Liquitous Inc. and Civic Weave Inc. have concluded a strategic partnership
Liquitous Inc. (headquarters: Yokohama, Kanagawa; CEO: Hiroyuki Kurimoto) has concluded a strategic partnership with Civic Weave Inc. (headquarters: Kashiwa, Chiba; President: Atsushi Hassaki, hereafter “Civic Weave”) to advance citizen‑participation projects and to build a sustainable citizen participation model through the integration of a digital platform and co‑creation processes.
Background
While citizen participation initiatives are expanding across municipalities nationwide, many sites still treat “platform adoption” and “co‑creation process design and operation” as separate activities. Even when digital tools are introduced, if the design of questions, the link to workshops, and the cycle of operational improvement are missing, citizen participation tends to remain a one‑off event. Moreover, reliance on external experts or vendors creates a risk that initiatives will stall when staff rotate or budgets change.
To address these on‑the‑ground challenges, Liquitous has worked through its citizen‑participation consensus‑building platform “Liqlid” to improve inclusiveness and transparency in policy‑making processes. Civic Weave, on the other hand, brings extensive hands‑on experience from sites such as the UDCK (Urban Design Center) of the Kashiwa‑no‑Ha Smart City, having consistently handled the design, implementation, and operation of co‑creation processes.
By partnering, the two companies are confident that they can organically integrate the digital platform with co‑creation processes, cultivating a citizen‑participation model that is not a fleeting event but a “continuously operating” system across various regions, leading to the signing of this strategic partnership.
Initiatives
Through this partnership, the two firms will collaborate primarily on the following initiatives to advance citizen‑participation projects:
Advancing citizen participation by integrating the digital platform (Liqlid) with co‑creation processes
We will build a project model that combines Civic Weave’s co‑creation process design with Liqlid’s citizen‑participation mechanisms, enabling a seamless workflow from question design through workshops, online dialogues, and feedback of outcomes.Establishing a continuously functioning citizen‑participation operation system
Rather than a one‑off project, we will implement a sustainable citizen‑participation model in each region that incorporates operational improvement based on a PDCA cycle. From the design of posts and dialogues to ongoing operational refinement, we will promote a locally rooted system.Developing human resources for municipal staff and stakeholders and promoting in‑house implementation
We will jointly offer training programs and in‑house support so that municipal staff and local stakeholders can independently plan and run citizen‑participation processes, reducing dependence on external parties.
Systematizing the co‑creation project model and scaling it to other regions
We will organize and systematize insights gained from implementations, visualize results, and promote horizontal expansion to other regions.
Through these efforts, both companies aim to establish a new standard for citizen participation that combines a digital platform with co‑creation processes, contributing to the advancement and sustainability of citizen participation in municipalities nationwide.
(Left) Civic Weave Inc. – Atsushi Hassaki (Right) Liquitous Inc. – Hiroyuki Kurimoto
Message from Civic Weave Inc. President Atsushi Hassaki
Through this partnership we will implement the digital platform and co‑creation process as a unified system, evolving citizen participation from a temporary activity into a continuously functioning mechanism. Civic Weave will take responsibility for project design, implementation, operation, and the development of the personnel who carry it out, embedding a lasting co‑creation approach in the field. This initiative will refresh the very nature of citizen participation in government and create a new benchmark.
Message from Liquitous Inc. CEO Hiroyuki Kurimoto
We are delighted to have concluded a strategic partnership with Civic Weave. Building on the experience we have cultivated through projects such as “Minsta ONLINE” in Kashiwa‑no‑Ha, we look forward to creating high‑impact “living labs” that combine effectiveness with operational feasibility, and to solving problems and generating new value through co‑creative approaches in various regions. The future of a community should be shaped by the will of its residents. This partnership will accelerate the rollout of digitally‑enabled citizen‑participation mechanisms nationwide, helping to build a societal foundation where everyone can take part in local decision‑making.
About Civic Weave Inc.
Civic Weave Inc. pursues the mission “Weaving Citizens and Cities into the Future,” and engages in the design, implementation, and operation of co‑creation processes that bring together citizens, businesses, governments, and researchers. At the UDCK (Urban Design Center) of the Kashiwa‑no‑Ha Smart City, it has practiced the design of living labs and multi‑stakeholder co‑creation environments, creating mechanisms that nurture ongoing relationships and projects involving diverse actors. Through workshop planning and execution, the design of posts and dialogues (question design), operational improvement (PDCA), and the training and in‑house support of municipal staff, Civic Weave provides end‑to‑end support for citizen‑participation projects from conception to operation.
〇 Company name: Civic Weave Inc. (President: Atsushi Hassaki)
〇 Website: https://civicweave.co.jp/