Inspired by the idea of Synecoculture as food production, based on the self-organization of ecosystems as open complex systems. This led to a propose paradigm shift, from the physiological optimum focused on individual plants to the ecological optimum for the ecosystem as a whole. Began to build an academic foundation and develop information and communication technologies to support the practice. A series of research activities, popularized as augmented ecosystems, have been published as scientific papers in a Nature Research journal.

Started experimenting with Synecoculture in Burkina Faso, West Africa, with a local NGO. Planted 150 kinds of useful plants in desertified land, which took root without dying even in the dry season and greened the land to be like a tropical jungle within a year. Based on the success of this experiment, five international symposiums have been held, and the project received an ECOWAS grant through a Call for Proposals for the Agro-ecological Transition Support Project (PATAE) in Mali, and has been introduced into the national project of the New Coronavirus Relief Fund in Togo.

Established Synecoculture Association. With researchers and instructors with backgrounds in biology, complex systems, information science, agriculture, design and curation, the organization conducts research and dissemination activities in a variety of fields, including food production, education, urban planning, living space and care and welfare.

Launched an urban proof-of-concept trial in the rooftop gardens at Roppongi Hills to test the introduction of Synecoculture and Augmented Ecosystems. The large planters set up were mainly for vegetables and fruit trees, with about 100 species of plants around them, and over 200 species of useful plants in the soil of the rooftop garden. Based on the Synecoculture proof-of-concept trial and the implementation of augmented ecosystems in urban spaces, we produced a Synecoculture principles learning kit. Contributed the article “Meta-Metabolism Manifesto” to hito-wa-asu-douikiruka [How People Will Live Tomorrow] (NTT Publishing), published in the same year.

SynecO, Inc. was established with the support of Sony’s first environmental fund to promote the social implementation of Augmented Ecosystems such as Synecoculture. With the vision of Living with All Life Together, the company aims to contribute to sustainable food production, green infrastructure in urban areas to adapt to climate change, education for the next generation, and health and social services, including the environment, by shifting to economic activities that include the reproduction of natural capital.