Shibuya Hikarie 32nd floor, "KDDI L Labo (Mugen Labo)" has a base on a good floor where you can overlook the city of Shibuya. The project, launched by KDDI in 2011, is an incubation program that supports startups and startups who have just started and have little experience. These four-year graduates number 29 teams from 1st to 6th, and it is said that products and services that have already started to succeed as a business are also being created. In this interview, we invited Mr. Tomohiro Egashi, who is the head of the lab, to talk keenly about the significance of KDDI's management of "KDDI L Labo", the specific content of the program, and the advantages of having a base in Shibuya. What is the forefront of support for ventures from Shibuya-.

Rather than we, produce that you want to do is venture.

_ And "KDDI∞Labo (Mugenrabo)" is, do you What kind of project?

A place where lack of venture and start-up of just entrepreneur, we provide the assets that KDDI has, is a program to create the world and to firmly form the new service. Program period, including to show off in front of the results "Demo Day (final report Association)" in three months, we turn in the six months to put the preparation and recruitment and selection. In fact, a look at the individual care over a period of about graduation after half a year, to the point where we have grown a little more product, supports in one year Gakari total.

Why does _KDDI is to support the venture?

In Japan, spawn a new innovation from within the existing is I feel that quite difficult. While position that we also must take their own innovation, there have felt the limit. On the other hand, young people, but those who are actually entrepreneurs are rich have an idea, there is no goods and people, money and support, does not wear follow until it dropped it to the final form. At the time that started the KDDI∞Labo (2011 years), and are looking at the United States, there was a sense that Do the relationship has grown up 10 years earlier than Japan. If possible collaboration we and the venture is, a curve that stretch they are working hard, in a short period of time of the span to be involved with us, rapidly or not much of it is possible to increase the angle, we started a project in such a thought . That said, not a program called "Let's do something business with KDDI." We are not principal, assumes that you put out to the world that the last think I want to do is they. They grow to its destination, when the situation called "synergy is the really looks good with us," came into sight, Toka alliance of business, but also think that we will continue to support in the fund to operate, basically to human assistance only. We do not think Fu "program = fund". I'm often said "I want out of the money" from the venture, it says "out does not" in immediate answer (laughs)

_ Efforts to "Let's purely groom venture" is I think that's so great, what with respect to projects that do not lead to direct revenue, the understanding of the company is high, why?

Originally, Division of out from the beginning of the mobile Internet of about 2000, settlement Toka, not only the official menu Toka, the platform layer, has been doing things to create their own service. Of course, their services and high-end, the company because it is communication company out, it does not have news and video content. While sets the outside of people and partnerships in that sense, there is no feeling of resistance in the style that we launched a new business. In addition, Tanaka is our president, we are studying in Stanford University when young KDD era. At that time, such as the United States of HP and Oracle, at the time the software of the player who had been one after another born in Silicon Valley, Tanaka has been realized in the skin that kind of environment. Provide and place that can Innovation Legislative activities in a free environment, the height of the understanding of the venture assistance, might such a point is large.

In the middle of the open floor, there is a space for the entire meeting.

Shibuya of appeal, ease of networking with venture.

_ Why did you choose the "Shibuya" to the base?

KDDI body's the home is Iidabashi but, if there is a fixed seat in the portrait of the table in the Iidabashi, I work with always fit the same members and face. Also, it's a private room each meeting room. This and I think we do not spread the idea. Our division has the history that jumped out to the "new area, open place, let's to work in a more produce easy environment Innovative Legislative ideas" from the idea that, Roppongi Izumi Garden Tower. At the time, Roppongi, since it was energetic venture gather environment. But, the site of young entrepreneurs with go through the era, has spread gradually Shibuya and Ebisu, Meguro, in such Nakameguro. So we have moved to Basa' and Shibuya each business unit to take the plunge.

_ Certainly recently, IT venture in Shibuya, but have begun to integrated, Why?

People have the feeling you are calling people. Does not mean that the mere facilitation, that someone is calling someone. Also wonder if large of such as DeNA and NHN came moved to Shibuya. "Because there is also Toka KDDI's, let's go kana in Shibuya" it is also in our neighborhood to come hear voices that, I think is one of the reasons for the ease of networking is integrated in Shibuya. Than when in Roppongi in our division, and increased communication with people. Because it is venture around often, little bit to go, because that can come back soon. But it is also good to get to come to our office, ... and whether or look at the work environment to go to the other party of the office, whether the atmosphere and employees of the company is coming from, the not whether there is a greeting when passing by. Went out to the outside, it is also important to get a variety of information. Culture and fashion, of course, networking and and ease of the venture, also in terms of new Ino base tions is born friendly environment, Shibuya is felt to be a very attractive area.

