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[Founder Interview #2] Shiho Watabe (Shibuya Startups KK) – Part 2

  • Interview
2026.01.27

Creating an Ecosystem that Connects Shibuya with the World!

For this article, we interviewed Shiho Watabe, Chairperson of Shibuya Startups KK, who participated in our company’s Venture Ecosystem Summit 2025 as a speaker.
(This interview was conducted in November 2025.)

This is the latter part of the interview. To read the first part, click the link below.
https://d-pops-group.co.jp/en/column/shibuya-startups-interview-first-part/

◆ Why She Chose Startup Support

Sugihara:
Let’s turn back the clock a bit. You started your career as an analyst at Morgan Stanley and built a brilliant career at Google Japan, followed by periods at premier startup corporations like Mercari and ELSA Speak. Why would someone like you choose the path of supporting entrepreneurs?

Watabe:
To be honest, I feel like a big part of it was simply fate, but other than that, I think there were two main reasons.

The first was a desire to somehow return the favor to Shibuya, the city that got me to where I am. I gained so much experience at foreign firms and startups here, and after I reflected on my origins, I had the sense that I’d be coming home, and the urge to give back something to this city naturally welled up inside of me.

The second was a spirit of “non-conformity”, which has been an ever-present keyword in my life. In a mainstream Silicon Valley career, people generally work for a unicorn or start their own companies and later become investors. However, in my lifetime, there are many times when I’ve found myself choosing the road less traveled without intending to, and this case was no exception.

For example, as a recent graduate looking to change jobs in 2008 (before the Lehman shock), I moved from the Investment Banking Division at Morgan Stanley to Google Japan. At that time, the tech industry’s recognition in Japan wasn’t nearly as established as investment banking. In addition, I studied journalism in university and had a dream of getting to use that degree, and I actually received an offer to be an economic reporter for a foreign TV station. Nevertheless, I chose Google. It wasn’t so much a calculated decision, but more like a hunch. Jumping into an unknown industry seems difficult on the surface, but it’s exciting, too. I also remember being impressed by how much the people who interviewed me at Google seemed to enjoy their work.

There is definitely risk in choosing the path that 9 out of 10 people won’t take, but I believe it leads to countless insights and might even lead to an unexpected new stage in one’s career. While it goes without saying that my skills are useful at this workplace, this choice to support startups is also probably an extension of my “non-conformative” lifestyle.

◆ The Appeal Factor of Shibuya

Sugihara:
Thank you for sharing. Speaking of Shibuya, as the leader of Shibuya Startups, what do you feel are this city’s charms?

Watabe:
It might be easier to understand using the Bohemian Index. Proposed by sociologist Richard Florida, it measures the concentration of artists and creators relative to the population. Cities with a high index are said to be rich in diversity and tolerance, making economic development and innovation more likely. Shibuya is exactly that: a city with an extremely high Bohemian Index that is open to change. That is its greatest charm.

◆ Japan’s Strengths and Challenges

Sugihara:
That makes sense, Japan’s highest location on that index must be Shibuya. From your global perspective, what are Japan’s strengths and what do you see as its challenges?

Watabe:
Ironically, as a Japanese person, I don’t see Japan’s strengths very easily. However, once you go abroad, you clearly realize the high level of standards we expect of our food quality, public safety, craftsmanship, and hospitality in this country.

On the other hand, there is something that isn’t a problem as much as a characteristic, where the Japanese business world places extreme importance on consideration for stakeholders. Our unique culture of “reading the room” is a virtue, but in terms of making decisions quickly, it can be a weakness. For example, China works fast under their state leadership; the US pursues freedom and profit through libertarianism; and Europe has many regulations but clear roles for the public and private sectors. Japan is different from all of these, instead relying on peer pressure or unspoken understandings, where the whole team moves things forward flexibly and cautiously while in sync. While this has its merits, such systems and rules easily break down when an outsider enters the organization.

Furthermore, Japanese people will at times resign themselves to a certain status quo because it’s considered the only option, when in reality, there may be massive business opportunities hiding underneath. For example, if there was a method to streamline Japan’s unique multi-layered brokerage structures, excessive bureaucratic processes, or analog-based workflows that cause unfairly high costs and low efficiency, that could become a viable business. An outside perspective can call into question what we Japanese consider normal and discover something new and valuable.

Sugihara:
Japan’s unique consensus-based system takes time to find a decision that satisfies everyone, but it has the merit of incurring fewer reversals later on. However, in the modern era, the downside of slow response to change is becoming prominent. While these “invisible walls” have functioned as a barrier to entry, they may also be a factor making it difficult for Japanese people to succeed globally.

Watabe:
That’s true. However, Japan should be proud of the culture, creativity, and safety nurtured inside those “walls” that are unique in the world.

Another thing I feel poignantly while living in the US is the richness of Japan’s social security. When you aspire to start a business in Japan, you don’t have to worry about arranging health insurance for employees. This is a powerful advantage for taking on challenges fearlessly.

Sugihara:
Exactly! Right after I joined Google and attended training in the US, the first thing all participants asked in the first session was, “Are there insurance benefits?” After seeing our HR promote the quality of our insurance, I realized that what we take for granted in Japan is a privilege elsewhere.

Watabe:
It’s really true. In the US, simply getting a ride in an ambulance can cost hundreds of thousands of yen, and that’s not including the cost of treatment! In Japan, there are safety nets even if you fail. That’s how I can confidently tell people, “You should start your business in Japan.”

◆ Growth Markets in Japan

Sugihara:
I’d like to ask about your outlook for the future. From the perspective of entrepreneurship and new business, which growth markets do you consider particularly promising in Japan?

Watabe:
Without a doubt, the fields related to our nation’s super-aging society and declining birthrate. There is huge potential not just in elderly care itself, but in any of the businesses surrounding that, whether they be SaaS for optimizing operations, robotics, AI, etc. I’m sure the approaches will vary, but solutions in this domain will become increasingly important.

For example, one of the companies we support is a startup developing an app that can detect early-stage dementia in users just by playing AI-powered games. With early detection, memory regression can be dramatically slowed through proper treatment. Such technology will definitely be in demand.

Japan is facing the problem of a population that is aging more rapidly than any other country, but conversely, that means we are at the forefront of a market that can present solutions to the rest of the world. Furthermore, Japan has an accumulation of hardware technology in deep tech, edge AI, and quantum computing. I am convinced that a very strong growth sector will emerge at the intersection of this cutting-edge hardware and software that solves social issues.

