Here’s a look at the community events held from September 26 through October 2.
This week, participants actively exchanged ideas on a wide range of startup and business topics, including the use of AI, overseas expansion, customer acquisition, and business planning.
By sharing their own experiences and expertise, participants gained new insights from one another and deepened their learning through discussion.
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September 29 (Tue) : Lunch Time Meetup
This time, we had a small group of six participants, four of whom were joining for the first time, bringing fresh perspectives to the Meetup.
The group discussed two topics: “How are you using AI in your business?” and “What are the advantages and disadvantages of expanding overseas?”
During the discussion on AI, participants openly exchanged views based on their own experiences, including what to be mindful of when using AI and which tasks are best suited for AI. For the discussion on overseas expansion, participants living in Thailand and originally from the United States shared their experiences and perspectives, providing the group with practical insights into international markets.
The latter half of the Meetup was dedicated to networking, giving participants an opportunity to continue conversations sparked by the discussions and connect more closely with one another.
■ Number of Participants: 6
■ Language: Japanese
September 30 (Wed) : TIB SANDBOX
This session welcomed 46 participants, reflecting strong interest in the program.
Many participants were considering entrepreneurship, and the pitches provided them with an opportunity to gain a more concrete understanding of starting and building a business.
During the feedback sessions following each pitch, not only the presenters but also many participants could be seen taking notes attentively. The specific advice provided by the commentators offered valuable insights not only for the presenters, but also for those considering taking on their own entrepreneurial challenges.
■ Number of Participants: 46
■ Language: Japanese
September 30 (Wed) : TIB CXO Lounge
This session brought together seven participants from a variety of fields, including system development, healthcare, wellness, and AI agents. Their business stages also varied, from founders in the early stages of launching their businesses to those who had already raised funding.
Participants shared their own experiences and examples around topics such as customer acquisition, monetization models, and the use of AI. Several participants were “solopreneurs” running their businesses independently while making extensive use of AI, leading to discussions about emerging approaches to building and managing businesses in the AI era.
By bringing their own real-world experiences to the table, participants were able to exchange practical insights unique to fellow business leaders.
■ Number of Participants: 7
■ Language: Japanese
September 30 (Wed) : TIB Scramble Meetup
This time, participants gathered in small groups for in-depth discussions about their goals and current initiatives.
The session began with introductions and an icebreaker, followed by a discussion about the gaps between annual plans and actual progress. Each participant then set one commitment they wanted to achieve by the end of the year and shared what kind of support they might need to reach their goal.
The group brought together participants from a wide range of backgrounds, including aspiring entrepreneurs, corporate training professionals, a serial entrepreneur operating businesses across multiple countries, and a climate scientist.
By sharing their goals across different fields and perspectives, participants inspired and supported one another as they considered their next steps.
■ Number of Participants: 5
■ Language: English
October 1 (Thu) : TIB Global Coffee Meetup
Once again, participants of different ages, nationalities, and backgrounds came together and actively exchanged ideas on a wide variety of topics.
Conversations ranged from differences in workplace culture between Japan and the United States to mental health support for entrepreneurs, exploring the “Why” behind starting a business, and cross-border business and investment between Japan and South Korea.
By sharing their experiences and perspectives across generations and nationalities, participants had the opportunity to discover new ideas and ways of thinking.
■ Number of Participants: 20
■ Language: English
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Thank you to everyone who participated!
This week, participants brought their own experiences and expertise to discussions on a wide range of topics, from AI and overseas expansion to business growth and new ways of working, creating many opportunities to learn from one another.
At TIB, each community event offers opportunities to discover perspectives and insights that may be difficult to gain on your own through conversations with people from diverse backgrounds and fields.
We hope you’ll join us at one of our upcoming events and turn your new discoveries into ideas and inspiration for your own activities and challenges!