What is a city, and why do people gather in one place?

For centuries, people have built cities for connection, convenience, and a better life. Today, as we face challenges like climate change and inequality, how we design and sustain them matters more than ever.

A visit to Singapore shifted our view of innovation. It’s not just about tech—it’s about how cities are planned and built.

At the Smart Nation Cityscape exhibition by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), we were struck by Singapore’s long-term vision. Beyond addressing current issues, the city plans 40–50 years ahead, allocating land and revising plans through open dialogue with citizens.

The result—a flexible, sustainable city that evolves with its people.

A recent example of this vision is the Punggol Digital District (PDD)—a district where industry, education, and community living come together, seamlessly supported by innovations like AI-managed energy, robotic deliveries, and smart infrastructure.

Together, these efforts show that true urban innovation lies in designing cities that grow with people—balancing technology, planning, and everyday human needs.

In Singapore, sustainability isn’t an added feature—it’s part of the foundation. At PDD, from green building standards to district-wide cooling systems and AI-managed energy grids, sustainability is built directly into infrastructure.

This mindset extended to our visit to OptimAI, a fintech company using AI to build future-ready financial systems. Their approach goes beyond digital efficiency, focusing on aligning technology with social and environmental responsibility— conversations weren’t just about product features, but about shared values.

Singapore’s model doesn’t only shine in its infrastructure—it’s evident in how it invests in people. During our visit to Nanyang Technological University (NTU), we met graduate students engaged in advanced, sustainability-driven research. Many had international backgrounds and shared a strong sense of purpose beyond borders. These connections reinforced our belief at Freewill: innovation is most powerful when it is inclusive.

Singapore’s tech ecosystem is not only efficient—it’s accessible. New technologies are demystified, embedded into everyday spaces, and shaped by feedback from the communities they serve. This approach reminds us of our in-house services such as Tells Market and SPIN which are designed with users—not just for them.

Singapore’s success prompted us to consider how these same values—long-term planning, inclusive governance, and embedded innovation—could be applied to Japan’s evolving urban landscape. While Japan is renowned for its efficiency and infrastructure, it still faces ongoing challenges: declining populations, isolated communities, and uneven access to digital tools—especially outside major cities.

At Freewill, we resolve to build purpose-driven platforms that go beyond surface-level solutions.

Tells Market encourages ethical consumption by connecting users to culture-rich, local producers. Meanwhile, SPIN empowers individuals and organizations to track, visualize, and grow their positive contributions to sustainability and social good.

Much like Singapore’s city-wide innovations, these platforms are designed to be embedded into daily life, supporting long-term impact through small, intentional choices.

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In both Japan and beyond, the future of innovation lies not just in what we build, but how we build it—and who we build it with.

Singapore didn’t just show us what the future looks like; it renewed our sense of purpose: to not only develop better technology, but to build with a shared vision of sustainability, inclusivity, and long-term human impact.