COUNTDOWN（カウントダウン）

Partners

You have a big dream but with anxiety for lack of experience. You have confidence in your idea but don’t know how to realize it. COUNTDOWN has many partners to help such challengers. The individual partners have their own success experiences in a variety of categories and will you valuable tips and advice for the success. Corporate partners can help you to realize your challenge in a larger scale through their professional services. COUNTDOWN will assist you to chose suitable partner for your challenge.

Partners are as follows:

Funding Partners

COUNTDOWNでのチャレンジをきっかけに、起業を志す人、すでに会社を経営していてさらなる飛躍を考えたい人の相談にのります。

試作・量産パートナー

IoT、電子機器やものづくりのチャレンジで試作・量産を頼める心強いプロフェッショナルです。何か作りたい、たくさん作りたいチャレンジャーのアイデアから相談に載ってくれる最適な会社を探すことができます。

個人アドバイザー

国内外で独自の経験や知見を持ち、あなたのチャレンジを成功に導くアドバイスをします。あなたに最適なアドバイザーを見つけましょう。

個人アドバイザーにはCOUNTDOWNでのチャレンジに成功した経験者もいます。

Keita Yagi

Anyone Can Be a Maker!

Design, production, and sales of electronic products

Keita Yagi

Anyone Can Be a Maker!

Odawara, Kanagawa

Bsize was originally started as a one-person electronics maker and has evolved into a team of creators who share the same mission with unique brand value. With a clear mission and visions, anyone can start creating the product of their dreams now. We are here to support you with pursuing your visions.
Mike Yazawa

Study-Abroad Coordinator and Expert of Happy Living from Irvine, California

Founder and Coordinator of Doorways, study abroad agency with a vision to produce global-minded Japanese youths who will find success in the worldwide community.

Mike Yazawa

Study-Abroad Coordinator and Expert of Happy Living from Irvine, California

Irvine, California, USA

"Challengers, soar into the world! I look to you with much hope.
It's unfortunate there don't seem to be enough Japanese people who aspire to pursue international success. Sure, there are many expats sent abroad by their companies, but there still aren't many who decide to step out into the bigger world on their own will. It is my biggest passion to encourage and support those who take up the challenge of breaking into the world scene, and I can't wait to meet those ""world"" challengers!"

"Born in Tokyo, Japan, on Feb, 27, in 1956, Masahiko Yazawa was a devoted archer throughout high school and college.
In March, 1978, he graduated from Keio University with a degree in Economics and in April started working at Sapporo Holdings Ltd. in sales. Now a devoted, front-line salesman, Yazawa spent much time roaming around his ""territories,"" Shinjuku and Shibuya.
Then he spent seven years in the US, moving from New York to San Francisco, and then to Los Angeles, the last three years of which he took the posts of the President of Sapporo Breweries USA and the President and General Manager of the Westin Tokyo.
While in office, Yazawa was diagnosed with acute leukemia, took a leave for forty months to battle the disease, and returned as a full-time auditor at the Westin Tokyo.
In 2006, he left Sapporo Holdings Ltd. in June and with his beloved wife founded YAZAWA Inc. in California in July of the same year.
In 2009, Yazawa founded Doorways."
Michael Rucker

Seasoned marketing and digital media executive

Product Manager, YouTube

Michael Rucker

Seasoned marketing and digital media executive

San Francisco, CA

Michael Rucker is currently the Product Manager on YouTube's Original Programming and Network initiatives. Joining YouTube in 2007, Michael has driven a variety of different initiatives as YouTube has grown. From launching our early monetization products and features to leading consumer marketing programs across Asia-Pacific, in his current role, he is responsible for the strategy, operations and tools that support YouTube's funded channels and emerging networks.
Joost van Vlijmen

International sales and marketing professional with extensive exposure to Japan

International sales and marketing professional with extensive exposure to Japan

Joost van Vlijmen

International sales and marketing professional with extensive exposure to Japan

Haarlem (Amsterdam Area) The Netherlands, Europe

Since his family started doing business with Japan in the 1980's Joost has always been a big fan of Japan and its people and culture. Over the years he had many Japanese business guest stay at their family home. During his college years he stayed in Osaka working for Daimaru Kogyo on a business development assignment to find new business opportunities and establish trade relationships with new and existing partners in Europe. Later he worked for 15 years at Sony in various international sales and marketing roles in Europe.

Currently Joost is helping (start up) entrepreneurs and managers to distinguish their business and become more successful by developing, optimizing and executing their strategies. He advices and participates at the start up (business model generation, business plan) or acceleration stage (sales & marketing, communication, fund raising). He is involved in several multinational (start up) projects in e-commerce, retail and mobile technology. Joost holds both an MSc in Management and an MBA from Kellogg(US), Stellenbosch (South-Africa) and Nyenrode (The Netherlands) universities.

