Table of Contents
Innovation through the convergence of opportunity and software
Participating companies: NST Corporation / Entry startup: Araya Co.
⚫︎ Participating Companies
Matsuura:Ltd. was founded in 1985 and is now in its 36th year. It is a small to medium-sized company with a capital of 50 million yen and fewer than 90 employees.
The business is primarily engaged in the development of automation equipment used in factories, including the design and manufacture of inspection and measurement systems, machine control systems, and specialized controllers. Currently, EV-related inspection equipment, such as motors, batteries, and inverters used in electric vehicles, accounts for half of the business' sales.
⚫︎ process from entry to adoption
Matsuura:We received 20 entries initially, narrowed it down to half (10) through document screening, then held a meeting via ZOOM and narrowed it down to 2 in the first round. One of them had their issues resolved internally while we were working on this accelerator program, so we finally selected one of them.
We are a small company,Since it is difficult to create a new business by joining forces with a totally different place, the emphasis is on "solving a problem we haveWe are looking for a place that can help us do that.
⚫︎Collaboration proposal with startups that led to the adoption of the proposal
Matsuura:This time we adopted,Araya Corporationand it's mainly becauseVenture that makes AI softwareIt is.
We are doingPinpoint application of Araya's AI technology to image processingWe decided to collaborate with them because we thought it would be possible to do so. Currently, we are collecting image data and verifying what will happen if we use AI to process it.
⚫︎What I learned through the program
Matsuura:There are three main things that were good about this project. First, in creating the recruiting page,Communicate what your company does to the outside world in an easy-to-understand manner.The first thing is that it has become possible for us to do so.
We also had online interviews with 10 companies, many of which have very different ideas than ours, and we heard many interesting stories.
Third, we are going toI'm interested in learning AI, so a company that fits right in there.I am glad to have found the That is the biggest advantage.
⚫︎ Advice to prospective participating companies
Matsuura:If you are going to participate in the Accelerator Program, you must firstIt is important to take budgetary measuresI think it's a good idea. Even if you start a project because it is fun, you cannot continue if you do not have enough money to pay for it.
Second,Keep your policy clear.Things to do. It is a good idea to decide in advance what you will and will not do, because if the ideas of the person in charge do not match the company's policies, it will be a waste of time.
Third, long-term themes are difficult to determine the direction,Better to get results in a short period of time.This is what we did. This time, we focused on "solving current issues.
Finally.Continuing Cooperation.I think it is important to keep in mind the feeling of "I think I can work with this company. I think it is better to value the feeling of "I think I can work well with this company.
Fusion of manufacturing technology and design
Participating companies: F.C.C. Corporation / Entry startup: Anera Ltd.
Speakers: Mr. Inahashi and Mr. Aoshima, F.C.C. Inc.
⚫︎ Participating Companies
bridge (of a koto, etc.)We were founded in 1939 with a capital of 4.7 billion yen, 29 production sites, and about 8,700 employees. Our main business is,Development, manufacture and sale of clutchesThe company is conducting the following activities.
We also have an in-house New Business Development Department, which develops EV products and paper application products, as well as new business areas,Provide not only goods but also services with the SDGs in mindWe aim to
We participated in this accelerator with the aim of solving a local problem. Hamamatsu is Japan's number one gerbera grower, but due in part to the influence of Corona, the number of gerberas shipped from Hamamatsu has been declining in recent years.Flower Losses Becoming More SeriousThe Company has been working on this project for the past three years.
So there,Creating new business opportunities for local flower farmers and recovering the flower industryWe saw this as a challenge.
⚫︎Collaboration proposal with startups that led to the adoption of the proposal
bridge (of a koto, etc.)The company we decided to collaborate with is located in Azabudai, Tokyo.Anera Ltd.It is. Mr. Anella is,Mainly floral arrangementsThe company is also involved in collaborations with Swarovski and arrangements for celebrity weddings.
Qingdao:Here is my explanation of the proposed collaboration. In partnering with Anera, we willBiophilic" is the name of the game.The company has decided to create a biophilic office space. Biophilic refers to the idea that incorporating elements of nature into the office can improve productivity and reduce stress.
