Master's Start-up Strategy Planning Program

Academic unit or major

Entrepreneurship courses

Instructor(s)

Masaharu Tsujimoto / Tomohito Oyobe / Akira Izumi / Koji Wakayama

Class Format

Exercise

Media-enhanced courses

-

Day of week/Period
(Classrooms)

Class

-

Course Code

ENT.C540

Number of credits

010

Course offered

2025

Offered quarter

4Q

Syllabus updated

Mar 19, 2025

Language

Japanese

※ Courses with parentheses in the course number have different subject codes depending on the student's year of admission.

Syllabus

Course overview and goals

As the world works towards a sustainable society, countries around the globe are engaging in Green Transformation (GX). According to a report by the International Energy Agency (IEA), global investment in clean energy exceeded $2 trillion in 2023, nearly double the investment in fossil energy. In Japan, as key industries like gasoline vehicles and petrochemicals experience slowed growth, there is a growing need for entrepreneurs who can create new technologies and businesses to help realize GX within society.
In this course, we will focus on GX as a key theme. The first half of the course will feature guest speakers, including a researcher and a startup executive, who will share insights from the forefront of research and business creation. In the second half, students will engage in group work using the Lean Canvas*, developing skills to visualize business ideas for entrepreneurs.
Through this course, students will explore future societies that can achieve GX, learn to identify opportunities and market potential, and understand the approach of startups that leverage technology to build scalable businesses.
Please note that since this course is conducted in Japanese, proficiency in the language is required. This course will be delivered as a "live" lecture via Zoom, meaning that students must attend each session in real-time. If you have regular conflicts with laboratory seminars or other courses that would prevent consistent attendance,, please do not enroll.
*Lean Canvas is a framework designed to simplify the visualization of a business model. It categorizes the business model into nine
elements: customer problems, customer segments, unique value propositions, solutions, channels, revenue streams, cost structure, key metrics, and competitive advantage. This allows for a comprehensive overview of the entire business.

Course description and aims

By taking this course, students acquire the followings;
1) Understanding social challenges in the pursuit of Green Transformation.
2) Entrepreneurial and business development methods using the Lean Canvas.
3) Approaches of startups that solve social challenges through technology.

Student learning outcomes

実務経験と講義内容との関連 (又は実践的教育内容)

The lecturer will give a lecture based on their practical experience in his/her company. Based on which the students will set topics n groups, discuss them, and finally make presentations on the results of the group activities. The lecturer and facilitators provide comments and advices to them, based on his/her working experience.

Keywords

Green Transformation (GX), SDGs, Startups, and Entrepreneurship

Competencies

• Specialist skills
• Intercultural skills
• Communication skills
• Critical thinking skills
• Practical and/or problem-solving skills

Class flow

The course will be conducted online via Zoom. Since ensuring interactivity between the instructor and students is crucial, students are required to participate in real-time.
Sessions 1 to 3 will consist of seminar-style lectures by the instructor. To encourage active participation from students, the Zoom polling feature will be used, and time will be allocated for questions.
Sessions 4 to 6 will involve group work where students will develop business concepts using the Lean Canvas. This group work will be conducted in Zoom breakout rooms.
In Session 7, each group will present their business concepts developed with the Lean Canvas, and receive feedback from the instructor.

Course schedule/Objectives

Study advice (preparation and review)

To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.

Textbook(s)

None

Reference books, course materials, etc.

"The Guidance for the Creation and Growth of GX Startups: Securing Initial Demand and Diversifying Financing," released by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) on March 29, 2024, (Japanese)
https://www.meti.go.jp/policy/energy_environment/global_warming/gx_startup/gx_guidance.pdf
"Towards the Realization of Green Transformation in Our Country," Materials for the 10th GX Implementation Meeting, December 15, 2023, (Japanese)
https://www.cas.go.jp/jp/seisaku/gx_jikkou_kaigi/dai10/siryou1.pdf

Evaluation methods and criteria

Contributions in group discussions and presentations, comments and remarks on other groups' presentations (100%)

Related courses

• LAC.C401

Prerequisites

Students are required to be able to attend all three intensive classes.
Due to doing group works, Japanese language skill enough to understand daily conversations and substantially contribute group works required.

Other

The corresponding GA for this course is GA1M.
The maximum number of students enrolled in the course is limited to 25 for group discussions. Please note that no student will be able to take the course after the number of students who have already registered for the course reaches 25 on a first-come, first- served basis.