1st Seminar for the Future of Design x Business x Entrepreneurship: "Producing One Strawberry Whose Value Exceeds 1,000 yen"

At the Robert Fan/Entrepreneurship Center (Kyushu University, Kyushu University Business School, Kyushu University Faculty of Design), the First Seminar for the Future of Design x Business x Entrepreneurship was held under the title: “Producing One Strawberry Whose value Exceeds 1,000 yen”.

A limited number of people were invited to this special seminar to listen to Mr. Hiroki Iwasa, the founder of GRA: the company that created the “Migaki Ichigo” brand of strawberry in the town of Watari, Miyagi Prefecture, where approximately 90% of its farmland was devastated by the Great East Japan Earthquake. Exclusive to this “Design x Business x Entrepreneurship” seminar, participants will hear many invaluable stories and learn the secrets of innovation from Mr. Iwasa who has set up numerous businesses in the field of IT. In this seminar, the process involved in establishing GRA in Watari, the creation of a new form of agriculture derived from the combination of the skills of local craftsmen and digital technology, and the road to nurturing a new industry and identity will be discussed.

[Speaker]
Hiroki Iwasa (GRA Ltd., Co., CEO)

[Moderator]
Masaki Matsunaga (Kyushu University, Graduate School of Economics)

In total, 5 events will take place under the “Design x Business x Entrepreneurship” Seminar Series, where participants will be able to learn from the knowledge of leading pioneers active in diverse fields. The anticipated schedule for the seminars is as follows:

2nd Seminar【Theme: Traditional Industry x Innovation】
Speaker: Rika Yajima (Aeru Ltd., Co., CEO)
Date: November 21th, 2019 (Thurs), 18:30～20:30
Venue: Kyushu University, Ohashi Campus, Building 7, Workshop Room 1F

3rd Seminar【Theme: Social Issues x Innovation】
Speaker: Eisuke Tachikawa (NOSINGER Ltd., Co., Representative)
Date: December 16th, 2019 (Mon), 18:30～20:30
Venue: Kyushu University, Ohashi Campus, Design Commons 2F

4th Seminar【Theme: Working Methods x Innovation】
Speaker: Osamu Yamada (Cybozu Inc., Vice President)
Date: January 6th, 2020 (Mon), 18:30～20:30
Venue: Kyushu University, Ohashi Campus, Design Commons 2F

5th Seminar 【Theme: Corporation x Innovation】
Further information forthcoming. Current anticipated date, time, and venue location: February 2020 at Kyushu University, Ohashi Campus.

[Sponsors]
Kyushu University Faculty of Design
Kyushu University, Business School
Kyushu University, Robert Fan/Entrepreneurship Center