Nobuyuki Iseki became Sony's president in 1995 and led Sony's digital era for 10 years. After serving as chairman, he left Sony in 2006 and established Quantum Leap, which provides venture support, supporting well-known companies both domestically and internationally. We spoke to Mr. Idei about everything from the projects he was entrusted with during his time at Sony to the current role Quantum Leap is aiming for.
Sony was once a venture company.
“Sony was where I learned how difficult it is to run a venture.”
When Mr. Idei left Sony, sales were approximately 8 trillion yen. However, when he joined the company in the 1960s, his sales were around 1 billion yen, which is 1000/80th of that. “Sony was truly a venture company.I was assigned to the foreign department and later was given the responsibility of founding Sony France.It was a completely new start from scratch, and I was hampered by French bureaucracy. It was a struggle.”
Experienced in starting a new company in a strange land with customs completely different from Japan. Sony France was successfully established in 1968, one of Sony's main bases that led to Sony's expansion into Europe, after overcoming various challenges, including difficulties even at the final contract stage. “If you understand what the local people and local society value and protect, it becomes more interesting to start a new business.”
Mr. Idei says that is still the case 50 years later.
``If you go overseas thinking that the Japanese system will work around the world, you will always be turned upside down by the rough seas.Japanese society is like a ``Disneyland'' with strict rules. Good friends in a small community are protected. We have to recognize that we are in a place where
Always looking for change
Mr. Idei then became president in 1995 and brought about major changes at Sony. ``At that time, the Internet, which had been developed as a military technology, was just beginning to be commercialized.In this unprecedented paradigm shift, the keyword ``Digital Dream Kids'' was the one that Sony advocated for major changes.'' This was a declaration that Sony would transform into a new generation, with the aim of turning customers into people with a sparkling eye for digital technology, and from the core business of audio and visual, which had already taken root, to the business of digital technology, such as computers and IT. It opened a new door for me.
Determining the timing of change is also an important element of Quantum Leap, which he founded.
``At the time, I said that the Internet was a meteorite,'' meaning that it had the power to wipe out the dinosaurs and give birth to new mammals.And I think things are similar now. I feel that we are in the era of a new paradigm shift, such as blockchain, which created virtual currency, and SNS, where individuals become media.
Venture company navigator
Quantum Leap, established in 2006, is a navigator who guides ventures and startups to success, and advises ventures and large companies from various aspects, drawing on his own experience, knowledge, and the connections he has cultivated over the years. . In addition, we operate a membership organization called "Club 100" as a place to create the next generation of global companies and leaders, and hold study sessions inviting notable people from various fields and conduct business with notable locations in Japan and overseas. We also carry out trips.
In recent years, requests from China have been increasing, including consulting on a transformation project for Beijing-based display manufacturer BOE and serving as an outside director for PC manufacturer Lenovo. "Chinese companies are carefully studying and analyzing Japan's post-war growth in order to expand their business."In addition, there is China Europe International Business School (CEIBS), which is said to be Asia's No. 1 business school. , we are passing on our knowledge as economic professionals to the next generation in terms of education, such as providing one-on-one coaching to Executive MBA and MBA students.
Environment surrounding Japanese ventures
``Actually, China surpassed the US in terms of investment in ventures this year.Japan, on the other hand, is about 1/17th to 1/18th of that amount.After the age of the Internet, the US has Google, Apple, Facebook, and Amazon.China. New business models such as Baidu, Alibaba, and Tencent have been born one after another. But it's really unfortunate that there are no such platformers in Japan."
One of the reasons for this is that there is no system to continuously provide money to venture businesses. ``The reality is that banks are reluctant to lend to venture businesses unless they have collateral, such as land owned by the CEO.In that case, they can only do things that are safe and don't fail.Venture capital also does However, once you get a loan, there are various restrictions that are put in place, or you are forced to go public quickly.”
From the perspective of nurturing a venture, is listing really good for the venture? Mr. Idei always has doubts.
