At CES 2025, Akio Toyoda, Chairman of Toyota Motor Corporation, announced that the company’s experimental Woven City is officially “open for business.”
Located at the base of Mount Fuji in Japan, the 175-acre prototype city will serve as a testing ground for cutting-edge technologies, startups, and inventors aiming to create solutions for future mobility, energy, and urban living.
A Call for Global Innovators
Akio Toyoda extended an open invitation to startups and individuals worldwide, stating:
“Today, I say to anyone inspired to make a difference: Please consider this your official invitation to join us at Woven City.”
The city will launch its operations in fall 2025. To encourage participation, Toyota plans to host a pitch competition this summer and provide scholarships to support startups and inventors bringing transformative ideas to life.
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Expanding Beyond Original Vision
Initially announced at CES 2020 as a utopian city to showcase Toyota’s autonomous vehicles and robotics, Woven City’s vision has evolved. Toyoda revealed plans that now include:
- Electric air taxis in partnership with Joby Aviation (Toyota has invested $500 million in the company).
- Rocket technology for robust telecommunications infrastructure.
- Autonomous vehicles and advanced urban systems integrated throughout the city.
Toyota has invested 7 billion yen ($44 million USD) in Interstellar Technologies Inc. to support rocket mass production.
Progress and Future Phases
Construction began in February 2021 at the former site of Toyota’s Higashi-Fuji Plant. The first phase focuses on buildings designed for “co-creation” activities, where employees, scientists, entrepreneurs, and even retirees will live and collaborate. Plans for Phase 2 are underway, with lessons from Phase 1 guiding future development.
A Hub for Collaboration
Woven City has already attracted startups and companies, including WbyT, alongside partnerships with organizations like ENEOS Corporation, Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation, and Rinnai Corporation.
Toyoda acknowledged the city’s experimental nature, stating:
“This may not make Toyota money, but as global citizens, we have a responsibility to invest in our collective future and support new ideas.”
Building a Sustainable Future
Woven City represents Toyota’s commitment to sustainability, innovation, and collaborative problem-solving. By inviting global startups and entrepreneurs, it aims to accelerate progress in creating a better-connected, zero-emission future.
