Lectures and Events

Summary

The Boston training program was held from Thursday, September 7 to Sunday, September 17, 2023.

In this training program, the participants visited Boston, which has an advanced startup ecosystem, to discuss their business plans with local startup professionals and Babson College faculty and students, and to learn about the startup ecosystem in Boston. They also pitched their business plans in front of startup professionals at the Cambridge Innovation Center (CIC) in Boston.

Objective

The purpose of the training is to increase students’ interest in startups by exposing them to the startup ecosystem in Boston. Through discussions and pitches with local people, we are conscious of letting students experience the startup ecosystem in Boston.

Details of implementation

Day 1 / September 07, 2023

• “Mass Challenge” facility tour and introduction of activities
• Participated in an entrepreneurial community event Thursday Gathering. Conducted customer interviews

Day 2 / September 08, 2023

• Lab Central Facility presentation and Q&A with the CEO of the tenant company, Kano Therapeutics
• Visit to MIT Delta-V Demo Day

Day 3 － Day 4 / September 09-10, 2023

• Site survey by team

Day 5 / September 11, 2023

• Pitch and feedback at Babson College
• Attended Babson College Dr. Yamakawa’s lecture
• University tour for QREC students by Babson College students
• Interaction with Babson College students

Day 6 / September 12, 2023

• Discussions with students and people active in the Boston startup ecosystem at the Roxbury Innovation Center.
• Pitch to local students. Feedback from Harvard Business School students

Day 7 / September 13, 2023

• Meeting with Harvard Business School Alumni
• Pitch and feedback to MIT students
• Participate in MIT’s Entrepreneurship Center’s new semester community event

Day 8 / September 14, 2023

• Final pitch at Cambridge Innovation Center (CIC)

Day 9 / September 15, 2023

• Reflections on the Boston Training Program

Reflections on the Boston Training Program

Q1. What did you learn from the Boston training program?

I visited MIT, Harvard university and Babson College to learn about entrepreneurship and learn the skills for pitch by listening to other people presentations at MIT Demo Day. Along with that, I visited Mass Challenge, Lab central and Roxbury Innovation Center in Boston to know about their work that how are they supporting the students and researchers in bringing the new ideas to reality.

We learnt about the startup ecosystem in Boston by visiting to various entities such as universities, accelerators and incubators. We also got the first hand experience to pitch in front of different audience and get feedbacks from them.

That there are overwhelmingly more problem-solving based businesses than in Japan, albeit with services. And let us all recognize diversity! but rather to understand diversity from the root, and to have diversity as a premise.

The training program allowed me to better understand the Boston Startup Ecosystem. I learnt the importance of taking action and finding opportunities. This isn’t limited to finding incubators or accelerators, but finding the right community. It’s important to recognize that not everyone in your network needs to be a part of your company; some play pivotal roles as mentors, offering valuable advice and motivation.
Most importantly, Believe in yourself, otherwise, no one else will.
Someone told me, “Everyone here’s just faking it til’ they make it”. Confidence is key. To do that, not only do you have to convince others that you’re capable and qualified, but you’ve got to convince yourself. It might seem counter-intuitive to staying humble but, after all, how can we expect others to trust us or believe in our ideas if we don’t believe in ourselves first? Confidence, tempered with humility, is the key to gaining trust, both from within and from those around us.

Q2. What were your impressions of the Boston training program?

The Boston training program is one filled with memories that will be engraved in my heart forever. It was an unforgettable experience where I met such incredibly talented and inspiring people. This program solidified my love for startups and innovation, making me even more motivated to persevere in spite of any adversity.

In conducting customer interviews, I have found that enthusiasm and logic are very important when introducing my business idea to others. For younger consumers, it is relatively easy to understand their needs, but for consumers of different age groups, communication is more important, which I believe helps us understand the needs of our users. Through communication with the entrepreneurs, I was impressed by their passion and fortitude.

During the trip to Boston, I not only learned about the startup ecosystem in Boston, but I was also able to feel the belief and enthusiasm of the people who continue to support it. By experiencing firsthand the differences between Boston and Japan, including the students’ enthusiasm for entrepreneurship, I was able to understand the difficulty and greatness of building a startup.

I think it is a great program for enhancing student’s abilities by giving them the chance to interact with people.

Q3. Would you like to continue working with this team in business?

Yes, I think the most important part in each work is involving in team work.

I am really looking to work with the same team but for another idea.

I absolutely loved my team! We do plan on continuing the business after the program.

I would like to continue to work on my business if given the chance. I would like to challenge myself in the startup ecosystem in the future.