Shifting the role of stations from a "transportation hub" into a "living platform" that connects people, products, and services
Message from Leadership
Junichi Eto
General Manager
New Business Development Division (Global Business)
Marketing Headquarters
East Japan Railway Company
JR East is Japan's largest railway company, serving about 15 million passengers daily and having 1,681 stations. After privatization, we started as a railway company and have expanded our business to include retail, shopping centers, offices, and hotels by utilizing in-station and rear estate around stations. Currently, the non-railway segment accounts for about 30% of our revenues, but we aim to improve this further as soon as possible. To achieve this, we need to further revitalize our greatest business resource, our stations, under the concept of "Beyond Station", we are going beyond the existing role of railway stations as transportation hubs where people pass through and gather and transforming railway stations into lifestyle platforms designed to connect people, things, and experiences.
JR East's Challenge
| Challenges |
To achieve our goal of transforming stations into integrated lifestyle hubs, we aspire to connect with inspiring start-ups to enhance the in-station experience. |
|---|---|
| Collaboration Needs |
JR East seeks a potential partner offering cuttig-edge technologies and new services for in-station business to make the station area a more vibrant space for users and local residents ・Unmanned, labor-saving technology in retail and food & beverage outlets at stations to address worker shortages. ・New services and technologies that can provide a new customer experience by conecting the real-world of station with the digital world (e.g., media display technology, OMO, Unified Commerce). |
| Opportunity |
Opportunity to hold a deep discussion for business collaboration. Based on the results of the above discussion opportunity to conduct proof-of-concept (POC) with JR East. |
| Assets/Support |
In-station spaces for JR East |
Thank you for your submissions!
Only shortlisted finalists will be contacted by the organizers.
Results will be announced on Monday, 25 September 2023
About JR East
JR East is the operator for trains including Shinkansen (high speed bullet train) in eastern Japan. It is the largest passeneger railway company in Japan, serving about 15 million passengers daily. The JR East Group also operates a variety of lifestyle businesses such as shopping malls, retail shops, restauransts, hotels, as well as office management. Outside Japan, JR East has presence for its lifestyle business unit with the establishment of Japan Rail Cafe in Singapore.