Sugihara:
I completely agree. By having Shibuya Startups and D-POPS GROUP collaborate to support such innovation, even greater possibilities will open up.

By the way, the rapid penetration of AI is fundamentally changing the business environment. There are various discussions about disappearing jobs, newly created jobs, and doubts regarding human capability itself. How do you personally view the current situation?

Watabe:
I believe that while technology changes at a dizzying rate, and trends come and go, the civilization at the root of humanity does not change so easily.

Of course, the potential of AI is extremely high, and if used well, efficiency will increase and certain occupations will certainly disappear. However, it is also true that we have no choice but to find a way to coexist with AI. AI has the power to instantaneously perform processing tasks impossible for humans, so the key is how we master it.

In the coming era, the field of education will surely change. Instead of competing on the ability to provide answers as students have done, the ability to ask questions—that is, how to formulate highly precise AI prompts—will become more important.

However, I don’t think the world will suddenly become a completely different place tomorrow. As long as humans continue to have the will to allow and control it, I don’t think technology will leave humans behind and go on a rampage.

Sugihara:
Based on those societal changes you predict for the future, how do you think entrepreneurs and Shibuya Startups itself will be impacted? Will it be a great opportunity or a big obstacle?

Watabe:
I definitely see it as an opportunity. Currently, over 70% of the companies we support are AI-utilizing companies, but this is becoming normal for us. Just as every startup in the previous generation assumed they would utilize the internet, using AI will become commonplace in the next.

What’s important here is that AI is a means, not the end. For example, Uber is a ride-dispatching company at its core, and technology is merely the infrastructure for that. They simply utilize technology thoroughly to run the service at maximum efficiency.

Startups of the future will be the same. Even without calling themselves an “AI company”, they will use AI as a matter of course to achieve their mission with the utmost efficiency. I believe companies with such practical utility will become the mainstream, and infinite business opportunities are opening up there.

◆ What “startup ecosystem” means to Shibuya Startups

Sugihara:
According to Shibuya Startups, what is the definition of a startup ecosystem?

Watabe:
I believe a startup ecosystem is not just about the existence of startups, but a state where mature businesses become the customers and supporters for the next generation of companies, along with investors, and the cycle of growth is completed within that framework.

Currently, while Japan has resources to provide support, I feel we still lack the sheer number of startups and the human resources themselves. That is why we’re trying to invite excellent talent from overseas who are interested in Japan to improve the Japanese startup ecosystem.

We’ve gathered 52 different “superstars” into our community, including startups founded by the co-founder of the Polygon blockchain and the co-founder of Xoogler (a network for Google alumni). They are a truly capable bunch, raising funds from even the top American VCs.

Why invite such talent to Shibuya? Because if your friends are building unicorn companies, that route becomes the obvious choice for you, too. Conversely, if you are in an environment where small-scale IPOs are the norm, then your goals become that much lower.

My role is like a conductor of an orchestra. I don’t play the instruments—in other words, start the companies—myself. Instead, I gather players who can give the best performance and create an environment where they can perform at their peak. That is the kind of ecosystem we aim for.

◆ “Realizing a Venture Ecosystem”

Sugihara:
D-POPS GROUP has a vision of “realizing a Venture Ecosystem”. Where can you relate to this vision or see opportunities for collaboration?

Watabe:
I see the potential for collaboration in the area of diverse talent.

The overseas entrepreneurs we currently support have high technical skills but are not familiar with Japan. I believe the strongest startups in the future will be multinational teams, just like celebrity groups. Having members from various countries allows a team to immediately grasp local sales networks and needs during global expansion. I don’t think there is any benefit to Japanese-only or non-Japanese-only teams.

I find it interesting that foreigners are part of the founding teams developing AI models that bear the national strategy of Japan, such as Sakana AI or Shisa AI. Since Google and OpenAI are US companies, it’s possible that we could suddenly lose access to their AI infrastructure during an emergency, so developing our own AI models is a vital pursuit for Japan. Furthermore, developing our own LLMs will lead to preserving the fine details of Japanese culture—which might not remain on the internet—in the AI era. And in this field of building Japan’s infrastructure, foreigners are participating actively.

There are many Japanese issues and values that can only be brought to our attention by the presence of diversity. I would love to collaborate on building mechanisms that support diverse teams and increase talent mobility by bringing together excellent personnel with an outside perspective and companies with solid foundations within Japan.

Interview conducted by D-POPS GROUP’s advisor Genta Sugihara.

Shibuya Startups KK

Company Representative and Chairperson: Shiho Watabe
Company CEO: Yoshiro Tasaka
Address: Shibuya Bridge Building B, 1-29-3 Higashi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Established: February 2023
Website: https://upshibuya.com/en/

