Yuichiro Shimizu, CEO of For Startups, Inc.

Anyone can become Mark Zuckerberg or Elon Musk

CEO of For Startups, Inc.　Yuichiro Shimizu(Yuichiro Shimizu)

■ Profile
After working at Intelligence Co., Ltd. (now Persol Career Co., Ltd.), where he launched the job-seeking website "doda," he founded Net Jinzai Bank Co., Ltd. (now For Startups Co., Ltd.), which promotes support for growth industries, in 2016 and became its president and representative director.
In 2016, he was the first Headhunter in Japan to be inducted into the Hall of Fame at the Japan Headhunter Awards. He has been a member of the Japan Venture Capital Association's Venture Ecosystem Committee since 2019, and a member of the Keidanren Startup Committee's Planning Subcommittee/Startup Policy Task Force since 2020. He joined the Japan Association of Corporate Executives in 2021, and the Kansai Association of Corporate Executives in 2022.

Yuichiro Shimizu is the CEO of for Startups, Inc., Japan's largest startup support company. He previously launched the job-hunting website "doda" and became the first person in Japan to be inducted into the "Headhunter of the Year" hall of fame. We spoke to him about the importance of new industries in Japan today and the potential we students have.

■My student days were filled with art and dance

I've always loved art and wanted to study media art at MIT's Media Lab, but I didn't have the academic ability, so I looked for a place to study in Japan. That's how I ended up at Keio University's SFC. I was interested in artistic activities, and I created technology art pieces about 30 years ago. It seems I have the talent to recognize more colors than most people, and while I was at university, I worked as a researcher on color research with large companies. I also went to dance school and went to clubs at least once a week. I had hoped to make a living as a creator in the future, but that turned out to be impossible (laughs).

■ A message from someone who was shocked

I spent five years studying for a job, so I'm not the kind of person who can give great advice on job hunting (laughs). The company that picked me up was Intelligence Co., Ltd. (now Persol Holdings Co., Ltd.). It all started with a direct mail postcard I received.
At the time, job hunting was a process whereby companies would send direct mail to students, who would then contact the companies. The mail carried the message "Surpass Dentsu and Recruit" and had the company name "Intelligence" written on the back.
For some reason, I became interested in the company, and when I attended a company information session, I met the company's president, Yasuhide Uno, who was 30 years old at the time. I was blown away by how cool his message to the students was, and how he spoke. I wanted to shape a new era together with Uno, so I joined Intelligence Inc.
So I started working as a consultant for new graduate recruitment and in sales for human resources agencies, and eventually launched a job-hunting website called "doda."

■The reality of Japan that I didn't know

When I was 40, I realized something. In Japan, people who are considered elites earn around 1000 million to 2000 million yen a year, but this annual income is only the starting salary for a new graduate in Silicon Valley.
Furthermore, the average salary in Japan is lower than in South Korea and about the same as in Spain and Lithuania. In other words, Japan is poorer than I thought.
Until then, I had thought that if I could grow my business, I could create a positive future for society.
Japanese people are often said to work too hard, but in fact people in London and New York work more than in Tokyo. China's Alibaba and Tencent work twice as hard as Japanese people to beat America, and Elon Musk works even harder to bring innovation to humanity.
Humans have the knowledge and skills that animals lack, which allows them to live for the future, society, and future generations. However, this is not taught in schools.
For example, if people are constantly told at school or at home, "You are talented and have leadership skills, so you could create Amazon or Apple. We fully support you, so let's work hard together," some people will be inspired to take on the challenge.
However, if your parents keep telling you every day to "get a stable job, work for a big company, or become a civil servant," you're bound to go in that direction. It's because this kind of communication has been taken for granted that we have the results we have today.

■Everyone can take on the challenge equally

I believe that "challenge is anti-aging." When you have a strong will to change society, you come into contact with wonderful information and people. I believe that these experiences and stimulation are what allow people to live longer. In Japan, adults are not living with a positive attitude, which is why young people feel hopeless about the future. Everyone has an equal right to change society and the future, but many people are not aware of this. So how can people change?
It involves using the society in which you live as a measuring stick and improving your environment, experience, and information. Even if you realize that you are a tiny presence in society, the crucial turning point is whether you see the gap between your current and your desired future as a possibility or as an unattainable future. You must be highly motivated to tackle this gap and grow by trying to solve the problems before you. I believe that people like Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk have continued to do just that.

■Re-creating the Japan of the past through new industries

Around the world, countries that develop new industries gain wealth and become competitive. Those who gain wealth then provide their children with a good standard of living and education, passing this on to the future. In the past, when Japan lost a war, people flocked to companies like Sony and Toyota, strengthening the country and allowing it to dominate the world. Now that Japan is losing the business war, if someone could take the lead and innovate, Japan could once again regain its former status as an economic superpower.
Japan's future can be changed by new industries. Since I realized this, I have supported various startups, including Mercari and SmartNews. However, I have come to realize that one or two companies alone are meaningless; Japan will not change unless hundreds or thousands of companies are born. I alone am not enough. So I gathered people who share my vision and formed a team called "For Startups, Inc." Here, we meet daily with Japan's leading entrepreneurs, investors, ecosystem builders, and politicians, working to revitalize Japan. Our interns also get to see up close the people who are currently moving the world, learn what our future holds, and join us to change that future.

■Message to university students

I want to tell you to "try your best." There is nothing but opportunity and hope for all students. Try your best, and when the time comes to gain the experience and knowledge to become a leader, go for it.
You can become Mark Zuckerberg or Elon Musk. As a leader, you can create a team that will change the future. That will surely be a life that makes you feel glad to be alive.

Interviewed by Student Newspaper Online on May 30, 2023 by Mai Wakao, a third-year student at International Christian University