It's booming!

Realize your dreams at the university "Entrepreneurship Circle" March 14, 18:02

What do you think of when you hear "university club activities / circles"?

I'm in my thirties now.

Ten years ago, when I lived in college, I heard rumors that club activities and circles that I couldn't imagine are gaining popularity, so I immediately started interviewing.

What exactly is it like?

I talked to college students.

(Takuya Baba, Director of the International Program Department, Seikei)

What is an entrepreneurial circle that has been established all over the country?

I visited Sophia University for the interview.

Last spring, the first "entrepreneurial circle" was established.

The representative is Amane Sakai, a first-year student at Sophia University who is also the founder of the circle.

Mr. Sakai said he was interested in "entrepreneurship" from the beginning.

While attending a new entrepreneurial information session for another university's entrepreneurial circle, he set up the circle, saying, "I want a place where people who want to start a business can gather and stimulate each other at their own university."

Currently (as of January 2022), 104 Sophia University students are enrolled in the circle.

We are also engaged in activities with a view to starting a business in the future, such as study sessions inviting entrepreneurial graduates and company visits.

Mr. Sakai, a first-year student at Sophia University, the representative

of the entrepreneurial circle

I started to feel it.

I wanted to live by what I really wanted to do, and I became attracted to the "entrepreneurship" that gives value to society by implementing what I thought from scratch. "

"Entrepreneurship circle (entrepreneurship department)" increasing nationwide

Recently, entrepreneurship circles (entrepreneurship departments) have been established one after another at universities around the world.

There are 28 schools nationwide.

It has doubled in the last three years.

The survey was conducted at "GaiaX Startup Studio", which supports young entrepreneurs called Generation Z.

This year alone, we are supporting nearly 100 Gen Z people, including university students, by giving advice on business ideas, consulting on financing methods, and providing internship opportunities.

Mr. Yoshinori Sasaki, who is in charge, says that the creativity unique to Generation Z, who has never experienced the student life of Corona, will be a great weapon when starting a business.

Mr. Sasaki, Manager of Gaiax Startup Studio

"In our survey, more than 60% of the Z generation responded that the influence of the new corona made them feel closer to social issues such as improvement of the educational environment and poverty of students

. , Students who take advantage of the free time created by school closures and online classes to take action to solve problems on their own are beginning to appear.

The number of young people who want to solve social problems on their own is increasing, and new industries and services are born. Is increasing. "

Entrepreneurship is a means to solve the "problems" of Corona

Universities are beginning to support students who want to start a business through “club activities”.

It is a national university in Hiroshima prefecture, Hiroshima University.

In 2016, the university-approved "entrepreneurship department" was established.

After that, entrepreneurial graduates were appointed as advisors as specially appointed assistant professors, and the members created an environment where they could work hard on business ideas.

The motto of the club is "a place for self-actualization with all the means to make your dreams come true."

In club activities, we hold regular meetings once a week and lectures by inviting local entrepreneurs to outside lecturers.

So far, we have produced more than 10 entrepreneurs.

The current number of members is 43 (as of February 2022).

Despite the restrictions on activities due to the Corona disaster, the number of members has increased by 7 compared to last year.

Representative of the Entrepreneurship Department Hiroshima University sophomore Mr. Yonekura

"Sometimes parents say that entrepreneurship is unstable, but seniors and celebrities who say that their generation was able to meet new things thanks to entrepreneurship. The number of students is increasing

, and I feel closer to entrepreneurship.

Studying entrepreneurial know-how also helps to develop a sense of business, so the number of students who want to increase their options in the future is increasing. "

I interviewed the entrepreneurial department in mid-February.

The university was already in spring break, but the members were active on their own initiative.

What I was doing was studying new business ideas.

Ideas are divided into nine elements, such as "who is the customer," "customer issues," and "value to solve the issues," and discussions are held among the members.

On this day, the member of the first grader proposed "tableware sharing service".

As the number of self-catering is increasing due to the corona, he announced that he would like to save the trouble of washing dishes.

Target customers are college students and office workers.

I want to cook, but I don't have a place to put dishes and a dishwasher.

