< Overview >
A research team from the Urban and Transportation Systems Laboratory, Department of Architecture and Urban Systems, Toyohashi University of Technology (lead researcher: Dr. Mustafa Mutahari), has developed a quantitative policy evaluation framework for assessing how cities can attract startups while maintaining high living standards. In this study, the team evaluated the startup ecosystem under an air-front smart city using a model that integrates Quality of Life (QOL), Quality of Business (QOB), and accessibility from both digital and physical dimensions, and revealed that policy, accessibility, and QOL are the key determinants. This research was conducted as part of the JST e-ASIA Joint Research Program, an international collaborative project involving Japan, Thailand, and the Philippines, and the findings have been published in Smart Cities , an international academic journal.
< Details >
With the aim of addressing a critical gap in smart city research and startup policy evaluation in cities, a policy-oriented analytical framework was developed that enables simultaneous assessment of both the business environment and the living environment. This provides policymakers with useful insights and tools for startup attraction and policy evaluation.
This study addresses a critical gap in smart city research and urban startup policy evaluation by moving beyond technology-centered approaches and developing a policy-oriented analytical framework that simultaneously evaluates business environments and living conditions. The study provides policymakers with insights into startup attraction and policy evaluation tools.
The key findings of the study are as follows:
Dr. Mustafa Mutahari, the lead researcher of this study, stated: “startup-related policies in smart cities should not be driven by technology alone. Our findings show that startups respond to a complex system in which institutional and regulatory conditions, accessibility, and QOL are closely interrelated. The most effective cities are those that strategically integrate these elements, balancing economic competitiveness with human well-being, rather than prioritizing one over the others.”
< Future Outlook >
The research team plans to develop a decision-support tool for policymakers that enables scenario simulation, policy evaluation, and optimization of the startup ecosystem, and aims to apply it to actual cities. This research seeks to contribute to the development of human-centered and sustainable smart cities, supporting policy design that integrates economic growth, quality of life, and environmental sustainability.
< Publication Information >
Mutahari, M.; Sugiki, N.; Takano, T.; Morita, H.; Hayashi, Y.; Matsuo, K. Startup-Driven Air-Front Smart City Policy Evaluation Using Integrated Accessibility Index: A Case Study of Aichi, Singapore, and Munich. Smart Cities. 2026, 9(4), 57. https://doi.org/10.3390/smartcities9040057
Smart Cities
Experimental study
Not applicable