Yutaro Nakanishi, CEO of TENTIAL Co., Ltd.

I want to create a society that is positive about health, where no one has to give up on a challenge because of physical discomfort.

Representative Director and CEO of TENTIAL Co., Ltd.　Yutaro Nakanishi(Yutaro Nakanishi)

■ Profile
Originally from Saitama Prefecture, he had his dream of becoming a professional soccer player shattered by illness during his high school years, which sparked his interest in entrepreneurship. After gaining extensive experience at both venture companies and major corporations, he founded TENTIAL Inc. in 2018 and launched the conditioning brand "TENTIAL" the following year. He believes that a healthy and positive lifestyle is important for people to realize their potential, and aims to create a system that can give back to society through sports conditioning.

During his high school years, Nakanishi had a dream of becoming a professional soccer player. However, that dream was shattered in the summer of his third year when he fell ill. Despite this, Nakanishi of TENTIAL Co., Ltd. has continued to move forward without giving up, developing products to support all those who are concerned about their health. We spoke to him about a wide range of topics, from the struggles he faced to the huge success of BAKUNE, the pajamas that promote blood circulation and help recover from fatigue when worn to sleep, to his motivation, the philosophy that his company values, and his outlook for the future.

During my high school years, I spent every day thinking about nothing but soccer. I was so engrossed in my goal of becoming a professional soccer player that I was unable to participate in most school events due to trips and matches, and I just kept moving forward with a spirit of challenge, wondering "how far can I aim?" Looking back now, I think I should have taken soccer more seriously, but at the same time, I also feel that I should have had a wider range of experiences outside of soccer. For example, I feel that if we had planned our own practice menus and broadened our horizons by meeting various people, including professional players, I could have grown more.
Then, in my third year of high school, I fell ill and was suddenly unable to play soccer. At the time, I struggled with the feeling that I had lost my identity and everything I had built up up until then. But it was precisely because I had only dreamed of becoming a soccer player that I think it was at that point that I began to seriously consider how I wanted to live my life from then on. How could I make my life shine without soccer? I believe that experience at that time was a major catalyst in shaping the person I am today.

■ Spread your wings into the world of programming

When I was thinking about my future, I was moved by a speech by President Obama in which he said, "I want the children of the future to be game makers, not game players," and I realized the importance of programming and IT, so I started studying. Through the connections I made with people I met through my studies, I participated in the launch of a programming education business at Infratop (now DMM Group).
After that, I joined Recruit Career (now Recruit) and worked in business development, which allowed me to experience the merits of both a venture and a large company. At the venture, I learned to take on challenges proactively without fear of risk, and to have a sense of ownership that "I am the one who is running the company," while at the large company, I experienced firsthand the importance of acting based on analysis and strategy, and considering the value it provides to society as a whole. Although the environments were different, the essence of "delivering value to customers" was common, and it was an experience that greatly broadened my perspective on work.

■ Experiences from high school led to starting a business

Since I became ill, I've gotten into the habit of counting down the years of my life. The thought crossed my mind that I might have less time left than most people, and I began to feel that "not taking on challenges is a risk." This made me want to move forward as quickly as possible, and so I started my own company at the age of 23. Thanks to the wealth of experience I had gained up to that point, I don't think I had much anxiety about being young.
Above all, the thoughts and goals I have always held dear and the direction I have been aiming for have remained unchanged ever since then. The name of the company, "TENTIAL," comes from the word "POTENTIAL." I myself have had to give up on my dreams in the past due to illness. What was most frustrating was not that I couldn't achieve my goals based on my own abilities, but that I "wasn't even able to try." That experience became the starting point, and I was born with the desire to reduce the number of people who are forced to give up on challenges due to health problems in the same way.

■ Question the "obvious" things around you

Think optimistically and make plans that take into account all risks. Based on this belief, our goal from the beginning has been to create a society where everyone, not just athletes, can live healthier lives. To achieve this, we have focused on health in everyday life, such as food, clothing, and shelter. The first product we developed was an insole. This was developed as a product that supports condition not only during competition, but also in everyday life. Then, "BAKUNE," the fatigue recovery pajamas that has become TENTIAL's signature product, was developed with the awareness that many athletes have issues with sleep.
What we have always valued in our development is formulating hypotheses. We question what is taken for granted and continue to think about ways to make people healthier tomorrow than they are today. We then give shape to these hypotheses, have people try them out, and make improvements. This repetition is our style.
Our goal going forward is not only to deliver BAKUNE to as many people as possible, but also to turn our attention to a wider variety of everyday situations and create products and services that blend naturally into people's lives. However, there are still many people who are unaware of the company TENTIAL. For this reason, we believe that devising ways to properly reach the many people who are concerned about their health and how to communicate this will be an important issue going forward.

■ Expectations from colleagues who believe in your potential

With our listing in February 2025 as an opportunity, we have launched a new message: "Potential is something that no one can take away from us." Based on this philosophy, TENTIAL has many people who are not just pursuing profits for the company, but who are also seriously working to create a healthy and positive society in order to raise people's potential. This is why I hope that more people will be able to work with a sense of possibility and potential in themselves. In today's society, many people are afraid of failure or standing out, but I would be happy to work with people who see potential in themselves and the world and take on challenges.

■Message to university students

No one can take away the potential of each individual. However, it is surprisingly common for people to limit their own potential. That is why I hope that people do not take away their own potential. You are the person who understands you best, so instead of just expecting things from those around you, I hope that you will also expect things from yourself, believe in your potential, and make the most of it.

Student Newspaper Online April 7, 2025 Denenchofu Futaba High School 3rd year student Rinka Ito

Sophia University 4th year student Minami Yoshikawa / Toyo University 3rd year student Rinno Koshiyama / Chuo University 1st year student Mayuka Kato / Denenchofu Futaba High School 3rd year student Rinka Ito