Compared with _ Roppongi era, or have changed something in the space and facilities face?

Space doubles of Roppongi era of the lab, now very widely. In the middle of the 32 floor of the lab, there is a environment that meeting can be gathered everyone, there is a private dining room and a separate conference room in the back. Team that has been adopted, you can work at any time to come here. You can either bring their own friends and colleagues, you do not have to be a meeting. Since there is also a team that does not have an office in, some people to full-time brought a great display to KDDI∞Labo. Basically go in and out is a free, up to 12 o'clock at night from the morning utilization time is 7. Since they will not pass the key, it is Saturday and Sunday available if necessary. However, "to drink alcohol, be binge," "to be sleeping" just is not good (laughs). In addition, it seems Toka receive interviewed here because looking good at the time of the media coverage, there are many cases that use here at the time to meet with investors.

Shibuya Hikarie 32nd floor offers a panoramic view of the city of Shibuya.

Such as "immature", "deficit", I want to help the people who do not have someone to really help.

_ "Number of employees 10 people or less, less than three years from the entrepreneurship, investment received by not", etc., but there is a Application Guidelines to some conditions of the program, do you decide the rules in any criteria?

Up to five terms in the more free application conditions, it did not matter whatever basically the "new services". If the extreme story, such as DeNA and Gree, to launch the employee a new service to work in the major, also on the rules if that want to participate in this program it is OK. In the past, there was also adopted the new business of companies that are turning actually in the black case, do I found try is, and the kind of team, there is a difference in such pretty knowledge in the student-up of the team that. This is also good surface in this, people who know better, mutual support and share information to the team do not know. In older brother and the form of senior, communication but it was also remarkable figure that is born, but at the end of the finish, is why would out really big difference. So the keyword from the 6th to the "0 to 1 (Zeroichi)", such as "is immature as a company", "is almost the deficit", has focused the application conditions to venture that does not yet have a successful experience. As an opportunity to take in 1, and let's involved is KDDI∞Labo. For example, if the tens of millions of yen from venture capital has been funding, if the extreme story, even 20 people in 10 people you need a person become idea is that you should temporarily hire people to help. Pieces and, in the start-up with no money doing alone two people, will come out is a difference in the environment. So from the 6th or later we are on track applicants conditions as "Let's help the people no one is really me help people."

How much there I _ application number?

The last time the applicant is, about 190 projects have just become much doubled. Applicants to the idea, it does not provided a clear conditions, but the main thing that in light of the activities that are doing KDDI involved in the "ICT (Information and Communication Technology) × hundred". Never You can either instead of the mobile and software services, You can either in hardware, does not matter what a fusion of it. However, it is assumed that the engineers that can be an idea to form're at least more than one person. I want to make software, only the idea is in the head, also engineers who make the it is said that no one, it can not support. Basically that Ikeru made by themselves until the final product. Of course, if a small venture, it does not mean that one person alone work are in good sharing. In most cases, you can have one person serve as the design and program, first to make a Android (Android), Toka go Moya' add people iOS (Apple) .... Something There is no problem with missing, in some cases, because there are cases where mutual support beyond the inter-team.

_190 Of the projects, what is being actually adopted?

合格は4、5チーム。先ほどの応募条件に合わないものをバサッと切ります。次にチームに3カ月間にわたってずっと付きそうKDDI社員と、このプロジェクトに賛同するパートナー企業で支援チーム（2〜3人）を結成し、この支援チームが面白いと思う案件を自由に選んでもらっています。現在始動中の第7期からは、三井物産やテレビ朝日、東急電鉄、コクヨ、セブン&アイなど、多種多様なパートナー企業13社が参加し「パートナー連合プログラム」を組んでいます。僕は最終的な採択には、一切関与しません。というのも、支援チームには「自分で選んだのだから、最後までサポートしなさい」という責任を持ってもらうため。まさに採択されたベンチャーとうちの社員、パートナー企業の三位一体で進めているところです。