Masaru started his career as a programmer/engineer, and previously co-founded several system integration companies and consulting firms. He’s been traveling around Silicon Valley and Asia exploring the IT industry, and he also curates event updates for the Tokyo edition of Startup Digest.
See the original story in Japanese. SlideStory is an iOS app that lets you create a 32-second movie clip from still images on your mobile. Tokyo-based Nanameue, the startup behind the app, has announced that it has recently surpassed a million downloads, a promising total for the still very young service. The app is usually ranked high in the ‘photo/video’ category on the App Store, especially in the Asia region. We understand that they intend to add some new features in an effort to improve user acquisition. The company’s Atsushi Takishima tells us that 45% of their users comes from Japan, but the rest are from abroad, with fans in Thailand and Taiwan in particular. They’ve been relatively successful in acquiring many users across Asia since the app supports nine languages, including Japanese, English, Korean, simplified and traditional Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai, Malay, and Indonesian. Takishima explained: We have not yet deployed any significant advertising or marketing effort. However, Kazuhiro Mizuno, the founder and CEO of Quan Inc, who I previously worked for, advised us on what to do and linked us up with many key people around Asia. Mizuno has strong connections among notable internet companies in the region, and…
SlideStory is an iOS app that lets you create a 32-second movie clip from still images on your mobile. Tokyo-based Nanameue, the startup behind the app, has announced that it has recently surpassed a million downloads, a promising total for the still very young service. The app is usually ranked high in the ‘photo/video’ category on the App Store, especially in the Asia region. We understand that they intend to add some new features in an effort to improve user acquisition.
Atsushi Takishima
The company’s Atsushi Takishima tells us that 45% of their users comes from Japan, but the rest are from abroad, with fans in Thailand and Taiwan in particular. They’ve been relatively successful in acquiring many users across Asia since the app supports nine languages, including Japanese, English, Korean, simplified and traditional Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai, Malay, and Indonesian. Takishima explained:
We have not yet deployed any significant advertising or marketing effort. However, Kazuhiro Mizuno, the founder and CEO of Quan Inc, who I previously worked for, advised us on what to do and linked us up with many key people around Asia.
Mizuno has strong connections among notable internet companies in the region, and has succeeded in partnering with China’s Tencent and Thai mobile telco AIS to promote his company’s mobile apps in these markets.
Speaking of mobile video apps, you may recall that Japanese mobile streaming app TwitCasting has acquired a promising amount of users in Brazil. While the two video apps are very different in nature, Nanameue thinks TwitCasting is a good role model for doing business internationally.
The next challenge
When creating and sharing a movie clip on SlideStory, the current version lets you upload the clip to third-party platforms like Twipple and then share that link on other social media. In this way, the company doesn’t need a backend environment for storage, and can concentrate on giving users a better experience, with things like custom SlideStory embed code for blogs, for example. But there’s a limit in the variety of functions they can provide without their own storage. Nanameue is currently working on that, and they expect to launch that in about a month.
Considering the fact that more than a half of their entire user base is from South East Asia, they are also planning to launch an Android version, since that platform is more widely used in that region.
SlideStory was initially launched back on October 3rd, 2013. Six months have passed since then, and it’s really encouraging that they have a clear vision of the future. The company raised seed funding of about $300,000 from Skyland Ventures late last year, and they are making efforts to raise more funds soon.
See the original report in Japanese At the Wearable Tech Expo 2014 in Tokyo, there was a panel discussion about how wearable devices will affect the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. We’d like to bring you some highlights of that discussion. Participating in the talk (pictured above from left to right above) was moderator Kensuke Joji from Hakuhodo DY, Takeshi Natsuno (Keio University), Dai Tamesue (Athlete Society), Kozo Ibata (Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications), Toshinao Sasaki (journalist), Toshiyuki Inoko (teamLab Inc., not pictured). Natsuno explained that to grow the total users of wearable devices, development of both software and hardware needs to be mature. Considering Japan’s developed sci-fi culture around wearable devices, he insists that it is quite possible that the 2020 Tokyo Olympics could fully welcome wearable devices. Athlete Tamesue commented on the regulations of athletes using the internet during Olympics. In the past, participating athletes were told by the IOC not to upload photos or texts to the internet. But eventually blogging was allowed, followed by social media. I wonder how much the IOC will limit the use of the internet in 2020. Takeshi Natsuno and Dai Tamesue Sasaki noted that the current discussion is too focused on…
At the Wearable Tech Expo 2014 in Tokyo, there was a panel discussion about how wearable devices will affect the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. We’d like to bring you some highlights of that discussion. Participating in the talk (pictured above from left to right above) was moderator Kensuke Joji from Hakuhodo DY, Takeshi Natsuno (Keio University), Dai Tamesue (Athlete Society), Kozo Ibata (Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications), Toshinao Sasaki (journalist), Toshiyuki Inoko (teamLab Inc., not pictured).