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“A Day to Change an Entrepreneur’s Future”: The Frenzy Behind the Scenes of Venture Ecosystem Summit 2025 – Part 2
For this article, we interviewed President Goto, the organizer of Venture Ecosystem Summit 2025 held in October 2025, along with the operational committee’s three leaders. (This interview was conducted in December 2025.) This is the latter part of the interview. To read the first part, click the link below. https://d-pops-group.co.jp/en/column/ves-behind-the-scenes-part1/ ◆The Social Gathering Sugihara: The reception was way different from a typical post-seminar mixer, featuring highly polished, 90s-era music and live performances along with carefully curated food and drinks. I imagine your extraordinary attention to detail was at play here as well, President Goto…could you tell us more? Goto: Originally, I wanted to create a space where people could enjoy a drink while listening to top-tier live music. I initially considered jazz, but I felt that standard jazz bands could be found everywhere. So in the pursuit of something more edgy and stylish, I looked to our group company opzt’s CEO, President Akamatsu, for some suggestions. When he asked what kind of artists I had in mind, I told him I was thinking along the lines of legendary artists from the 90s with whom our generation was obsessed during our school days. He gave me several proposals, but because I was so particular, I rejected all of them, ha ha. Finally, he said, “If you say so, I’ll try to negotiate with the two bands that you said were the coolest!” In the end, he managed to secure both legendary performers whom I had admired since my youth. These artists still have a massive fanbase today, and their concert tickets sell out instantly regardless of the price. I wanted to give a sense of nostalgia to the generation in their late 40s and older, and at the same time, show the younger generation that music in the 90s was this cool. Since we didn’t compromise on the music, the drinks had to be on that level, too. I decided to provide a separate selection of beverages out of my own pocket. Since the room would be full of CEOs with sophisticated palates, I wanted them to be genuinely satisfied. I consulted an acquaintance of mine, President Okazaki of Five Needs, whose business deals with alcoholic beverages, and what we produced was “Goto’s Bar”. Standing as an addition to the venue’s standard hotel lineup, our extra-special Goto’s Bar featured truly premium selections, including wines from Napa Valley’s Kenzo Estate, which I personally love. It was a combination of the music and drinks that I consider the absolute best, and I believed this pairing would allow everyone to have a truly sublime experience. Sugihara: It sounds like a truly sophisticated social gathering. I also heard some wonderful stories from the after-party later that evening. Goto: That’s right. President Sugimoto, the founder of Positive Dream Persons (PDP) who gave the toast at the reception, arranged to host the after-party at a restaurant operated by his company called The Tender House. He let us use an entire floor exclusively, and invited not only participants from the summit, but our management team as well. As the party reached its peak and I went to settle the bill myself, one of the entrepreneurs I mentored stood up and proclaimed, “We can’t let President Goto pay any more than he already has. I’ll collect the funds from everyone!” Then, President Ikeda, the founder of Will Group who gave the toast alongside President Sugimoto, stepped in saying, “No way, I’m paying for all of this!”, and proceeded to take care of the entire restaurant bill. I was deeply moved and overjoyed by both of these gestures from two businessmen who I respect from the bottom of my heart. 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We spent a lot of intensive time verifying every detail, asking ourselves, “Will this spacing feel cramped, or will our guests be able to truly relax?” Also, regarding the setup of Goto’s Bar, we faced the practical issue of the hotel’s corkage fees. While we wanted to provide our own selection of alcohol, the hotel also needs to ensure their business remains profitable. So, I simply told the hotel staff this: “The participants in this event are CEOs who lead companies ranging from hundreds of millions to hundreds of billions of yen in scale. If they find this venue wonderful, there is a very high probability it will lead to future business for you.” The hotel staff understood the meaning behind my words, and ended up showing us flexibility by waiving the corkage fees, for which we were very grateful. One more thing: because hotel staff are busiest on weekends, most of our communication happened then. 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Matsutani: To be honest, for more than half of the operational committee members, it was my first time to work directly with them. At first, I was a little worried they might wonder, “Why is this guy in charge?”, ha ha. However, this event was something President Goto built with intense passion and a focus on the smallest details. I believed the most important job for management was how accurately we could share that information with the team. Rather than just to put on an event without anything going wrong, our ultimate mission was to create an experience that could change an entrepreneur’s future. To achieve that, I felt it was vital to explain the reasons behind every specific detail—why the banners were in those specific spots, or why the seating was arranged just so. I saw myself as the bridge between President Goto’s vision and the other operational committee members. To convey that passion accurately, it naturally became necessary to provide such detailed explanations. 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When we told them the concept was to make this a day that changes the future for entrepreneurs, they were incredibly quick to grasp our intent, which was very reassuring. However, President Goto’s attention to detail goes deeper than most would imagine. One example is the splash design in the Speakers section of the event website. Originally, it was a bit more rounded, but that wasn’t exactly what he had in mind. He strongly felt that as the unicorn’s splash, it needed to have sharper, more energetic lines, as if it had just crashed through something with all its strength. We went back and forth with idealump many times refining the design until it expressed the kind of power that President Goto was envisioning. Because he pours his own soul into the details, I felt a strong urge to see those details materialize, and the creators responded accordingly. I am truly grateful we’ve been able to form that kind of relationship. Sugihara: All the videos were also spectacular. 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I made a conscious effort to maintain a high standard for greeting customers and keeping store facilities clean and organized, believing that was an adequate level of awareness. However, the degree of enthusiasm and zeal President Goto applies to those details…until this project, there had been no opportunity for me to perceive that essence with my own eyes. From his consideration for every single chair on the seating chart to every single dish on the menu, this event allowed me to witness a level of thoroughness that made me think, “He’s really checking this?” or “He’s going this far?” I felt in my bones that the reason he has such a powerful and loyal circle of supporters behind him is because he pushes through to complete a task by scrutinizing each and every detail. Above all, his greatest strength is his professional determination to keep going until the very end, without ever backing down. This incredible attitude made me once again resolve to embody this same stance in my daily work no matter what. Matsutani: This was the first time to work directly with President Goto for me, as well. During the preparation period, I was constantly surprised by his level of obsession, just like Mr. Shibata was. For example, the seating chart wasn’t something that could simply be finished once we created it. He never stopped considering the specific relationships of every single attendee. Even after we thought it was settled, he adjusted it about five more times, saying, “I