"Japan is still having a very big pool of untapped creative and entrepreneurial talent. It is good to see that more and more Japanese are discovering entrepreneurship as a serious alternative to traditional employment. The potential market for your product or service is so much bigger than Japan only. Please start more with a global mindset when setting up your business. And most importantly, please do not be shy or afraid to loose face. If people are not laughing at your plans, then your plan is not ambitious enough! Always start with the customer in mind and work your way back. Remember that there are no facts in the building, so go out there to check your assumptions and then shoot for the stars! "

Feel free to contact Joost via Linkedin for help in starting up or accelerate your business.
Kenichi Chikuhama

Succeeded Challenger

Manga Artist, Event Producer

Kenichi Chikuhama

Succeeded Challenger

Osaka, Japan

大阪で漫画プロダクションの代表をしています。「筑濱カズコ」というユニットで漫画の単行本が全国の書店で販売されています。漫画制作では企画構成・脚本・アニメーション担当。漫画の仕事の他に、遊園地や商店街などのエンターテイメントイベントの企画・構成も数多く行っています。関西大学卒。イベント業務管理士１級

https://www.countdown-x.com/en/project/T1543696
Hitomi Kumasaka

Support to “Spread your passion”

Social Media Producer

Hitomi Kumasaka

Support to “Spread your passion”

Fukushima City

Author of “Book to utilize Facebook to your business” , “Book to utilize YouTube to your business”, etc.

Based on Fukushima, I support enterprises to take advantage of social media.

With the knowledge and experience I have studied social media for the last 5 years, I am happy to give you some advice such as “How to send your message using movies and social media” and “How to get empathies from a lot of people”

I sincerely support those who challenge the world with their big ambition.
Takao Sakoh

東京外為市場伝説の外為ディーラー

酒匂・エフエックス・アドバイザリー代表

Takao Sakoh

東京外為市場伝説の外為ディーラー

Japan

1970年に北海道大学を卒業後、国内外の主要銀行で為替ディーラーとして外国為替業務に従事。その後1992年に、スイス・ユニオン銀行東京支店にファースト・バイス・プレジデントとして入行。さらに1998年には、スイス銀行との合併に伴いＵＢＳ銀行となった同行の外国為替部長、東京支店長と歴任。
現在は、酒匂・エフエックス・アドバイザリーの代表、日本フォレックスクラブの名誉会員、MPayMeJapan CEOを兼任。
Florent Defontis

Startup founder, passionate about technology & innovation.

Founder & CTO

Florent Defontis

Startup founder, passionate about technology & innovation.

Paris, France / Hong Kong / Tokyo, Japan

“The word impossible is not in my dictionary.” - Napoleon Bonaparte

When you have a vision that can make the world a better place, don't be afraid to take the challenge and make it real.

I strongly believe in Japanese spirit to make the impossible possible.
My only advice to challengers would be: Have confidence in yourself and change the world today. I will help you in any way I can.

Flo's full profile is available here :
http://flo.livezon.com/background/
Keiko Haruno

Succeeded Challenger

Rokyoku-shi

Keiko Haruno

Succeeded Challenger

Tokyo, Japan

●Date of Birth：Jul. 22 ●Blood Type：A ●Home Town：Tokyo Japan ●Home School：The University of Tokyo ●My Job：Roukyoku-shi

https://www.countdown-x.com/en/project/T1923603
Kathleen Kovatch

Delivered market leading Internet products and services to hundreds of millions of consumers world-wide

Director Product Management, Streaming Devices, Netflix

Kathleen Kovatch

Delivered market leading Internet products and services to hundreds of millions of consumers world-wide

Los Gatos, CA

Silicon Valley leader qualified with 15+ years of success in
product management and technology at leading companies, such as
Netflix, Amazon, Sony, RealNetworks and Intel.

Message to challengers: Decide who you serve and deeply empathize with them.
Jonah Oh

Investment Banker, Technologist & Start-up Entrepreneur

CEO of Enumis Group Co. Ltd. Representative Director of Tamecco K.K.

Jonah Oh

Investment Banker, Technologist & Start-up Entrepreneur

Tokyo, Japan

A native of New York, Jonah has spent nearly all of his 16-year investment banking career on expatriate assignments for Merrill Lynch & Salomon Brothers/Citigroup in locations such as London, Tokyo and Rio de Janeiro. Jonah's career and experience in Financial Services is considered to be fairly unique due to the broad span of his roles and responsibilities; including M&A focusing on telecom sector,Asia Pacific Head of Cash Transaction Technology, Vice President/Trader of Yen Credit, European Government Bonds & Euro SAS. Transitioning to venture start-ups, Jonah founded his first company (Enumis Group Co.Ltd.) in 2010, followed by a second start-up company (Tamecco K.K.) in 2012, all with a focus to create innovative technology products and services that also have a clear social mission.
Message to Challengers: I would like to share the core mantra that has shaped my life "A person makes their own luck" -because "luck" is what happens when hard work & preparation meets opportunity.