Natsuno explained that to grow the total users of wearable devices, development of both software and hardware needs to be mature. Considering Japan’s developed sci-fi culture around wearable devices, he insists that it is quite possible that the 2020 Tokyo Olympics could fully welcome wearable devices.
Athlete Tamesue commented on the regulations of athletes using the internet during Olympics.
In the past, participating athletes were told by the IOC not to upload photos or texts to the internet. But eventually blogging was allowed, followed by social media. I wonder how much the IOC will limit the use of the internet in 2020.
Takeshi Natsuno and Dai Tamesue
Sasaki noted that the current discussion is too focused on wearable devices, which is actually just one aspect of a bigger picture. The growth of sensors and wearable devices should be followed by data accumulated in the cloud, big-data analytics, and monetizing through internet services.
He says more discussion is needed about how big-data should be used in the context of data journalism, and that data could be presented for audience.
In other words, to realize a “wearable Olympics” in 2020, figuring out how to build a business scheme and get sponsorships will be more challenging than technology itself. The Olympics in its current form cannot run without broadcasting and sponsorship fees. But as many athletes report live information by putting photos on social media, the overall communication of the Olympics has been changing. The business model first needs to be reviewed in order to expand the use of wearable devices in Olympics.
Many wearable devices have features that acquiring biological data or in some cases (with certain athletic shoes, for example) assist user action. By utilizing such features, they could help Olympic better their performance. Tamesue notes that Olympic athletes are currently not allowed to use equipment that aids athletic performance. But considering the fact that so much equipments needs to be used in the winter Olympics and Paralympics in particular, the IOC could be more flexible about this rule in the future.
Developing fair regulations will be necessary as well. If the IOC allows athletes to use wearable devices, that could mean that athletes from developing/underdeveloped countries would be at a disadvantage.
If Olympic athletes use wearable devices, audiences would naturally want to look at the accumulated data along with live video. That could open the door to data journalism. At the same time, it also leads to the important question of who owns the data. Is it the athletes? Or the sponsors?
Sasaki commented that it is very difficult to regulate the license of data in such public circumstances. He also predicts that data might be open to public and the media, and other organizations could be allowed to use and process it on their own. Ibata from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications says that the discussion of how to handle personal information included in the data is necessary, but but within his own organization, there has not yet been discussion about these sort of rights. He said that the stance of the ministry that data is preferably open and available for others to build upon.
Toshinao Sasaki
Tamesue predicts that athletes will not be allowed to use wearable devices during competition even in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. However, it will be also difficult to regulate. Sasaki predicts use of wearables limited within a certain rule, but also that all data will be shared on the internet and it will not be controlled.
Interactive Olympics
Inoko from teamLab shared his own perspective on the meaning of Olympics. He says that Olympics had been like theatre performances until the 2008 Beijing Olympics. But at London 2012, it changed into a movie-like form, with more editing and digital processing mixed into the live video.
Toshiyuki Inoko
At Rio de Janeiro Olympics in 2016, the fusion of live video and digital media will be even more evident. And Inoko predicts the Tokyo Olympics will be an interactive Olympics where the audience actively participates in some way.
Now that we can vaguely imagine a future of wearable devices, how can Japanese people build a successful Olympics in 2020? There is no definite answer yet, but a comment by Tamesue particularly impressed me:
We hosted the Tokyo Olympics in 1960. And the bullet train network and the national stadium built for that event still has a huge influence on our daily lives. That means, what we build for these Olympics could have a big impact on the next half of the century. The 2020 Tokyo Olympics should be an opportunity to present something that foreshadows the next 50 years of our world.