know we decided on this, but…let’s change the group sitting at this table anyway.” When we’re on the production side of things, in most cases, our clients don’t think through the details to that extent. But with President Goto, his vision will always exceed your imagination as a producer, so you have to put your mind to its absolute limit just to keep up. Every time we cleared one challenge, his expectations would rise, and we had to keep responding at higher and higher levels. In the midst of this earnest and serious back-and-forth, I realized that this is the way to elevate the quality of one’s work. And now that the event is over, as I look back, I’m struck by another thought. President Goto often asks, “Is there good energy flowing?” or “Is this attracting good fortune?” Since joining the group, I understood the meaning of those words intellectually, but I never had an experience where I felt, “This is it!” However, through this event, I think I finally understand. The “good energy” that filled the venue and the overwhelming satisfaction of the participants—when you trace that back to its origin, you’re led to the store-based business D-POPS. In this day and age, many young people shy away from service-industry jobs, but it is a vital foundation that everyone would miss if it disappeared. That kind of work cultivates an attitude of obsessing over every cranny and nook, which is exactly what creates this good energy. This summit was an event that made me feel strongly, through such close proximity to President Goto, that we are creating a positive energy flow with our own hands. Kawaguchi: Unlike Mr. Shibata and Mr. Matsutani, I’ve had the pleasure of working alongside President Goto every day. So, from the moment he declared at last year’s all-hands meeting that we were going to host a summit, I braced myself, knowing things were about to get incredibly busy, ha ha. I could predict the level of obsession the others mentioned; I knew nothing would be decided in a single go. I tried to use my experience to move ahead of schedule and approach everything with meticulous care. Nevertheless, this time President Goto’s passion was more intense than ever before…it felt like I was holding on for dear life. Through this, something he’s always been teaching me finally clicked: “When you squeeze your passion and heat into something, it will reach people far more effectively than something you just threw money at.” Even if you spend a fortune on advertising to gather people, if there is no soul, nothing is communicated. This event was invitation-only, and we didn’t run flashy ads, yet the satisfaction level was incredibly high because it was totally infused with President Goto’s pure ambition. The good energy that Mr. Matsutani mentioned filled the venue precisely because President Goto scrutinized and poured out his whole heart into every tiny detail. He was so thorough that a complaint like “This part is a bit weird” or “The service is bad” would have simply had no place. Because that passion was felt, participants are now spontaneously spreading the word that it was a truly great event. Feeling like our Venture Ecosystem’s circle of influence is expanding little by little through this event was the greatest reward for me. ◆Realizing a “Venture Ecosystem” Sugihara: Thank you. I believe that through this event, D-POPS GROUP’s vision of realizing a Venture Ecosystem was able to imbue itself in a lot of people. Finally, please share your current thoughts on achieving that goal. Goto: I feel that this day was truly the starting line for us. In terms of building a Venture Ecosystem, I feel we have finally reached the entry point. The more we interact with those who are suffering from problems with business management—whether they’re entrepreneurs, executives, employees, or even their families—the more we see what needs to be done. It feels like there is an infinite amount of work ahead of us. I am working with a strong desire to bring this Ecosystem into a concrete shape during my lifetime, but I am also aware that this is a staggering challenge. No matter how much we achieve, it doesn’t have an end. We could bring it to 80% or 90% completion, but at no point will it ever reach the point of being perfectly 100% complete. We’ll always feel there are areas where we wish we could have provided more support or other people we could have helped. There may even be cases where people we weren’t able to support adequately end up making a name for themselves as brilliant entrepreneurs. In that sense, for us who are taking on this endless battle, I am convinced this summit was a major turning point—a moment to reflect on exactly how we should build the Venture Ecosystem moving forward. Interview conducted by D-POPS GROUP’s advisor Genta Sugihara.
  • Interview
2026.02.26
“A Day to Change an Entrepreneur’s Future”: The Frenzy Behind the Scenes of Venture Ecosystem Summit 2025 – Part 1
For this article, we interviewed President Goto, the organizer of Venture Ecosystem Summit 2025 held in October 2025, along with the operational committee’s three leaders. (This interview was conducted in December 2025.) ◆ Reflections on the Event Sugihara: Today, we are joined by President Goto, the organizer of Venture Ecosystem Summit 2025, and the operational committee’s three leaders, Mr. Shibata, Mr. Matsutani, and Ms. Kawaguchi. First of all, a huge congratulations on the massive success of the event! The feedback from participants has been overwhelming, and as a participant myself, I truly enjoyed it. Now that this major effort is finished, could each of you share your honest feelings? Goto: Right now, I am simply filled with a sense of relief. To be honest, entrepreneurs have very discerning eyes. Even if they say “It was great!” out of politeness, they’ll tell you clearly by their expressions if they don’t really mean it. They are the type of people who will give you direct, unreserved feedback if there is something they aren’t satisfied with. We successfully held an event that satisfied entrepreneurs with such strict preferences. So in that sense, we gave it our all, and now we can give a big sigh of relief. Sugihara: I’m sure you really put your whole effort into this. Did you happen to fall ill or run a fever after the event ended? Goto: Fortunately, I didn’t get a high fever, but I did collapse for a moment, ha ha. I must have been so tension leading up to the event because the next day, I had a feeling of exhaustion that I can hardly even put into words. I was just completely wiped out. Sugihara: I’m glad you were able to recover from that! Next up, Mr. Shibata. Shibata: I feel very similar to President Goto, but if I had to sum it up in two words, they would be ‘frenzy’ and ‘relief’. However, my sense of relief is slightly different in nature from what President Goto shared. First and foremost, as part of the operational committee, there was the relief of simply getting through the entire event without any major issues. Secondly, I was assigned head of the operational committee. During the preparation phase, I placed a fair amount of burden on the other operational committee members, and there were moments when things didn’t go as planned. So when I heard everyone saying “It was a wonderful event” after it finished, I felt a weight finally lift off my shoulders. Looking back, I feel like that entire period from preparation to the actual event was pure frenzy. Sugihara: Everyone was so energetic, they almost seemed to be glowing from within. Mr. Matsutani, how about you? Matsutani: At the moment, my heart is welling up with a quiet sense of total fulfillment. While listening to Dr. Semmoto’s lecture and President Goto’s closing remarks at the end of the event, I was moved beyond words. I felt so glad we were able to hold it in the manner that we did. It felt as clear and refreshing as the moment after listening to a profound and beautiful symphony. From the overall balance of the venue to the almost physically perceptible heat and power radiating from the speakers and participants, I truly felt incredibly glad we made this event happen. Additionally, every single staff member performed their parts wonderfully. It was impressive to see how everyone embodied our core value of empathy right there at the venue. Goto: The participants also complimented us frequently on the staff’s performance. My