Shibuya Bit Valley resurgence major IT companies gather hands and aim for "Shibuya, which makes engineers more comfortable to work"

• シェア

In the latter half of the 90's, do you remember that IT ventures gathered in Shibuya and caused a big boom called "Shibuya Bit Valley"?

Naming "Shibuya Bit Valley" is a coined word that combines Shibuya's "astringency (bitter)" and "valley (valley)", literally saying "Silicon Valley", the IT venture base in San Francisco Bay Area . Originally, in 1998, behind the Tokyu Bunkamura, attracted IT ventures who had just started a business based on the concept of Netage Ai President in Shoto, Kiyoshi Nishikawa and others, aimed at raising the information through information sharing and competition. Mr. Masatoshi Kumagai, Mr. Masatoshi Kumagai, Mr. Masayoshi Kurotani, Cyber ​​Agent · Fujita Shin, DeNA (then Bitters) · Tomoko Nanba, former livedoor (then on the edge) · Takafumi Horie And a lot of young entrepreneurs who are responsible for today's IT industry gathered and raised the crush of the IT industry rally. Since then, the collapse of the IT bubble since 2000 and the opening of Roppongi Hills in 2003 also affected the "Shibuya Bit Valley" boom in just a few years.

▲ Mr. Mr. Murase Ryoma, Mr. Murase Ryoma, Dee NA, Tomoko Namba, Mr. Takeshi Hasebe, Ward Shibuya, GMO Internet · Masatoshi Kumagai, Cyber ​​Agent · Mr. Susumu Fujita

Twenty years later, Cyber ​​Agent based in Shibuya, Dee NA, GMO Internet, Mixi's four IT companies got together and are working on rebuilding Shibuya Bit Valley. On September 10 the other day, a Tech conference "SHIBUYA BIT VALLEY 2018 (Shibuya Bit Valley 2018)" sponsored by four companies was held.

Why now is the resurrection of Shibuya Bit Valley?

Keiichi Nagase, the general manager of the technical policy department of CyberAgent, who is a trainee of "Shibuya Bit Valley Rebirth" explains as follows. "Starting with the idea that IT companies in Shibuya can cooperate and approach each other as the demand for technicians in IT companies increases and the technical shortage becomes a social problem." In the latter half of the 1990s, the four companies that were start-up companies that were not founded have now grown to become the leading IT company in Japan. Even though they are competing with each other, it is likely that the intention to "cooperate positively with the industry's challenges" is linked to "restoration of Shibuya bitbitre".

▲ Future image of Shibuya station where redevelopment is proceeding (Image provision = Shibuya station front area management)

Furthermore, in addition to DeNA, headquartered at Shibuya Hikarie, a cyber agent in the next 2019, mixi is a high-rise building “SHIBUYA SCRAMBLE SQUARE (East Wing)” currently being built at Shibuya Station, GMO Internet It is also decided that a new office will be set up in the "Dogusaka 1-chome Ekimae area (old Tokyu Plaza)" and four companies will gather in front of the station. It is said that there is a big gap between the timing that "various current trends overlap and this is the event" (Mr. Nagase), such as the lack of engineers and relocation of new office buildings.
▲ " SHIBUYA STREAM " which opened on September 13. It is decided that Google Japan will have its base in the future 渋 谷SHIBUYA SCRAMBLE SQUARE East Wing, scheduled to open next fall. It is decided that cyber agent, mixi will move in ▲ The Dogenosaka 1-chome Ekimae area (former Tokyu Plaza) scheduled to open next fall. GMO Internet is decided to move in

A total of 22 managers and technicians, including Google and Cookpad, participated in this event with the theme of "Fun engineers working in Shibuya" in addition to the four sponsors, and 24 sessions were held. In the "nearly full" venue, 1,000 young engineers, entrepreneur-oriented young people, 120 other students living in rural areas invited as a scholarship frame (transportation expenses) were invited.

In the keynote (keynote speech) decorating the event opening, Tomoko Nanba, Chairman of Dee NA Tomoko, GMO Internet, Masatoshi Kumagai, Chairman and President, Cyber ​​Agent · President Susumu Fujita, 20 years from Shibuya Bit Valley "and" reason why Shibuya is the best for engineers. "

| Shibuya was brought up as a diversity of land patterns

Three who were in the whirl of "Shibuya Bid Valley" looked back on the boom of the time as follows.

First, President Kumagai said, "The first venture's meeting took place in our conference room, Shibuya Bit Valley gave birth, and in 1999 (our company) listed on Jasdaq with market capitalization of 120 billion I added it and reported it in a party in a bit volleyball opened in a club in Shibuya, I remember what it was like to be in the yesterday. I was really happy to be there on the spot in the late 90's "It's nostalgic.

