Yokohama Community Design Laboratories

What Yokohama Community Design Laboratories does

Yokohama Community Design Laboratories (特定非営利活動法人 横浜コミュニティデザイン・ラボ) is a non-profit research institute founded in 2003 and headquartered in the Kannai district of Yokohama, Japan. It operates as a community-design lab whose mission is to advance Yokohama as a world port city through practice-based research on regional revitalization, open innovation, and citizen participation. The organization runs a connected portfolio of community platforms, including the SakuraWORKS Kannai co-working space, the LOCAL GOOD YOKOHAMA digital platform (a 2014 launch combining news, 3D map visualization, crowdfunding, and skill-matching), hyperlocal media properties (Yokohama Keizai News since 2004 and Kohoku Keizai News), event and maker spaces (Taisei Pouch Front, FabLab Kannai, Yokohama City Kotobuki Collaboration Space), the Lab Book Ring author-talk series, and the Policy Design Study Group. It is governed by representative director Sugiura Yuki with board member Oeda Nami, and operates with 1-10 employees.

Commercially, the NPO is funded through a mix of co-working subscriptions (¥7,700/month OFFICE plan, ¥2,500/month PARTNER virtual office, ¥500 drop-in), annual membership dues (¥2,000-3,000), event and seminar fees (¥500-2,500), and commissioned projects from local government bodies including Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture, and the Yokohama City Board of Education. It also serves as the secretariat for the five-party Kanagawa disaster relief coordination body set up after the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and has formal partnerships with the Consumer Affairs Agency, Tokai University/saveMLAK, BankART Studio NYK, and the Kanto ICT Promotion NPO Council. SakuraWORKS houses roughly 24 organizations and the media/news archive totals 587 articles, 334 events, and 27 magazine features, indicating a small but active operating footprint constrained to the Yokohama metropolitan area.

The underlying technology stack is a lightweight community platform rather than a proprietary AI or data product: a CMS-driven local news operation, a crowdfunding/skill-matching portal built atop the LOCAL GOOD YOKOHAMA framework, social media channels (Facebook, Twitter/X, LINE), and physical co-working infrastructure. There is no disclosed AI-native product, no proprietary model, and no data flywheel; the AI dimension is thematic (e.g., Open Data Day 2026 themed "Open Data x Generative AI") rather than operational. Customer concentration is heavily skewed toward municipal government as the principal commissioning counterparty, with secondary exposure to freelancers, social entrepreneurs, and NPO tenants. Revenue is not publicly disclosed, and the organization operates without external equity funding, implying a small-scale, mission-driven economic model rather than a venture-backed growth profile.

Name

Yokohama Community Design Laboratories

Legal name

特定非营利活动法人 横滨社区设计实验室

Website

https://yokohamalab.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Yokohama Community Design Laboratories is a Yokohama-based NPO research institute founded in 2003 that operates coworking space SakuraWORKS, the LOCAL GOOD YOKOHAMA regional platform, hyperlocal news outlets, and event venues, serving citizens, social entrepreneurs, NPOs, and municipal government through community design and regional revitalization programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Development Services

akta.pro primary industry

Community Engagement & Participatory Planning (BPAHAKAO)

Keywords

• Community development services
• Co-working space operations
• Local digital media
• Regional revitalization
• Citizen engagement platforms

Headquarters

HQ city

Yokohama

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Co-working Space Membership Fees: Monthly subscription fees from office members using SakuraWORKS facilities. Office plan at ¥7,700/month, Partner virtual office at ¥2,500/month, plus drop-in fees.
2. Event and Seminar Fees: Revenue from workshops, seminars, policy design study sessions, and author talk events. Fees typically ranging from ¥500-2,500 per event.
3. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees: General members ¥3,000/year, Supporting members ¥2,000/year, Corporate members same rate.
4. Commissioned Projects: Project-based revenue from local government contracts and institutional委托 work, including disaster relief support, open data initiatives, and community development programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Yokohama Community Design Laboratories is a non-profit research institute that operates an integrated community development platform in Yokohama. Its core offerings include the SakuraWORKS Kannai co-working space, the LOCAL GOOD YOKOHAMA digital platform for civic crowdfunding and skill-matching, and commissioned community design projects for local government. Supporting services include event space rental (Taisei Pouch Front), a digital fabrication makerspace (FabLab Kannai), local digital media (Yokohama Keizai News / Kohoku Keizai News), and the Yokohama Kotobuki Collaboration Space for elderly community engagement.

