Tokyo Financial Award 2024 Call for Applications from Businesses in Japan and Worldwide

• Fostering collaboration within the financial industry, and between financial and non-financial industries
  (e.g. embedded finance)
• Streamlining and improving convenience of financial asset management (e.g. centralized management of bank accounts, insurance, securities, inheritance)
• Personal advisory services
• Preparing for the era of “the 100-year life”
  (e.g. financial services that assist those with age-related cognitive decline and initiatives that resolve digital divide)
• Financial services available in multiple languages and currencies (e.g. aimed at international financial transactions, overseas travelers)
• Promotion of financial education (e.g. education regarding asset management and insurance)
• Enhanced interoperability and compatibility between banks (e.g. for ATM usage, account management)

• Enhanced convenience of online transactions (e.g. cost reduction, simplifying methods for operations/management)

• Greater availability of cashless payments (e.g. expanded options for cashless payments, proliferation of stores that accept cashless payments, enhanced interoperability)
• Enhanced convenience and safety of payment/remittance methods
  (e.g. cost reduction, expansion of value-added features beyond payment functionality, payments with high safety and convenience standards)

• Investment products and services with low barriers to entry
  (e.g. products that enable investments with small amounts, reduced costs, investment advice)

• Simplified insurance procedures (e.g. streamlined processes enabled by technology utilization)
• P2P insurance (insurance sharing)
• Enhancement of ancillary services (e.g. providing pre-insurance and post-insurance services)

• Easier-to-use financial services (e.g. shorter screening times, lower interest rates)
• Increased financial inclusion (including individuals and corporations that cannot access financial services)
  (e.g. adopting new credit models)

• Promotion of data utilization (e.g. opening up data, contributing to the financial aspects of resolving issues in projects with a collaborative approach such as with civic tech)
• Streamlined work processes (e.g. streamlining processes such as accounting and verifying IDs)
• Improved security for preventing fraud and other malicious activities
  (e.g. anti-money laundering and anti-phishing measures)
• Facilitation of carbon credit trading
  (e.g. building trading platforms, services that enhance transparency of carbon credits)
• Promotion of supply chain finance
  (e.g. acceleration of fund collection, streamlining of trade procedures)

Proliferation and promotion of sustainable finance

• Proliferation and promotion of sustainable finance and regenerative finance (ReFi)
• Establishing the sustainable finance market and enhancing its trust and transparency
• Utilization of digital technology in sustainable finance

Environment

• Climate change actions
• Natural resources (e.g. water resources, responsible procurement of raw materials, land use, biodiversity)
• Creating environmental market opportunities (e.g. clean technology, renewable energy)

Social

• Human capital
  (e.g. labor management, promotion of diversity and women’s participation in the workplace, human capital development)
• Health and security & human rights (e.g. product safety, privacy & data security)
• Consideration for stakeholders involved in business operations

Governance

• Enhancement of corporate governance
• Transformation of corporate behavior (e.g. business ethics that benefit society, no track record of fraud, manipulation or corruption, promotion of fair competition)

• Initiatives that leverage sustainable finance* to help achieve a sustainable society

*Sustainability linked loans, sustainability funds or other similar methods of fundraising

UCHIYAMA Tomonori
Professor, Graduate School of Management, Tokyo Metropolitan University

KATO Yasuyuki
Professor, Business School, Kyoto University of Advanced Science

MASUJIMA Masakazu
Partner, Mori Hamada & Matsumoto

NEMOTO Naoko
Professor, Waseda Business School

Toggle G.K.
(Japan･US)

• Provides financial planners and others with a chat based service via unique generative AI technology that supports the analysis of client portfolios.
• This new chat service is capable of providing more accurate analysis than existing AI chatbots, enabled by its ability to analyze past economic, financial, and market data.

Credit Engine, Inc.
(Japan)

• Builds and provides a platform that enables a completely digitalized loan application process for loans guaranteed by guarantee corporations, for all processes undertaken by borrowers, financial institutions, and guarantee corporations.
• Shortens the lead time for loan issuance by streamlining administrative tasks.

Inovat Ltd.
(UK)

• Provides consumers travelling abroad with a totally digitalized process for obtaining VAT refunds.
• Partners with tax authorities and duty-free stores by providing an API which enables foreign nationals visiting Japan to quickly receive VAT refunds for their purchases by submitting their purchases/receipts using the Inovat app.

The Governor’s Special Prize for Green Finance

Kayrros SAS
(France)

• Kayrros develops and provides service that can measure and monitor methane emissions of oil and gas businesses by analyzing satellite imagery, and detect such emissions at the source level.
• Data is used for reduction measures by emitters and decision-making by investors engaged in ESG investment.

ANRI, Inc.
(Japan)

• A venture capital specializing in long-term investments for startups in the climate tech (technology focusing on addressing impacts of global warming) sector.
• Aims to contribute to decarbonization through supporting the launch and growth of businesses pursuing technology which can take years to realize, including technology for nuclear fusion and battery materials.

Nature　Innovation

Group, Inc.
(Japan)

• Provides the umbrella sharing service “Aikasa.” Users can use the Aikasa app to borrow and return shared umbrellas at locations nationwide.
• Contributes to reducing CO₂ emissions, preserving resources, and combatting waste and marine plastic pollution with a business model designed to cut down the use of disposable plastic umbrellas.

TBM Co., Ltd.
(Japan)

• Develops a plastic alternative LIMEX, an innovative new material mainly made from limestone that can be found in various regions around the world, including Japan.
• TBM not only reduces GHG emissions, particularly with its material LIMEX, aims to realize a biodegradability capable of addressing marine plastic pollution.