Aoyama Gakuin Human Innovation Consulting Co., Ltd.

What Aoyama Gakuin Human Innovation Consulting Co., Ltd. does

Aoyama Gakuin Human Innovation Consulting Co., Ltd. (commonly "Aoyama Hicon" / 青山Hicon) is a Tokyo-based consulting firm established on December 12, 2008, through joint investment by Aoyama Gakuin University and six university faculty members. The firm operates seven business divisions: SDGs/ESG/CE Consulting, Regional Revitalization (SDGs/CE), Future Strategy Design (VR labs and backcasting methodology), Business Solutions (startup support), Digital Marketing (host of the Next Retail Lab forum series with 68+ editions), Career Development (job card seminars and Stukatsu! internships), and Hicon Academia (educational programs including SDGs management, multicultural management, and asset management courses).

The firm's underlying technology stack is methodology-driven rather than product-driven. Proprietary assets include the SDGs-PILE platform (an ICT system combining VR and digital content for hybrid SDG education), backcasting thinking workshops for social-contribution-oriented business model design, and a hybrid online/offline training delivery system. The company is not a software vendor and discloses no patents or AI/ML capabilities.

The business model combines custom-quote consulting, fee-based seminars (forum attendance typically 3,000 JPY in-person; free online), academic-government commissioned research (MEXT, METI, JICA), and consortium activities through the BOAF (General Incorporated Association SDGs & ESG Management Consortium) co-founded in August 2022. Go-to-market is sales-led, event-driven, and community-led, leveraging the Aoyama Gakuin faculty network to reach Japanese enterprises, local governments, and educational institutions. Customers include Seven & i Holdings, Cabinet Office, ManpowerGroup Japan, JA Mains, Ibaraki Prefecture, and Aoyama Gakuin University. Headcount is 1–10 employees and revenue is not publicly disclosed.

Name

Aoyama Gakuin Human Innovation Consulting Co., Ltd.

Legal name

青山ヒューマン・イノベーション・コンサルティング株式会社

Website

https://aogaku-hicon.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

A Tokyo-based consulting firm affiliated with Aoyama Gakuin University, providing SDGs/ESG, regional revitalization, digital marketing, and career development consulting to Japanese enterprises, local governments, and educational institutions across seven business divisions and the BOAF consortium.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Management Consulting

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161), Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services (541611)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Sustainability & ESG Consulting (BPAHACAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Organization Design & Operating Model Consulting (BPAHAGAB), ESG, Sustainability & Impact Research (BPAHALAL)

Keywords

• Sustainability consulting services
• Regional revitalization consulting
• Digital marketing consulting
• Career development programs
• Executive education services

Headquarters

HQ city

Shibuya

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Consulting Services: Core consulting engagements for enterprises and local governments focused on SDGs management, organizational innovation, future strategy design, and business model transformation.
2. Seminars and Training Programs: Fee-based seminars, workshops, and training programs including Hicon Academia courses on SDGs management, career development, digital marketing, and human resources topics. Some programs free; others priced (e.g., 3,000 yen per forum session; academy courses vary).
3. Academic-Government Collaborative Research: Research project engagements commissioned by government agencies (Ministry of Education, Ministry of Economy, JICA) and conducted in partnership with Aoyama Gakuin University.
4. Events and Forums: Organizing and hosting industry forums (Next Retail Lab, Japa Forum, SDGs University Lecture Series) generating participation fees from attendees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Aoyama Hicon operates as a university-affiliated consulting firm offering professional services through seven business divisions: SDGs/ESG/CE consulting, regional revitalization, future strategy design, business solutions, digital marketing, and career development. The company conducts fee-based consulting engagements, hosts recurring industry forums (Next Retail Lab, Japa Forum), runs the Hicon Academia educational platform, and manages the BOAF (SDGs & ESG Management Consortium). All engagements leverage Aoyama Gakuin University faculty expertise combined with student-participatory project models.