It has been proven that the presence of flowers can help control negative elements such as anger and tension, and can also liven up an office.
So there,Anella's floral art know-how and expressiveness, ,F.C.C.'s manufacturing capabilities and chemical expertisetogether as a new option for interior design,Noncombustible, easy-replacement floral wall panels."We would like to offer the following
Gerberas from Hamamatsu are de-pigmented before being colored with dyes and processed into preserved flowers that are free of watering and allergens. This is then processed to be incombustible,Can be used as a building material while maintaining its beautyThe first two are the following.
Specifically, a number of pieces can be combined and mounted on one wall of a store or other location,Panels that can be easily removed and attached.We are considering the following.
It can be used not only in stores, but also in elevators of tower apartments, glass surfaces of department store entrances, and window frames of restaurants for night views to create a glamorous effect, and in dental clinics and ossuaries for warmth.
Now, as a demonstration experiment, we have 10 companies, including design firms and clinics.Listening to needsand so on,Noncombustibility experiments with preserved flowersThe Company is engaged in the following activities.
⚫︎ future business flow
Qingdao:Hamamatsu from Anella.Designs that make the most of the charm of flowersand have them come up with the specifications and deliver them to us. F.C.C. will then procure materials, process the preserved flowers, assemble the product, and deliver it to the end user.
The roadmap is to first sell nonflammable flower flower walls in Hamamatsu, as well as seasonalSubscription development to replace flowersWe are also thinking of growing gerberas in the spring, sunflowers in the summer, and so on. We will also expand globally from Japan to the rest of the world,The Value of Japanese Flowers to Regions Where Fresh Flowers Are Difficult to ObtainDeliver the
F.C.C. and Anella teamed up,From Hamamatsu to the world, we want to make people's hearts bloom.We think that this is a good idea.
⚫︎ insights through the program and requests for next time
bridge (of a koto, etc.)I have three good things to say about it. First,First Steps into Different FieldsSecondly, by being exposed to the various business methods of startups, we were able to learn about thePerspectives have changed.and third, that there is scalability in our own technology, which we had not seen the value in,Discovered by a third-party perspectiveIt is what we were able to do.
As the New Business Development Department, we are willing to take on challenges in unexplored areas, so if anyone is interested in creating a new business with us, please contact us directly.
Digital Q&A for fast answers
Participating companies: SHODA Corporation / Entry startup: Concierge Co.
Mr. Sugiyama and Mr. Akagi, SHODA Corporation
⚫︎Business
Sugiyama: SHODA CorporationSHODA, Inc. has its headquarters and factory in Hamamatsu City, sales offices in the Kanto and Kansai regions, and SHODA Shanghai in China. Founded in 1926, SHODA has been in business for 96 years. The company is a leading manufacturer of wood, resin, and other materials,Industrial equipment manufacturer that manufactures and sells NC routers, machines for cutting materials lighter than steelIt is.
Purpose of participating in the ⚫︎ accelerator program
Sugiyama:The objectives of our participation in this program range from machine tools to DIY,We want to support "creation and connectionThis is what we are trying to achieve. This desire can be subdivided into four aspects: first, we want to enable all people to create comfortable things and spaces with their own hands, and second, we want to help NC Router'sAutomate operationsThe third is that we want toRepair prediction, remote maintenance and inspection servicesThe fourth is the realization ofAchieving Connected ServicesThey want to do this.
⚫︎ process from entry to adoption
Sugiyama:Entries were accepted from October 26 last year,16 companiesWe received applications from of which6 companiesand spent about a month online beginning November 18 brushing up on the collaboration proposal. on December 25.Decided to collaborate with ConciergeOn January 5, we began to further refine the collaboration proposal and prepare for an internal presentation.
We have decided to conduct a demonstration experiment after an internal presentation of the proposed collaboration on January 26, and we have been preparing for the demonstration experiment since March.
