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In recent years, with the strengthening of international efforts to address global warming and achieve carbon neutrality, green transformation (GX) startups have emerged to the point where there are an estimated 3,000 climate-focused companies today.In a recent episode of Moon Creative Lab's regular online event, "Moon Talk!,” we asked Toma Yamasaki of <a href="https://e-dash.io/">e-dash Corporation</a> and Yusuke Toyoda of <a href="https://www.digitalgrid.com/">Digital Grid Corporation</a> about the secrets to building successful GX-focused products and organizations.<h3>Key Learnings</h3><ul><li>Focusing on the decarbonization domain</li><li>Overcoming challenges in product development</li><li>How to realize a big vision and involve stakeholders</li><li>Funding and hiring</li></ul><hr><figure class="image"><img src="https://moon-website-prod-images.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/image6_8c7e31356f.jpg" alt="image6.jpg"><figcaption>President of e-dash Corporation, Toma Yamasaki (left) and president of Digital Grid Corporation, Yusuke Toyoda (right).</figcaption></figure>Yusuke Toyoda joined Digital Grid in 2018 as a founding member and has served as president since 2019. He previously worked at a securities company after graduating from university, where he was involved in financial product structuring and mega solar development and investment.Toma Yamasaki was stationed in Silicon Valley after working for Mitsui &amp; Co., on the development and mergers &amp; acquisitions of electric power and other infrastructure businesses. After spending about five years in Silicon Valley, Yamasaki was in charge of venture investment and business development in the clean tech field there.Facilitated by Masahiro Kunieda, Business Lead for sustainability at Moon, this Moon Talk! provides unique perspectives from both Toyoda and Yamasaki as entrepreneurs and in-house entrepreneurs, or “intrapreneurs.”&nbsp;&nbsp;<h3>Focusing on decarbonization as an entrepreneur and intrapreneur</h3>Kunieda: You both are working in the decarbonization area as an entrepreneur and an internal entrepreneur. Why did you decide to focus on this field?Toyoda: I had been focusing on the field of renewable energy since I was in a university research lab, and I had been conducting research with the idea that it would be interesting if, in the future, electricity could be colored (for the purpose of identifying the electricity to be used) and exchanged freely.I wondered if the same kind of rapid evolution that occurred in the field of telecommunications would also occur in the energy field. I was focused on the enormous potential of renewable energy, which is said to be 200,000 times the amount of electricity generated on Earth, and was conducting research with the goal of creating a world where people do not have to worry about energy.My mentor Dr. Abe started the company with me. When he was a student, he enthusiastically promoted research on digital grids as a specially-appointed professor in the Social Cooperation Course. Currently, he is engaged in hardware development, etc. while serving as Representative Director and CEO at DG Capital Group Inc. I deeply sympathized with the vision of "supporting renewable energy to create the future 30 years from now," which President Toyoda had been talking about for years with a twinkle in his eye. So, it was a natural progression for me to get involved in GX.<blockquote>"I want to enjoy new things and work towards winning because it is an immature industry.” -Yusuke Toyoda&nbsp;</blockquote>Yamasaki: Since joining Mitsui, I have been involved in power-related business development within the Project Division, where I have the opportunity to notice major trend changes.I was stationed in Silicon Valley for five years starting in 2015, where I invested in and developed joint ventures with startups in the green tech and climate-related fields. This was a major catalyst for starting a business within the GX field. &nbsp;<h3>Overcoming challenges in product development</h3>Kunieda: Although we are in the same field, our starting points for product development are slightly different, one from the deep-tech side and the other from the software side. Can you tell us about the challenges you faced in product development and how you overcame them?Toyoda: Currently, we are developing software that will deliver weather-sensitive renewable energy to various companies, but at the beginning of product development, we were making hardware to control electricity in order to freely exchange power. We have developed hardware that can use electricity from storage batteries, and have also worked on demonstration projects for the Ministry of the Environment.Around 2016, blockchain became a hot topic, and we expanded our efforts, believing that if we could combine blockchain technology with hardware to track and control it, we could realize our ideal vision.Later on, we experienced a situation where our resources were dispersed among products that included all the functions of hardware, blockchain, and AI, but we did not have enough resources to push through each of these areas. Based on this process, we are now focusing on AI and software development.Yamasaki: Since the initial conception of the product, we have developed the product without changing much from the theme of "energy consumption data management" as the main framework.President Toyoda might say that we are following the textbook (laughs), but we are proceeding with development by receiving <a href="https://www.mooncreativelab.com/ja/boost">support from Moon</a>, creating prototypes, listening to user feedback, and continuously developing the product while facing the pain points of customers. <img src="https://moon-website-prod-images.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/image4_567d28b84a.jpg" alt="image4.jpg"> &nbsp;Kunieda: In one word, what is the secret to overcoming barriers in product development? We asked you to write it down on the flipboard. President Toyoda, please begin.