Japan's Startup Frontline: Corporate Intrapreneurs and Silicon Valley Lessons
This article was created by consolidating 2 related articles.
Table of Contents
- Intrapreneurship and a Lifestyle Revolution at Nomura Real Estate | TIMEWELL
- A Step Toward Change: Taiyo Akashi and Kiyoko Goto on Entrepreneurial Spirit Learned in Silicon Valley | TIMEWELL
Looking for AI training and consulting?
Learn about WARP training programs and consulting services in our materials.
Intrapreneurship and a Lifestyle Revolution at Nomura Real Estate | TIMEWELL
Shota Kuroda launched an internal venture called "TOMORE" at Nomura Real Estate, drawing on his corporate career to pursue the creation of an innovative lifestyle model for the next generation. In this interview, we dig into how he built the business from within a large corporation—and what he ultimately wants to achieve.
Shota Kuroda
Affiliation: Nomura Real Estate Corporation
Joined Nomura Real Estate as a new graduate in 2010. For approximately 10 years, he handled product structuring and management of domestic and international real estate funds. Subsequently served as chairman of the company's employee union, working to transform the company culture toward greater innovation. Drawing on that experience, he spent approximately three years realizing the company's first internal venture. Currently driving the new venture "TOMORE"—recognized for its innovation and social significance through selection by METI's "Shido Next Innovator 2023" program.
Challenging Lifestyle Innovation Through Intrapreneurship
Please introduce yourself briefly.
I'm Shota Kuroda, ninth cohort of Shido. I joined Nomura Real Estate in 2010 and, after experiencing the harsh conditions right after the Lehman Shock, spent roughly ten years in domestic and international real estate fund business. Serving as the company's labor union chairman at 31 became a major turning point. To transform the company culture into one more accepting of challenge, I felt I had to pursue innovative activities myself—and four years ago I launched my current intrapreneurship initiative. The pandemic made things very difficult at times, but I cleared the Proof of Concept stage and reached the business launch phase. Today I continue working daily toward the creation of a new lifestyle model.
Please give an overview of the venture.
It's difficult to go into specifics, but I hold a strong belief that Japan needs to become a country where young people and the next generation can live more vibrantly and embrace challenge more readily. While lifestyles and work styles have changed—especially through the COVID-19 pandemic—the way young people live alone has barely evolved in years. A studio apartment of 25 square meters, with unused spaces and fixtures, but no additional experiential value to offer.
Our venture uses Nomura Real Estate's resources to upgrade buildings and the living spaces within them—creating a new lifestyle model that builds networks and a community function to support new activities arising from human connection.
Challenges and Approaches as an Intrapreneur
What prompted you to start this venture?
I wasn't originally strongly entrepreneurially minded—I simply pursued what I wanted to do, and arrived at where I am today. Through my labor union work, I came to believe that when building a new business, it's important to approach it from a problem-driven perspective. Around 2019, WeWork entered Japan and freelancers and entrepreneurs were increasingly active. Creating the life infrastructure to support such people—and making Japan a more interesting country—was something I thought I could contribute. That connected to the current business idea.
How was the Shido program?
After pitching in the domestic program, I was selected for the Silicon Valley program. This became an opportunity not only to deepen my understanding of my own business, but to learn about values and how ideas are received across different cultures. I struck up a conversation with someone at a pitch event, and over the eight days I was there, I was invited to their home parties three times—connecting with many more people through those gatherings. Those connections have continued after returning to Japan—I receive invitations to various gatherings and feel my network with new entrepreneurs and executive-level leaders expanding.
What unique challenges and approaches come with intrapreneurship?
What I focused on most: no matter how good a business you devise, it comes down to whether the company accepts and supports it. So I repeatedly discussed the business with senior management and key decision-makers, maintaining continuous communication about project progress, plan adjustments, and goals to be achieved—so executives could feel real ownership over the project. Sometimes these conversations lasted an hour; sometimes late into the night.
For executives, a direct approach from the front lines isn't something that happens every day—and I think that novelty itself generated interest. Above all: act first.
For team building, I selected members I genuinely wanted to work with—people from different divisions who could speak up loudly within their own networks. Maximizing the team's network to approach management effectively was a crucial foundation for new business success.