⚫︎ Introduction of startups that have been adopted
bishop wood (Bischofia javanica)Become a cooperative partnerConcierge CorporationWe are pleased to introduce you to Concierge, Inc. Concierge was founded in 2015 and is headquartered in Tokyo,Chatbot called "kuzenThe company offers a wide range of products and services.
Chatbots are unattended customer support tools that provide a conversational style of communication with customers.It is. The system provides automatic responses to questions and problems that customers have and leads them to solutions. It can be used through the Internet, using devices such as smartphones and PCs.
⚫︎ Purpose of the Collaboration
Akagi:From a customer who currently sells NC routers to our company,Nearly 200 service calls per monthand half of them are,Minor inquiries that do not require telephone supportThis is the first time that we have been able to do so. We would like to provide after-sales service that satisfies our customers by automatically responding to such inquiries with chatbots and resolving them quickly and comfortably at any time.
For example, minor problems such as "I don't know the switch on the operation board" can be quickly resolved by asking the chatbot. Severe problems, such as "the machine is not working," will be handled by telephone as in the past. Concierge's chatbot to be used in this collaborationkuzen" is AI-powered, with scenario creation that can be done without programming, flexible integration with external systems and custom databases, multilingual support, and comfortable automated responses to users through natural language processing.The following is a list of the most important features of the "M" series.
We believe that these features will be very dependable in carrying out the objectives of this collaboration with chatbots.
⚫︎ about the contents and benefits of the proposed collaboration.
Akagi:One of the advantages of using "kuzen" as a chatbot for NC router instruction manuals is that it will help us to provide more efficient after-sales service to our customers.Quick resolution to minor problemsWe will provide our customers withProvision of information infrastructure, ,Reduced waiting time for telephone supportWe believe that we can realize the following. We also believe that the benefits on the concierge side will be the dissemination of our platform and the acquisition of knowledge in the manufacturing industry.
⚫︎ Roadmap to the Future Vision
Akagi:Final,handling instructions, ,trouble-shooting, ,Document Search, ,Multilingual supportWe would like to put the functionality of the chatbot into the chatbot. We are currently preparing for a demonstration experiment, and we are planning for a 5-year span from here. In the most recent demonstration experiment, we will be converting instruction manuals into chatbots for only some models, and we will conduct an internal test.
⚫︎ for more information on the demonstration
In the preparation phase,Scenario conception, which is the lead-in to the registration of handlers and chatbots.We are considering the following. We are also asking the concierge to assist with the scenario. In the testing phase after the preparations are complete, we plan to measure the effectiveness of the chatbot and validate the scenario, while the concierge side will provide follow-up services.
The introduction of a chatbot, a proposed collaboration, will enhance after-sales service,A company that wins the confidence and trust of customers and is furthermore sought after by customersWe will aim to achieve the following.
⚫︎ Comments on this program
Sugiyama:It was an opportunity to reaffirm our company's strengths,Product development from a new perspectiveWe were able to do so. We also felt that we must enhance our efforts to create contacts between startup companies and our technology.
Akagi:I learned how to contact venture capitalists and how to facilitate meetings. On reflection, I learned that it is important to be proactive in such contacts and online meetings.
The Future of Hamamatsu Accelerator
speakerMr. Ema, Deputy Director of the Industry Department and Director of the Industry Promotion Division, Hamamatsu City
wild horseHamamatsu City has been focusing on startup support for the past five years, and is currently attracting the interest of many startups. We are also seeing the emergence of a community among startups in Hamamatsu City.
In order to further promote such a situation, we have newly implemented this program this year with the hope of creating a climate here in Hamamatsu that "fuses startups that bring new vitality with the advanced technologies of manufacturing companies to create innovation.
The three cases introduced today were surprising combinations that would have been unthinkable as extensions of existing businesses, and I felt that there are many different forms of open innovation. I think the real work begins now that the collaboration has started, and I hope that you will promote the business as a pioneering open innovation in the region through collaboration between manufacturing companies and startups.
This program will be held again in the next fiscal year. We look forward to the participation of businesses that are willing to create new businesses and solve their own issues through open innovation with startups.
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