It is a service that delivers as much tableware as you use for the day to such people and returns it without washing.

"Is it not possible to do housework? More clearly the" selling "unique to this service."

"How often do you think about the frequency of delivering dishes and the usage fee?"

Senior students asked questions and advice one after another. ..

How can you put your business idea into shape?

Instead of entering from denial, we all share wisdom.

The members put their ideas into play and participated in business contests held nationwide.

We are continuing to work hard with the aim of implementing it in society.

Challenge of young entrepreneurs to “save the vulnerable”

Some of the members have realized their dreams of starting a business.

This is Shodai Itagaki, a 4th grader.

In January, with the support of a company in Tokyo, we launched a company that solves the problem of mobility in rural areas.

Mr. Itagaki, a 4th year student at Hiroshima University who started a business

"I am from the countryside where transportation is scarce. I felt the inconvenience of traveling in my life and wanted to solve this problem someday.

I received feedback from all the members .

I arrived at a business that I thought could solve the problem, so I decided to start a business. "

Itagaki-san's business structure.

For example, when a taxi company uses it, we will post services such as "shared" and "flat rate" that can be provided in areas where there are residents who are having trouble moving on a dedicated web page.

Residents pay the usage fee in advance and vote if there is a service they want to use even if they pay for it.

If the taxi company can determine that it will be a business by looking at the voting situation, it will distribute the usage ticket for the amount paid and start the service.

The page also has a function to request services that residents want to start.

We believe that it will help prevent a mismatch between supply and demand by solving the problems of residents who do not know where to consult even if they feel inconvenient, and because companies can decide which service to provide based on their requests.

Do you expect young entrepreneurs to be local companies?

Itagaki-san has also started sales to users.

On this day, I visited the taxi company "Tsubame Kotsu" in Hiroshima city with a nervous look.

Mr. Itagaki asked if he would conduct a taxi demand survey in areas where transportation infrastructure is not well-developed or where there are many elderly people.

A taxi company representative confessed that the corona sickness made it difficult to investigate.

In the past, I was able to understand the services I needed to some extent by listening to the voices of residents at gatherings such as neighborhood associations and union activities in the shopping district.

However, it is said that the number of such places has decreased sharply due to the corona disaster.

While the use of taxis is decreasing due to the self-restraint of going out, this company has been providing new services such as "shopping support taxi" to help elderly people who are concerned about infection.

However, about 20% of the services are continuously used.

In the future, in order to provide services that are supported by the residents, I believe that the values ​​of Generation Z, such as Mr. Itagaki, and digital technology are necessary.

Mr. Yamauchi, General Manager, Planning Office, Tsubame Transportation Management Headquarters "Even if the corona converges, the aspect of society will change completely due

to

digitalization.

I think it is necessary for Mr. Itagaki to have the responsiveness unique to the Z generation.

I would like to work together as an equal partner. "

It takes about an hour to hear about the future and challenges that the taxi industry is looking at.

We will continue discussions for specific cooperation.

Mr. Itagaki graduated from university in March and started his career as a young entrepreneur in earnest.

We would like to get our business on track by facing the “worries” of the company sincerely and continuing to present solutions.

Mr. Itagaki, a 4th year student at Hiroshima University who started a business "Many people are feeling problems because of Corona's

disaster

, and many people are in trouble.

At such times, I think that an entrepreneur who can solve the problems is needed.

I would like to listen to the voices of people and transportation companies and continue to work to solve problems in my own business. "

To "power that can be used in society"

An entrepreneurial circle that I hadn't even heard of when I was a college student.

What was there was the appearance of students who regarded the university as a preparatory period before going out to society and worked hard at self-study to realize what they wanted to do through the means of starting a business.

During the interview, some university students said, "I can't live the university life I had envisioned because of the corona, and I'm worried about the future as it is." I felt that it would lead to "power that is accepted by society."

Political Economy / International Program Department

Takuya Baba

Joined in 2013

After working at Kagoshima Station, Tokyo Metropolitan Area Broadcasting Center, and News Watch 9, he has been a member since 2020.