Toyota’s Woven City Now Open—Startups, Are You Ready?

Woven City: Toyota’s Dream Playground Gets a Grand Invitation

Akio Toyoda, Toyota’s big boss, just dropped a major announcement at CES 2025. He’s taken the concept of a “living laboratory” from science‑fiction to the real world, and the city isn’t just throwing bricks; it’s inviting the next wave of innovators.

What the City Is All About

• Location: A 175‑acre plot at the base of Mt. Fuji, Japan.
• Purpose: A sandbox where startups, robots, and autonomous tech get to play—and grow.
• Kickoff: Expected launch in the fall of 2025 (or shortly after).

Hey, You! Yes, you! (Sprinkled with humor)

In a charismatic speech, Toyoda (with a charismatic wink) said: “Today I call out to anyone, anywhere, who is pumped to make a difference. Step up, make a change, and feel good about it.” He tipped his hat to the audience, delivering an “official invitation” to roll up their sleeves and help build Woven City.

How Toyota Is Opening the Doors

• Summer pitch contest: Startups & individuals with fresh ideas can shout out for a chance to win.
• Scholarships: $500,000 “raising the roof” for projects that need financial backing.
• Future‑ready tech: wooing electric air taxis, autonomous vehicles, and even rockets (yes, rockets—look out for the satellites!).

Dreaming Big with Rockets

At the event, Toyoda got even more ambitious:

“We’re investing 7 billion yen ($44 million) into Interstellar Technologies Inc., like a boss, to get those rockets ready for the big telecom stage.”

The goal? Build robust telecommunications that will keep autonomous vehicles humming.

Comedy note: Toyoda himself admits the rocket venture might not make money—but hey, that’s the spirit of innovation, right?

From 2020 to Now

• Detroiting the idea five years ago at CES 2020—an “autopilot utopia” with Toyota’s shuttles and robots.
• Now, it’s a living, breathing lab, sourcing founders, financiers, and fresh brains.

So, whether you’re a budding inventor, a seasoned entrepreneur, or just someone who dreams of flying cars, take this as a personal call. Woven City wants you to bring your ideas to life—join the adventure!

Tech and VC heavyweights join the Disrupt 2025 agenda

Netflix, ElevenLabs, Wayve, Sequoia Capital, Elad Gil — just a few of the heavy hitters joining the Disrupt 2025 agenda. They’re here to deliver the insights that fuel startup growth and sharpen your edge. Don’t miss the 20th anniversary of TechCrunch Disrupt, and a chance to learn from the top voices in tech — grab your ticket now and save up to $600+ before prices rise.

Tech and VC heavyweights join the Disrupt 2025 agenda

Netflix, ElevenLabs, Wayve, Sequoia Capital — just a few of the heavy hitters joining the Disrupt 2025 agenda. They’re here to deliver the insights that fuel startup growth and sharpen your edge. Don’t miss the 20th anniversary of TechCrunch Disrupt, and a chance to learn from the top voices in tech — grab your ticket now and save up to $675 before prices rise.

Toyota’s Woven City: Turning Kyoto Dreams into Reality

Oct. 27‑29, 2025 – San Francisco

Ever wondered how a car giant might actually try to shape tomorrow’s city? Toyota’s Woven City, a brainwave‑filled, tech‑savvy hub built in Susono, is exactly that experiment. In February 2021, the company broke ground on the old Higashi‑Fuji Plant, and now, three years later, the city is bustling with innovators.

What’s Woven City All About?

Imagine a place where engineers, scientists, entrepreneurs, and even retirees all share a living space—think co‑working meets co‑living. That’s the essence of the first phase: buildings designed to foster “co‑creation.”

“I hear you: is this going to make Toyota cash? Maybe not,” said Yukio Toyoda, the executive who’s shepherding the project. “But as global citizens, we owe it to the future. We’re putting our learnings out there and supporting fresh ideas.”

Phase 1 Highlights

• Groundbreaking – February 2021, former Higashi‑Fuji Plant site.
• Living Lab – Residents include researchers, entrepreneurs, and retirees.
• Tech Showcase – Everything from autonomous vehicles to smart infrastructure.

“We’re Not Making Money…but We’re Making a Difference”

It’s a bit like attending a fancy university where the alumni fund the tuition. The company is pioneering by letting Woven City learn from itself and then passing on that insight to the next phase.

Phase 2: The Future is a Work‑In‑Progress

While the spruced‑up Higashi‑Fuji plant is being turned into a high‑tech manufacturing hub, Phase 2 will still be a bit, well, “handy” as “coming soon.” Toyota’s plan is to fold in lessons from Phase 1 before expanding further. It’s a “lessons‑learned, then go big” strategy.

Who’s Hanging Out in Woven City?

It’s not just Toyota employees. Think:

These are all moving to the city on both permanent and project‑based shifts. It’s a hybrid in‑house‑and‑out‑of‑office vibe.

Quick Snapshot of Collaborators

• ENEOS Corporation – Cutting‑edge energy solutions.
• Nippon Telegraph and Telephone (NTT) – Next‑gen communications.
• Rinnai Corporation – “We’re all about a cozy, water‑efficient future.”

Bottom Line: Toyota’s Woven City Is Basically the Future on “Track”

Whether you see it as an ambitious research lab, a community of future builders, or Toyota’s own way of telling the world “We’re in this together,” one thing is clear: it’s a bold step that ties together technology, community, and curiosity. And it’s sure to keep the conversation about the future of cities alive—maybe even with a few chuckles along the way.

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