&nbsp;<img src="https://moon-website-prod-images.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/image5_ca94fc9900.jpg" alt="image5.jpg"> Toyoda: I wrote “calmness and passion.” We are proceeding with our business with a strong passion to realize a world in which people can freely exchange electricity. To create innovation, we certainly need to push the accelerator to the limit with such passion.On the other hand, it is also necessary to judge logically whether or not it is feasible as a business, separating it from our passion, and we feel that the level of difficulty is extremely high. In fact, there was a time several years ago when I could not find the right balance. Even now, I am trying to figure out how to create innovations that become businesses while maintaining the conflicting attitudes of passion and practicality.One thing I try to do to keep my composure is to listen to the opinions of trusted colleagues. I try to listen to objective opinions while keeping my own vision unwavering.Kunieda: Thank you very much. President Yamasaki, your turn.<img src="https://moon-website-prod-images.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/image2_c9dca46cf5.jpg" alt="image2.jpg"> Yamasaki: I wrote “confirmation bias,” a perfect match for President Toyoda (laughs)!When starting a new business from scratch, I think there is a lot that can be driven by the strong belief that there must be a need.On the other hand, once I start running vigorously, I try to calmly look at the situation and verify it, even though I have my own conflicts. It is challenging, but it is something I still cherish.&nbsp;Whatever it is, I want to do it! I feel that it is difficult because it starts with "I want to do it!” &nbsp;<h3>How to realize a big vision… and involve stakeholders</h3>Kunieda: President Yamasaki, as an operating company under Mitsui, and President Toyoda, as a corporate organization receiving numerous investments, how do you involve stakeholders in order to realize your big vision?Yamasaki: We operate as a subsidiary wholly owned by Mitsui &amp; Co and are working with various partners through internal connections to develop our clientele.We have the support of an established company as Mitsui &amp; Co., and are receiving back-office support in the areas of personnel systems, accounting, and settlement of accounts.On the other hand, as a trading company, we did not have personnel specializing in product development, so we are hiring people who can write code. Also, due to the nature of SaaS, we are managing our organization by gathering people who can handle customer success, field sales, and other tasks.<blockquote>"This is the most interesting industry and I want to make it exciting together.” -Toma Yamasaki</blockquote>Toyoda: In the case of Digital Grit, we have a total of 60 shareholders, of which only one is a venture capital company and the majority are large corporations. We have a very large number of stakeholders, and sometimes nearly 100 people gather at shareholder meetings!With regard to the diversity of our stakeholders, to become the one and only platform of its kind in Japan, we have a policy of having multiple companies participate rather than just one company within one industry.In addition, we gave those who invested in the project access to our code, logic, and other information at the time, and adopted an open innovation approach in which we received opinions as we proceeded.Kunieda: Now, what do you feel are the advantages of both startups and in-house startups from each other's point of view? We asked you to write on the same flipboard. President Yamasaki, please begin. <img src="https://moon-website-prod-images.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/image3_92e0f87458.jpg" alt="image3.jpg"> Yamasaki: "Partners.” Seeing the way President Toyoda is proceeding, I feel that it is a great advantage that large corporations, as shareholders, can be both customers and partners in building businesses.As written in Practical Theory of New Business by Yoichi Aso, the founder of Alpha Drive, the difficulty in spinning out from a large corporation to create a business is fundraising. From this point of view, I feel that having the support of many partners is a very big advantage for us.Kunieda: Thank you very much. Now, President Toyoda, please begin. <img src="https://moon-website-prod-images.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/image1_83d4330a7c.jpg" alt="image1.jpg">Toyoda: "Strong and new game.” In talking with President Yamasaki, I think that starting a new business from a company with a long history is like a game where you can start the battle with a high-level weapon from the beginning.For example, we can develop products with Moon's support and deploy back-office know-how. I feel that the ability to utilize and customize such assets is a great strength.For people who create something from zero to one in a startup, there are some inefficiencies, and even a single HR system needs to be built over time. If we can take the know-how we have developed over our long history and turn it into something optimal, it would be a great weapon.<h3>&nbsp;</h3><h3>On fundraising and hiring</h3>Below are questions from the audience that the panel answered.What is the best way to hire reliable engineers? Yamasaki: It is important to hire the first excellent product manager. From there, it will be easier to hire all the way through.Do you have any advice on fundraising for each stage? Toyoda: It is important to fulfill the promises and milestones at each stage, one by one, and even if stage advancement is not always possible, it is important to explain the causes and next steps to be taken and proceed. &nbsp;&nbsp;Moon Talk! will continue to deliver information on innovation in companies, stories of startup founders, and deep-dives into design and technology, all of which will be useful for future business strategies and new business creation. Check out upcoming events from Moon at <a href="https://www.mooncreativelab.com/orbit">https://www.mooncreativelab.com/orbit</a>.&nbsp;

