marketing (touching the seeds of the market 10 years from now)

The "questions" of middle and high school students are the germ of future markets. As an entry point for theme exploration and co-creation, it breathes new life into business development and R&D from a medium- to long-term corporate perspective.

Involvement in the project will have a "ripple effect within the company.

By having partner company employees interact directly with teenage researchers,

The program has generated comments such as, "I, too, have decided to do more of what I want to do," "My motivation has increased," and "My thinking about my career has changed." It is also an opportunity to re-language the company's values and perspectives, and contributes to improving the engagement of researchers and engineers.

Examples of corporate applications

• Community and Social Contribution ActivitiesEducational opportunities for junior high and high school students do not end with "one-time volunteer work," but rather become a mid- to long-term relationship.

• Philosophy and Purpose Education (Inner Branding)To a state where employees can talk about the company's philosophy in their own words.

• Branding for the next generation (to solve the shortage of industrial human resources)Expanding the base of the industry and meeting future colleagues and markets

  

Science Castle (Japan Competition) Overview

As part of the Science Castle initiative, which has been expanded since 2012, the Japan Conference will be held in June 2026. In addition to oral and poster presentations, the conference is designed around discussion and participatory workshops, allowing more time for "deep conversations" between companies, academia, and students.

Date: Saturday, June 6, 2026 / Location: Kansai University

Partnership Menu (combination available)

You can participate in the Science Castle project mainly through the following projects

1. Participation in convention projects (booth exhibits, dispatch of judges, special projects)

   Participation in the Science Castle Tokyo/Kanto, Osaka/Kansai, and Asia Conferences is available, and we will strengthen contact with the educational field through dialogue between the teenage participants and their teachers.

2. Establishment of "Science Castle Research Fund" for middle and high school students (6-9 months of collaboration)

   Research is solicited on a theme set by the partners, and research funds are provided to the best proposals. In addition to financial support, equipment and participation by researchers and engineers as research coaches are also available.

3. Conduct a futures workshop (exploration working backwards from the 2050s)

   A workshop to shake up the thinking of business people with the ideas of teenagers and redesign the way research and business is conducted. Examples of themes: "Forests in 2050," "Space Utilization in 2050," etc.

4. Collaboration with next generation laboratory projects (ADvance Lab, etc.)

   We will work with the "Next Generation Institute," a group of alumni who wish to continue their research after the conference, to build long-term relationships with teenagers to 22-year-olds.

About Partner Recruitment

We will propose a participation design based on interviews, starting from the stage of "We don't know the best way to get involved in your company" or "We would like to discuss which project would be a good fit for your company. If you are a company that wants to breathe new life into your research activities and connect with the markets and human resources of the future, please contact us.

Contact information (example)

Educational Development Division (in charge of Science Castle), Riverness Inc.

Contact Usform