Best practices in innovation and hands-on support from ideation to commercialization
Startups and Open Innovation
Service
Sudden changes in the business environment and the increasing complexity of social issues have made it more and more difficult to resolve problems and deliver value with one organization’s assets alone. Startups and open innovation have become a means of creating value to bring about social transformation. However, there are few clear processes for establishing a business, and many hurdles along the way.
ABeam Consulting brings together professionals with extensive experience in global transformations and expertise in the latest technologies to provide support to both large companies and startups. We can provide comprehensive support from business-matching all the way to commercialization.
Trends/Challenges
Government commitment to startup investment
The government aims to increase startup investment 10-fold over five years from 2023 and produce 100 unicorn companies, making startups an increasingly important force to watch.
As a concrete measure, in the FY2024 Tax Reform (Proposals) compiled at the end of December 2023, the government decided to triple the annual exercise value limit for the stock option tax system to 36 million yen per year from the current limit. Positive tax system reforms for startup companies are pushing ahead, with a two-year extension to the implementation of the Open Innovation Promotion Tax System.
*Source: “Government initiatives to foster startups by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry”
https://www.meti.go.jp/policy/newbusiness/kaisetsushiryou_2024.pdf
Deep tech success in Japan
Startups in Japan have a natural affinity with the country’s strong manufacturing industry, leading to flourishing innovation in the deep tech space. Businesses in these fields can expect high investment benefits. While focusing mainly on university-led initiatives and startups by young entrepreneurs, R&D efforts at large companies are also active.
The road to establishing a business is tough. Simple, one-size-fits-all measures will not produce results. Many companies are searching for what they are missing to fill this void.
Challenges of large companies and startups
In a collaboration between large companies and startups, both parties have problems.
■ Large companies
- Lack an eye for appropriate technologies
- Lack the skills to create business models and schemes to establish a business
- Startups are simply seen as products and the collaboration goes no further
■ Startups
- Find fast collaboration difficult due to a lack of personnel
- Do not understand the issues of large companies’ business operations
- Reach the proof of concept (PoC) stage with large companies but stop before reaching collaboration or business commercialization
It is difficult to have in-house personnel that push forward while considering the problems of large companies and startups. It is essential to have a third party that understands the problems of both companies and leads matching and business facilitation with appropriate problem-solving methods.
Where ABeam Stands Out
New business design suggestions based on a track record of support and the latest industry and technology trends
We have a track record in supporting startups with offerings such as startup counseling or setting up an innovation lab and innovation platform. We also propose suitable new business designs based on the global trends of each industry and technology.
Out-of-the-box, optimized support tailored to each company
ABeam Consulting provides support suited to the challenges of all companies, whether they be public organizations, large companies, or startups. Rather than simply introducing partner companies like a typical consulting firm, we implement multi-sourcing based on your challenges and provide the optimal solution for business commercialization.
Hands-on business support
ABeam Consulting is home to many personnel knowledgeable about business facilitation and mentors who can act as advisors to startups. We provide practical support, including staffing services, offering “seeds of ideas” for specific issues, and introducing you to the key personnel at other companies.
Support success cases
- New business development support through collaboration between major companies and startups
- Acceleration program re-design for major companies and public sector organizations
- Support for investment companies by introducing investors to startups
- Support for launching an open innovation department and creating skill maps for team members
- Support for jobsite improvements for companies using startup technology
- Secondment of staff to a next-generation mobility startup company
- Appointing mentors for accelerator programs at major companies
- Consulting/mentoring for business proposals to large companies and business partner collaboration support
- Support for ideation, discussions, and mentoring tailored to new initiative areas for each company
Approach
As “a collaborative partner for idea-bouncing around across all industries and technologies,” ABeam Consulting has a support framework to aid both large companies and startups.
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