TOMODACHI Boeing Entrepreneurship Seminar
The TOMODACHI Boeing Entrepreneurship Seminar provides Japanese university students with the opportunity to develop an enduring interest in entrepreneurship as both a professional pursuit and as a way to contribute positively to their society.
Organized with TOMODACHI support by the Keio University Shonan Fujisawa Campus (Keio SFC) and the Tokyo American Center, the program emphasizes the important role that the young “TOMODACHI Generation” of Japanese and Americans can play in contributing to sustainable economic growth. Students learn about entrepreneurial practices in the United States and Japan directly from real entrepreneurs and business experts, who serve as seminar presenters, judges, and mentors.
14th TOMODACHI – Boeing Keio SFC Entrepreneurship Seminar
This program, now in its 14th year, aims to develop individuals who are capable of embracing challenges with diverse values and perspectives and to foster cultural and social bonds between Japan and the U.S. Additionally, it offers opportunities to cultivate skills essential for success in a global context, through conducting presentations with peers and listening to guest speakers in English.
This year, we invite students from across the country who are eager to take on new challenges, such as launching a business or embarking on innovative projects, to join our online entrepreneurship program, which will run for approximately 5 months from September 2024 to February 2025.
Participants will learn critical and creative thinking skills while actively pursuing their pawn ideas and passions, by collaborating with peers from across Japan on project development.
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From March 25 to March 30, 2024, the TOMODACHI Boeing Entrepreneurship Seminar U.S. training was held and five participants selected from among the program participants took part in the training program on the island of Oahu, Hawaii.
The program emphasizes the perspective of “well-being,” a concept that comprehensively considers the betterment of individuals and society. Many of the projects that participants work on during the program also focus on well-being, and the training in the state of Hawaii was conducted with the aim of gaining hints for solving social problems.
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The TOMODACHI Boeing Entrepreneurship Seminar 2024 kicked off on September 15.
This program, now in its 14th year, aims to develop individuals who are capable of embracing challenges with diverse values and perspectives and to foster cultural understanding and close relationships between Japan and the U.S. Additionally, it offers opportunities to cultivate skills essential for success in a global context through conducting presentations with peers and listening to guest speakers in English. Participants will learn critical and creative thinking skills while actively pursuing their own ideas and passions by collaborating with other participants from across Japan on project development.
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13th TOMODACHI – Boeing Keio SFC Entrepreneurship Seminar
The 13th TOMODACHI Boeing Entrepreneurship Seminar kicked off on August 13, 2023, and concluded its Step 2 on October 15, 2023. During the seminar, which included Step 1 through Step 6, students learn together how to think and perceive things in order to take new steps as many times as they like in order to realize their project, through team activities and mentoring. Read More>>
In a gathering of intellect and creativity, the TOMODACHI Boeing Entrepreneurship Seminar 2023 took place in the ancient city of Kyoto on November 5, 2023. This momentous occasion brought together ten visionary participants hailing from Kyushu, Kansai, Chubu, and Kanto, marking a vibrant return to in-person gatherings post-pandemic. Read More>>
The participants of the TOMODACHI Boeing Entrepreneurship Seminar had their long-awaited in-person meeting in Yokohama on February 19th, 2024. During the fieldwork, conducted in four groups, they utilized the analogy method, based on their own insights, to reevaluate their program plans from various perspectives. Additionally, in a World Cafe format, they organized a workshop where they freely discussed to incorporate feedback into each project by engaging in dialogue to exchange and expand ideas. Read More>>
12th TOMODACHI – Boeing Keio SFC Entrepreneurship Seminar
On June 25, 2023, TOMODACHI Boeing Keio SFC Entrepreneurship Seminar held it’s Final Presentation virtually. Mr. Will Shaffer, President of Boeing Japan, Mr. Cydney Gardner-Brown of the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo and Ms. Suzanne Basalla, President and Chief Executive Officer at the U.S.-Japan Council attended the event. During the eight months from October 2022 to June 2023, 8 teams were formed. They made various efforts and continued their activities to come up with solutions for social issues that they proposed, and to realize their project. Read More>>
From July 30 to August 4, 2023, the “TOMODACHI Boeing Keio SFC Entrepreneurship Seminar” training program in the United States was held on the island of Oahu in Hawaii.
