Students' Voices - starting a business

Graduate School of Information Science and Electrical Engineering (ISEE) D2

Forhad Hossain

I received tremendous support from QREC to pursue my entrepreneurial dreams.

Course History

• SDGs Entrepreneurship (2022)
• Entrepreneurship Bootcamp (2022)
• Entrepreneurial Experience Program (QSHOP) (2022)
• Idea Battle (1st / 2nd) (2022)
• Entrepreneurship Career Design (Student Commitee Member) (2022)
• Entrepreneurial Intention (2022)

Comment

I believe that “Entrepreneurship” is the best way to solve social problems. It is not just a course of action to make a monetary profit, but it can create larger social impacts. We only need to change our minds and vision to use it for the social benefits rather than the personal. I am very passionate about entrepreneurship.

When I came to Kyushu University and joined an engineering school, I was miserable. I thought that I had lost the chance to study more about entrepreneurship and missed the opportunity to engage myself in entrepreneurial activities. After 1 or 2 months, I noticed that there is an amazing center at the university, which is “QREC”. I felt that I had found what I was looking for. I tried to engage myself in all possible programs in QREC.

I received tremendous support from them to move forward with my entrepreneurial dream. I perceive, it is just the beginning, and I want to continue my engagement with QREC now and in my future journey as well.

I aspire to be a successful social entrepreneur and a proud alumnus of QREC, Kyushu University.

School of Interdisciplinary Science and Innovation, Interdisciplinary Science and Innovation, 1st year

Hiroka Yamamoto

Teachers and other participants will be kind enough to help you with any issues, no matter how small.

Course History

• Entrepreneurship Career Design (Student Committee Member) (2022)
• Co-creation Practice with Industry on Ideathon / Hackathon (2022)
• Entrepreneurial Experience Program (QSHOP) (2022)

Comment

I became interested in QREC because I wanted to have a different experience, and I was able to absorb a lot of things over the past year.
Many of QREC’s classes are active and practical, allowing you to learn in a homely atmosphere. Additionally, the students are from a wide range of ages, and there are many international students, so you can gain knowledge in a variety of fields through dialogue. QSHOP in particular faced many challenges, such as running the company, but thanks to the kindness of the teachers and other participants who listened to me, no matter how small, I was able to complete the project with a positive attitude. In addition, I was able to learn about the weight of responsibility and management through practical experience, and I was also able to learn about my own weaknesses and how society works.

You may be nervous when you hear the terms QREC and entrepreneurship, but regardless of whether you have the intention of starting a business or not, this content is sure to provide meaningful results in your career choices. I myself am still undecided about my future, but I would like to continue to deepen my practical learning at QREC and expand my horizons by connecting myself and society.

President and Representative Director, Nippon Wind Tunnel Manufacturing Co.

Joshua Lawn

There is no better way to learn than to actually try.

Course History

• Challenge & Creation (C&C) (2013, 2014, 2016) (Grand Prize winner in 2013 and 2014)
• Global Challenge & Creation (G.C&C) (2014)
• Global Challenge & Creation (G.C&C) (2015) (awarded the highest technical award)

Comment

Although he came up with the idea for a testing device in high school, even experts said it was “unreasonable.” It was C&C that seriously reviewed this idea without the preconceived notion that I was just a first-year undergraduate, and gave me the opportunity to take on the challenge. QREC gave me an irreplaceable time and place to bring this idea to fruition.

In addition, they not only gave me the opportunity to realize my goals, but also supported me to step up to work domestically and overseas. In the end, we were approached by a QREC C&C judge, which led to the establishment of Nippon Wind Tunnel Manufacturing Co., Ltd., a manufacturer of wind tunnel testing equipment that currently supports aerodynamic design in Japan. At QREC, I also learned the importance of a team, which led to the current company organization. I believe there is no better way to learn than by actually doing it. QREC’s program provides a one-stop opportunity for this.

Representative Director of Certified NPO Cloud JAPAN / Doctoral candidate, Graduate School of Media and Governance, Keio University Representative Director of Ripple, General Incorporated Association / Representative Director and President of Okaeri Co., Ltd. Representative of Kesennuma Guest House “Kakehashi”

Atsutoshi Tanaka

If you don't try, there is no success or failure!

Course History

• Challenge & Creation (C&C) (2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2019 All were not selected)
• Entrepreneurship Experience Program (QSHOP)

Comment

If you are trying to “design your own learning” the more you read this student’s comments, I think that you will have a happy and comfortable life in the future. However, it is a fun life without any inconvenience. If you don’t want to be satisfied with this, try S.I.P, a student life where you can fail or succeed, and I guarantee you a better life. If you don’t try, there will be no success or failure. Unfortunately, all classes other than S.I.P do not provide opportunities to learn through serious challenges.