impression is that paying such close attention to even the smallest behaviors of the staff is entirely to be expected of business owners. Some staff members were standing at various points along the route from the station to the venue holding guidance signs. Working outdoors in that capacity is much harder than people realize. The CEOs even noticed even those behind-the-scenes efforts and told us, one after another, that the management was truly superb. From the meticulous care inside the venue to every interaction, the team’s response was consistently magnificent. Sugihara: Thank you. Now, Ms. Kawaguchi, your thoughts please. Kawaguchi: Like everyone else, my first sentiment was relief that the event was held without incident. Even though it was only October, I felt a massive sense of accomplishment, as if I had already conquered the whole year. Actually, preparations for this event started back in December 2024. We began by inspecting various potential hotels, but just securing a booking was already becoming difficult, so right from the start, we were scrambling to coordinate dates. Because of those circumstances, I feel like I was pouring 100% of my energy for the entire year into this. This year, I’ve been running with the singular desire to build up anticipation for the Venture Ecosystem Summit and make it a success. Now, I’ve been feeling this comfortable sense like I don’t have to do anything more after finishing my biggest mission of the year, even though October might’ve been a bit too early for that. ◆ The Purpose Behind the Event Sugihara: You were preparing for a whole year, indeed. From a participant’s point of view, I felt it was a wonderful event that directly conveyed President Goto’s passion. Could you tell us again about the background and reasons why you decided to hold the Venture Ecosystem Summit? Goto: D-POPS GROUP holds an all-hands meeting at the end of every year, and we always ask our chairman and co-president Dr. Sachio Semmoto—the co-founder of KDDI—and our corporate advisor Ichiro Fujisaki—former Ambassador to the U.S.—to give a speech there. Every year, I feel something extraordinary in their words that truly shakes the soul. Then, I had the sudden thought: it would be a travesty to society for us to keep such a valuable experience contained only within our group. My primary motivation was the desire for all entrepreneurs, who are currently tackling their own issues with their best efforts, to have the opportunity to see, hear, and feel these two individuals speak, rather than keeping it behind closed doors. At the same time, we are working to build an unprecedented Venture Ecosystem and a platform that serves society, so I also wanted more people to know about our approach. There are many systems to support startups in the world, such as VCs, angel investors, or aid from national or local governments. However, the current reality is that these support systems are rather compartmentalized, so I don’t think a platform capable of providing 360-degree support from every angle exists yet. Of course, neither is D-POPS GROUP able to supply the perfect platform, yet. But I want to reach a point where the entrepreneurs and members involved in this Ecosystem can truly feel, “We are building the world’s first platform of its kind.” To clearly communicate that vision to the world, this was the best timing. When you gather that many entrepreneurs, their effect as influencers is immense. If one participant tells ten people, it spreads to thousands instantly. I am convinced that conveying the significance of the ecosystem to these brilliant entrepreneurs carries massive weight for our future development. Sugihara: I see your point. In a typical event, even if you gather 1,000 attendees, the reality is that some are only there because their company ordered them to attend, and others lose focus halfway through. However, at this seminar, every single participant was a business owner. I was overwhelmed by the high level of consciousness in the room—everyone was there to learn and absorb something from that day. Goto: In fact, every single guest there was personally invited by me. There are so many passionate, hard-working people around me that I really wanted to invite so many more, but the venue was already at maximum capacity. Because of that, the chosen participants approached the event with extraordinary energy. I believe the temperature in that room was only possible because such highly ambitious people gathered there. Sugihara: The participants were exceptionally growth-oriented. Mr. Shibata, as the person handling customer relations on that day, how did you feel that energy on-site? Also, were there any specific challenges in managing the event? Shibata: The word frenzy I used earlier refers exactly to the heat that was in the room. To be honest, in my line of work, I have many opportunities to attend various study sessions. As you mentioned, it’s not uncommon to see people who clearly look like they are just there because the company told them to be. But at this event, looking at it from a management perspective with a bird’s-eye view, the sight of the participants never looking away for a second—everyone with their heads up, staring intently at the speakers—was incredibly striking. Even from the back of the room, I could feel the raw intensity of people thinking, I will learn everything from this moment and absolutely apply it to my company. If it was that strong in the audience, the people on stage must have felt an even more powerful energy. Regarding challenges…it turned out to be a needless worry in the end, but during the planning stages, President Goto and I spent a lot of time strategizing how to keep business owners focused. Entrepreneurs are often strong-willed and independent, so we were meticulously obsessed with every detail—content that wouldn’t let them get bored, the order of speakers, and precise time management. However, once we opened the doors, we found the very people President Goto invited out of genuine trust. Both the speakers and participants were people who held the same values of “sincerity, humility, and gratitude” as we do, and everyone participated as if it were their own personal mission. I had been bracing myself in case we encountered any difficulties, but it turned out so smoothly it was almost anti-climactic. That was the biggest surprise and the point that left the deepest impression on me. ◆About the Speakers Sugihara: The lineup of speakers for this seminar was truly prestigious. (Click here for a detailed list.) How did you manage to request lectures from world-renowned Japanese figures such as Dr. Semmoto and former Ambassador Fujisaki, and what were the participants’ reactions? Goto: First of all, I think many people felt they absolutely had to attend just for the chance to hear Dr. Semmoto and Ambassador Fujisaki speak. The members of our company understand well how priceless their stories are, and the same goes for most founders. Dr. Semmoto is someone every striving entrepreneur wishes to hear in-person at least once. On the other hand, someone like Ambassador Fujisaki—who was at the forefront of diplomacy and international affairs as the former Japanese ambassador to the US—is someone even business owners rarely have the chance to encounter in daily life. However, the world is currently in a state of upheaval. Now that the movements of superpowers like the US and China directly impact business, entrepreneurs have their scanners set to detect the slightest movement. Therefore, they definitely sensed the need to learn Ambassador Fujisaki’s perspective. Once these two speakers were confirmed, I was certain we had a rock-solid foundation for the event’s success. That’s why they were the very first people I decided to ask during the planning phase. When I consulted Dr. Semmoto, he gave his immediate consent, saying, “This is a wonderful endeavor. I will definitely participate and offer my full cooperation.” You could really feel from their presentations on the day that both of them were sincerely trying to deliver a message to the entrepreneurs in the room. Sugihara: In addition to the speakers we’ve discussed, you also had Shinichiro Naito, President and CEO of Findstar GROUP Co., Ltd., and Shoichi Motodaka, Executive Vice President of NTT Docomo Business. How did it go when you reached out to