``For example, when securities companies and others try to list a company quickly, it's to increase their own profits, and they don't really think about the future of the company or the success of the venture era. ?I'm sorry, but I often think that way."
Get serious about the future of your venture
During the talk, Mr. Idei repeatedly said, ``I wanted to do the exact opposite.''
From a large company like Sony to a small company that he started, he has a different style than before, thinking about the future of a venture company one-on-one with people he approves of, rather than dealing with an unspecified number of people. This is the ideal quantum leap that Mr. Idei is aiming for.
"That's why it's not a fund. With a fund, you're pursuing profit based on how much profit you can make from the investment. Instead of supporting them with money, you need to think about the life of the person who launched the venture. I believe that my role is not just consulting, but also providing serious advice as a mentor who will guide the future.
The other day, I sat down with Hiroki Ishida, the chairman of Freebit, a broadband company, at his villa in Karuizawa and coached him many times. So, he announced his detailed vision for the next generation at the general meeting of shareholders, and Mr. Ishida reported that it was well received by shareholders.
“I get to hear the results of our earnest efforts. That is the greatest joy for me.”
Enjoyment is the complete opposite of business
In my private life, I enjoy a world that is, in a sense, the complete opposite.
``Actually, I love forests.Unrelated to my job, I attend tree-planting festivals and tree-raising festivals as a representative of the National Promotion Council for Beautiful Forest Creation.The same goes for the villa in Karuizawa where I spend every weekend, As a Japanese person, I feel joy when I actually see a beautiful forest."
In addition, although I am fluent in French, I am re-studying French using chanson lyrics because I want to understand the cultural aspects more deeply. ``Chansons such as the lyrics ``Cherry Season'' have the meaning of ``stains of blood shed in war,'' and the sad metaphors behind the cheerful lyrics, are educational.For the past three years, I have also been learning calligraphy. I enjoy calligraphy, too.My teacher always tells me that I can't use this kind of brush, and treats me like a beginner (lol).
An environment where you are not afraid of adventure and failure
More than 10 years have passed since we launched Quantum Leap, and the next thing we definitely want to achieve is a platform called ``Quantum Leap Adventure Village.''
``There is an African proverb that is mentioned in Hillary Clinton's book, ``It takes a village to raise a child.'' Actually, this was something an American told me when I was having trouble making a speech at a wedding, and I thought this was something that applied to Japanese ventures. Ask people who have connections or who can provide funds to become villagers, and when a venture is born, everyone can support it and grow it as a whole village. Or, when a large company needs to make changes, the whole village can A platform based on the idea of providing support.The word "Venture" originally comes from "Adventure." As the origin of the word suggests, we want to create an environment where companies can take bolder adventures without fear of failure.
One of the world's largest startup campuses, called Station F, opened in France this year in a reused old train station with a total area of 1 square meters. Mr. Idei has visited the huge shared office space, which houses 3,000 desks and is home to large companies such as Microsoft and Facebook, and has been inspired by it.
In Japan, in June, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's program ``J-Startup'' was launched to support the development of startup companies that can compete on the global stage. They are also considering collaborating with this program, which aims to strengthen Japan's startup ecosystem.
Mr. Idei named his company after the quantum physics term ``Quantum Leap.'' It means "quantum leap," and it seems to refer to a quantum leap to a different state when some situation is superimposed on the quantum.
When various knowledge, experience, and accurate advice are layered on a venture, a large company that is still small and full of unseen possibilities, its potential suddenly explodes and it leaps to another stage. To go. The very name reflects Mr. Idei's passion for the next generation.
*The contents and information contained in this article are as of the time of publication.
Born in Tokyo in 1937. After graduating from Waseda University's Department of Political Science and Economics, he joined Sony Corporation in 1960. He will be primarily engaged in overseas operations in Europe. He became president in 1995 after serving as head of the audio business and home video business. After his retirement, he founded Quantum Leap Co., Ltd. in 2006. He is the chairman of the NPO Asia Innovators Initiative.
Interview: Mio Shimamura (Premium Japan), text: Yukiko Ushimaru, photo: Toshiyuki Furuya
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