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We will hold all events online to keep participants safe from the COVID-19 pandemic. Details of each event and how to sign up will be disclosed on UNDP’s website as soon as they become available. Please note that the details of programs are subject to change.

United Nations Development Programme and Citi Foundation Launch Youth Co:Lab Social Innovation Challenge 2021 (Press release)

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Citi Foundation announced that they will continue this year to co-host Youth Co:Lab, a program that supports youth-led social innovation and entrepreneurship to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Japan Dialogue Part 1: Youth & female social entrepreneurs forging ahead in an era of change! (Held in Japanese)

Date/Time: Tuesday, 14 September 2021, from 19:00 to 20:15

The COVID-19 pandemic has made a radical change in our lives, and it has brought us new lifestyles, values, and ways of working. As momentum builds towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), diversity and coexistence are becoming even more important. To build forward better, it is essential to have new ideas and diverse perspectives that are not bound by stereotypes. We invited three youth and female social entrepreneurs, including a university student, and an ESG-oriented investor for this panel talk.

Speakers：

• Ms Marika Hayashi, CEO, Qibitech Co.
• Mr Kosei Ozora, President, NPO Anata no Ibasho
• Mr Yuta Hamada, President, Local Flag Co.
• Ms Eriko Suzuki, Managing Director, MPower Partners Fund L.P.

Learning and challenges at Youth Co:Lab, a youth entrepreneurship support program, discussed by two globally active social entrepreneurs (Interview article)

Two winners of Youth Co:Lab's SDGs business contest "Social Innovation Challenge" in Japan and Bangladesh were featured in Drive, a web magazine published by ETIC., a Japanese non-profit organization that has supported entrepreneurs for more than 20 years.

Japan Dialogue Part 2: Realities and Hopes: Social entrepreneurship for youth & women
(in Japanese)

Date/Time: Tuesday, 9 November 2021, from 19:00 to 20:30
Language: Japanese (No translation)

This dialogue will highlight how to develop a social entrepreneurship ecosystem that fosters young and female social entrepreneurs.

While a government official and an impact investment expert will share their views and initiatives for building an entrepreneurship ecosystem, young and female social entrepreneurs will tell their own experiences on how they sought support and what kind of support was actually of value to them.

Speakers:

• Ms Aya Murakami, Representative Director, Ay Inc.
  
• Mr Shoji Marukawa, Representative Director, Nature Innovation Group iKasa Co.
  
• Ms Tomoko Tanaka, Section Head, Economic and Social Policy Office, Economic and Industrial Policy Bureau, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.
  
• Ms Nanako Kudo, Member of Executive Committee, Japan Social Innovation and Investment Foundation (SIIF)
  
• Ms Ibun Hirahara, Co-representative, World Road Co.

Social Innovation Challenge Japan 2021 Final Pitch Contest

Description: This is an SDGs business contest targeting young people between the ages of 15 to 35-year old who wish to address social issues.

Finalists who have passed the two rounds of screenings will present their business plans and ideas online. Following a final voting by a panel of judges, the winners of the Social Innovation Challenge Japan 2021 will be decided. Please join and witness new innovative ideas, and celebrate the winners!

• Date/Time: Thursday, 25 November, 2021 from 19:00 to 21:30. 
• Place: Online (Zoom).
• Participation fee: Free.
• Language: Japanese and English (simultaneous interpretation available) 
• Registration: Please click the link here to register

Judges:

• Mr. Daisuke Takatsuki, Director, Principal, CVC Asia Pacific Japan / Representative Director, Social Invest Partners
• Ms. Atsuko Suzuki, Senior Coordinator, NPO ETIC.
• Mr. Takeo Kaneko, Chief Operating Officer, Banking, Capital Markets and Advisory, Citigroup Global Markets Japan Inc., Citibank, N.A., Tokyo Branch 
• Mr. Savinda Ranathunga, Regional Youth Project Manager, Governance and Peace Building Team, UNDP Bangkok Regional Hub