Future Outlook and a Message to Shido Applicants
What are your plans going forward?
My top priority is to establish and expand the TOMORE business I'm currently developing. By gradually increasing the number of facilities, I believe we can influence not only the residents but the people around them—driving further social change. Through my Silicon Valley experience, my dream expands if I can understand not only Japan's unique challenges but diverse cultures and values worldwide. While focusing on immediate challenges, I want to continue daily activities with an eye toward larger-scale impact.
A message to those considering Shido.
"If you're hesitating, please challenge yourself." I myself hesitated when applying, but ultimately decided with the feeling that "this is my only chance." And by actually stepping forward, I gained countless valuable experiences and encounters. Being able to join a valuable community is what I believe is Shido's greatest attraction. The friends and alumni I've met through Shido are still present in my life—supporting and encouraging my activities. If you're even slightly curious, please apply. I believe everything begins from the action of applying and participating.
Writer: Hitomi Kimura / Yumiko Honma
A Step Toward Change: Taiyo Akashi and Kiyoko Goto on Entrepreneurial Spirit Learned in Silicon Valley | TIMEWELL
Have you ever thought, "I'm interested in entrepreneurship, but I don't know where to start—could I even do it?" We spoke with Kiyoko Goto and Taiyo Akashi, both in their eighth cohort of Shido, who were in Silicon Valley refining their business ideas. From the triggers that started their journeys to their Silicon Valley insights and practical advice for aspiring entrepreneurs—read on.
At the time of the interview, both were in the middle of the Silicon Valley dispatch program.
Taiyo Akashi
Panasonic System Design Corporation. Designs cashless payment terminals. Separately pursuing two concepts: improving mental health issues common among software developers, and enabling deaf and hearing people to enjoy sports together. Working toward "a world where deaf and hearing people can enjoy things together."
Kiyoko Goto
CEO, Picnic Room Co., Ltd. Runs childcare support services including counseling, community playgroups, nurseries, after-school learning support, and community development. Founded Picnic Room in 2017. Working toward comprehensively supporting children's development.
Two Entrepreneurs Challenging Different Fields
Please introduce yourselves.
Akashi: My day job involves designing cashless payment terminals. I've come to Silicon Valley with two themes: improving mental health issues for software developers, and enabling deaf and hearing people to enjoy sports together. In Japan I've been verifying value with professional sports team representatives, and I'm here to research how services for deaf people are advancing in Silicon Valley.
Goto: I'm CEO of Picnic Room, running a childcare support business in central Yokohama—our seventh year since founding. In 2020 I enrolled in Yokohama City's Entrepreneur Training School. Through mentoring from cross-sector members, in 2022 we decided to create a new business, and I applied to Shido's eighth cohort. This is my second year.
Silicon Valley Field Research
What are you verifying in Silicon Valley?
Akashi: I came to research how far services for deaf people have advanced here. I expected people would say "oh, I know that"—but when I asked hotel staff and corporate employees, the honest answer was consistently "no, haven't heard of that." Services for deaf people seem less widespread than I imagined, but I think if I continue the interviews, things will become clearer.
Goto: Two items. One: confirming whether childcare support is viable as a business. Two: researching how childcare support and nursery systems developed in rapidly growing Silicon Valley. Childcare support tends to rely heavily on subsidies, so I want to verify whether it can work as a service internationally. I've been meeting with Meta and other companies and local government representatives.
What was the childcare environment inside Silicon Valley companies like?
Goto: Visiting Meta left a very strong impression. The campus is like a theme park—European street-inspired settings with free restaurants, ice cream shops, game arcades. On Friday afternoons, employees can bring family—I saw staff pushing strollers greeting each other, chatting about "your kid has grown!" It felt like a real community.
For essential workers, childcare support seemed less accessible—basically making do on their own, similar to Japan. High-tier companies seemed to keep strict 9-to-5 hours, with employees dropping kids at nursery at 8am and picking them up around 4:30pm. Overall, awareness of childcare support is higher than Japan—but not every company can provide generous support given the costs.
From Corporate Programs to New Ventures
What was the trigger for both of you?
Akashi: Joining Panasonic's internal entrepreneur program "BOOST CONTEST" was the start. My initial application was with only a vague sense of purpose—but through repeated interviews, I started encountering people with hearing impairments I'd never interacted with before. Those encounters gradually clarified what I wanted to do.
