Deeptech Startup CXO Community
Mitsui Fudosan Launches Startup CXO Meeting Kashiwa-no-ha
Helping to accelerate support for startups at Kashiwa-no-ha Smart City to save the world

February 27, 2024
Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd.

Tokyo, Japan, February 27, 2024 – Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd., a leading global real estate company headquartered in Tokyo, announced that it launched the Startup CXO Meeting Kashiwa-no-ha, an invitation-based community for deeptech startup executives aiming to accelerate business growth. The community is based on the concept of “Speed up! Start-up!” and is located in Kashiwa-no-ha Smart City, which is promoting urban development through public-private-academic coordination as a city that creates a model for the future globally. A kick-off event with deeptech startups was held at the Kashiwa-no-ha Conference Center on February 27.

Key Points of the Project

  • CXO community launched at Kashiwa-no-ha for deeptech and IT startups in the early to middle stages
    The meeting is intended to share management knowhow and methods between CXO at deeptech and IT startups, and provide support for startups in tangible and intangible terms by combining PoC and PoB using the city’s assets
  • Kengo Horiuchi, General Partner of Carbide Ventures, has been appointed community advisor

The community is for early- to middle-stage deeptech and IT startups aiming for commercialization. It provides opportunities for startup executives to receive hints on overcoming management issues quickly and strategically based on former startup executives’ advice and by making horizontal connections across business areas.

Kengo Horiuchi, General Partner of Carbide Ventures, with offices in both the U.S. and Japan and which has a track record of investing in startups in the early stages, has been appointed community advisor. Mr. Horiuchi also serves as representative director of Treasure Data Inc. He can advise on startup management knowhow and methods from the perspective of an investor and a business manager. Opportunities will be regularly established to share knowledge for promoting growth, with examples of hints for success and lessons learned from various failures at startup companies. Mr. Horiuchi will also share methods for commercialization in the IT field.

The meeting is administrated by Story Design house Inc. which has over a decade of experience in startup community support. Mitsushige Ito, who managed multiple startups and is now an angel investor that supports multiple IT startups, will participate as an advisor.

Through this initiative, Mitsui Fudosan will provide startups with opportunities and community and aims to produce unicorn companies that will save the world at Kashiwa-no-ha Smart City.

■Project background

Thus far at Kashiwa-no-ha Smart City, an environment has been cultivated for startup growth through KOIL, a co-working office, KOIL Mobility Field, a demonstration field, the Asia Entrepreneurship Award (since 2012), an international innovation award, the KOIL Startup Program (since 2022), a startup accelerator program for seed-stage startups, and Innovation Field Kashiwa-no-ha (since 2018) that accepts demonstration projects.

In carrying out these initiatives, startups began asking for opportunities to connect with companies horizontally and with companies at more advanced stages to learn the key points of growth, and the Startup CXO Meeting Kashiwa-no-ha was started to develop a more flexible, more resilient support system.


Various demonstration fields and startup grow support programs
Click illustration to enlarge

■Overview of Startup CXO Meeting Kashiwa-no-ha

A CXO Meeting is held to share knowhow and methods for resolving management issues at startups, support is provided by demonstration projects like PoC and PoB, venture capital and partner companies are introduced and connected with in order to support the further growth of startups.

Click here for activities of Start CXO Meeting Kashiwa-no-ha : https://note.com/kwh_startups (In Japanese)

< Target startups >

  • Early- to middle-stage startups with deeptech or IT businesses
  • Preferrable to have a project prototype
  • Aiming to add outside capital for S-shape growth (capital of ¥10.00 million or more when joining)

< Participation flow >

  • Screening by administrator based on documents and interviews, etc.
  • Referrals

< Membership > *Intend to gradually expand

  • List of startups (in Japanese alphabetical order)
    Companies involved in businesses to save the world utilizing technologies in various fields, including, electric vehicles that contribute to decarbonization, development of energy resources other than oil and gas, lifesaving activities through the prevention of medical accidents and traffic accidents.


    Algal Bio Co., Ltd. (https://algalbio.co.jp/en/)
    Algae based biotech (algal-bio) production platform


    Pyrenee Inc. （http://www.pyrenee.net/) (In Japanese)
    Development of driving AI assistant to prevent traffic accidents


    Pyrenee Inc. （http://www.pyrenee.net/) (In Japanese)
    Development of driving AI assistant to prevent traffic accidents


    Hoshu Inc. (https://hoshu.co.jp/) (In Japanese)
    Provides a repair and maintenance support platform


    Medifellow Inc. (https://medifellow.jp/en/) (In Japanese)
    Remote diagnostic service for specialist physicians


    Yanekara Inc. （https://yanekara.jp/) (In Japanese)
    Sale of electrical charge and discharge systems for electric cars

< Comment from community advisor >

Kengo Horiuchi, General Partner, Carbide Ventures

“Commercialization is the fork in the road of startup success. How to grasp this point. For this community, I will share a real story of commercialization I personally experienced as a major participant in the Japan launch team for Treasure Data, a Silicon Valley-based startup and my experience of B2B successes and failures. Through this initiative, I want to create many opportunities for the growth of startups saving the world concentrated here at Kashiwa-no-ha.