Furthermore, I reveal the reason why I chose Shibuya as a base as follows. "Established in Aoyama in 1995, it was dozens of people at that time, the office became narrow and moved to Shibuya for business expansion, but at that time I felt it was a shame to Shibuya-ku, but it was a downtown There are also voices saying that I do not want to go inside the group (laugh) The company which was about 100 people at the time of bit volleyball has now reached more than 5,600 people.The variety that supported the rapid expansion was various It was a land pattern of Shibuya with sex, "the relocation to Shibuya, which originally was unwilling to be, was said to be" the driving force behind today's growth ".

▲ Cyber ​​Agent Representative - Mr. Fujita

Then, why did President Fujita choose Shibuya?

"I was born in blue school and I was familiar with Shibuya, but when I took a good young talent familiar with the net, I thought it was Shibuya rather than being based in Marunouchi." "We were in the middle of the boom in the second half of the 1990s but I think that the stock market was exhilarating net bubble.The present engineers have reached the ground but the Shibuya Bit Valley at that time was Velfarret Laughing that there was a light student nori with a strong feeling of parishes (laugh), including opening parties at the same time. "At that time we had fewer than 100 employees, but now we have 5,000 employees and 8,000 employees working together in Shibuya.The times have changed, the quality of the company that gathers in Shibuya It is said that it is meaningful to "rebuild newly" at this timing, "he wants to support this activity.

Meanwhile, Mr. Nanba says, "We were not good at parties and people," Mr. Nanba said, "At that time I participated in Shibuya Bit Valley only once (laugh), but at that time the Tech Company was closed to the net As it was the era, there were only contacts with the outside around the party, now the Tech Company 's active areas expanded rapidly and expanded to auto - mobile, wellness, sports etc, and the relationship between the ground and space "The quality of work has changed significantly in 20 years," he said. "This company (formerly Bidders) was born in Shibuya and was raised in Shibuya, I myself too Shibuya citizens, so I have a lot of hope, so I will be celebrating the 20th anniversary in March next year, so I am happy that the bit volleyball will revitalize again .

Three of us were strongly thought that they were raised in Shibuya, and expressed their intention to again "I will cooperate with the rebirth of Shibuya and Bit Valley this time" with a meaning of gratitude.

| Shibuya is a comfortable and cozy home for engineers

Last time Shibuya Bit Valley was the main character, "investment" which hoped for a large-scale IT venture that could be both the sea and the mountain. Naturally, the industry in the Sumi period is also highly gambling, the companies that are crushed are not ruined, and as a result investment enthusiasm that does not match corporate value has led to the collapse of the Internet bubble. In a sense, it can be said that the four companies have overcome these twists and turns and have established their current positions. Well, the primary objective of rebuilding Shibuya Bit Valley is to eliminate the shortage of IT engineers, which is a common theme in the IT industry during the growth period. The event is aimed at appealing as "Shibuya = city of IT engineers".

Let's see why Shibuya is the best place for engineers to work and then why each representative thinks.

Kumagai is appealing like this. "I think that everyone is engineer-oriented and oriented towards IT venture managers is the right choice, because when we launched the company 23 years ago," IT is a new industrial revolution " Even nobody trusted me and did not make it to me.In the last 23 years, everyone has no doubt that IT is undoubtedly an industrial revolution.In the past, the Industrial Revolution is average So for the past 55 years, the Internet revolution is now equivalent to about 24 hours, just now it is time to eat lunch.This is the Internet industry that is waiting for delicious dinner from now on. In other words, it is a correct choice for you to be engineer-oriented, oriented towards IT managers, I would like to return to this industry again, even if I am born again. " .

▲ GMO Internet representative · Masatoshi Kumagai

Furthermore, "If you work in the IT industry, it's unquestionably Shibuya is correct," Kumagai-san makes sure. " TOKYU CORPORATION currently building a building for IT companies with full strength. For example, Google has decided to borrow all of SHIBUYA STREAM 's office buildings, and it is likely that they will be on the top of that building. The logos will line up, and CyberAgent will rent a building under construction at SHIBUYA SCRAMBLE SQUARE and Avema Tower, and we at GMO will make a two-member system with the Cerulean Tower. If you think so, after two years, around Shibuya Station will be just a huge building where IT companies enter. Inevitably, the restaurant should be all IT staff and engineers everywhere. There will surely be more study sessions for engineers, more opportunities for contacts with their peers, and there will always be innovation. " Mr. Kumagai strongly emphasized that "Shibuya is the best place" for those who aim at engineers and entrepreneurs from these two points.