Goto: My childcare industry is expected to face headwinds from Japan's population decline, so I felt we needed a new angle to operate sustainably. That's when I joined Yokohama City's entrepreneur training school, and through cross-sector mentoring, in 2022 I launched a new venture and applied to Shido's eighth cohort.
Akashi, as someone employed at a large company, how do you feel about the added hurdle of starting a business?
Akashi: I joined Panasonic as a career hire in 2007, thinking I'd work as a salaryman my whole life. But joining "BOOST CONTEST" made me think there might be other possibilities. Through my activities, I started encountering people with disabilities I'd never had contact with. Hearing their stories repeatedly surfaced "I had no idea about this" realizations—and those experiences gradually changed my awareness.
Starting a business as an employee still feels like a high barrier. But being able to come to Silicon Valley through J-STARX is something I owe to "BOOST CONTEST," "CHANGE by ONE JAPAN," and "Shido Next Innovator." For now I'm focusing on building good relationships between the deaf community and sports stakeholders, and want to gradually expand my activities through Silicon Valley connections.
Insights and Outlook from Silicon Valley
What has changed since coming to Silicon Valley?
Goto: Creating my business pitch in English was huge. The J-STARX program requires pitches oriented toward overseas VCs, so I need a global perspective. With mentors' guidance, I was able to organize what I wanted to convey—a solid axis that made field research smoother and allowed me to assess whether to export the business. Silicon Valley also offers opportunities to talk at length with local entrepreneurs that are rare in Tokyo. I now have a more concrete image of how to advance my business and want to bring these insights back for PoC in Japan.
Akashi: I was able to make contact with the deaf community, so I'm hoping to gradually expand from there. Dramatic progress in this short time may be difficult, but I felt it was important to build connections that can be maintained after returning home. Through new insights and encounters, my thinking about my own activities has shifted somewhat.
What do you want to achieve through Silicon Valley?
Goto: Building a local network. I'm currently at the early-seed stage, with a PoC with a listed company starting in February. Being able to design services based on information from Meta, Google, and J&J is enormously reassuring. I feel I've finally reached the level where I can dialogue with VCs on equal footing. The environment here enables slow dialogue with people you can't easily access in Japan—I want to use these insights to advance my business and evolve childcare support going forward.
Akashi: Sustainable relationships with the deaf community and sports stakeholders. My goal is to build connections that can be maintained after returning home. I was fortunate to participate in PMWC, a major healthcare conference—I'm hoping to find people who understand and support my activities. By combining my expertise with Silicon Valley insights, I should be able to provide unique value. Back in Japan, I want to steadily expand my activities alongside peers.
The Courage to Take That First Step
A message to our readers.
Akashi: Until I participated in Shido, I felt anxious—"Can I really do something new?" But when I took one step forward, encounters and insights I'd never expected were waiting. If you're thinking about challenging something right now, please say it out loud. Even just consulting with someone is fine to start. As you accumulate small actions, I believe the path will open. The courage to take that first step is what matters most. Please take your own first step. I'm rooting for you.
Goto: I was laid-back running a company and living domestic life until my thirties—so my challenge of entrepreneurship oriented around social issues may have been a late bloomer. But life is once—I think trying things you want to try is best. Don't fear failure—move when the moment strikes. Also, working with companions who share your vision makes the journey rewarding. Please take advantage of communities like Shido and grow at your own pace. If you're ever struggling with childcare or nursery matters, please feel free to consult with me. I'm sincerely cheering on all of your challenges. Thank you very much.
Writer: Miki Tsuruta / Yumiko Honma
Event Management Made Efficient with AI | TIMEWELL Base
Struggling with managing large-scale events?
TIMEWELL Base is an AI-powered event management platform.
Track Record
- Adventure World: Managed Dream Day with 4,272 participants
- TechGALA 2026: Unified management of 110 side events
Key Features
| Feature | Impact |
|---|---|
| AI Page Generation | Event page completed in 30 seconds |
| Low-Cost Payments | 4.8% transaction fee (industry-leading low rate) |
| Community Features | 65% of attendees continue connecting after events |
Please feel free to consult with us about improving your event management efficiency.