them? Goto: President Naito serves as Non-Executive Director for our company, and Vice President Motodaka is a close personal friend, so both accepted the invitation graciously. However, precisely because we have such intimate relationships, I intentionally set the bar very high for them. I knew the audience would consist of highly sensitive entrepreneurs. So, while President Naito has spoken at countless seminars and study groups, my request to him was to present something in-depth that he has never spoken about anywhere else. I had him submit his materials in advance and requested specific adjustments to reflect our intent. Because he is like an older brother to me, I was able to make such demands, and I believe that’s why he rose to the occasion. To ensure the participants were happy and satisfied, the overall layout of the program was vital. I treated it like a puzzle, making sure every piece was of the highest quality and carefully curated so that none of the content felt repetitive. I endlessly asked myself the question, “What is the specific piece that today’s entrepreneurs are missing?” For example, if another CEO with a 10-billion-yen company were to give a similar talk right after President Naito (who has built a business of the same scale), the content would feel redundant. That’s why I was certain that the necessary piece we were missing was a perspective from a large-scale corporation. I felt Vice President Motodaka, whom I respect deeply as a human being, was the perfect person to fill that role. Sugihara: It sounds like every single element of the program was calculated with extreme precision. Goto: I put an incredible amount of thought into it. That also applies to the soul-stirring pitches by the young founders and the performance by calligrapher Yuuna Okanishi. Initially, we planned to have Ms. Okanishi perform at the end, but after repeated team discussions, we decided to move it to the very beginning. By starting with a highlight-worthy performance, we were able to instantly sharpen the atmosphere and focus the participants’ attention. Even CEOs who might usually act a bit restless were sitting up straight and listening intently that day. Ms. Okanishi doesn’t just have unbelievable stage presence, she has a wonderful persona, and the venue seemed to be filled with her positive aura. By the way, of the two panels she painted during her performance, one is displayed here in our Shibuya Hikarie office and the other was given away in a raffle. The panels were so popular that after the event, people were even asking us if they were for sale, ha ha! ◆The Inside Story of the Arrangement Process Sugihara: That performance was indeed spectacular. Ms. Kawaguchi, I heard that you were in charge of procuring the production materials and coordinating with the calligrapher. Were there any particular aspects of making that performance happen that you had to figure out yourself? Kawaguchi: When President Goto first mentioned he wanted a calligraphy performance, the scale I initially imagined and what he was envisioning were miles apart, ha ha. I thought to myself that it would be maybe a meter high. But when we started discussing the details, he pointed to the large unicorn panel on his office wall and said, “I want it twice that size—about two meters tall.” I had to double-check with him several times: “Are we really making it that big?” We actually took out a measuring tape, and eventually, we concluded that the impact factor of a two-meter panel really was absolutely necessary. However, when I went to order the panels, I couldn’t find a vendor capable of custom-making panels of that size. Most told me, “We’d have to join two panels together,” or “We can't guarantee it will stay upright.” In the end, I reached out to Best Support Systems, the company that handled our office’s interior design, since they had created all our unicorn panels. I was unsure about asking an interior contractor for just two panels, but they accepted gladly. They worked with us through countless revisions—not just on the size, but on fine design details like the placement of the unicorns’ heads. That performance would never have happened without their earnest cooperation, and I am truly grateful for them. The panels were a massive hit. Some CEOs asked me to introduce them to the manufacturer because they wanted to use them for their own events, and even Ms. Okanishi wanted to know more details about the material because it was so easy to write on. Sugihara: For a seminar packed with so much content, I imagine the logistics and same-day preparation were quite a challenge. I heard that Mr. Matsutani, who was in charge of organizing the proceedings, woke up at 3:00 AM on the day of the event to finalize the production schedule. What specific points did you focus on while managing the flow of the event? Matsutani: President Goto had a clear vision of creating “a day to change an entrepreneur's future”. I saw my role as figuring out how to translate that passion into a concrete, actionable form. Something to avoid at all costs in event management is breaking the participants’ concentration due to logistical delays. I focused primarily on how to allow the attendees to totally immerse themselves in the content without feeling any unnecessary stress. While President Goto designed the overarching flow of the event, I obsessed over the fine details, from the guidance routes for moving guests from the auditorium to the reception hall, to the operational committee members’ positions, and even to the exact layout of the catering tables. And then I poured my soul into how to accurately share these details with the entire operational committee and ensure they all moved in sync. Actually, in my student days, I experienced managing presentation events for a thousand people. Since I was still young back then, I’d prepare for two days straight, without even a wink of sleep. I can’t quite do that anymore, as a working professional, ha ha…so I took a two-hour nap from 1am to 3am in the middle of the night before the summit, and then got to work on the final touches. I sent the draft script to our emcee, Ms. Hida from Talk Navi Inc, two days prior, but I didn’t get the final version to her until the morning of the event. Despite such a tight schedule, Ms. Hida was incredibly flexible with same-day changes and corrections, supporting the proceedings with an outstanding sense of stability. I have nothing but gratitude for her. Sugihara: That’s true, I didn't see any of the typical mistakes or mishaps that usually occur in an event of this scale. Matsutani: It’s not like we didn’t have any mistakes, ha ha…to be honest, we didn’t even hold a full technical rehearsal beforehand, so as for myself, I feel everything went miraculously well. We also did the final checks for the slides and other things on the morning of the event itself, but we were only able to pull that off thanks to the immense cooperation of the venue staff. The venue manager even came by to observe and gave us a big boost of encouragement by saying, “This is truly a wonderful event.” ~ To be continued in Part 2 ~ Interview conducted by D-POPS GROUP’s advisor Genta Sugihara. In Part 2, you'll learn about: ・The social gathering held after the seminar portion ・The operational committee members ・Insights gained while working with President Goto ・Realizing a “Venture Ecosystem” ...and more. Please look forward to Part 2!
  • Interview
2026.02.17
[Founder Interview #2] Shiho Watabe (Shibuya Startups KK) – Part 1
