In pursuit of development of human resources who will serve as the core for regional revitalization, we are implementing an entrepreneur development program.
Specialized knowledge and skills are developed in the fields of science, pharmaceuticals, and art.
Only when you know how to give this expertise back to society will what you have learned at university be useful.
Toward that purpose, Sojo University believes that both an entrepreneur spirit and innovation capability are necessary.
Aiming at developing entrepreneurship for taking on the world, we implement an entrepreneur development program based in a creative co-working space called the SOJO Ventures Startup Lab. Taking advantage of the networks connecting entrepreneurs, innovators, venture capitalists, support systems, and the latest equipment, we are developing human resources equipped with a high entrepreneur spirit, cultural accomplishments, and invention/discovery capabilities.
Our environment for developing unique talent from the entrepreneur point of view who can serve as the core of regional and national industries keeps evolving year by year.
Three pillars of SOJO Student Entrepreneur Development Program
1. Enriched entrepreneur development program
The entrepreneur development program is implemented independently from faculties and departments and in coordination with specialized teachers and external lecturers. During the 1st and 2nd years, students can take “Venture Business Theory” and “Innovation Theory” as elective subjects in all departments in all faculties. Starting from those classes, students can attempt the creation of business plans and participate in in-house business competitions. In order to equip students with development capability and to directly link the advanced knowledge and technologies learned in faculties and departments, such as ICT and artificial intelligence (AI), with social contributions and industries, we offer a great variety of lectures.
2. Extracurricular activity club SOJO Ventures
This is Japan’s first “extracurricular business startup activity approved by a university,” which makes a clear departure from ordinary business startup circles. It was founded in October 2014. Under the supervision of specialized teachers and top-class advisers, the club carries out activities including the creation of business plans, application to business competitions (in and out of the university),exchange with entrepreneurs and venture capitalists, participation in camps and events in and out of the country, and training sessions at Silicon Valley and other places. The club aims at producing student entrepreneurs.
3. Support for students’ business startups from various quarters
“Sojo University Silicon Valley Office” in San Francisco and external lecturers from renowned companies support the nation’s top-ranking entrepreneur education. In addition, a fund firm named the “SOJO Startup Lab Co., Ltd.” was established to build a fund support system for student entrepreneurs. We have an ecosystem from which we expect a positive spiral of the following: the entrepreneur project is vitalized as it receives investments from the fund or external companies, the investment amount further increases, and entrepreneurs make regional and social contributions.
Business competition success
SOJO Ventures has a track record of winning prizes in various business competitions both in and out of the university. After passing regional preliminaries of various contests, we participated in several nationwide competitions and have won prizes one after another. These achievements show the “level of commitment” at Sojo University’s entrepreneur program.
Major prizes won in the 2017 academic year
- 6th DBJ New Business Plan Competition for Women Entrepreneurs / Finalist
- Kyushu ICT Business Plan Presentation / ICT Business Consortium Award, IO Data Award (Supporting Company’s Prize)
- The 6th Annual All-Japan Student English Presentation Contest / Highest Award (Minister of Education Award)
- The 4th Kumamoto Chamber of Commerce & Industry Business Plan Contest / Excellence Award
- The 4th ICT Business Model Discovery & Presentation Awards / Intec Award, ICT Business Consortium Special Award
- Kumamoto Issue Solution Project / Runner-up
- Student Entrepreneur Idea Award of The 4th Kyushu Mirai Awards / Highest Award