The U.S. study tour was conducted with the theme of “wellbeing,” which has been an important theme of the program, and was intended to provide hints for the development of their projects that each of the participants had been working on. In the morning, participants completed their own tasks such as meditation, then worked on the up-to-the-minute curriculum, had nightly reflections and discussions. (After reflecting on their own issues, by meditating in the morning, the participants followed the minute-by-minute curriculum and had nightly reflections and discussions.) They were eager, motivated, and hungry for learning that they competed for a passenger seat when riding a Uber so that they can hear from the driver about his experiences and the situation in Hawaii. Read More>>
11th TOMODACHI – Boeing Keio SFC Entrepreneurship Seminar
On May 22, 2022, The Midterm Report of TOMODACHI Boeing Keio SFC Entrepreneurship Seminar was held online. This year’s program started in December 2021; twenty-three high school and university students participated. The students were divided into five groups and undertook a voluntary activity for about three months. Then, they made presentations on the progress and future of their actions on May 22. Read More>>
10th TOMODACHI- Keio SFC Entrepreneurship Seminar
On May 22, 2021, a briefing session for Online Camp 2 of the tenth TOMODACHI- Keio SFC Entrepreneurship Seminar was held. 5 groups made up of 34 high school and college students shared their progress implementing their business ideas.
Funded by the Boeing Company, this educational entrepreneurship program was founded to foster the next generation of leaders who aspire to reconstruct, revitalize, and develop the future of Japan in the aftermath of the Great East Japan Earthquake.
The program, which celebrates its tenth anniversary this year, has been held entirely online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The pre-seminars were held from October through December 2020. High school and college students who passed the selection process are currently participating in the program. Read More>>
9th U.S. Embassy-Keio SFC-TOMODACHI Entrepreneurship Seminar
From August 18 to 21, 2019, the 9th U.S. Embassy-Keio SFC-TOMODACHI Entrepreneurship Seminar was held at Kawasaki-NEDO INNOVATION CENTER (K-NIC), a support base for innovative entrepreneurs.
Funded by the Boeing Company, this educational entrepreneurship program was founded to foster next generation leaders who aspire to reconstruct, revitalize, and develop the future of Japan in the aftermath of the Great East Japan Earthquake. Following the pre-seminars, which began in April 2019, 14 teams consisting of 37 high school and university students from 18 schools all over Japan were selected to participate in the four-day seminar. During the seminar, the participants learned how to confidently express their ideas and opinions through their presentations, and created business plans through strong teamwork improved by close and frequent team communication. Read More>>
8th U.S. Embassy-Keio SFC-TOMODACHI Entrepreneurship Seminar
The 8th U.S. Embassy-Keio SFC-TOMODACHI Entrepreneurship Seminar took place from September 4 to 7, 2018. Funded by The Boeing Company, this educational entrepreneurship program was founded to foster next generation leaders who aspire to reconstruct, revitalize, and develop the future of Japan in the aftermath of the Great East Japan Earthquake.
Following the pre-seminars, which began in May 2018, fourteen teams consisting of 40 university students from all over Japan were selected to participate in the four-day seminar. The students came from various prefectures such as Miyagi, Fukushima, Niigata, Tokyo, Osaka, and Miyazaki. During the seminar, the students positively influenced one another and built connections with peers they would not otherwise have met in their home communities. In addition, with support from over twenty professional mentors, the students shared their own passions, experiences, and knowledge with one another, all of which led to further personal growth. Read More>>
7th U.S. Embassy-Keio SFC-TOMODACHI Entrepreneurship Seminar
The 7th U.S. Embassy-Keio SFC-TOMODACHI Entrepreneurship Seminar took place from September 5-8, 2017. Funded by The Boeing Company, this program was developed to support young Japanese entrepreneurs who are interested in reconstructing and revitalizing the Tohoku community in the aftermath of the Great East Japan Earthquake.
Following the pre-seminars, which began in May, 14 teams consisting of 37 university students from all over Japan were selected to participate in the four-day seminar. The students came from various regions, including the Hokkaido, Tohoku, Kanto, Chubu and Hokuriku, and Kyushu regions. Through the program, the students deepened connections with people they would not have otherwise been able to meet in their own regional communities. In addition, the students improved and honed their business plans after obtaining advice and support from over 20 professional mentors. Read More>>
6th U.S. Embassy-Keio SFC-TOMODACHI Entrepreneurship Seminar
The 6th U.S. Embassy-Keio SFC-TOMODACHI Entrepreneurship Seminar took place from September 6-9, 2016. Funded by The Boeing Company, this program was developed to support young Japanese entrepreneurs who are interested in reconstructing and revitalizing the Tohoku community in the aftermath of the Great East Japan Earthquake.
