Innovation Born from Collaboration Between Overseas Startups and Japanese Companies
In today’s globalized society, fostering innovation requires cooperation among entities with diverse perspectives and expertise. EXPACT aims to create new value by facilitating collaboration between overseas startups and major Japanese companies.
In recent years, startups have generated novel ideas in sustainable technology and healthcare, while large corporations possess abundant managerial resources and know-how. They can develop innovative solutions and pioneer new markets by combining their strengths.
A Japanese heavy machinery manufacturer successfully co-developed a new engine with a European startup, significantly reducing CO2 emissions. Fusing the startup’s cutting-edge technology and the manufacturer’s production expertise resulted in an environmentally friendly, high-performance engine.
When entities with different strengths join forces, the innovation potential that transcends conventional thinking arises. EXPACT creates opportunities for such collaboration, contributing to solving global challenges.
Fostering Next-Generation Leaders through Student Entrepreneurship
To continuously drive innovation, it is crucial to nurture entrepreneurial talent. EXPACT provides opportunities for Japanese and international students to interact and learn entrepreneurship from each other.
Specifically, in addition to lectures such as international business case studies and leadership training, EXPACT offers internship programs where students experience startups firsthand. Students form multinational teams, devise new business ideas, and work towards commercialization.
Through this hands-on approach, students develop a global perspective, cultivate the ability to embrace and collaborate across cultures and acquire a mindset that fearlessly takes on challenges and fosters innovative thinking.
After learning entrepreneurship through this program, a Tokyo Institute of Technology student decided to start their own business, reflecting, “The program involving cross-cultural exchange and practical experience greatly nurtured my entrepreneurial mindset.
”Thus, EXPACT aims to develop the next generation of global talent by emphasizing entrepreneurship education.
Launching Startups with Multinational Teams
Innovation arises when different perspectives and values converge. EXPACT respects this diversity and supports forming new startup teams comprising founders from various countries.
For instance, one multinational team consists of Japanese, Indian, and American members who first met at a startup event hosted by EXPACT.
By leveraging their diverse expertise and cultural backgrounds, they generated novel business ideas. Ultimately, they decided to develop an app focused on reducing food waste. The Japanese member had insights into the food industry, the Indian member was an AI expert, and the American member excelled in UI/UX design.
Combining their diverse strengths, they created an appealing and functional app for users. The team leader remarked, “Our team’s diversity was the driving force behind generating innovative ideas.
It was crucial to acknowledge and capitalize on our differences.”
This way, EXPACT provides a platform for multinational founders to meet and collaborate. By respecting diversity and maximizing each other’s strengths, innovations will continue to emerge.
Through these three aspects, EXPACT propels the creation of global innovation.
The new value will be continuously generated as diverse entities join hands and leverage each other’s strengths. We are determined to create opportunities for such co-creation and accelerate innovation.
