Toyota Motor Corporation Chairman Akio Toyoda on Monday unveiled his vision for a living laboratory packed with startups and technology at CES 2025. His message is: Woven City — a prototype city on 175 acres at the foot of Japan's Mount Fuji — is up for business and looking for an inventor.
“Today I say this to anyone anywhere in the world who is inspired or excited to make a change: Make a change or make it matter. Please consider this your formal invitation to the Woven City,” Toyoda said on stage. Toyoda said Monday that Woven City is preparing to launch in fall 2025 or shortly thereafter.
The company will launch a pitch contest this summer and offer Woven City scholarships to “start-up companies and individuals who need financial support to bring their ideas to life,” Toyota said.
Mr. Toyota first spoke about his vision five years ago at CES 2020. The plan at the time was to build a kind of utopian city where people would live and work among all of Toyota's projects, including the autonomous e-Palette shuttle and robots.
However, after that, Mr. Toyoda's horizons broadened. On stage, he mentioned electric air taxis, specifically Joby Aviation, which recently invested $500 million, and touched on self-driving vehicle technology and rockets. Yes, it's a rocket.
After the press conference, Toyoda elaborated on his interest in rockets, pointing to the idea of using the technology to build the robust communications infrastructure needed to support self-driving technology. Woven City will invest 7 billion yen ($44 million) in startup Interstellar Technologies and leverage Toyota's expertise to help mass produce the rocket.
Surprisingly, Toyoda isn't even sure whether the initiative will yield any profits.
“I know what you're thinking about this Woven City, but will Toyota make any money at all?'' Mr. Toyoda asked the audience. “Well, maybe not, and that's okay. As global citizens, Toyota has a responsibility to invest in our collective future, share our learnings with others, and support new ideas.” I believe there is.”
The company began construction in February 2021 on the site of the former Toyota Motor Corporation East Japan Higashifuji factory in Susono City. In the first phase, a building will be constructed for the purpose of “co-creation” activities. Toyota said on stage Monday that employees, scientists, entrepreneurs and retirees will be invited to live in Woven City.
Toyota is also renovating the former TMEJ Higashifuji factory facility as a manufacturing site. Employees are preparing the site for Phase 2. But it likely won't start for some time, as the company plans to use what it learns from Phase 1 to improve its future development plans.
Some inventors, outside companies, start-ups and individual entrepreneurs have already joined Woven City, including WbyT. According to the company, Woven City is also in ongoing discussions with previously announced companies, including ENEOS Corporation, Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation, and Rinnai Corporation.