Product overview

Aoyama Gakuin Human Innovation Consulting Co., Ltd. (青山ヒューマン・イノベーション・コンサルティング株式会社), commonly known as 青山Hicon, is a university-affiliated consulting firm established in 2008 through joint investment from Aoyama Gakuin University and six university faculty members. The company operates seven distinct business divisions organized around a unique 'student-participatory project' model. The core divisions include: (1) SDGs/ESG/CE Business Division focusing on sustainable business practices, (2) Regional Revitalization Division for local community development, (3) Future Strategy Design Division with VR labs and backcasting methodologies, (4) Business Solutions Division for startup support, (5) Digital Marketing Division hosting the Next Retail Lab forum series, (6) Career Development Division offering reskilling programs and internship support, and (7) Hicon Academia for educational programs including SDG management courses and BOAF consortium activities. The company also manages the SDGs Food Loss Reduction Project and maintains partnerships with Aoyama Gakuin University's research institutes including the SDGs/CE Partnership Research Institute.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Hicon academIA: Educational programs and courses related to SDGs, ESG, career development, and management training.
• Next Retail Lab
• SDGsフードロス新生プロジェクト

Products and services

• SDGs/ESG/CE Consulting (SDGs/ESG/CE事業部門) Consulting division focused on SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals), ESG, and Circular Economy business models. Provides research, training, and consulting for Japanese SMEs on sustainable business practices and ESG integration.
• SDGs/CE Regional Revitalization Services (SDGs/CE地方創生事業部門) Regional revitalization initiatives combining industry-government-academia partnerships. Supports local communities through experience-based tourism programs, local production for local consumption, and regional economic development projects.
• Future Strategy Design Services (未来戦略デザイン事業部門) Strategic consulting for future-oriented business design including VR labs, backcasting methodologies, and innovation leadership development for creating new market values.
• Business Solutions (ビジネスソリューション事業部門) Startup development support, consulting services, and business model innovation assistance for companies seeking growth and transformation.
• Digital Marketing Services (デジタルマーケティング事業部門) Digital marketing consulting and Next Retail Lab forum series hosting (68+ editions held). Covers e-commerce, metaverse, retail transformation, and marketing strategy research.
• Career Development Services (キャリア開発事業部門) Career development services including job card seminars, reskilling programs, life shift seminars for mid-career professionals, and student internship support programs (Stukatsu!).
• Hicon Academia Educational Platform (Hiconアカデミア) Educational platform offering SDG management programs, case study courses, multilingual coexistence management training, and asset management seminars. Includes BOAF (SDGs & ESG Management Consortium) academic activities.
• Next Retail Lab Forum Series (次世代小売流通研究会) A recurring industry forum series covering retail, digital marketing, DX, and sustainability topics with over 68 editions. Combines guest speaker presentations, panel discussions, and networking. Priced at 3,000 JPY in-person / free online.
• BOAF - SDGs & ESG Management Consortium (SDGs＆ESG経営コンソーシアム) General Incorporated Association for SDGs & ESG Management. Conducts research on multicultural coexistence management and provides educational programs, certification support, free online seminars, and digital books on multi-cultural management, circular economy, and ESG topics.