Another reason why Mr. Fujita is easy for engineers to work is added as follows.

"I am making a company at the age of 24 and now I am 45 years old, but I can say with confidence" The enjoyment of work is home feeling. "Looking back on my student days, I forgot the time in the seminar and the laboratory something I think that there are a lot of people who have been crazy, but as I start working, there are places where I feel pretty well, so it will be quite a long time in such places, for example, the luxury club in Ginza has a feeling of age even at my age However, it is somewhat easier to have it in Roppongi or Nishiazabu.The prestigious club in golf courses is strict in courtesy and has a sense of awesomeness, but it is comfortable if it is an eagle point made by young entrepreneurs.A mysterious authority and customs , Unreasonable hierarchical relationship still remains in a big company, but I realize that Shibuya is overwhelmingly home for engineers. "

Compared to Marunouchi, which has many suit tribes, Shibuya has a casual atmosphere, it is comfortable for engineers and it seems to be said to be a place where you can fully demonstrate your own power.

So, what kind of engineers are you actually seeking?

Nanba says "DeNA's DNA is a" challenge. "Originally it was a company specializing in e-commerce, but pillars of new business are steadily increasing.Why did it become so?" I want to shape this idea I wanted to do such a project, "as a result of the amount of heat of each member as a business, as a result, it became like this.Of course I also experienced hardships, but I think that if I lose the calorie it is not DeNA I call themselves "a permanent venture" and I want to continue to be a company that constantly keeps on making new challenges against the Establishment, "he said.

In addition, "I often express" Put on pomegranate! "In short, I would like to open more companies and develop them as talented people wherever they go, whether or not that person belongs to DeNa , I want to collaborate with anyone, I do not want you to be an engineer who can pass through only within the DeNA, "he says he wishes to be raised as a high-potential talent who can not fit only within the company.

▲ Video message of Mikei founder · Kenji Kasahara. "I've been working in Shibuya since I was a student since I started working in Shibuya.What is making my service so fun and working on shaping ideas as soon as I came up with it, The moment when our ideas are verified is the most pleasant and addictive, I hope that more people will be involved in creating services. "

| I want you to do a job, not "money", "get hooked" "useful for people"

"What is happy to you?" Asked Mr. Nanba. "The feeling that I feel happy is that one feels that someone is playing a role and the other that I am obsessed.Of course they have different values ​​and so they are the same for everyone Although it does not apply to you, I think that I'm sorry for something that makes me crazy and confronted with using something that I made for customers and I really do not want to do business like that. "

▲ President of DeNA · Tomoko Nanba

"To give a concrete example, we have a car sharing service called" Anyca (Enica) ", but we propose that two young people in the third year of graduation. I love cars and I can not think of sharing my own car at all, so I can not do it at all. But they dropped three or four times and I was sorry about that. Because their data and business plan are beyond the narrow world I see, subjectivity is overlooked, so I can not help but admit it. After that, the two young people got caught and caught up in order to shape Enica, and eventually formed the service. Of course, the services that millions of people in the world use are not growing yet, but it seems that the two of them are happy. As a result of becoming "enthusiastic", if it is helpful to someone, I think it is a happy thing. " "It is the job that" is useful "for people" "can be crazy" work is the best ".

Likewise, Mr. Kumagai also asked the young engineers a question, "I would like you to think about the lifespan and life of a human being who has only once.

"How can you exchange your life? If you have a person who can kill you with 10 million yen, that person is only 10 million yen worthy, I do not want anyone to kill, but I can do something I do not want to do I think that the amount of money is the value of the person who is moved by heart.Of course money is important as lubricant but money is a result and it must not be a purpose.When my life, limited In exchange for time, it would be better to redeem it with a smile of many people, I think that it makes me happy by many people, I think that it is true happiness to walk such a life. " "If you think that the IT industry is right, let us serve in our company in Shibuya, start up business and get together with us, and from this Shibuya many people Willing to services that bring developed and provided to, let's instead of the smile full of the world "that they have entered into last.

How did the words of the three people who continued to lead the industry from the early days of the IT company responded to young engineers? I would like to pay attention to what kind of change will the Shibuya Bit Valley resurrection bring to Shibuya in the future.

This event is positioned as # 0 and plans to hold # 1 Tech Conference in the summer of next year on a schedule of about one week. In addition, Shibuya Ward, it is said that he wants to do various experiments and efforts among the four companies.

Editorial department · Fuji Itakashi

Shibuya registrar. In addition to Shibuya of Culture information, seasonal news and topics, it will spell write that feel every day.