Start Business, Change Society: Winners of the Nippon Startup Awards 2023 Announced

On June 9, the award ceremony for the Nippon Startup Awards 2023 was held at the Prime Minister’s Office. Through this awards program, the Government of Japan honors outstanding startup businesses that have a positive impact on society and provide role models for young people.
This year, SmartNews Inc., developer of a popular news delivery application for smartphones in Japan and the U.S., won the Prime Minister’s Award. Gojo & Company, Inc. was recognized for its business offering microfinance services (small-sum lending for enterprises) in developing countries as the winner of the Global Award in the METI Minister’s Awards category, and MeetsMore Inc., a platform provider for customer attraction and a SaaS* provider which enhances business operations, was named the winner of the Diversity Award in the same category.

*Note: The term “SaaS” is an acronym for “Software as a Service.” This is a form of service that provides application functions via the internet.

SmartNews Inc.—Business that aims to break down walls

The Prime Minister’s Award goes to a company that is most highly recognized for its breadth of business vision, originality and innovation, as well as the level of challenge it undertakes in starting a new business and its potential for growth.

SmartNews is growing its business worldwide to achieve its mission of delivering the world’s quality information to the people who need it.
More than 30 years ago, Mr. Suzuki Ken, co-founder of SmartNews, visited East Berlin just before the fall of the Berlin Wall and learned that many citizens who tried unsuccessfully to climb over the wall were shot. Since then, he has made it his personal mission to remove all kinds of walls and realize a smooth society. After he became a researcher advocating a better social system, he became acquainted with Mr. Hamamoto Kaisei, a software engineer and winner of many awards, and they jointly founded SmartNews. Even before the company was founded, these entrepreneurs had global aspirations, showcasing their pilot products at a trade show in the U.S. This experience became the catalyst to launch SmartNews.

Gojo & Company, Inc.— To create a world where everyone can determine their future

A startup that is particularly highly regarded for its expansion overseas was selected as the recipient of the Global Award in the METI Minister’s Awards category. Gojo & Company, Inc., the winner of the award, is committed to its vision to create a world where everyone can determine their future. This startup offers microfinance services in developing countries in line with its mission to extend financial inclusion across the globe as a private sector world bank.

Microfinance is small sum lending for businesses, targeting those with relatively low income. Before founding Gojo & Company, Mr. Shin Taejun worked as an investment professional at a financial institution. During this time, he was impressed by a book titled The End of Poverty written by U.S. economist Jeffrey Sachs, which explains the reality of poverty and approaches to ending it. Inspired by this book, Mr. Shin formed an NPO called Living in Peace. In the course of providing aid for equal opportunities as part of his work for this NPO, he organized Japan’s first microfinance fund. In 2012, he participated in a side event at the World Economic Forum and became aware of the new opportunities for individuals in the 21^st century to create private sector international organizations. With this new-found awareness, Mr. Shin established Gojo & Company, Inc., aiming to build a new private sector global bank. As of March 2023, Gojo & Company provides microfinance services to over 1.68 million customers in the five countries of India, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Tajikistan.

MeetsMore Inc. — Creates a society where people live in a better tomorrow

The Diversity Award in the METI Minister’s Awards is granted to the company which achieves a high recognition from the perspective of diversity management. The winner upholds a mission of “maximizing Japan’s GDP and realizing a society where people believe in a better tomorrow.” MeetsMore Inc., the winner of the Diversity award, provides two primary services - MeetsMore, a platform for further small to mid-business productivity, and MeetsOne, a SaaS for efficient field work operations for corporates.

Before the foundation of MeetsMore, Ms. Ayako Ishikawa, MeetsMore CEO, previously had a role in communicating with small to mid-business owners in Japan who face business challenges and was impressed by their mindset and the way of living. This experience made her firmly decide to start a business that helps these owners have more productivity and efficiency. She went to the USA for an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and learned how to effectively leverage technology specifically for these business owners. While working at a startup in Silicon Valley, she carefully developed business ideas and founded MeetsMore Inc. upon returning to Japan. In order to provide products with global standards that are both accessible domestically and internationally, she places importance on a sincere attitude toward users and products.

With her experience overseas, Ms. Ishikawa strongly emphasizes on diversity in a corporate culture since its foundation. She believes in an open, free, and vital workplace where people from all backgrounds are comfortable to work and grow. By enacting the environment, she attracts top talents from diverse backgrounds and achieves the firm’s growth..

Startup and New Business Promotion Office, METI

Related information

• Commendation Ceremony Held for the Nippon Startup Awards 2023