The image of an athlete projected at Shibuya station (teamLab)
3D Hologram (teamLab)
Along with the torch runner, the devices of audience are lit (teamLab)
See the original article in Japanese Located just adjacent to Hong Kong, Shenzhen China is known as global manufacturing center, with an abundance of electronics manufacturers in particular. Even in the startups scene, Shenzhen is recognized as one of the best places to do be in the hardware business. I recently had the opportunity to attend Infinity Venture Partners’ LP Summit. I’ll report on the interesting startups introduced during this event, but today I’d like to focus on HAXLR8R, the Shenzhen accelerator specializing in hardware startups. IVP has had a partnership with HAXLR8R and Dalian-based incubator Chinaccelerator for the last few years. It was nearly 20 years ago when I first visited Shenzhen and Hong Kong. Shenzhen has since grown to become the fourth biggest economic center in China, behind Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. HAXLR8R has its office conveniently located in the center of Shenzhen, high above street level on the 10th floor. We were welcomed by founder and the managing director Cyril Ebersweiler and general partner Benjamin Joffe. Cyril is also a venture partner at Ireland-based SOS Ventures, and many readers may remember Benjamin from his involvement with the futuristic space memorial service Elysium Space. After entrepreneurs pass screening…
Located just adjacent to Hong Kong, Shenzhen China is known as global manufacturing center, with an abundance of electronics manufacturers in particular. Even in the startups scene, Shenzhen is recognized as one of the best places to do be in the hardware business.
I recently had the opportunity to attend Infinity Venture Partners’ LP Summit. I’ll report on the interesting startups introduced during this event, but today I’d like to focus on HAXLR8R, the Shenzhen accelerator specializing in hardware startups. IVP has had a partnership with HAXLR8R and Dalian-based incubator Chinaccelerator for the last few years.
It was nearly 20 years ago when I first visited Shenzhen and Hong Kong. Shenzhen has since grown to become the fourth biggest economic center in China, behind Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. HAXLR8R has its office conveniently located in the center of Shenzhen, high above street level on the 10th floor.
We were welcomed by founder and the managing director Cyril Ebersweiler and general partner Benjamin Joffe. Cyril is also a venture partner at Ireland-based SOS Ventures, and many readers may remember Benjamin from his involvement with the futuristic space memorial service Elysium Space.
After entrepreneurs pass screening to join HAXLR8R, they have an opportunity to create a simple prototype in their first week. The aim of this process is to enhance communication with other members and with mentors as well. Participating entrepreneurs must create a prototype based on a given theme, and this creates an opportunity to meet other entrepreneur who they might collaborate with in the future.
The accelerator holds a demo day on the 30th, 60th, and 90th day for startups. Participants enhance their product and business based on feedback from other entrepreneurs and investors in attendance.
In order to prevent others from building copycats, the details of the products currently being built are not disclosed. So regrettably, I can’t go into details about the startups and products that I saw there on this trip. But on the plus side, I could speak with a startup from the accelerator’s previous batch. The American startup Helios develops a sort of bike navigation system and corresponding iOS app. You just input a destination, and then the flashing lights on the handlebars will the rider to the destination.
Helios
City view from HAXLR8R. We tend to worry about the air pollution in China, but according to Benjamin, the air in Shenzhen is cleaner than in San Francisco.
HAXLR8R also coordinates with local manufacturing services for participants. So some startups stay in Shenzhen (including Helios) even after the incubation program. The accelerator occupies the 10th and 11th floor of the building, with startups and administrative staff on the 11th, and the 10th reserved for events and startups alumni.
Almost half of the participating startups are from the US, with the remainder from Europe and Asia. From the two past batches of startups, the only Japanese startup has been Sassor, a company developing its so-called Energy Literacy Platform [1].
Cyril and Benjamin have both lived in Japan before, and both are fluent in Japanese and strongly hope that more Japanese hardware startups can come join their incubation program. The next batch will start on July 16th, and the application deadline is on May 25th. If you have strong interest in hardware, this would be great opportunity. The application form can be found here.
