What a week it was in Japan! I was recently fortunate enough to represent M-SParc and our fantastic eco-system in Japan on a Welsh Government trade mission to further strengthen ties between both Nations who are eager to learn from one another through informative exchanges to deepen the relationship and understanding of both Wales and Japan.
Whilst in Tokyo, I was taken for a tour around the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) HQ. It reminded me of M-SParc; there are office spaces, co-working spaces, event space and business support services for those looking to establish themselves in the Japanese market. It was interesting to hear the similarities between JETRO and M-SParc and for our tenants and other Welsh startup representatives on the trip to understand more about the support JETRO can offer when looking to establish themselves on the Japanese market.
I visited Kitakyushu Science and Research Park which is a base for science and research in Asia to advance technology development in new industries. It first opened in April 2001 as a one of its kind experiment. Today, leading universities sharing the principles of the Kitakyushu Science and Research Park, carry out education and research activities in technology, particularly focusing on environmental and information technologies.
Kitakyushu Foundation for the Advancement of Industry, Science and Technology (FAIS) is working on initiatives, such as developing highly skilled human resources and supporting research and development (R&D) aid and industry-academia collaboration. There have been many positive collaborations since opening the park in 2001 and they’re eager to continue with these collaborations moving forward, including over-seas collaborations. This echoed with our work with Bangor University with research excellence in areas such as Nuclear Futures Institute aligning with industry needs.
A highlight of the trip was pitching our online platform “My-Sparc” to other Japanese organisations, Welsh Government delegates and Connected Places Catapult delegates. It was great to see the other start-ups able to do the same, including our tenant organisation, HydroWing. The response was positive, with some interesting discussions following the pitches – we’ll now seek to build on these discussions.
One thing for certain is the Japanese and the Welsh have lots in common and we’re both proud of our heritage and culture. We spent a morning at Mikuni World Stadium at Kitakyushu City, where the Wales rugby team used as a base during the Rugby World Cup 2019. This was the beginning of a positive and strong relationship between the two countries which goes to show that sport does bring people, nations and economies together.
I was struck by Kitakyushu City and how forward thinking it is, having previously suffered from severe pollution issues. The first to speak out against this issue was a citizens’ movement of local mothers concerned about the health of their children, who began the slogan; “we want blue skies”. The sea was also known as “the sea of death”… so you can imagine it probably wasn’t great for your health to be living in Kitakyushu City at the time!
Fast forward to 2025 and Kitakyushu’s openness to think of innovative solutions and collaborations between industry, academia and government helped Kitakyushu citizens to overcome the pollution issues. The city is now known for its eco-friendly initiatives and innovative startup network where businesses can thrive.
During the trip, I also visited the Port and saw their offshore wind farm that is current being developed as part of a plan for Kitakyushu City to become an eco-city. With my work supporting the Offshore Energy Alliance, initiatives such as Morlais and businesses like HydroWing, I can see opportunities for further collaboration into the future.
I had an incredible week in Japan, establishing and strengthening new relationships between M-SParc, our tenants and Japan. I experienced a great mixture of learning about their culture and ways of work. It was fascinating to see the similarities between the Kitakyushu City and Wales and how we can learn from each other! Thank you to JETRO for hosting us throughout the week and to the Welsh Government for their support in making it happen.
tom@m-sparc.com
Tom used to work at the KFC in his hometown of Colwyn Bay before it mysteriously burned down. He then spent several years “on the lam” in East Germany, where he worked as an animator in Berlin. When the wall fell, Tom came home.
He enjoys climbing and hates ice-skating.