I have failed more than anyone else at S.I.P, and because I have seriously worried each time, I am now able to make changing society my life’s work. The excitement of changing society together. We look forward to your challenge.

School of Interdisciplinary Science and Innovation, 2nd year

Sayuri Okabe

Students can learn from the basics to practice in a total of 8 classes.

Course History

• Basic Entrepreneurship Strategic Theory (2023)
• Practical introduction to Data Science (2022)
• Entrepreneurship Career Design (Student Member) (2023)
• Idea Battle (2023)

Comment

I wanted to learn about data science quickly, so I took “Practical introduction to Data Science” in my first year. In a total of 8 classes, I was able to learn everything from the basics to practice, and was able to grasp the overall picture of data science. Knowing at least one programming language will help you jump on the bandwagon that data science is attracting attention.
Also, after interning at a VC company, I had many opportunities to think about ways to expand my business, and although you can acquire knowledge on the internet and in books, I wanted to learn it systematically, so I decided to study entrepreneurship and strategy theory. I am taking the “Basic” course. Each class is a lot of fun because the lecture format is based on actual company data and considers the strategies of each company. It is recommended for those who are interested in starting a business, as you will be able to acquire skills that will be useful when thinking about a business plan.

Graduate School of Engineering M2

Shin Makita

There are many learning experiences and encounters that cannot be obtained in everyday classes and life!

Course History

• Co-creation Practice with Industry on Ideathon / Hackathon（2023）
• Kyushu University Festival Entrepreneurship Experience Program (QSHOP)（2023）

Comment

I joined QREC because I wanted to do something new with my remaining year of college life after my job search was over.

I feel that I have learned the following two points in particular through the activities of QREC.
・That there are many things that can only be understood by trying.
There are many barriers before an idea can take shape. It is important to give shape to ideas as quickly as possible, even on a small scale, through trial and error.
・To increase opportunities by taking lots of action.
Participating in the Co-creation Practice with Industry on Ideathon / Hackathon gave me the chance to join Accela. I also went to BasE (QREC’s co-working space), where I met people who were also committed to something, helped each other, and shared motivation.

Recommended subjects are output-based programs.
QSHOP allows you to experience making money on your own. Accelerator allows you to experience the process of starting a business based on technology. Hackathon exercises allow you to experience turning your ideas into products.

If you are wondering whether to join QREC at all, please join us! You will learn and meet many things that you cannot get in your regular classes or daily life!

School of Economics B3 / CEO of Riki's Hobby Room Co., Ltd.

Yamagami Riki

QREC Instruction Manual

Course History

• Idea LabⅠ（2021）
• Co-creation Practice with Industry on Ideathon / Hackathon (2021)
• Global PBL Program（2021）
• Self-discovery for career design (2022)
• Basic Entrepreneurship Organization Science (2022)
• Basic Entrepreneurship Strategic Theory (2022)
• Idea Battle 2nd（2022）adoption
• Global Seminar (English)（2023）
• Entrepreneurship Bootcamp（2023）
• Idea Battle 1st（2023）rejection (of an application)
• Challenge & Creation（2023）rejection (of an application)
• Kyusoukai（2023）（Sank in the final screening）

Comment

QREC is a dojo to test your abilities. I’m late to introduce myself. I am Riki Yamagami, a.k.a. Ricky. Let me quickly tell you about QREC. In a word, it is a dojo where you can test your mettle. You have thought about what you want to do or what you are interested in, but you don’t know what to do. QREC is the dojo for you. Why dojo? You need to actively communicate with professors, students, external lecturers, and staff members to create your ideas. QREC will do its best to support you from the initial action until you give shape to your idea. Well, of course, there are those who do nothing. People who do nothing are what is commonly called “conscious people,” and I personally dislike them. Well, I am not so smart as to create a company as a 20th birthday present to myself. If you are interested in what I am doing at the company, please search for Riki Yamagami on Facebook and contact me. Finally, there are some pretty sophisticated and interesting students lurking in the QREC community, as well as in our classes. We invite you to take a look into QREC’s classes and community as well.

School of Law B1

Nakayama Madoka

I learned about AI and the industries that are adapted to today's society.

Course History

• Entrepreneurship Career Design（2023）

Comment

Being from the countryside, I have not had much experience learning about AI, so I am glad that I could learn about AI and the industries that are relevant to today’s society in this class. What I was most interested in in this class was entrepreneurship. In the countryside, there is still a strong conservative mindset and a tendency for people to believe that “the stakes are high. However, I thought it was very good that the lecturers in this class had a positive view of the challenge of starting a new business. I am very glad that I was able to attend this class because I think this is a way of thinking that I would never have been exposed to if I had not come to Kyushu University. I was also surprised that many of the lecturers were actively involved in club activities, job hunting, programming, and other activities from their student days. I am glad that I was able to receive such stimulation because I had been a bit lazy and relaxed since I had successfully entered university.