We will follow up with a report on Sassor’s HAXLR8R experience in the near future. ↩
Japanese internet company United, perhaps best known for smartphone homescreen customization app Cocoppa, announced yesterday that its Philippines-based subsidiary Aderl has acquired over 50,000 users on its DreamGiver awards platform [1]. Based on the company’s rewards platform for Japan, DreamMail, Aderl launched DreamGiver in the Philippines last September. In return for subscribing to promotional messages from advertisers via e-mail or SMS, users can earn rewards points or win prizes like an iPad Air or other devices, or even cash. Since the service is exclusively intended for mobile users in the Philippines, people living in other countries can’t sign up. United says it has been developing a good reputation from a marketing perspective, especially from Japanese companies doing their business in the Philippines. In this space we have already seen Yoyo Holdings (backed by Incubate Fund) launch a similar online rewards platform Candy back in March of 2013 (see our feature here), also targeting consumers in the Philippines. via United As of this past March. ↩
Japanese internet company United, perhaps best known for smartphone homescreen customization app Cocoppa, announced yesterday that its Philippines-based subsidiary Aderl has acquired over 50,000 users on its DreamGiver awards platform [1].
Based on the company’s rewards platform for Japan, DreamMail, Aderl launched DreamGiver in the Philippines last September. In return for subscribing to promotional messages from advertisers via e-mail or SMS, users can earn rewards points or win prizes like an iPad Air or other devices, or even cash.
Since the service is exclusively intended for mobile users in the Philippines, people living in other countries can’t sign up. United says it has been developing a good reputation from a marketing perspective, especially from Japanese companies doing their business in the Philippines.
In this space we have already seen Yoyo Holdings (backed by Incubate Fund) launch a similar online rewards platform Candy back in March of 2013 (see our feature here), also targeting consumers in the Philippines.
Japanese web hosting company GMO Pepabo Inc. (previously known as Paperboy & Co.) announced today it has launched a marketplace for user-designed crafts (such as T-shirts, iPhone cases, tote bags, and mugs) called Suzuri. Since payment handling and logistics are provided by the marketplace, it means that amateur designers can start selling their crafts right away without any initial investment or inventory risk. Using the site, sellers can drag-and-drop an image to easily preview how the product will look when printed, which is helpful when submitting an item to the marketplace. In this space, we’ve seen already similar services in Taiwan, like as Fandora Shop and Pinkoi. Pinkoi raised funds from Japan’s Infinity Venture Partners last August and is expecting to move into the Japanese market in the coming months. via TechCrunch Japan
Japanese web hosting company GMO Pepabo Inc. (previously known as Paperboy & Co.) announced today it has launched a marketplace for user-designed crafts (such as T-shirts, iPhone cases, tote bags, and mugs) called Suzuri.
Since payment handling and logistics are provided by the marketplace, it means that amateur designers can start selling their crafts right away without any initial investment or inventory risk.
Using the site, sellers can drag-and-drop an image to easily preview how the product will look when printed, which is helpful when submitting an item to the marketplace.
In this space, we’ve seen already similar services in Taiwan, like as Fandora Shop and Pinkoi. Pinkoi raised funds from Japan’s Infinity Venture Partners last August and is expecting to move into the Japanese market in the coming months.
YourGolf Online is a Tokyo-based startup that provides a GPS-enabled golf logging app. Jupiter Golf Network, Japan’s only golf-focused TV network, announced today that it has taken a full stake that company, with neither party disclosed the specific figures around the acquisition. Since its launched back in 2011, the app (available on both iOS and Android ) has seen more than 1.6 million downloads from over 390,000 users in Japan and around the world. Based on an accumulation of course data from over 2,500 domestic courses and 30,000 courses beyond Japan, the app lets you record at which courses you’ve played, how you made approach shots, and what scores you earned. By acquiring YourGolf Online, Jupiter Golf Network plans to explore possible synergies around their business by attracting amateur golfers to their network, perhaps providing golf-related video programs via mobile or tablet apps. via Nikkei IT Pro
YourGolf Online is a Tokyo-based startup that provides a GPS-enabled golf logging app. Jupiter Golf Network, Japan’s only golf-focused TV network, announced today that it has taken a full stake that company, with neither party disclosed the specific figures around the acquisition.