Creating an Ecosystem that Connects Shibuya with the World! For this article, we interviewed Shiho Watabe, Chairperson of Shibuya Startups KK, who participated in our company’s Venture Ecosystem Summit 2025 as a speaker. (This interview was conducted in November 2025.) ◆ Regarding Venture Ecosystem Summit 2025 Sugihara: Today, we are interviewing Shiho Watabe, Chairperson of Shibuya Startups KK. Thank you for your time! I also want to say how much I appreciated you taking the stage with me at Venture Ecosystem Summit 2025 on October 2, 2025. Thanks to you, our joint panel and the event as a whole were a great success. You participated in the main event as well as the second-part networking reception, so I was hoping you could share your honest impressions of that day. Watabe: The pleasure was mine, really! The summit was full of energy, and I personally had a lot of fun. My greatest impression from participating in this event was a sense of family-like unity that was unlike anywhere else. I speak at many events regularly, but it’s rare for me to feel such a warm atmosphere. I was really moved by the sense of solidarity and the hand-crafted feel that transcended the usual organizational boundaries, from seeing legends like Dr. Semmoto and former Ambassador Fujisaki, President Goto’s own family in attendance, and even employees from within D-POPS GROUP acting as event staff and distributing lunch boxes. Also, a major takeaway for me was being able to directly experience the passion of Japanese entrepreneurs. I normally focus on attracting overseas entrepreneurs, so I don’t have as many opportunities to interact deeply with the domestic Japanese ecosystem. It gave me a fresh jolt and made me think, “There are so many interesting startups in Japan, too!” Another surprise to me was the diversity of the participants. Even though the summit was held only in Japanese, I bumped into an acquaintance of mine who is a foreign entrepreneur living in Japan, and he exclaimed, “Watabe, why are you in such a Japanese place like this?!”, which made me laugh, ha ha. Despite being framed as a Venture Ecosystem within Japan, it was actually quite open and rich in diversity. Seeing that, I had the firm realization that the underlying spirit is the same one we’re trying to create at Shibuya Startups. Sugihara: That’s exactly right. The fact that it was a hand-crafted event prepared over the course of an entire year by President Goto and our company’s staff, without the use of any external event production, is likely what led to that sense of unity. Actually, we received many comments from participants saying things like, “Despite her brilliant career, Chairperson Watabe is surprisingly natural and approachable” and “She is so radiant, I admire her”. Many people were drawn to your personality in addition to the content of the discussion. How do you feel about this feedback? Watabe: I feel totally honored to hear that. But I also don’t think of myself as anything even close to “radiant”, ha ha. I might seem that way on the outside, but the truth is, I rush through each day with a sense of desperation, as if I am constantly on the edge of a cliff. It’s more like the other way around: when I see all the entrepreneurs who keep taking on challenges, they look dazzling to me, and sometimes I even feel envious of them. I believe the main characters of your Venture Ecosystem are the entrepreneurs who are challenging themselves to their very limits. It’s the same in the community we manage. So, while I am humbled by such gracious personal evaluations of me, I’ll honestly be happier if people simply felt something when seeing my natural self. It reaffirmed my desire to continue supporting the protagonist entrepreneurs from behind the scenes so they can shine their brightest. Sugihara: Conversely, as a member of the audience, were there any sessions that inspired you or provided new insights? I saw in another article that you are interested in calligraphy. What did you think of the calligraphy performance at this event? Watabe: Having practiced calligraphy myself when I was young, it was deeply emotional. In the modern era, we are surrounded by the internet and technology, and everyone leads busy lives. In such a context, worldviews that place value on slow, methodical actions such as calligraphy, tea ceremony, or Pilates, calm the mind so well that it’s surprising. I felt once again that such quiet moments, in contrast to the speed of digital life, are crucial in this day and age. Also, looking back on the event as a whole, being able to dialogue with so many people was a great stimulus. An extraordinary benefit for me was seeing entrepreneurs passionately talk about their businesses, coincidentally reuniting with entrepreneurs at the venue, and hearing the stories from leaders who represent Japan, and through those interactions, seeing that there is a next-generation innovation community in Japan. Sugihara: Since President Goto himself has a very global perspective, one can see that he invited excellent individuals from among the network he has already cultivated. D-POPS GROUP is seriously considering investing in overseas entrepreneurs in the future, so we can expect this circle to expand even further. Once again, thank you very much for speaking at our summit. ◆ About Shibuya Startups Sugihara: Now, I would like to ask what Shibuya Startups does. Could you share with us the kinds of initiatives you undertake? Watabe: Shibuya Startups is a public-private startup support organization (accelerator) formed by Shibuya City and leading Japanese corporations. In addition to supporting domestic startups, we attract talented entrepreneurs from overseas to Japan. Along with growth support, we provide assistance with visa applications and opening bank accounts. Currently, over 80% of the founders participating in our organization are from overseas, making it a very international community. We are pouring our efforts into the discovery of companies that possess technology to solve Japan’s social issues. For example, fields such as age-tech and longevity to address the declining birthrate and aging society, solving labor shortages in the logistics industry. We are also looking at an area where Japan actually has a global advantage: the so-called “Fandom Economy” surrounding anime, video games, and VTubers. Our distinctive undertaking is that we directly scout talent from all over the world who find these Japanese market characteristics attractive. We provide side-by-side support so they can operate smoothly when they aspire to do business in Japan. We seek them out even before they come to Japan, so that by the time they land, we’ve already established a partner relationship. Now, we are expanding our activities with that kind of idea in mind. Sugihara: Is the majority of your support currently focused on startups with bases that are overseas when they enter the Japanese market? Watabe: Yes, that is the case for most companies in our community. Some teams set up a branch in Japan, while others decide to move their headquarters to Japan, but many are companies with a global perspective that are already active across multiple locations. The domain we are particularly focused on supporting is what you could call the “global niche”. Take the anime industry as an example: anime fans exist in every country, but as single communities within those respective countries, they are still considered a small population. However, because those niche groups have a presence around the world, we can combine them to form a massive global-scale market. I believe we can apply the same scheme to the markets adjacent to declining birthrates, aging societies, and elderly care. In this way, startups that have deep expertise in a specific field yet hold the potential to compete on a larger scale—we prioritize discovering these companies with global niche brilliance and connecting them to the Japanese market. Sugihara: Do companies supported by Shibuya Startups actually have to be based within Shibuya City? Watabe: No, they don’t…in fact, it doesn’t matter if they’re in another of the 23 Tokyo wards, or even outside of Tokyo entirely. Originally, even before this company was formed, Shibuya City had a support desk called the Startup Welcome Service which provided a comprehensive one-stop support system, ranging from complicated administrative procedures like obtaining visas to aspects of daily life in Japan. Now, through our organization’s “Shibuya Startup Support”, we are actively working to openly disseminate information regarding startup support. At our core is the desire to fully support entrepreneurs who come to Shibuya with the ambition of wanting to do business in Japan. While we are using Shibuya as the entrance, we ultimately aim to contribute to the ecosystem of Japan as a whole. Sugihara: I see. This is a wonderful project that transcends regions and borders to open a wide door into Japan. By the way, how many startups are you currently supporting? Watabe: Currently, we are supporting 52 companies. The lineup is very broad, ranging from age-tech and “creator-tech” to logistics and robotics, but what remains consistent throughout them all is the sense that