March 17, 2025

Rakuten Mobile Joins Global CityTech Bridge, a CIC Institute-Led Project Aimed at Driving Innovation

- Collaboration with startups to develop and launch services aimed at solving urban challenges

Tokyo, March 17, 2025 – Rakuten Mobile, Inc. today announced it will participate in the Global CityTech Bridge project as a social implementation partner. Led by CIC Institute, the project aims to drive innovation and integrate CityTech (big city technology)^*1*2*3 into society.

Through this project, Rakuten Mobile will collaborate with startups to develop and launch innovative mobile communication-based services aimed at solving urban challenges, with the ultimate goal of expanding these services into global markets.

CIC Institute is dedicated to fostering the growth of startups with the potential for global success and building innovative ecosystems. With this project, CIC Institute supports startups in developing and implementing CityTech innovations in Tokyo, a city at the forefront of addressing new urban challenges.

In line with the Rakuten Group's mission to contribute to society by creating value through innovation and entrepreneurship, Rakuten Mobile will continue its efforts to contribute to solving society’s challenges by driving innovation through telecom services.

Notes:
*1 Global CityTech Bridge has been chosen as a Global Promotion Cluster under the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's TIB CATAPULT program, which seeks to foster collaborations between companies and other organizations to address global issues and support startups with the potential to succeed on the global stage.
*2 CityTech refers to smart cities, mobility, energy, decarbonization, resource circulation, disaster prevention and resilience, healthcare, childcare, robotics, etc.
*3 For more information about this project, please visit the CIC Institute website: https://jp.cic.com/tib-catapult/ (*Japanese page)

*Product names and service names published in this press release are generally trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. Trademarks such as TM and ® may be omitted when trademarks are listed in this press release.