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Venture Ecosystem Summit 2025 Social Gathering

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2025.11.19

“From this day forth, change the future and achieve breakthroughs!”

Venture Ecosystem Summit 2025 was held on Thursday, October 2, 2025.

The idea for the summit started with a strong desire to provide a day of inspiration and learning that would transform entrepreneurs, with a vision of “From this day forth, change the future and achieve breakthroughs!” Over time, that concept evolved into a one-of-a-kind event that brought together top leaders from various fields, including Dr. Sachio Semmoto, co-founder of KDDI, and Ichiro Fujisaki, former Japanese Ambassador to the U.S.

This article covers the social gathering that was hosted after the seminar portion. (See our previous articles about the seminar presentations here and here.)

First, we invited founder and chairman of WILL GROUP, INC., Ryosuke Ikeda, and the founder of Positive dream persons inc., Takamasa Sugimoto, to offer the opening toast. Their well-coordinated and entertaining dialogue set a fantastic tone for the rest of the evening.

Our host, President Goto, prepared a special selection of premium sake and spirits for the guests, who received it with great delight and enthusiasm. The hotel catering featured a full buffet alongside sushi and tempura counters, where professional chefs prepared fresh dishes on the spot.

The energy reached its peak with a DJ performance and a live set by a well-known guest artist who was secretly invited to play!

We want to offer a huge thank you to all the Venture Ecosystem Summit staff members for their hard work!

We would also like to express our sincere gratitude to the Sheraton Miyako Hotel Tokyo for providing the venue and for their generous flexibility in accommodating our detailed requests.

Venture Ecosystem Summit 2025 was held with the underlying concept, “From this day forth, change the future and achieve breakthroughs!” We truly hope this day served as a catalyst for all those who participated to “jump into the future with ambition”.

To all our attendees, speakers, and partners: thank you so much for making this event possible!

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EO Venture Cup 2026

D-POPS GROUP participated in the 18th EO Venture Cup Futsal Tournament (Men’s Division and “Enjoy” Division) held on Saturday, June 13, 2026. Over 60 teams participated in the event, creating a thrilling atmosphere! It was incredible to see everyone, from CEOs to employees, giving it their all on the field. There was a true sense of unity between both the players and the cheer squad, who were all shouting together in a show of competitive spirit! Together with the colleagues who came out to support us, we were able to create an unforgettable level of excitement. ◆Match Results Men’s Division Group Stage: 3 Wins, 1 Draw, 2 Losses / 7 Points – 3rd Place in the Preliminary League “Enjoy” Division Group Stage: 2 Wins, 3 Draws, 1 Loss / 7 Points – 3rd Place in the Preliminary League Both teams narrowly missed out and finished in 3rd place. It was a frustrating result, but we vowed to settle the score next year! ◆The Teams Participating companies included a star-studded lineup from our group companies and investment portfolio companies: D-POPS, GOOD CREW, A&K.com, EXEED, and BLUEISH. ◆Participant Impressions Men’s Division Captain Kizuku Tsuda, Store Manager, D-POPS Corp. “I couldn’t participate last year due to poor health, so this was my first time joining the event. Because we entered both the Men’s and “Enjoy” divisions, we had a large turnout from D-POPS GROUP, and both the matches and the cheering sections were incredibly lively! Unfortunately, we were knocked out in the preliminary league, but I am thrilled that I could connect with people from other group companies whom I don’t normally get to interact with, and that we could enjoy futsal as a team all day long. I want to participate again next year and expand the D-POPS GROUP circle even further! We sincerely look forward to everyone’s participation!” Enjoy Division Captain Kenta Ishida, HR Department & Compliance Promotion Office, A&K.com Co., Ltd. “I participated in the futsal tournament again this year, following last year’s event! This time, we took on the mixed-gender “Enjoy” division. The venue was Ajinomoto Stadium, and with the largest number of participating teams in the event’s history, the excitement surpassed even last year! Unfortunately, we were just one step away from the finals, which left us with some frustration, but with constant laughter and shouting, I was able to rediscover the joy of chasing the ball as a team, ha ha. Covering for each other and stringing passes together during this time turned out to be the perfect opportunity to strengthen the unity and expand the synergy across our group companies. I am also extremely grateful to everyone who came out to the venue to support us in the intense heat. I will continue to work hard to deepen communication within the group! A huge thank you to President Goto, President Masuda, and everyone else involved!” Team Manager Haruna Matano, Career Support Team, GOOD CREW “Participating in the futsal tournament as a team manager and cheerleader, I experienced firsthand the overwhelming sense of unity that D-POPS GROUP possesses. Our team was an impromptu mix of members who usually work in different group companies. Naturally, different companies have different cultures, but the moment we stepped onto the field, spontaneous communication sparked immediately, and we instantly became a rock-solid, united team. It was a moment that made me proud to realize the strength of our organization, since we can connect beyond boundaries precisely because our group companies share the same ambitions and culture on a daily basis. It was also memorable that the one person who was hungriest for goals and running around the court with all their might during every match was our CEO, ha ha. Seeing everyone ignore job titles and earnestly aim for victory on the same level felt like the true essence of D-POPS GROUP. On a personal note, I’ve been with my company for 14 years, and one of my highlights was getting to reunite at a stadium with my old coworkers—now thriving in different companies and positions—for the first time since our new graduate training. Seeing them still taking on challenges in their respective fields inspired me and reminded me of the appeal of working in this group.” ◆Monthly Event! D-POPS GROUP Soccer Mixer Here is a look at the monthly soccer mixer hosted by D-POPS GROUP, which started in 2025 as part of member training for the EO Venture Cup Futsal Tournament. (It has now become a wildly popular community with many participants from both inside and outside the company!) Around 40 people—including former Japan national team players, business owners, executives, and young professionals—participate, creating a space for both high-level, earnest competition and friendly interactions. Going forward, D-POPS GROUP will continue to foster this kind of interaction between sports, community, business executives, and youth!

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D-POPS GROUP CEO Kazuhiro Goto Featured in September 2026 Issue of Monthly Project Design

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