LocationMind Inc. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Naoki Kiritani), a geospatial AI company originating from the University of Tokyo, has been selected for the FY2024 Supplementary Budget: Future-Oriented Co-creation and Other Projects with the Global South (Large-Scale Demonstration, Non-ASEAN Member Countries), a program sponsored by Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). LocationMind will develop a tourism-specific geospatial AI, conduct inbound tourism flow analysis in the Middle East, and implement and evaluate advertising strategies and in-trip advertisements.

About the Project

The FY2024 Supplementary Budget: Future-Oriented Co-creation and Other Projects with the Global South (Large-Scale Demonstration, Non-ASEAN Member Countries) is a METI initiative that provides partial funding for large-scale demonstration projects carried out by Japanese companies. Its goal is to revitalise markets in Global South countries and strengthen economic partnerships with Japan.

LocationMind will conduct the Geospatial AI Demonstration Project to Accelerate Global Human Movement in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and the State of Qatar. The project will involve analysing inbound tourism flows, developing advertising strategies, and verifying the implementation and effectiveness of in-trip advertising within these countries.

Project Duration: Planned for three years from the date of grant approval
Project Details:

1. Nationwide Analysis:
   Global geospatial big data from smartphone GPS devices will be used to analyse human traffic flow in major tourist destinations across the three target countries (Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Qatar). The results of this analysis will inform the formulation of effective marketing strategies.
2. Attraction AI:
   AI will be employed to identify and target individuals both within the target countries and worldwide who show a strong interest in tourism. Tailored promotional initiatives will then be deployed to attract these potential visitors.
3. In-Trip Advertisements:
   Bluetooth beacons will be installed at tourist sites in the target countries to detect actual visits. This will enable the delivery of push advertisements through apps to promote spending during a visitor's trip.

Commercial Business Model

Vision and Social Impact of the Project

This project aims to use geospatial AI to bring new value and experiences to society.

Partnerships with Target Countries
We will conduct demonstration experiments and verify the potential for commercialisation by collaborating with various businesses in the tourism and advertising sectors of the target countries, utilising our technology. We will also undertake initiatives with Japanese companies interested in outbound tourism to the target countries, while keeping in mind the benefits for Japan. We actively welcome inquiries from all interested parties.

Contributing to High Growth in the Tourism Sector
We will support the high growth of the tourism industry—a key objective for the three target countries—through innovative digital initiatives. In the tourism AI market, where no de facto standard for using location data has yet been established, we aim for LocationMind to secure an early and dominant share. Our technology has the potential to become an alternative to traditional methods, such as cookies.

Strengthening Data Collection and Building an R&D Foundation
We will strengthen our access to global geospatial big data and enhance our AI development and analysis capabilities, both in Japan and internationally. This will help overcome the disadvantage of Japanese companies, which lag behind large global IT firms in data collection, and prevent missed opportunities in overseas markets. This effort will also lay a strong foundation for world-leading research and development.

Message from Naoki Kiritani, CEO of LocationMind Inc.

We are honored to have been selected for this program. LocationMind has been working toward entering the Middle Eastern market as a company that analyses real-world events, particularly large-scale human mobility. High-growth countries in the Middle East—both in terms of population and economy—are attractive targets for us. This project is a significant opportunity for our expansion into the region.

The AI field, on the other hand, requires substantial upfront investment in data preparation, computing resources, and the development of specific use cases. As mentioned earlier, Middle Eastern countries represent highly attractive markets for us; however, compared to Europe and the United States, many of these nations remain challenging for Japanese companies to enter.

This Global South program from Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry is particularly appealing and will serve as a vital driving force in helping us overcome the significant investment burden required for this initiative. Without this program, it would be difficult for us to pursue a project of this scale and ambition.

We are committed to actively expanding our business in the Middle East, viewing it as our next key market following Japan and the United States.

Analysing inbound tourism requires building a digital infrastructure that enables data collaboration across national borders—a challenge far more complex than conducting analyses within a single country. We will move forward by establishing a global data infrastructure in collaboration with partners across various regions, striving for Japan to lead the world in data, analytics, and the industries—such as advertising—that are built upon them.