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.

Faculty of Agriculture, B3

Ebihara Ryusei

Realizing that one encounter can radically change your life

Course History

• Introduction to Entrepreneurship (2022)
• Ideas Lab I (2022)
• Global Seminar (2022)
• Lean Startup (2023)
• Basic Entrepreneurship Strategic Theory (2023)
• Applied Entrepreneurship Marketing (2024)
• Basic Entrepreneurship Accounting and Finance (2024)
• Basic Entrepreneurship Marketing (2024)
• Idea Battle (2024)
• Kyushu University Festival Entrepreneurship Experience Program (QSHOP) (2024)

Comment

When I was a freshman, I decided that I wanted to become an entrepreneur in the future, so I took a lecture on Introduction to Entrepreneurship, and from there I fell in love with QREC.
The first is the Global Seminar, where I learned from Mr. Yamakawa of Babson College that it is “okay to fail,” a concept that changed my stereotype of what it means to fail. The phrase “Action trumps everything” is one of my life philosophies. This mindset has enabled me to continue to take on challenges without fear of failure.
The second is QSHOP’s Entrepreneurial Experience Program, You can experience everything from company incorporation to shareholders’ meeting with no risk.
The third program is the Applied Entrepreneurship Marketing. The course is not just theory, but is very practical and is conducted through specific case studies based on actual business operations, making the three weeks go by very quickly. We form teams and give a presentation on the last day of the lecture. Our team consisted of three working adults and four students. We named our team “7-CROSS” and I was the team leader. I was able to achieve very good results thanks to the relationships that allowed us to talk without hiding words, the members who gave us great ideas, and the seniors who showed us the way and taught us from their backs.

School of Economics, Department of Economy, B3

Haruki Hayashi

I was assisted in breaking through barriers at the beginning of the project.

Course History

• Challenge & Creation (2024) *Excellence Award
• Acceleration Program (2024)

Comment

I was assisted by QREC in breaking through barriers in the initial phase of my project.
I first became aware of QREC through a senior entrepreneur who provided me with information as I was conducting various research in preparation for starting my own business. At the end of my sophomore year, I took a year off from school to work for a venture company that supported improvement activities in the manufacturing industry, working on a wide range of tasks from sensor development to data application. When I returned to school the following year, I wanted to do something that would make use of my experience since I was able to spend time as a student with a year of working experience in the industry. It was during this time that I learned about QREC and my idea was selected for the Challenge & Creation (C&C) program, which was followed by the Acceleration Program.
In addition to funding, QREC’s various programs provide support in the form of mentors who are knowledgeable in the field of the project. For me personally, this was very important, as I was able to understand the real needs and challenges of the actual clientele, which gave me a great basis for my project’s direction. I still go to my mentor’s office two days a week to verify that the system we developed meets their expectations. While it is very important to find clients who are willing to cooperate with us in the early stages of a project, it is also a matter of luck whether or not we can actually find such people, given that we have no track record of success. In this sense, we believe that the support we can receive in the name of QREC, especially in the early stages of the project, will be more valuable than monetary support.

Graduate School of Human‐Environment Studies M2

Shiba Teruto

I was able to take a fresh look at my future plans.

Course History

• Global Seminar (2024)
• Entrepreneurship Bootcamp (2024)
• Challenge & Creation (2024)

Comment

I began to look into QREC after seeing some of my good friends and seniors participating in the QREC program and seeing how much fun they were having.
However, because I found out about QREC so late, I was not able to get involved in the classes or the program very much, but I still had a meaningful time and was able to rethink my future plans. I wish I had known about it earlier (laughs).
I myself am an architectural design major, and although I had a strong education in design thinking and was unfamiliar with entrepreneurship and business, I have incorporated those ideas and am now struggling daily to commercialize my ongoing projects. I am still in contact with the people I attended the Entrepreneurship Bootcamp with in the QREC class, and I am glad I participated because I was able to expand my network and receive good opportunities from them. I think one of the advantages of attending QREC is that I am able to interact with people from completely different backgrounds.
Because I was able to participate in the QREC program and other programs, I was able to have an intense graduate school experience. I would like to make the most of this experience and push forward toward my goals. Thank you very much!

Graduate School of Economics and Management, 2nd year

Keisuke Tomomori

A "value creation" perspective that can be applied to any type of work

Course History

• Advanced Lecture in Idea Evaluation (2024)
• Kyushu University Festival Entrepreneurship Experience Program (QSHOP) (2024)
• Advanced Lecture in Core Competence Management (2025)
• Technology Marketing Game (2025)
• New Business Creation (2025)
• Advanced Lecture in Venture Finance (2025)
• Global Seminar(English)(2025)
• Advanced Lecture in Technology Based Entrepreneurship (2025)
• Advanced Lecture in New Value Creation (2025)

Comment

QREC classes are a place where you can seriously learn about “value creation” by sharing ideas with peers from diverse backgrounds, from undergraduates to working adults.
I usually live my college life while working as a working university student. I took various QREC classes with the motivation of wanting to run my own business in the future, but the tips I learned at QREC were not limited to those who wanted to start their own business. I realized once again that no matter what type of work you do, the essence of “putting yourself in the other person’s shoes and providing the value or service that is being sought” is common to all. I feel that the most attractive point of QREC is that it enables us to have such “multifaceted viewpoints that can provide clues to solving problems.
I took classes such as Advanced Lecture in New Value Creation, Advanced Lecture in Technology Based Entrepreneurship, and New Business Creation, all of which brought together members of different fields of expertise and ages to seriously think about value creation. From basic knowledge of entrepreneurship to in-depth knowledge of the business domain, all of the lessons are so memorable that I can recall them immediately.
Frankly speaking, it was a shame to graduate…. Please experience the high quality classes that you can take because of the blessed environment of Kyushu University while you are still a student here.