TERRA-MICHI to Open Free Public Beta of AI That Helps Developing Asia Build Without Trading Away Nature

Following an MoU with Cambodia's Kandal Province, Japan's isVIT invites impact investors to help scale climate-resilient land planning across Southeast Asia

TOKYO, JAPAN, October 13, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- isVIT Co., Ltd. today announced that the free public beta of TERRA-MICHI, an AI and GIS land-planning platform that lets planners weigh terrain, water and nature together before construction begins, will open on October 20, 2026. The beta will be free and available in English, Japanese and Khmer at terra-michi.earth. The announcement follows a Memorandum of Understanding signed on October 9 with the Kandal Provincial Administration, which surrounds Cambodia's capital, Phnom Penh.

The costliest land decisions are made first. The Asian Development Bank estimates that developing Asia needs USD 1.7 trillion a year in climate-adjusted infrastructure investment through 2030. In Cambodia, the World Bank estimates that climate change could cost up to 9% of GDP by 2050 without adaptation, and notes that new urban growth is increasingly placing residents in flood-prone areas. Where a road runs and how high a site is graded decide how water flows and how much earth must move, yet these choices are often fixed early, with little data and scarce expertise.

What TERRA-MICHI does. TERRA-MICHI puts terrain, rainwater flow, land cover and development plans on one map. In the beta, users will be able to:
- Check contours, elevation and terrain-based rainwater flow before drawing a plan
- Overlay land cover such as forests, mangroves, wetlands and water bodies
- Lay out roads and site grading, then review cross-sections and approximate cut-and-fill volumes
- Compare alternative plans by score and export the preferred plan to detailed-design software

Displays and volumes are reference values for early-stage planning. Real projects still require site surveys and professional review.

45 years of earthworks judgment, made usable by others. isVIT was founded by a land-development engineer with 45 years of earthworks practice and a team with IT development experience. It captures how experienced engineers read terrain, handle water and avoid unnecessary earth movement, so local practitioners can apply that judgment through AI. isVIT is conducting research on forest connectivity, water flow and habitats with the Royal University of Agriculture, and works with the Royal University of Phnom Penh under an MoU.

Government cooperation in Kandal Province. The MoU on strategic cooperation for integrated urban development planning and project formulation was signed on October 9, 2026, after approval in principle by the Royal Government of Cambodia. Kandal Province, home to about 1.43 million people, is developing rapidly around the new Techo International Airport. The cooperation will start in the airport area, assessing land use, roads, drainage and flood measures together. Cambodia's Senate, the Embassy of Japan and JETRO attended the signing.

"On behalf of the Kandal Provincial Administration, I express full support for this project," said H.E. Kuoch Chamroeun, Governor of Kandal Province, in his welcome address. The Governor highlighted flood resilience, links to Techo International Airport and environmental protection as priorities and hoped the cooperation would attract support from JICA and other development partners.

"Urban development and project formation cannot be achieved in a short time," said Koichi Ito, President and CEO of isVIT. "We will listen to local communities, work hand in hand with the Kandal Provincial Government, and deliver one step at a time, with full responsibility. I am prepared to dedicate the rest of my life to this work."

Why it matters for impact. TERRA-MICHI is designed to change decisions at the stage where they are cheapest to change. isVIT plans to track early indicators in pilots: plan changes made for drainage or flood exposure, conservation areas identified before layouts are fixed, and local practitioners able to use the workflow and explain their decisions.

Where it began. On his first visit to Cambodia, Ito met barefoot children at the foot of Oudong Mountain in Kandal Province and brought them shoes from Japan. He still delivers shoes and clothing to rural communities himself.

For impact investors. isVIT is raising seed financing to fund 18 months of product validation, expert-built training data and paid pilots in Japan and Cambodia. The company welcomes conversations with impact investors focused on climate adaptation, nature and resilient communities in Southeast Asia.

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbUYHrBmGKI

Note: The Governor's remarks are translated from the Japanese translation of his October 9, 2026 welcome address.

Koichi Ito
isVIT Co., Ltd.
koichi.ito@isvit.asia
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This is TERRA-MICHI: screened at the MoU signing ceremony