< Profile >
After working at a consulting company and a securities company, participated in the launch of the Japanese business of Treasure Data in 2013. As marketing director, he handled everything from PR for customer data platforms in the field of digital marketing, Treasure Data’s main service, and also developed new projects. In 2021, with the founding members of Treasure Data and others, he launched Carbide Ventures, a venture capital firm with offices in Silicon Valley and Tokyo. Primarily in the U.S. and Japan, he invests in startups in enterprise SaaS for example and works to increase startups’ corporate value. Currently, he serves as General Partner of Carbide Ventures and representative director of Treasure Data Inc.

The management team is recruiting people who support this project and want to participate. If you are interested, inquire at the following.
Startup CXO Meeting Administrative Office: cxomtg@storydesign-h.com

■About Kashiwa-no-ha Smart City (https://www.kashiwanoha-smartcity.com/)

The Kashiwa-no-ha area, which centers on Kashiwa-no-ha Campus Station on the Tsukuba Express, is aiming to be the Kashiwa-no-ha Smart City, a model city for the future globally. City development is being promoted based on the three pillars of environmental harmony, long and healthy lives, and new industry creation through collaboration among the public, private and academic sectors. The area features Tokyo University’s Kashiwa Campus, Chiba University’s Center for Environment, Health and Field Sciences, National Cancer Center Hospital East, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology’s Kashiwa Center and other of Japan’s prominent research institutions, as well as two public incubation facilities, Tokatsu Techno Plaza and Todai Kashiwa Venture Plaza. R&D-oriented deeptech startups are emerging.

With regard to creating new industries, infrastructure necessary for promoting new businesses has been established. This includes first of all the establishment of KOIL in 2014 and further includes, KOIL Park, a co-working space, KOIL Factory, equipped with digital fabrication equipment, Innovation Field Kashiwa-no-ha*, a test field and community for generating collaboration, and KOIL Mobility Field, a test circuit supporting the development of mobility, including robots and drones currently under development. Utilizing the city’s infrastructure, support for startups has been given in the form of the Asia Entrepreneurship Award, which has honored outstanding startups here and abroad since 2012, and the KOIL Starup Program, which has supported the growth of startups at the seed stage since 2022. Through creation of this CXO community, startup growth will be further accelerated and lead to the production of unicorn companies. To make this a reality infrastructure will be further developed.

*About Innovation Field Kashiwa-no-ha
This initiative provides the whole of Kashiwa-no-ha city as a platform for demonstration projects. Various private-sector companies have already conducted demonstration projects linked to solving reginal issues. There is already a track record in AI/IoT and life sciences/medical, and the opportunities for utilization are expanding in a broad scope that encompasses autonomous driving, MaaS, sensing, and energy.
〈Examples of past demonstration experiments〉


KOIL MOBILITY FIELD

< Examples of past demonstration experiments >

■ Mitsui Fudosan Group’s Contribution to SDGs

https://www.mitsuifudosan.co.jp/english/esg_csr/
The Mitsui Fudosan Group aims for a society that enriches both people and the planet under the principles of coexist in harmony with society, link diverse values and achieve a sustainable society, and advances business with an awareness of the environment (E), society (S) and governance (G), thus promoting ESG management. By further accelerating its ESG management, the Group will realize Society 5.0, which the Japanese government has been advocating, and contribute significantly to achieving the SDGs. Additionally, the Group formulated the following Group guidelines related to “Realize a Decarbonized Society” and “Diversity & Inclusion Promotion” in November 2021, and “Biodiversity” in March 2023. The Mitsui Fudosan Group will continue to work toward solving social issues through neighborhood creation.

[References]
・Group Action Plan to Realize a Decarbonized Society
https://www.mitsuifudosan.co.jp/english/corporate/news/2021/1124/
・Formulated Diversity and Inclusion Promotion Declaration and Initiatives Policy
https://www.mitsuifudosan.co.jp/english/corporate/news/2021/1129_02/
・Mitsui Fudosan Group Biodiversity Policy
https://www.mitsuifudosan.co.jp/english/corporate/news/2023/0413/

* The initiatives covered in this press release are contributing to three of the UN’s SDGs.

Goal 4 Quality Education
Goal 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth
Goal 9 Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure