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I4Collective
I4C:Collectively analyzing science for a better, brighter future
The Investigation with Integrity, Innovation for Impact (I4) Collective is a unit that provides strategic analysis and recommendations directly under the president and chief executive officer of Science Tokyo. The I4Collective, or I4C, conducts research, analysis, and information sharing that contribute to strategic decision-making at the national level—including for universities and corporations—to maximize the value of knowledge and realize a better society.
Purpose
I4C aims to promote the integration of science, technology, and policy, thereby contributing to the realization of a better society and a more desirable future. The unit’s name is a homophone of the English expression “I foresee,” reflecting the future-oriented approach of the organization.
Mission
Research within the deep tech field, one of Science Tokyo’s strengths, holds the potential to impact society by addressing critical economic and societal challenges facing nations and the world. The mission of I4C is to analyze the knowledge and technology cultivated through this research, and based on strategic foresight, provide information and policy recommendations to realize a better life, society, and planet.
Features
- While leveraging Science Tokyo’s prowess in deep tech, I4C seeks participation from researchers in science, engineering, and the medical and dental sciences to incorporate diverse expertise and intuition into its analyses.
- As a collective, I4C unites researchers and practitioners in economics, political science, the social sciences, international relations, and other fields from inside and outside the Institute to form flexible analysis teams in line with specific target projects.
- As a university-based analysis unit, I4C shares its findings openly with the public, unless commissioned analyses are conducted under contracts with external organizations. Recommendations are also incorporated into Science Tokyo’s Visionary Initiatives.
- As part of an academic institution, I4C also seeks to nurture the next generation, developing and running programs to train think tank talent for analysis in the deep tech field.
Message from Leadership
University-based unit providing science and technology analysis and recommendations
Isao Satoh, I4Collective Director
The I4Collective is a new organization launched in March 2025. It aims to analyze and communicate to society the challenges and academic fields that should be addressed in the near future, taking into account national and international trends in science and technology while considering the landscape of global collaboration and competition. Some may question the existence of such an organization within a university that aims to advance research based on individual scholars’ freedom and curiosity. However, the Science Tokyo community views I4C as an essential component of the Institute, whose vision includes seamlessly advancing from fundamental research to social implementation in order to realize a better, brighter future. The I4C function can be achieved precisely because Science Tokyo houses researchers engaging in cutting-edge research. In conducting its analyses, I4C seeks advice and insights from researchers across various fields both within and outside Science Tokyo. Therefore, as its name suggests, the I4Collective operates not only through its core members but also through organic human connections. The resulting analytical findings may occasionally give rise to conflicts of interest between Science Tokyo researchers and members of its executive team. Therefore, I4C maintains its independence as an organization directly under the president and chief executive officer of Science Tokyo, consistently striving to provide analyses and information that earn the trust of society, while always being mindful of the potential created by its unique position.
Holistic perspective through collective approach
Kaoru Kuwata, I4Collective Vice Director
Building on the expertise of pioneering Science Tokyo researchers in the medical and dental sciences, and science and engineering, I4C advances social and future insights by leveraging a network of leaders across various fields both within and beyond the Institute, constructing a holistic perspective through a collective approach. Based on these insights, the unit prioritizes discussions and collaborations with the diverse stakeholders shaping our social systems, allowing us to bridge the gap between aggregated specialized knowledge and sociogenetic activities, and to contribute to social movements that realize a better, brighter future. I4C aims to systematize the analytical methodologies accumulated through its activities, making them broadly available for future strategic discussions. Look out for I4C’s upcoming collective activities, all of which are tailored to address increasingly complex challenges.
Sharing insights and recommendations with society, realizing a better, better future
Hiroshi Asahara, I4Collective Vice Director
The I4Collective, grounded in Science Tokyo’s integrated knowledge of the medical and dental sciences, and the science and engineering fields, takes a bird’s-eye view of scientific and technological progress to pave the way for a new era. Researchers from diverse fields bring their collective knowledge and sensibilities together to build an emergent space that connects academia and society. Furthermore, by rigorously analyzing domestic and international trends and identifying the essence of complex societal challenges, I4C fosters future-oriented discussions and uncovers novel avenues towards value creation. Through its initiatives, the unit adopts a broad perspective to reexamine the role of science and technology, deepen collaboration with diverse stakeholders, and responsibly share insights and recommendations for realizing a better, brighter future.