This year, 14 teams consisting of 37 university students from Niigata, Miyagi, Kumamoto and several other prefectures had passed the application process to participate in this four-day seminar. During the seminar, the students had the opportunity to improve and brush up on their business plans by obtaining advice and support from approximately 50 professional mentors and entrepreneurs. Read More>>
5th U.S. Embassy-Keio SFC-TOMODACHI Entrepreneurship Seminar
From September 14-17, 2015, the 5th U.S. Embassy-Keio SFC-TOMODACHI Entrepreneurship Seminar was held in Kanagawa prefecture. Funded by The Boeing Company, the aim of this program is to develop entrepreneurs within the young generation of Japanese students who will lead the reconstruction and revitalization of communities in the aftermath of the Great East Japan Earthquake. The program was jointly managed by four institutions: U.S. Japan-Council, U.S. Embassy, General foundation SFC Forum, and Committee of Young Entrepreneurs. Read More>>
4th U.S. Embassy-Keio SFC-TOMODACHI Entrepreneurship Seminar and Business Plan Competition
From September 4-8, 2014, the 4th U.S. Embassy-Keio SFC-TOMODACHI Entrepreneurship Seminar was held at Keio University’s Hiyoshi campus. This program was funded by The Boeing Company and was designed to help develop a new generation of entrepreneurs in Japan in the aftermath of the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011. During the course of 5 days of the program, the participants had the opportunity to hear from many entrepreneurs, financiers, and business leaders to learn about the basics of entrepreneurship.
In the final presentation that was made on the last day of the program at the Fujiwara Memorial Hall at Hiyoshi Campus, three teams won the highest award: Iwaki University that came up with the idea of making forestry, from tree trimming to the delivery process, an automatic system for safety reasons, group of Sophia University and American students that came up with the idea of having single mothers make beach sandals using materials from disaster affected regions, and Showa Women’s University that came up with the idea to resolve every mothers’ distress of making lunch by establishing an order made and handmade obento (boxed lunch) service for children. Read More>>
3rd U.S. Embassy-Keio SFC-TOMODACHI Entrepreneurship Seminar and Business Plan Competition
Keio SFC, in conjunction with the TOMODACHI Initiative, held the 3rd U.S. Embassy-Keio University Entrepreneurship Seminar and Business Plan Competition at the Keio University Hiyoshi Campus from September 2-6, 2013.
The theme for this year’s competition was “Capable Youth Who Can Challenge Social Problem All Over Japan Through Entrepreneurship.” Participants attended lectures and workshops by entrepreneurs, business people and professors, in addition to developing a business plan to solve social issues prevalent in society today. Throughout the competition, participants continued to improve their business models through feedback from mentors. Additionally, the program helped participants make new connections with leaders in their respective fields of interests.
- For more information on this program, click here
2nd Tac-Keio SFC Entrepreneurship Seminar and Business Plan Competition
The 2nd TAC-Keio SFC Entrepreneurship Seminar and Business Plan Competition was held on September 3-7, 2012 in Tokyo and provided 41 students from 12 universities with the opportunity to learn about and cultivate skills related to entrepreneurship. The program also explored development of new enterprises in the Tohoku region that will help in revitalization and recovery in the aftermath of the Great East Japan Earthquake of March 11, 2011.
Student teams from universities across Japan were invited to apply for the program, with the selected teams participating in the September program. Teams were asked to submit a draft business plan as part of the application, which they had the opportunity to refine and present during the course of the seminar and business plan competition.
1st Tac-Keio SFC Entrepreneurship Seminar and Business Plan Competition
The 1st TAC-Keio SFC Entrepreneurship Seminar and Business Plan Competition was held on Feb. 8-10, 2012 and focused on economic recovery in the Tohoku area. Through their participation in this seminar and business plan contest, many of the student participants were motivated to take the next steps to implement their business plans with help from the mentors and supporters they met at the seminar.
