.KNOTs Pitch Event Held

On Wednesday, October 14, 2026, the pitch event for the Fall 2026 semester program of .KNOTs, one of APU’s community engagement hubs under the APU Connection Hub initiative was held.

.KNOTs is a co-creation program in which APU students work alongside companies and local communities for approximately three months to tackle real-world challenges and explore innovative ideas and solutions. This semester, five organizations participated in the program: Eternal Hospitality Group Co. Ltd., Hiji Town Office, Eto Oxygen Co. Ltd., Beppu City Hall, and Maruzen Junkudo Bookstores Co. Ltd. During the pitch event, representatives from each organization introduced their businesses or communities, shared the challenges they face, and presented future possibilities while recruiting students to collaborate with them.

The challenges presented by each organization were as follows:

Eternal Hospitality Group Co. Ltd.

Hiji Town Office

Eto Oxygen Co. Ltd.

Beppu City Hall

Maruzen Junkudo Bookstores Co. Ltd.

Following the pitch event, students interested in participating submitted applications indicating the organizations with which they hoped to collaborate with. A kickoff event, where participating students and representatives from each organization will meet for the first time, will be held on November 4, marking the start of approximately three months of co-creation activities. Throughout the program, students and partner organizations will work together to address these challenge questions. A midterm presentation session is scheduled for December 2, followed by the final showcase event, the .KNOTs Summit, on January 20, 2027, where participants will present the outcomes of their projects.