Salzburg Global Fellows from Japan and India came together to co-create inclusive technology for social good
Over the past five years, the Japan-India Transformative Technology Network has evolved into a vibrant community of open-minded leaders committed to building equitable futures through cross-border innovation. Conceived in 2020 through a partnership between Salzburg Global and the Nippon Foundation, the network responds to systemic challenges in both countries, united by the goal of creating technology that serves those who need it most.
Fellows across the program’s four cohorts, including Fellows Yuki Takishima, Tomofumi Fukamiya, Nidhi Bhasin, Neha Malhotra, and Siddarth Daga, engaged in dialogues to shape ideas addressing their countries’ pressing needs. Advancing the goal of cross-border problem-solving, they focus on sustainable, user-centered models that move beyond traditional welfare approaches to support local communities through technology.
Addressing Funding Challenges for Assistive Technologies
Among the many issues tackled by Fellows, disability inclusion through assistive technology stands out as a vital area of innovation. As the global population ages and the number of individuals with disabilities increases, assistive technology is no longer a luxury, it is a necessity. In countries like India and Japan, innovators are leveraging technology to ensure that people with disabilities are not just surviving but thriving as active members of society.
As Siddarth Daga, co-founder and chief impact officer of NeoMotion Assistive Solutions described, assistive technology in India has historically been grounded in a welfare-based model, heavily reliant on government schemes and charitable donations. While well-intentioned, this approach often created a culture of dependency and put economic stress on the providing country. Siddarth is among a new generation of innovators challenging this status quo. “Disability has always been a donation-centric industry,” he said, instead suggesting that individuals with disabilities should be supported in financing this technology for themselves.
NeoMotion, Siddarth’s Chennai-based startup, develops smart mobility solutions that aim to redefine independence for people with locomotor disabilities. Their products enable users to pursue education, employment, and sports activities, bridging the gap between mobility and meaningful participation in society. Siddharth highlighted that “the challenges that India and Japan face are similar, including challenges in disability [rights].”
In Japan, an aging population is also intensifying the demand for assistive technology. Tomofumi Fukamiya, founder of a Tokyo-based assistive tech company, The Elements, believes in a user-centered, inclusive approach. He highlighted the challenge of funding assistive technologies, and the need to move away from relying solely on government support. He has been working to develop an “inclusive hub” platform which aims to provide a comprehensive resource for people with disabilities to find both technology and support services. According to Tomofumi, users can “go to the website, get supportive information, and [this platform] makes it easy for them to find out a suitable solution.”
Both Siddharth and Tomofumi are working to ensure that technological solutions are not only accessible, but also practical and relevant for people with disabilities. They reinforced the importance of making sure that these technologies are affordable and available for all.
Elevating Women in Health Tech and Rural Communities
Alongside mobility, health technology is another frontier where Fellows are driving transformative changes. One of the standout areas of focus across cohorts has been health technology, where AI-driven innovations are rapidly advancing diagnostics and care. Neha Malhotra is the founder of MeritX Ventures working at the intersection of innovation, investments, and entrepreneurship in India and beyond.
She is deeply committed to ensuring more women are included in the health tech sector, highlighting that while less than 2% of venture capital funding goes to women, the potential impact of greater inclusion is profound. “With more women investors, more women advisors, more women enablers, you naturally unlock more women-founded businesses,” she emphasized.
Neha adds “I am very bullish on health tech innovations, particularly those well-suited for low-resource settings. In diagnostics, for example, we are seeing AI-driven platforms that use brain scans, thermal imaging, and other clinical data to enable earlier screening and more precise treatment pathways. And importantly, we are increasingly seeing women founders leading such path-breaking solutions.”
At the same time, Neha offered a thoughtful reminder of technology’s double-edged nature. “Technology can catalyze social change, but if left unregulated, it may marginalize communities further,” she cautioned, stressing the importance of inclusion and balancing stakeholders’ interests to mitigate potential risks.
Technology also plays a critical role in shaping inclusive and livable communities, particularly for women in rural areas. Nidhi Bhasin, CEO at Digital Green Trust in India, is passionate about serving the intersectionality of technology, gender, climate, and agriculture. She explained that in many Indian villages, women are left behind when men migrate to urban centers in search of work. These women often depend on agriculture for their livelihood but face barriers to information, mobility, and financial independence.
Nidhi further pointed out that accessing technology allows women to “take better decisions, have more confidence, and have a seat at the table,” she said. “If the agricultural economy needs to move forward, then women need to be more empowered. We have to design solutions which are targeting women,” she further explained.
A renewed focus on gender equity underscores Fellows’ broader commitment to inclusion and innovation. What emerges from these insights is a vision of liveable communities and inclusive health systems where technology is an enabler, and where women are not an add-on but the foundation.
Cross-Border Collaboration as a Catalyst for Impact
The past five years of the Japan-India Transformative Technology Network have demonstrated that impactful solutions are born not just from expertise, but from shared experience. Across the four cohorts, Fellows have engaged in meaningful dialogue about their respective challenges, uncovering common ground and opportunities for joint action. For many, the Japan-India Transformative Technology Network has reframed their understanding of what’s possible through cross-border collaboration.
International collaboration plays a critical role in this vision. Neha highlighted the powerful synergy between India and Japan, where mature technology ecosystems and complex social needs find fertile ground for shared problem-solving. “We have really just scratched the surface,” she said, pointing to how expanding such partnerships can accelerate not just economic exchange but systemic social impact. Nidhi echoed this sentiment, noting, “Japan brings depth and accuracy in technology, while India can take things to scale…it’s a brilliant combination.”
For Yuki Takishima, vice president of social impact design at READYFOR in Japan, cross-border collaboration holds immense promise for tackling shared challenges between Japan and India. He sees “a business chance or a collaboration chance,” noting that societal issues like decreasing rural populations are similar in both countries, offering opportunities for mutual learning and partnership.
Yuki also underscored the indispensable role of technology in addressing social issues. He cited the successful example of the Japanese government enabling citizens to utilize digital products and digital public goods, saying that based on this, “Every social issue should be solved by technology or innovation.”
As the Japan-India Transformative Technology Network reflects on its first five years, it does so not just as a program but as a proof of concept. Collaboration that is intentional, inclusive, and grounded in shared values has the power to generate scalable social impact. What began as an experiment in bilateral cooperation has become a model for how innovative ecosystems can be built with empathy and equity at the core.
These Fellows are members of the fourth cohort of the Japan-India Transformative Technology Network, which connects and empowers outstanding change-makers in two countries on the forefront of technological progress in Asia – India and Japan. The program offers a platform for those working towards social good to maximize the benefits of various forms of new technologies.