Product overview

Yokohama Community Design Laboratories is a non-profit organization offering a portfolio of interconnected community development products and services centered on regional revitalization and citizen engagement. The core offerings include SakuraWORKS Kannai, a social good co-working space providing physical infrastructure for entrepreneurs and NPOs; LOCAL GOOD YOKOHAMA, a digital platform combining news, crowdfunding, skill-matching, and 3D map visualization for community issues; and regional media properties including Yokohama Keizai News and Kohoku Keizai News. Supporting services include event spaces (Taisei Pouch Front), the Lab Book Ring community bookshelf, Policy Design Study Group seminars, the Yokohama Kyoso Consortium, and FabLab Kannai makerspace. The membership program connects individuals and organizations to these resources. Together, these products form a comprehensive ecosystem for regional information dissemination, physical and digital community spaces, funding mechanisms, and skill-sharing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SakuraWORKS Kannai (さくらWORKS＜関内＞) A social-good co-working space and shared office in Kannai, Yokohama, offering flexible workspace plans (OFFICE ¥7,700/month, PARTNER virtual ¥2,500/month), drop-in access (¥500 per 2-hour session), event space, and community support for social entrepreneurs, freelancers, and NPOs. Currently hosts 24+ resident organizations.
• LOCAL GOOD YOKOHAMA A regional digital platform connecting citizens, social entrepreneurs, and local organizations through news, 3D map visualization of community issues, crowdfunding functionality, and skill-matching services to address regional challenges in Yokohama.
• Taisei Pouch Front (泰生ポーチフロント) An event and collaboration space in the Kannai area of Yokohama, available for member and non-member rental (¥1,100/hour with member discounts) for workshops, seminars, and community gatherings.
• FabLab Kannai (ファブラボ関内) A digital fabrication laboratory and makerspace in the Kannai area providing access to manufacturing tools and digital fabrication equipment for community members, supporting local prototyping and manufacturing initiatives.
• Yokohama City Kotobuki Collaboration Space (横浜市ことぶき協働スペース) A collaboration space dedicated to elderly community engagement in Yokohama, providing facilities and programming for senior citizen participation in community activities.

Quantifiable outcome

• 24+ organizations housed in co-working space, 334 events hosted, established since 2003

Named customers4 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

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Yokohama City / Consumer Affairs Agency (横浜市/消費者庁)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 February 2017Partnership under consumer life collaboration promotion contract for 'Ethical Consumption Social Consumer Training Course' addressing sustainable consumption, food loss reduction, and local production for local consumption.
• Tokai University / saveMLAK (東海大学/saveMLAK)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 November 2011Collaboration on the Natori City Library Donuri Children's Room project, coordinating donations and volunteer support for disaster-affected library reconstruction in Miyagi Prefecture.
• Kanagawa Prefecture / Kanagawa Social Welfare Council / Kanagawa Disaster Volunteer Network (神奈川県/神奈川県社会福祉協議会/神奈川災害ボランティアネットワーク)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 March 2011Five-party coordination body established after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake for disaster relief support, information sharing, and ongoing regional disaster preparedness initiatives. The NPO serves as secretariat and coordination hub.
• Kanagawa Disaster Volunteer Network (神奈川災害ボランティアネットワーク)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing information support partnership for disaster relief volunteer activities, including publishing volunteer guides and coordinating information volunteer recruitment.
• Yokohama City Economic Bureau (横浜市経済局)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple commissioned projects including open data promotion, business data science seminars, and tourism/MICE data utilization initiatives.
• Yokohama City Board of Education (横浜市教委)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on 'はまっ子未来カンパニープロジェクト' entrepreneurship education program connecting schools with businesses across 29 schools.
• Kanto ICT Promotion NPO Council (関東ICT推進NPO連絡協議会)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork partnership promoting ICT utilization among NPOs in the Kanto region, participating in 'Our Town CM Contest' activities.
• BankART Studio NYKminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on arts and cultural events in Yokohama waterfront area, co-hosting green drinks and community networking events.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Living in Peace: Japanese NPO supporting children's welfare and community-based social programs through donations and volunteer coordination. Comparable in the NPO/Third Sector model and use of community platforms to coordinate citizen action, though the social issue focus is narrower.
• TABLE FOR TWO International: Japanese-originated NPO addressing global food issues through corporate partnerships and citizen engagement programs. Comparable as a Japan-based NPO that uses community platforms and corporate/government partnerships to drive social impact at scale.
• Social Innovation Japan (SIJ): Platform and community supporting social innovation ventures across Japan, with events and resource-sharing. Comparable as a community and platform-based organization fostering cross-sector collaboration for social impact, though not anchored in a single city.
• GreenBird: Japanese community-action NPO known for local clean-up campaigns and citizen engagement events. Comparable as a community organizing NPO with strong volunteer activation capabilities, though narrower in focus (environmental cleanup vs. broader regional revitalization).

Broad incumbents

• LITALICO: Listed Japanese social services company providing education, welfare, and employment support with a focus on social impact. Comparable as a larger social-purpose organization in Japan, though LITALICO is a for-profit enterprise with formal service-delivery operations rather than community-platform model.
• WeWork Japan: Global co-working operator with presence across Japanese cities. Comparable as a co-working space competitor in the broader workspace market, but operates a commercial premium model without the social-impact and regional revitalization framing of SakuraWORKS.
• Kanagawa Shimbun: Established regional newspaper covering Kanagawa Prefecture. Comparable as a hyperlocal news media outlet serving the same geography as Yokohama Community Design Lab's Keizai Shimbun brands, though it is a much larger legacy newspaper operation.

Direct peers

• co-ba shibuya: Community-oriented co-working space in Shibuya, Tokyo, designed to foster collaboration among freelancers, creators, and small ventures. Directly comparable as a community-framed co-working operator, though it lacks the local media and regional revitalization programming of Yokohama Community Design Lab.
• Impact Hub Tokyo: Social impact co-working and innovation hub in Tokyo, operating physical workspace plus programming for social entrepreneurs and NPOs. Most directly comparable to Yokohama Community Design Lab because of the combined co-working + community impact model, though Impact Hub Tokyo is part of a global network with more international programming.
• ETIC. (Entrepreneurial Training for Innovative Communities): Established Japanese NPO focused on supporting social entrepreneurs and community-building ventures through training, networking, and incubation. Comparable because it operates in the same social-venture support ecosystem, providing infrastructure and convening for impact-oriented founders in Japan.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/hamakei

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries8 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 Yokohama Community Design Laboratories