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<figure class="image"><img src="https://moon-website-prod-images.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/L1530377_93ae1de6ce.jpg" alt="L1530377.jpg"></figure>Moon Creative Lab <a href="https://www.24-7pressrelease.com/press-release/501861/moon-creative-lab-expands-venture-programming-to-turn-brilliant-ideas-into-rockstar-businesses">recently announced</a> three new programs that we will be offering to current and future entrepreneurs. One of those offerings is <a href="https://www.mooncreativelab.com/en/orbit">Orbit</a>, a new event series where those interested in creating new businesses can connect with others to learn, network, and collaborate.Currently held at our Spring Terrace studio in Tokyo (and soon to expand to our studio in Palo Alto, California), Orbit events are free and open to everyone who is interested in entrepreneurship, business and design. Each event will focus on different topics focused on startups, technology, human-centered design, corporate innovation, and much more. They’re unique opportunities to learn and connect with others who are passionate about new business creation. And it’s the perfect environment for serendipitous connections to occur. Meeting a future co-founder, collaborating for an experiment, discovering the design research your idea needs – just a few of the wonderful “happy accidents” that could happen at an Orbit event! &nbsp;<h3>Come One, Come All</h3>Our first Orbit event was an Ask Me Anything (AMA) panel with first-time founders. It was the first time Moon invited local business leaders and supporters to share their experiences. The panel of successful founders included Takanori Sato, co-founder and CEO of <a href="https://www.shippio.io/">Shippio</a>, Japan’s first digital forwarding company; Eriko Suzuki, leader in global venture capital investing and founding director of <a href="https://www.kind-capital.com/home-en">Kind Capital</a>; and Francisco Soares, engineer, community organizer, and founder of management consulting firm, <a href="https://migiude.seefy.co/">SEEFY</a>. They provided valuable insight, gave advice on common challenges, offered tips for building a successful business, and answered questions from audience members.“Events like this are impactful for people connecting in meaningful ways to recognize the challenges of the startup process,” says Jimi Okelana, Moon Design Lead and Orbit events team member. “Through casual conversation, each of the speakers created an environment of motivation and gave insight to navigating the role of a founder. Through Orbit, we are creating a way for Moon to play a more active part in our local startup/venture ecosystem, and this has been a great way to begin that initiative!”<figure class="media"><oembed url="https://vimeo.com/852962612"></oembed></figure>Other Orbit events include Thursday Night Sliders and Moon Talk! For those who have discovered a problem they want to solve, are looking for a startup team to support, or want to learn what they need to make their venture ideas happen, Thursday Night Sliders is an opportunity to both pitch your own idea and see pitches from your peers in the startup community. Each presenter gets five minutes to present five slides describing their project, product, or idea. Thursday Night Sliders is a fun, casual event that offers attendees bite-sized tastes of challenging problems and great ideas.<img src="https://moon-website-prod-images.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/Copy_of_Thursday_Night_Sliders_Master_v1_3a6cad7a3d.png" alt="Copy of Thursday Night Sliders - Master v1.png">Moon Talk! events are casual talks that provide insightful and valuable information for entrepreneurs, intrapreneurs, and others interested in startups and innovation. With a different topic for each event, attendees will hear industry leaders and experts discuss subjects such as business strategies, the latest in corporate innovation, stories of startup founders, and deep dives into design and technology.<img src="https://moon-website-prod-images.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/ama_photo_d6a4daabe1.png" alt="ama photo.png">Whether you’re interested in innovation, passionate about startups, or want to learn more about creating new businesses, we encourage you to come to an Orbit event and join our community. You never know – you might meet your future co-founders, team members, partners, and customers!<a href="https://www.mooncreativelab.com/en/orbit">Learn more about Orbit here</a>, and be sure to <a href="https://share.hsforms.com/1OHQANbcgR9q4ky5Q4M6wMQcxaid">sign up for our newsletter</a> to stay updated on future events from Moon.