Since its launched back in 2011, the app (available on both iOS and Android ) has seen more than 1.6 million downloads from over 390,000 users in Japan and around the world. Based on an accumulation of course data from over 2,500 domestic courses and 30,000 courses beyond Japan, the app lets you record at which courses you’ve played, how you made approach shots, and what scores you earned.
By acquiring YourGolf Online, Jupiter Golf Network plans to explore possible synergies around their business by attracting amateur golfers to their network, perhaps providing golf-related video programs via mobile or tablet apps.
Tokyo-based mobile game developer MyNet recently announced it has raised an undisclosed sum of investment from Japanese gaming giant Sega Networks. The two companies say they will join forces to develop more gaming apps. Since its launch back in July of 2006, MyNet had been providing customer relationship management solutions to restaurants and retailers. However, they sold their CRM solutions to Yahoo Japan and changed their focus to social games development early last year. Their recent mobile game Emblem of Falkyrie has been performing well these days, especially in the Asia region. Coinciding with this announcement, MyNet has introduced an iOS version of this game. Sega Networks is a subsidiary of Sega Sammy Group, known for having developed the popular mobile puzzle RPG Puyo Puyo Quest.
Tokyo-based mobile game developer MyNet recently announced it has raised an undisclosed sum of investment from Japanese gaming giant Sega Networks. The two companies say they will join forces to develop more gaming apps.
Since its launch back in July of 2006, MyNet had been providing customer relationship management solutions to restaurants and retailers. However, they sold their CRM solutions to Yahoo Japan and changed their focus to social games development early last year. Their recent mobile game Emblem of Falkyrie has been performing well these days, especially in the Asia region. Coinciding with this announcement, MyNet has introduced an iOS version of this game.
Sega Networks is a subsidiary of Sega Sammy Group, known for having developed the popular mobile puzzle RPG Puyo Puyo Quest.
Docomo Ventures, the investment arm of Japan’s leading mobile telecom, held a demo event this week, where they showcased six startups from the second batch of their incubation program. Recipe suggestion app ‘Me:new’ won the top award and was the audience favorite at the event. Here’s a quick rundown about on how these startups have cultivated their ideas over the past several months. Me:new Me:new won a trip to Silicon Valley, as well as arranged appointments with investors there. The demo was presented by founder and CEO Nobuyuki Miyake and by certified dietitian Keiko Hori who supervises recipes. Busy families often need to think carefully about what they cook. Me:new (a name likely derived from the word ‘menu’) proposes what you should cook for the next seven days, thus saving you time. Depending on what you choose to cook, the app will tell you what you need to buy at the supermarket so that you can easily see what you need to pick up in one trip, rather than make multiple trips as you might without such planning. The company plans to acquire 8 million users in the next three years. It will take a monthly subscription fee paid by…
Docomo Ventures, the investment arm of Japan’s leading mobile telecom, held a demo event this week, where they showcased six startups from the second batch of their incubation program. Recipe suggestion app ‘Me:new’ won the top award and was the audience favorite at the event. Here’s a quick rundown about on how these startups have cultivated their ideas over the past several months.
Me:new
From the left: NTT Docomo CEO Kaoru Kato, Me:new’s Nobuyuki Miyake
Me:new won a trip to Silicon Valley, as well as arranged appointments with investors there. The demo was presented by founder and CEO Nobuyuki Miyake and by certified dietitian Keiko Hori who supervises recipes.
Busy families often need to think carefully about what they cook. Me:new (a name likely derived from the word ‘menu’) proposes what you should cook for the next seven days, thus saving you time. Depending on what you choose to cook, the app will tell you what you need to buy at the supermarket so that you can easily see what you need to pick up in one trip, rather than make multiple trips as you might without such planning.
The company plans to acquire 8 million users in the next three years. It will take a monthly subscription fee paid by premium users, projected to be 5% of its user base. For additional revenue streams, they will consider an online meal ordering service, advertising, and partnership with online healthcare services.
Me:new’s Nobuyuki Miyake and Keiko Hori
ATLS (by ForEst)
ForEst took the so-called ‘best stretch award’, also winning a trip to Silicon Valley and appointments with investors.
Presented by Takumi Goto, ForEst aims to be the Amazon of online learning. In the same way that Amazon suggests recommendations when you visit their site based on what you have bought in the past, ForEst will build an online learning platform for students that can propose what and how to learn by measuring how much they have understood a certain topic.
