Embracing Japanese culture and diverse entrepreneurial ecosystem in Kobe
Keele Business School 3年
I recently had the opportunity to participate in a 10-day global entrepreneurship mindset program held in Kobe. The aim of this trip was to expand our knowledge of entrepreneurship, with the end goal of creating an idea for our own start-up business. Japan is renowned for its rich history and culture, whilst becoming increasingly known for its innovation and entrepreneurship. The country has, however, struggled to encourage entrepreneurial activity.
The program worked to promote an entrepreneurial mindset and inspired students to use these skills to contribute to the revitalisation of the Japanese economy.
The trip started with an exciting welcome event, where we were introduced to Innovation Dojo Japan, who led the 10 days of entrepreneurship training in Kobe. This also introduced us to the other students (from Australia, Canada, India, and Japan) who were taking part in the program. One of the social activities that I particularly enjoyed was a tour of Sannomiya. This provided us with knowledge on the area we were based in and gave an exciting insight into Japanese culture.
The program's relationship with KUIS revealed a level of collaboration and support that exists between universities and start-ups, giving further insight into Japan's entrepreneurial ecosystem. This collaboration also includes players such as investors and government organisations who provide various resources and funding. A standout experience from the trip was pitching at KUIS's first International Student Entrepreneurship Conference. This was to showcase the hard work we had put in, as a group, to create an idea for a start-up business. This gave me a great insight into how to make an idea a reality, with valuable knowledge about entrepreneurship gained.
During the trip, we visited a variety of start-up businesses and had the chance to meet with several entrepreneurs. This aided my understanding on creating and running a start-up and expanded my creative thinking in terms of business ideas. I especially noticed the popularity of artificial intelligence and robotics, demonstrating how valuable technology is in the start-up environment. The start-ups we visited were working on incredibly innovative projects that could transform their respective industries. I appreciated the focus on sustainability and social responsibility in order to address environmental and social challenges. It quickly became evident that Kobe is host to a lively and diverse entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Moreover, the program allowed me to expand my knowledge and understanding of Japanese culture; I trust that I immersed myself in this. The beauty of Japan is something that will stick with me, as well as the incredible people I have met during my time there.