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At Moon Creative Lab, we’ve always been focused on unlocking people’s creative potential to create new businesses, and we are always looking for ways to support as many entrepreneurs and startups as we can. And now, with our <a href="https://www.24-7pressrelease.com/press-release/501861/moon-creative-lab-expands-venture-programming-to-turn-brilliant-ideas-into-rockstar-businesses">recently announced three new program offerings</a>, we are broadening our reach more than ever!Our new program, <a href="https://www.mooncreativelab.com/boost">Boost</a>, is an incubation program to help startup teams and corporations gain traction for new businesses.&nbsp;Since we were founded in 2018, Moon Creative Lab has been a venture studio for powering the creation of new businesses globally for individuals, teams, and business units within Mitsui &amp; Co. Our new programs will expand our support for Mitsui &amp; Co as well as outside corporations and startup teams that want to incubate their early stage business.&nbsp;&nbsp;Boost Your Early-Stage New Business&nbsp; Our Boost program is an intensive 3-6 month incubation program that will help new businesses build traction and potentially earn $300,000 USD in funding.* Boost focuses on a human-centered approach to new business creation with expertise in user research and testing and prototype creation. By joining our Boost program, participants will receive:<ul><li>Hands-on support and mentorship from our diverse and creative team of global experts in design, engineering, product, marketing, and more.</li><li>Help finding co-founders, team members, or strategic partners.</li><li>Working space at Moon’s Silicon Valley or Tokyo studio.&nbsp;</li><li>Potential collaboration with Mitsui &amp; Co. and its global network.</li><li>Helpful SaaS tools to build your business.&nbsp;</li></ul>&nbsp;Earn Funding After completing the Boost program, participants may compete in Moon’s Demo Day where they can pitch their business to Moon’s Investment Committee to earn $300,000 USD* of seed funding from Moon.&nbsp;The Many Ways We Can Work Together If you, your team, or your company have started working on a new business idea and are looking for additional support in building and testing prototypes with real customers, we’d love to help bring your innovative ideas to life! <a href="https://www.mooncreativelab.com/boost">Head here to learn more and apply for Boost.</a>Haven’t yet started working on that “crazy” idea but want to learn more about new business creation? Check out our hands-on learning program, <a href="https://www.mooncreativelab.com/spark">Spark</a>. And if you’d like to connect with others and become part of our diverse, creative, and fun community, check out <a href="https://www.mooncreativelab.com/orbit">Orbit</a>, our series of in-person events.&nbsp; *Participating startups will be able to pitch for an investment of $300,000 USD on a post-money KISS/J-KISS at a $3M valuation cap – 10% of your company prior to dilution. <a href="https://www.mooncreativelab.com/boost">Click here for details.</a>

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Join the Moon Community!

Orbit - Moon Stories Blog

Creating the Future of GX: Tips From an Entrepreneur and an Intrapreneur

Widening Our Orbit: A New Series of Events for Tokyo’s Growing Startup Community

Starting a New Business? Moon Can Give You the Boost You Need!

Join the Moon Community!