Quantifiable outcome

• VCM (Value Chain Management) food loss reduction project adopted as official Case No. 95 on the Cabinet Office Regional Revitalization SDGs Platform
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Bay Hills Tax Accountant Corporation (ベイヒルズ税理士法人)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 December 2008One of the four co-founding partners of the General Incorporated Association SDGs & ESG Management Consortium (BOAF). Contributes tax and financial expertise to the consortium's ESG management programs.
• Aoyama Gakuin University (青山学院大学)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner青山Hicon was co-founded by Aoyama Gakuin University and 6 university faculty members (2008). The company maintains a deep ongoing partnership including shared faculty investment, joint research institutes (SDGs/CE Partnership Research Institute, SDGs Human Resources Development Partnership Research Institute), student project programs, and joint event organization. The company leverages Aoyama Gakuin's academic network as its primary competitive differentiator.
• Okawa Printing Co., Ltd. (株式会社大川印刷)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-founding partner of BOAF consortium. Contributes publishing and printing capabilities to consortium activities and knowledge dissemination.
• Furusapo Co., Ltd. (株式会社ふるサポ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-founding partner of BOAF consortium, contributing regional revitalization support expertise.
• General Incorporated Association SDGs & ESG Management Consortium / BOAF (一般社団法人SDGs＆ESG経営コンソーシアム)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner青山Hicon is a founding co-creator of BOAF alongside Bay Hills Tax Accountant Corporation, Okawa Printing, and Furusapo. BOAF organizes free SDGs seminars, publishes digital books on multi-cultural management, and conducts research symposia. The consortium hosts BOAF ONLINE Winter School and various other educational programs. BOAF = Build On Ambitious Future.
• JA Mains (JAマインズ府中)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperating agricultural producer in the VCM (Value Chain Management) food loss reduction project. Provides surplus vegetables that would otherwise be discarded, which are used in university cafeteria menus and food education programs.
• Chiba University of Commerce / Sustainability Research Institute (千葉商科大学サステナビリティ研究所)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint research partner for the SDGs/CE Partnership Research Institute, conducting annual research symposiums on circular economy and sustainability.
• Welfare Organization Itaru Center (社会福祉法人いたるセンター)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWelfare organization participating in the VCM food loss reduction project as a cooking provision partner.
• UN University (国連大学)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-host of the SDGs University Lecture Series, providing international academic backing and speaker platforms (UN University Vice-Rector Kōji Takano).
• Japan Institute of Industrial Engineering (日本IE協会)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizer of IoT and industrial engineering training programs and seminars, including joint publications in IE Review journal.
• ManpowerGroup Japan (マンパワーグループ)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative SDGs x HR seminar for corporate talent management, combining ManpowerGroup's staffing expertise with Hicon's sustainability consulting.
• DNP (Dai Nippon Printing / 大日本印刷)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organized a seminar on circular economy and purpose-driven management with DNP's P&I (People & Innovation) division.
• Pasona Co., Ltd. (株式会社パソナ)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerSupports Pasona's job card (ジョブ・カード) popularization initiative — a government-funded career formation support program. Hicon assists with career seminars and training under the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare program.
• Next Retail Lab (次世代小売流通研究会)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAn industry research organization (NRL) focused on next-generation retail and digital marketing. Hicon serves as an operational support partner for NRL forums. The NRL forum series, hosted by Filgate and D4DR, has held over 68 editions with Hicon's support.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Nomura Research Institute (NRI): Large Japan-based consulting and IT services firm providing management consulting, digital transformation, and sustainability advisory to enterprises and government. Comparable as a Japanese consulting provider serving government and enterprise on strategy and digital/sustainability transformation.
• Accenture Japan: Global consulting firm with substantial Japan operations covering strategy, digital, and sustainability consulting. Comparable as a Japan-based management consulting provider for enterprises and government, including ESG-related advisory, though with much broader capability and headcount.
• PwC Consulting Japan: Major global professional services firm with Japan practice providing management consulting, ESG/sustainability advisory, and government consulting. Comparable to Hicon in serving Japanese enterprises and government on strategy and sustainability mandates, though at much larger scale.
• Deloitte Tohmatsu Consulting: One of Japan's largest professional services firms offering management consulting, including ESG/sustainability and digital transformation advisory across enterprise and government. Comparable to Hicon as a Japan-focused consulting provider serving large enterprises and government clients, but at significantly larger scale and broader scope.
• KPMG Consulting Japan: Global professional services network with Japan consulting practice offering strategy, sustainability, and government advisory services. Comparable to Hicon as a Japan-based consulting provider serving enterprise and government clients on ESG/strategy work.
• Ernst & Young Advisory (Japan): Global advisory firm with Japan operations offering management consulting, sustainability/ESG advisory, and government services. Comparable to Hicon as a Japan consulting provider serving enterprise and government clients on sustainability and transformation.

Direct peers

• Roland Berger: Global strategy consulting firm with strong Japan presence focused on management strategy, sustainability, and operational transformation for enterprises and government. Comparable to Hicon as a strategy/management consulting firm serving Japanese enterprises and government on sustainability and future-oriented strategy work.
• Bay Hills Tax Accountant Corporation: Japanese tax and accounting firm and co-founding partner of the BOAF consortium alongside Hicon, Okawa Printing, and Furusapo. Comparable as a Japan-based professional services partner operating in the same BOAF ESG management ecosystem and contributing financial/tax expertise to similar enterprise and ESG clients.
• A.T. Kearney (Kearney): Global management consulting firm with established Japan practice advising on strategy, operations, and sustainability. Comparable to Hicon in the strategy consulting niche serving Japanese enterprises, though at considerably larger scale and global reach.
• Furusapo Co., Ltd. Japanese firm specializing in regional revitalization support and co-founding partner of BOAF alongside Hicon. Comparable as a Japan-based regional revitalization services provider operating in the same BOAF consortium and addressing similar prefectural/municipal client needs.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/aogakuhicon
• Facebookfacebook.com/aogakuhicon

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Aoyama Gakuin Human Innovation Consulting Co., Ltd.