They have partnered with educational publishers who have allowed the use of their materials on the platform. Based on accumulated data, it helps you overcome difficult problems and better prepare for tests or entrance exams.
ForEst’s Takumi Goto
Egao no Hon (books for smiles)
Egao’s Shohei Ota
Some of our readers may recall we told you that Tokyo-based startup Egao has been developing an online photobook album app. Based on the presentation by Shohei Ota, it appears they have adjusted their game plan since then, now focusing on providing an online platform to help children buy event photos taken by photographers at their schools.
Here in Japan parents typically need to visit their child’s school to select from photos posted on in the school’s corridor. According to a survey, a photographer often needs to put 8,000 photos on a wall in this way (after an event, for example), and a parent will pick about 9 or 10. This process is obviously very time-intensive.
Egao’s online platform uses facial recognition technology to helps you find photos that show your child from a collection of images. Photographers benefit because they no longer need to print out so many photos to put on the wall. The company has partnered with some local photo studios and photographers around the country, and their platform lets you create a photo book from the photos you’ve selected. You can even order specific prints upon request if you choose.
Dank1 (Dankichi)
Presented by Taiki Yojima, Dank1 is a video coaching app that lets you learn from professional athletes. Many sport fans would love to be coached by professionals, but that would be especially hard for anyone living in remote areas of Japan.
The business will start by providing coaching in baseball (specifically pitching and hitting), but they plan to expand to other sports like golf later on.
Dank1’s Taiki Yojima
Pozica by Wizpra
In the retail business here in Japan, many part-timers are hired only to quit after as little time as three months. Often this is not because they don’t like the work or pay, but instead it is often due to miscommunication with other part-time employees. As a result, this kind of turnover puts pressure on store owners.
Inspired by internal communication tools like McDonald’s Web Smile, Wizpra has developed a communication platform called Pozica which helps managers better engage with their part-timers through increased communication opportunities. The idea was presented by Yoshimitsu Imanishi, and their potential clients include beauty salons and restaurants, business that often make use of part-time employees. The company plans to eventually expand this business globally as well.
Wizpra’s Yoshimitsu Imanishi
WonderBee
WonderBee is a gadget-focused social network platform where users can exchange their insights and comments about hardware. When you are buying consumer electronics, it can be hard to identify specific user benefits through the manufacturer’s website. So the best way for you to find out is by asking people who already own that device.
The platform has a community classified according to products, so you can easily speak to someone who owns the device you are thinking to buy. On the community page there’s a ‘buy button’ that takes you to an online store-front, which helps drive traffic to manufacturers pages as well.
The company expects to build revenue streams through affiliate marketing, banner ads, and through its own online e-commerce channel. They hope to acquire more than 3.2 million users in the next three years.
WonderBee’s Hayato Sudo
Coinciding with this Demo Day event, Docomo Ventures announced it has just started receiving applications for the next batch of the incubation program, which is due May 8th, 2014. Selected startups will receive with assistance in partnering with NTT group companies, and Sony Mobile Communications has been added as a program partner.
The maximum amount of seed investment startups are likely to obtain has been increased to 5 million yen ($50,000), up from the 2 million yen ($20,000) for past batches.
See the original article in Japanese Sensei Note, a new social network service for teachers, has officially launched in Japan. The service was originally started as an online market place for teaching materials, but it has since evolved into a closed social service for teachers. Its users are restricted to just teachers or to people who want to be a teacher. Sensei Note took over a year to launch its official website. We heard from CEO and co-founder Haruki Asatani about what took so long. I’ve visited teachers throughout Japan to speak with them face-to-face. I sometimes even stayed at their homes. I wanted to have a deep understanding about their needs, and even things not really related to their work. In the end, I realized that the problems they face cannot always be solved by sharing file-based content. And I became convinced that a community where teachers gather and share their knowledge is much more valuable than just a content sharing platform. The most common image of knowledge sharing in a teacher community is that it’s passed down by experienced teachers to new ones through word of mouth. But on Sensei Note, it is also possible for young teachers…
Sensei Note, a new social network service for teachers, has officially launched in Japan. The service was originally started as an online market place for teaching materials, but it has since evolved into a closed social service for teachers. Its users are restricted to just teachers or to people who want to be a teacher.
