Author and business professor, David Burkus discusses the future of remote work, and how remote teams can thrive through shared identity and shared understanding. To learn more about David, follow him on:
Intercultural business communication consultant, Rochelle Kopp talks about common challenges that foreigners face when doing business with the Japanese, and she offers some helpful frameworks and tips on how to become more effective with communication in Japan. To learn more about Rochelle, follow her on:
Author and professor at the UCSD School of Global Policy, Ulrike Schaede shares insights from her latest book, "The Business Reinvention of Japan", highlighting common misconceptions regarding Japan's role as a global competitor and introducing the idea of Japan's "aggregate niche" strategy. To learn more about Ulrike, follow her on:
Cofounder of Social Innovation Japan and mymizu, Mariko McTier talks about her own personal journey in the world of social entrepreneurship, the creation and mission of Social Innovation Japan, and the journey of mymizu, Japan's first digital platform aimed at reducing the use of single-use plastics. To learn more about Mariko, follow her on:
Founder of YouMeWe NPO, Michael Perry Clemons returns to IGNITE to introduce us to eMPOWER, an organization whose goal is to provide future prospects to Japan's "Hidden Assets" preparing them to be digital citizens who can be part of the solution to some of the problems facing Japan. To learn more about Michael, follow him on:
Cofounder of ZAIKO , Lauren Kocher, joins IGNITE 2020 to speak about how this white-label ticketing startup rose to prominence during the pandemic to become Asia’s largest ticketing vendor for streaming events. To learn more about Lauren, follow her on:
Cofounder and CEO of Amplified.ai, shares his insights on why it's a great idea to invest in SaaS opportunities with Japan's coming digital transformation. . To learn more about Sam, follow him on:
Cofounder and CTO of Code Chrysalis, Yan Fan, returns to IGNITE to speak on how to better anticipate the future by means of building cross-functional teams, upskilling and reskilling talent, and embracing diversity as a business strategy. To learn more about Yan, follow her on:
Two time Olympian and former world record holder in the triple jump, Willie Banks, shares lessons from athletics that helped him through law school and in starting his own business; challenging entrepreneurs and small business owners to "think like an athlete"! To learn more about Willie, follow him on:
In this dynamic presentation, award-winning designer and Virtusize CXO, Zélia Sakhi, encourages us to "think like a designer" sharing a 5-step method to really figuring out what our customers need and solving their problems. This is design-centered thinking. To learn more about Zelia, follow her on:
Using the symbol of the "circle", 25-year Japan veteran, founder and CEO of Smart Vision Logistics, Glen Wood, speaks about his own journey from a working within a Japanese company to starting his own business focusing on circular logistics. Environmental responsibility is a MUST for the future of business. Hear how Glen is leading the way in Japan! To learn more about Glen, follow him on:
Founder and CEO of Zooterra--a digital platform focused on sustainability in the corporate sector-- shares the factors driving companies to focus on ESG, the current challenge of the fragmented world of sustainability, and how Zooterra goes about its mission of organizing the world's sustainability data in one platform, to help corporations make smart decisions and invest wisely in ESG related projects. To learn more about Julio, follow him on:
What does it take to foster cooperation with the different members of a startup ecosystem? Nordic Innovation House Tokyo Community Director, Niklas Karvonen, highlights different KPIs, senses of time, risk profiles, levels of knowledge, and types of communication between players within any startup ecosystem. By overcoming some of these potential challenges, players can also enjoy greater cooperation. To learn more about Niklas, follow him on:
What factors create a successful startup ecosystem? How do we optimize those factors? And how are global startups evaluating the Japanese startup ecosystem? In this talk, CEO of Rainmaking Innovation Japan, Josh Flannery, tackles these questions from a global perspective, citing his vast experience both in Japan and internationally. To learn more about Josh, follow him on:
Dr. Ryoichi Nagatomi, Dean of Tohoku University's School of Biomedical Engineering introduces some of the university's current research into genetic factors in the leading causes of death in Japan, the Tohoku Medical MEGABANK Project, and new medical technologies being developed to ensure a more human-centered approach to treatment. Tohoku University is on the cutting edge of biomedical technology. To learn more about Dr. Nagatomi, follow him on:
Sue Plumb Takamoto, Director of the Nozomi Project, discusses her time in Japan and the events of the great East Japan Disaster that led her and her husband to start Nozomi Project--a social entrepreneurial enterprise, employing and empowering the local women of Ishinomaki, through up-cycling broken pottery. Come hear the story of how this small outfit has made a big impact in the Tohoku region of Japan, and how foreigners and Japanese can work together to create "beauty from brokenness". To learn more about Sue, follow her on:
Sue Plumb Takamoto, Director of the Nozomi Project in Ishinomaki; Dominic Jones, Professor of English at Sendai Seiyo Gakuin University; and Franz Lawrence, Founder and CEO of Holax, Sendai's first on-demand food delivery service sit down to discuss their entrepreneurial journeys as foreigners in Tohoku, lessons learned from the epidemic, and the opportunities that await future foreign entrepreneurs in this beautiful region. Come hear why Tohoku is a great place to launch your business!
