Innovation Dojo is a student organization founded in Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University in Beppu, Japan. It is based on the ideology that everybody can start up their own company, and even initiate social change if they have the right idea, and the passion to bring it to reality.
The motto of Innovation Dojo is: “Execute.” This motto has already taken the organization a long way in only one semester, as its members have already gotten two guest-speakers, brainstormed with new ideas, and this summer vacation they will be taking a group of students to Bangladesh on a venture of social entrepreneurship.
Why is it so important for universities, and societies, to have organizations such as this one? Entrepreneurs are the driving force of the economy of many countries, and without innovation there would be no progress. It is therefore crucial to encourage students to participate in entrepreneurial activities and to innovate on their own.
In Japan, the country with the lowest entrepreneurial activities among the developed nations, entrepreneurship tends to be discouraged in the society, and failure can be seen as a shame for the whole family. The number of venture capitals has been low, and getting a loan from the bank requires a personal guarantee. Further difficulties come from the pressures of deflation, weak domestic demand, and tough competition from the larger firms who dominate the market.
However, the government has been working on new policies to change this attitude, VC’s are increasing, and co-working spaces have exploded in numbers over the past few years. It is clear that despite a declining population and obvious challenges, the spirit is rising and the citizens are willing to take the country back to the top.
Entrepreneurs in Japan
Here are some examples of unique entrepreneurs in Japan, and one typical case of a would-be entrepreneur who feels held back by societal pressures.
Hisato Hamada
Founder of VIVA Japan, exporter of Wagyu (Japanese beef)
Mr. Hamada is not your “typical Japanese”. After working for only one year in a large corporation in Japan, he decided start his own business, only at the age of 22.
Innovation Dojo: From Japan by way of Iceland
A newly founded student organization focusing on innovation and
entrepreneurship in the land of the rising sun.
By Rut Einarsdottir