Sensei Note took over a year to launch its official website. We heard from CEO and co-founder Haruki Asatani about what took so long.
Haruki Asatani
I’ve visited teachers throughout Japan to speak with them face-to-face. I sometimes even stayed at their homes. I wanted to have a deep understanding about their needs, and even things not really related to their work.
In the end, I realized that the problems they face cannot always be solved by sharing file-based content. And I became convinced that a community where teachers gather and share their knowledge is much more valuable than just a content sharing platform.
The most common image of knowledge sharing in a teacher community is that it’s passed down by experienced teachers to new ones through word of mouth. But on Sensei Note, it is also possible for young teachers to share their knowledge with experienced ones. The relationship among users is very horizontal.
The service could potentially have a viral effect, if teachers recommend it to other their peers when gathered in a school’s teacher lounge for example.
Sensei Note bulletin board
Monetizing a community
Asatani is passionate about improving the educational environment. His previous work experience at Bennese Corporation (a Japanese educational service company) and his own personal experiences have resulted in a strong interest in educational issues. He believes it is essential to build a teacher community first, and the revenue can come later. But the most important thing is to initially create solid and thriving community.
We are trying to tie up with local NPOs, many of whom have contacts with local teachers. So when we explain the concept of Sensei Note to NPOs, they happily refer teachers to us. We also approached universities so that aspiring teacher can use our platform as well. 130 universities are telling their students about Sensei Note. The service is free, so they have no reason not to recommend it to students.
If the service is free, then how do they plan to monetize it? Asatani has an idea.
There are actually many companies that want to approach teachers, students, and their parents, many of them offering information services or selling educational materials. Most of them operate through agencies, and have no channel to directly approach teachers. But Sensei Note could them reach teachers directly by letting them provide educational content on site.
For example, one company provides videos on career development for students on Sensei Note. One such video has been watched by 400 students by teachers. The content itself is free, but companies can benefit by gaining more recognition among teachers and students.
Sensei Note wants to solve other issues faced by schools and teachers, not just using its own marketing budget but also via government funding or corporate social responsibility programs.
Advice from a friend
Asatani first announced Sensei Note a year and a half ago at a Startup Weekend Tokyo event. While I wasn’t at the event myself, I recall hearing that he left Benesse right after winning the event in order to focus on Sensei Note. It struck me at the time that he has remarkable passion for his vision. About a year passed since then his team has been focusing on developing the service without external funding during that time. Nakatani elaborated on his motivation:
After I quit Benesse, I had an opportunity to go for drinks with a friend from my university. He had become a teacher, and he talked about his passion for why he had done so. Many new teachers have concerns, but they all have to manage their classes alone. I felt that I should support them, and that feeling really pushed me to build Sensei Note.
Now that Sensei Note has finally launched, I hope the team can come closer to their vision, and find fundraising opportunities in the near future.
Tokyo-based web and mobile app developer Yumemi announced today that it has partnered with Beijing-based Mojoy. The tie-up will help Yumemi expand its nail art photo app Nailbook to mainland China. Since the app’s launch back in April of 2011, it has acquired more than 700,000 downloads. It sees over 170,000 monthly active users, 50% from Japan and 30% from mainland China. Through the new partnership, Mojoy will localize the app to fit Chinese preferences, and they will also launch an offline-to-online service that brings customers into nail salons all across the country. The app is available only for the iOS platform in the Japanese market, but an Android version will launch in China later this month, considering that country’s relatively large Android user base. via MarkeZine
Tokyo-based web and mobile app developer Yumemi announced today that it has partnered with Beijing-based Mojoy. The tie-up will help Yumemi expand its nail art photo app Nailbook to mainland China.
Since the app’s launch back in April of 2011, it has acquired more than 700,000 downloads. It sees over 170,000 monthly active users, 50% from Japan and 30% from mainland China. Through the new partnership, Mojoy will localize the app to fit Chinese preferences, and they will also launch an offline-to-online service that brings customers into nail salons all across the country.
The app is available only for the iOS platform in the Japanese market, but an Android version will launch in China later this month, considering that country’s relatively large Android user base.