they hold value precisely because they’re doing business in Japan. Our direct recruiting methods are focused on areas that lead to solving Japan’s social issues or areas where Japan’s strengths can be utilized. For 7 out of the 52 companies mentioned, our support is also taking the form of capital investment. ◆ Specifics of Support for Startups Sugihara: Could you give some specific examples of the sort of support and accompaniment you provide for startups? What kind of experience and knowledge from you and your staff is reflected in that? Watabe: Our support is broadly divided into two main aspects. The first is helping to build the foundation for launching a business in Japan. This includes visa support and providing a base of operations. One example of this is Shibuya Bridge—where we are conducting this interview—which is a coworking space in Shibuya City. We design and operate this community space together with the city government as a place where people are able to interact with supporting companies from Shibuya City and companies participating in the UP program (our accelerator), and attend events where entrepreneurs and supporters can mingle. Also, opening a bank account can be a real hurdle for overseas entrepreneurs. Under some circumstances, this can take up to nearly a year, but we aim to provide a support system where an account can be opened in as little as two weeks. In addition, we also connect them to assistance for business registration, accounting, and so on. The second is accelerating business growth. We support everything from strategic planning for market development to research, and the design and execution of Proof of Concept (PoC). In terms of fundraising, we connect entrepreneurs with investors from Asia, North America, and Japan in a way that is optimal for that specific startup. We want to be like a Swiss Army Knife, so to speak, offering the necessary tools to respond to every sort of issue that entrepreneurs have. As such an all-purpose concierge, we provide multi-faceted advice and practical support. Sugihara: This wide-ranging support isn’t handled by you alone, is it? Watabe: The work is divided into roles according to area. For example, regarding the procedures and administrative support I first mentioned, we proceed in close coordination with a specialized team. Meanwhile, I personally take charge as the main lead in the second aspect, growth support. Sugihara: Having someone like you running alongside them must be very reassuring for those on the receiving side of that support! Watabe: Hands-on support is very profound, and there are also complicating factors that make it not so straightforward. However, I feel my career to-date is most utilized in this particular way, since I’ve also experienced the same hardships of starting up a company, so I can really empathize with the difficulties they face. For that reason, running with them doesn’t feel like a burden at all. Rather than simply offering advice, at times I find myself working with entrepreneurs to craft their fundraising stories, introduce them to the media, and create opportunities for pitches. I go at it with an attitude of literally doing everything I can. When I come that close to them, sometimes I even end up having jealous thoughts, like “Now, I want to go back to my old startup days”, ha ha! Sugihara: Yeah, ha ha…when you were a player yourself, coming into contact with their passion makes you feel that way, doesn’t it? But even so, 52 supported companies is an incredible number! How did you manage to gather so many companies? Watabe: Actually, after founding this company, I was working by myself for a while and didn’t conduct PR activities overseas. (Especially since overseas media doesn’t report on it anyway, so word of it wouldn’t spread.) As a result, most of the startups we selected were found through word-of-mouth or recommendations from my network. When I became CEO around 2023, the pandemic had ended and the world was largely moving on, and technologies like AI and blockchain were spreading rapidly. Combined with these changes in the global situation, there was a rising momentum that started in the US, and then among other overseas entrepreneurs, towards tackling the Japanese market. Thankfully, when I told people I had started this job in the midst of such an environment, friends and acquaintances from all over the world reached out to me. Introductions started pouring in, such as “Here’s an interesting company perfect for Japan” or “This business is a bit different from our VC’s investment criteria, but it would definitely shine in the Japanese market”. Also, we got a lot of connections from the community of my hard-working former colleagues from my time at Google Japan. The fact that the friends I spent my 20s and 30s with are now entrepreneurs and we are in a relationship where we can help each other is a great asset. Furthermore, Dr. Richard Dasher—my mentor from the Stanford Graduate School and a venture capitalist himself—joined us as an advisor, which had a great impact on improving the reputation of the community. Looking back, I am filled with gratitude as I feel like the connections I formed around the world are living on in my current work. Note: Richard Dasher is a researcher in Asian studies and innovation at Stanford University. In 2025, he received the Foreign Minister’s Commendation award from the Japanese government for his long-standing contributions to Japanese-American exchange and educational research. He was an advisor at the time of Shibuya Startups’s establishment, but has since stepped down. Sugihara: It’s quite significant to have someone like Dr. Richard Dasher at your back. Like how at D-POPS GROUP, we have figures like KDDI co-founder Dr. Sachio Semmoto as our chairman and former ambassador to the US Ichiro Fujisaki as our corporate advisor. The presence of such heavyweights is not only an encouragement to the entrepreneurs in our Ecosystem, but also serves as a testament to our business reputation. Of course, it is critical to have ambitious initiatives that make those among society’s elite want to support you. Now, as a result of all of this, do you want to share any specific examples of startups that have been able to make the leap successfully? Watabe: One case is where we were able to attract talent to Japan who originally had no intention of entering the Japanese market at all. Two founders of the Xoogler community (made up of former Google employees) started a company called Key.ai, inspired by a platform for people facing large-scale temporary layoffs in the tech industry. Initially, they weren’t thinking about Japan at all, but now with our investment and accompaniment, we are trying to open a path into Japan together. I feel that inviting such people to our ecosystem, who would never have even considered Japan, is exactly why we exist in the first place. Also, there is another impressive startup that is producing anime using AI. The Japanese anime industry—especially outside of the major players—faces challenges such as labor shortages and harsh environments. In fact, the UN even called attention to these working conditions in 2023! In the midst of that, a founder from overseas who loves Japanese anime is striving with the goal of supporting creators with Generative AI. Our position could be described as an “industrial producer”. We work hand-in-hand with entrepreneurs to craft broad strategies for products, services, marketing, PR, market entry, and fundraising. When I can help even a little at the moment a company’s destiny changes, I deeply feel the significance of this work. That is why I am thoroughly committed to the quality of our support. ~ To be continued in Part 2 ~ Interview conducted by D-POPS GROUP’s advisor Genta Sugihara. Shibuya Startups KK Company Representative and Chairperson: Shiho Watabe Company CEO: Yoshiro Tasaka Address: Shibuya Bridge Building B, 1-29-3 Higashi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Established: February 2023 Website: https://upshibuya.com/en/   In the next part of the interview: ・Why she chose startup support ・The appeal factors of Shibuya and Japan ・What “startup ecosystem” means to Shibuya Startups ・“Realizing a Venture Ecosystem” ・And other topics Please be sure to check out Part 2!
  • Interview
2026.01.22
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