Corporate smart cities are gaining global prominence, with Toyota’s Woven City in Susono, Japan, exemplifying this trend. This unique project raises critical urban planning questions, particularly concerning its alignment with local citizens’ needs. Through a survey of Susono citizens and interviews with quadruple helix stakeholders—the city government, Toyota, academia, and civil society—this study identifies key concerns, such as the perceived disconnection between Woven City and Susono City, insufficient information dissemination, financial apprehensions, and a lack of tangible benefits for locals. To address these challenges, we propose a modified Quadruple Helix (QH) framework—the Civic-Centered Triple Helix—which adapts the original QH by formalizing the increasingly pivotal role of civil society in governance. The findings underscore the importance of balancing corporate innovation with community integration, offering valuable lessons for future corporate-led urban projects to ensure sustainability, inclusivity, and stakeholder collaboration.
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