On November 15, 2025, the special joint symposium titled "What is the Real Pleasure of Venture Business?" was successfully held, marking a key highlight of Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) 2025 in Japan. The symposium was co-hosted by three premier academic institutions—Waseda University, Keio University, and Sophia University—in collaboration with GEN Japan. This gathering served as a global festival to ignite the entrepreneurial spirit, anchored by the GEW message: "Making entrepreneurship accessible and challenging for everyone."
1. Cross-Academic Collaboration and Co-Creation
The event was a significant collaborative effort among three major universities—Waseda, Keio, and Sophia—demonstrating a collective commitment to nurturing entrepreneurship across academic boundaries. Co-organizers also included GEN Japan and a diverse range of public and private organizations, underscoring a shared vision for ecosystem development.
2. Leadership and Global Outreach
The event officially commenced with the Opening Address delivered by Hiro Nishiguchi, Managing Director of GEN Japan. His speech effectively underscored the global significance of the symposium and emphasized the critical importance of fostering a vibrant startup ecosystem within Japan.
3. Engaging Program Structure: Deep Dive into Five Technological Frontiers
The program featured concentrated sessions across five cutting-edge technological domains—Space, AI, Quantum, Nanotech, and Metaverse—showcasing the unique journeys and forward-looking strategies taken by key venture leaders in each area.
- Keynote and Space Session: The event began with a keynote speech by Dr. Seiko Shirasaka (Co-Founder of Synspective Inc. / Keio University), followed by presentations from Mr. Sho Hatakeyama (Number Holdings) and Mr. Katsuaki Tanaka (amulapo Inc.).
- AI Session: Featured talks by Mr. Yoichi Matsuyama (Ecumenopolis Inc.) and Mr. Yusuke Maruyama (EAGLYS Inc.) , focusing on the social implementation of AI.
- Quantum, Nanotech, and Metaverse Sessions: Included presentations by Mr. Yosuke Mukasa (Quanmatic Inc.), Mr. Rii Hirano (Graphenaly Inc.), and Mr. Daiki Tanaka (Urth Inc.).
Collectively, these sessions provided attendees with profound insights and tangible inspiration into the future of technology and the entrepreneurial landscape.
4. Interactive Panel Discussions: Fostering Dialogue
Through dedicated Q&A sessions, participants gained actionable and diverse perspectives directly from the frontier leaders who are shaping technological and business innovation. A consistent theme emerged as the speakers offered common advice to the younger generation: cherish your core interests, continuously engage with the entrepreneur community, leverage advanced expertise through doctoral programs, and, critically, never fear failure.
5. Future Action Items
The GEW 2025 Special Symposium successfully achieved its goal of making entrepreneurship tangible and inspirational by gathering leaders from disruptive technology fields. To sustain this momentum and build a lasting framework, the organizing committee identified the following key action items: