PRESS RELEASE
April 23, 2012
Future Design Center Incorporated Association
TX Entrepreneur Partners
Division of University Corporate Relations, The University of Tokyo
Chiba Prefecture
Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd.

Asian Entrepreneurship Awards
International Business Contest in Japan
Brings Together Next Generation of Young Entrepreneurs from Asia
Inaugural Award Competition to be Held May 9–11
18 Startups from 12 Countries Nominated to Present Their Business Plans
The Future Design Center, TX Entrepreneur Partners, The University of Tokyo’s Division of University CorporateRelations, Chiba Prefecture, and Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd. are pleased to announce the launch of AsianEntrepreneurship Awards, a business competition in which startup companies from countries and regions acrossAsia will gather at Kashiwanoha Campus, a district created by cutting-edge urban planning for new industry
creation. The 2012 Awards Conference will be held over the three-day period from May 9 – 11, 2012 in the district,which is located in Chiba Prefecture’s Kashiwa City.
By inviting to Japan technology startups from major Asian countries and regions with a passion to change theworld through innovation, Asian Entrepreneurship Awards will serve as the cornerstone for an innovation creation
center which attracts entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, business incubators, and mentors not only from Asia, butfrom across the entire globe. This Japan-led project aims to create innovation that links all of Asia.
The Nominating Committee, chaired by Professor Shigeo Kagami, Division of University Corporate Relations,
The University of Tokyo and primarily comprises university faculty and business incubators from countries andregions throughout Asia, has nominated 18 companies to take part in the 2012 Asian Entrepreneurship Awards
competition. On May 10, participating startups will work with venture consultants with a great deal of businessexperience to polish their competition presentations. On May 11, the presentations will be given in English in
front of an extended audience made up of venture capitalists, private investors, entrepreneurs, and students whohope to start their own businesses in the future. Presenters will move through the semi-finals to the finals withFirst Prize (3 million yen), Second Prize (1.5 million yen) and Third Prize (500,000 yen) awarded.
The teams of entrepreneurs that participate in this competition will come away with more than just the prize
money. The global business perspective and international networking to be gained at Asian EntrepreneurshipAwards are invaluable assets to the future growth of a startup. The awards will offer a stimulating and valuable
experience for motivated entrepreneurs from Asia to learn from and inspire each other. We hope that participating
entrepreneurs will come away from the competition with a strong sense of confidence that will help themovercome any number of difficulties that they may face going forward with their startups.
For inquiries from general public:
AEA Logistics Secretariat (at ICS Convention Design, Inc.)
Tel: +81 3 3219 3541
Fax: +81 3 3219 3577
Email: aea@fdc.or.jp
For inquiries from members of the press:
AEA Logistics Secretariat Public Relations Center (at PRAP Japan, Inc.)
Contact: Ai Kanda Tel: +81 3 4580 9104
Fax: +81 3 4580 9130 Email: aea-pr@ml.prap.co.jp

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Asian Entrepreneurship Awards 2012 Conference Outline

Name:

Asian Entrepreneurship Awards 2012

Dates:

May 9 (Wed) – 11 (Fri), 2012

Location:

Kashiwanoha Campus, Kashiwa City, Chiba

Criteria for Nomination:
1) Established less than five years ago2) Not listed on public stock exchange( http://www.fdc.or.jp/aea/eng/venue.html )3) Technology startup
4) Recommended by Nominating Committee MembersAward Procedures:
1) Nominating Committee (Committee Chairman: Shigeo Kagami, Professor at University of Tokyo),composed primarily of university faculty and business incubators from Asian countries and regions,reviews submissions and nominates companies to participate in competition.
2) Judge panel (Chief Judge: Masaru Murai, President, TX Entrepreneur Partners) conducts impartial
review of presentation content from nominated startups.
3) Semi-finals held with startups giving ten-minute presentations on their businesses. The six top-placing
companies go on to compete in the Finals.
4) Finals held with startups giving 15-minute presentations. Top-placing companies will be selected for theFirst Prize, Second Prize, Third Prize, and the Chiba Prefecture Governor’s Prize.
Standards for Review:
1) Innovativeness / Economic and Social Impact of the Business (To what extent the business will change
the world, Scalability of the Business)
2) Implementation Capability of Innovation (Competitive Advantages, Management Team, Overall
Consistency of the Business Strategies, Communication Skills including Presentation itself)
Awards:First Prize:

3 million yen in prize money, three-year free tenancy in Tokatsu Techno Plaza,additional prizes
Second Prize:
1.5 million yen in prize money, additional prizes
Third Prize:
500,000 yen in prize money, additional prizes
Chiba Prefecture Governor’s Prize: Three-year free tenancy in Tokatsu Techno Plaza* Each award will be presented to one company only.
* Tokatsu Techno Plaza is an incubation facility on Kashiwanoha Campus in Kashiwa City, Chiba Prefecture.

Open Programs:
Some programs are open to the general public. Register to attend online:
http://www.fdc.or.jp/aea/eng/index.html

Host:
Co-Hosts:

Future Design Center Incorporated Association
TX Entrepreneur Partners; Division of University Corporate Relations, The University of Tokyo; Chiba
Prefecture, Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd.

SpecialSponsors:
Sponsors:

Japan Society for the Promotion of Machine Industry,Sumitomo Chemical Company, LimitedIntel Corporation, Hewlett-Packard Company, Kikkoman Corporation, TOKYO AIM, Inc., SHUI ON GROUP,Ernst & Young ShinNihon LLC, The Chiba Bank, Ltd., Accenture Japan Ltd, e-solutions, inc, The University ofTokyo Edge Capital Co, Metropolitan Intercity Railway Company

Partners:

Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Kashiwa City, Tsukuba City, Tokyo Metropolitan Small and Medium
Enterprise Support Center, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), TheKashiwa Chamber Of Commerce and Industry, The Japan Academic Society for Ventures and Entrepreneurs(JASVE), Japan Venture Capital Association (JVCA), Japan New Business Conferences (JNB), VentureEnterprise Center, Association for Technological Excellence Promoting Innovative Advances (TEPIA)

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Asian Entrepreneurship Awards 2012 Program (Subject to change)

May 9 (Wed) — Main Venues: Urban Design Center Kashiwanoha, The University of Tokyo Kashiwa Campus
9:15 Welcome to AEA - Introduction (Urban Design Center Kashiwanoha)
9:45 Tour of Kashiwanoha Smart City
13:00 Tour of University of Tokyo Kashiwa Campus
15:00 Tour of Kikkoman Soy Sauce Museum and Factory
18:30 Welcome Dinner (Noda City)* The program on May 9 is limited only to nominated startups and authorized personnel involved with the awards competition.

May 10 (Thu) — Venue: Sawayaka Chiba Kenmin Plaza
10:00 Host Greeting: Hiroshi Komiyama, Advocate/Top Advisor at Future Design Center, Chairman of Mitsubishi
Research Institute, Inc., Former President of the University of Tokyo

10:30 Featured Speech: The Honorable John V. Roos, Ambassador of the United States of America to Japan
Keynote Speech: Yuzaburo Mogi, Honorary CEO and Chairman of the Board, Kikkoman Corporation
11:30 Poster Session
Nominees will give an overview of their startup’s business in poster presentations.

13:30 Mentoring Session (*Invitation only)
Nominees will be mentored by venture consultants with a great deal of business experience and will use this advice toprepare their presentations for the following day.

16:15 Panel Discussion
Moderator: Shigeo Kagami, Professor of the University of Tokyo, Nomination Committee Chairman of AEA' 12
19:00 Networking Dinner at Mitsui Garden Hotel Kashiwa (*Invitation Only)
May 11 (Fri) — Venue: Tokatsu Techno Plaza
09:30 Semi-finals
Presentations by the nominated startups (10 minutes per company)

13:30 Finals
Presentations by the six winners from the semi-finals (15 minutes per company)

17:00 Cultural Encounter
17:30 Awards Announcement
19:00 Award and Farewell Reception (Invitation Only) at Mitsui Garden Hotel Kashiwa (*Invitation Only)
Summary of competition, commendations and speeches by prizewinners, photo session, etc.

Note to members of the press
The press is invited to cover the May 9 – 11 award competition programs in its entirety (including events notopen to the general public). Members of the press wishing to cover these events should contact the secretariat
below for advance registration.
AEA Logistics Secretariat Public Relations Center (at PRAP Japan, Inc.)
Contact: Ai Kanda

Tel: +81 (0)3 4580 9104

Fax: +81 (0)3 4580 9130

Email: aea-pr@ml.prap.co.jp

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Asian Entrepreneurship Awards 2012 — List of Nominated Companies
Company Name

Representative

Location

IndustryBeijing 3Hipc Technology Co., Ltd.

Juanyong ZHANG

China (Beijing)

Energy saving and environmental protection

Notemate

Shuaiguo Wang

China (Beijing)

Internet / Education

PSP Security Co. Ltd.

Ian KwanHong Kong (New Territories)

Biometrics security

Ecolibrium Energy Private Limited

Chintan Soni

India (Ahmedabad)

Energy / CleanTech

MeshLabs Software Private Limited

Shantanu Gudihal

India (Karnataka)

Text analysis software

Vibrasindo Inc.

REEVO Inc.

Haitham Sungkar
Monitoring System / Integrator, Testing / Measuring Service, Upgrade /repair Service
Ryoma Matsuo

Japan (Fukuoka)

System development, Advertising agency, Car rental

AETech Corporation

Hiroshi Sasaki

Japan (Tokyo)

LED semiconductor

Learn Ever (to launch soon)

Satoshi Okuda

Japan (Tokyo)

IT services, social learning platforms

Quality eXperience Design Co., Ltd.

Keiji OtaJapan (Tokyo)

Visual Information production and Consulting

Smart Solar International Inc.

Takashi Tomita

Japan (Tokyo)

Solar Energy

Agro Science Resources

Raja AINI Raja Abd Rahman

Malaysia (Selangor)

Biotechnology

Neugent Technologies

David R. Cruz III

Philippines (Pasig)

Electronics R&D, manufacturing, software development

Clearbridge BioMedics Pte Ltd

Johnson Chen

Singapore (Technopreneur Centre)

Medical devices

Nowprofile.inc

Dong-Hyeung Lee

South Korea (Seoul)Internet (web, smart phone), Location based social networking service

WorkLohas Technology Co., Ltd.

George Chiu

Taiwan (Taipei)

IT

Flexoresearch Group Co., Ltd.

Paijit Sangchai

Thailand (Pathum Thani Province)

R&D in Pulp / Paper / Printing / Packaging / Waste recycling industries

Telehouse International Vietnam

Dao Vu Long

Vietnam (Hanoi)High quality data center business in Vietnam

Indonesia (East Jakarta City)* Nominees listed in alphabetical order of location and company name4/7

(4)Asian Entrepreneurship Awards 2012 — Nominating Committee Members

CHINA
Guan Huang, Acting Director, Academic & Entrepreneur Department of Youth League, Peking University
Jie Ni, Deputy Director, Youth League of Tsinghua University
HONG KONG
Anthony Tan, Chief Executive Officer, Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation
INDIA
G. Sabarinathan, Associate Professor in the Finance and Control Area at Indian Institute of Management
Bangalore, and Chairperson of NS Raghavan Centre for Entrepreneurial Learning (NSRCEL)
Suresh Kumar, General Manager, PSG-STEP
INDONESIA
Totok Hari Wibowo, The Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia
JAPANShigeo Kagami, Nominating Committee ChairmanProfessor, General Manager – Science Entrepreneurship & Enterprise Development (SEED), Division ofUniversity Corporate Relations, The University of Tokyo
Tsuyoshi Sakamoto, President, Kyushu TLO Company, Limited
Makoto Sarata, Assistant Manager of New Enterprise Promotion Div, Advanced Scientific Technology
Management Research Institute of Kyoto
Kensei Sumita, Associate Professor UIC, Osaka University Office for University-Industry Collaboration
Mariko Tamura, Visiting Professor, Project Research Institutes, Comprehensive Research Organization, Waseda
University
MALAYSIA
Ahmed Razman Abdul Latiff, Head of Business Processes and Entrepreneurship Training, Graduate School ofManagement, Universiti Putra Malaysia
PHILLIPINES
Antonio Mendoza Del Carmen, Program Director / Professor, Master in Entrepreneurship, Ateneo de Manila
University Graduate School of Business
SINGAPORE
Poh Kam Wong, Professor and Director, National University of Singapore (NUS) Entrepreneurship Centre
SOUTH KOREA
Gyewan Moon, Full Professor, School of Business Administration, Kyungpook National University
TAIWAN
Chao-Tung Wen, Professor, Graduate Institute of Technology & Innovation Management, National Chengchi
University
THAILAND
Edward Rubesch, Director, IMBA Program, Thammasat University
VIETNAM
Thuy Thu Nguyen, Dean of Faculty of Business Administration, Trade University* Members listed in alphabetical order of country/region name and family name

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About Asian Entrepreneurship Awards

Innovative business startups that create new industry and employment opportunities provide a driving force capable ofbreaking through societal inertia and leading to economic growth. Despite its large number of global cutting-edge
technologies and patents, held primarily by universities and research institutions, and abundance of venture
opportunities, the ratio of business startups in Japan is still low. In order for Japan to take the initiative in the global
economy, it is essential that a socio-cultural climate that promotes and supports entrepreneurship is fostered and thatways are found in the future to reach out to entrepreneurs not only in Japan, but also throughout Asia, a region currently
undergoing remarkable growth.
It is against this backdrop that Asian Entrepreneurship Awards was established to provide an opportunity to bring
together in Japan motivated entrepreneurs from major countries and regions across Asia and to introduce innovation
creation projects to the world. In addition to the entrepreneurs, this award competition welcomes the participation ofacademic and research institutions, private companies, venture capitalists, angel investors (private investors) and othersfrom around the world who educate entrepreneurs and support venture projects. The awards will help build an“ecosystem” that gives rise to and fosters venture companies in a constructive chain reaction.
Asian Entrepreneurship Awards competition will be held at Kashiwanoha Campus in Kashiwa City, Chiba Prefecture.
Home to academic and research institutions, incubation facilities, cutting-edge technologies, and the best talentavailable, the district has a level of innovation potential rarely seen even in Japan. An urban planning project designed
to make the district a base for creating new industry has been implemented through the cooperation of the private,public, and academic sectors, and it was selected in December 2011 to be one of “future cities” under the government’s“FutureCity” initiative. There were five cities selected outside of the disaster-stricken Tohoku region, and Kashiwanoha
Campus is one of them.
The Cabinet Office provides support for Asian Entrepreneurship Awards as part of this governmental initiative to build
eco-future cities in Japan. In addition, the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the US Department ofState agreed in the U.S.-Japan Dialogue to Promote Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Job Creation held on January 26,
2012 that promoting business startups, encouraging transnational networking, and providing the needed support at thegovernment level are all important to ensuring the type of collaboration that will increase economic opportunities forboth countries. Both governments acknowledged this initiative as being one of the recent cooperative initiatives
implemented toward these ends, and as part of this, the Honorable John V. Roos, Ambassador of the United States ofAmerica to Japan, will give the featured speech at these Asian Entrepreneurship Awards competition.

Future image of Kashiwanoha
6/7About the Host
Future Design Center Incorporated Association (FDC)
Website: http://www.fdc.or.jp/
A think tank established in July 2009, Future Design Center (FDC) brings together the most advanced talent andtechnologies from Japan and around the world to address a variety of issues, including the environment and resources,
food supply, medical care, and education, and to provide state-of-the-art models for practical and concrete solutions tothese problems. Entrepreneurs with foresight, ambition, and the ability to get things done are critical in the fields related
to the FDC mission. The Center has organized Asian Entrepreneurship Awards to call attention to the activities of thoseentrepreneurs who are boldly taking up the challenges of this type of innovation, as well as to lay the foundation fordeveloping human resources and creating an environment that will reinforce the Asian economy in the future.

About the Co-Hosts
TX Entrepreneur Partners (TEP)
Website: http://www.tepweb.jp/e/index.html
TX Entrepreneur Partners (TEP) is a voluntary support organization for the activities of entrepreneurs and businessstartups that operate along the Tsukuba Express rail line. TEP collaborates with local universities, research institutions,
government entities, private enterprises, and individuals to build a network to support sustainable ventures. The
organization sponsors Asian Entrepreneurship Awards to provide entrepreneurs with an opportunity to broaden theirperspectives beyond their own countries or regions and take a bigger view to include all of Asia and the world, while
also fostering the environment needed to foster entrepreneurship in the area along the Tsukuba Express rail line.
Division of University Corporate Relations, The University of Tokyo
Website: http://www.ducr.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/
The University of Tokyo’s Division of University Corporate Relations aims to effectively give back to the local
community through the research generated at the University of Tokyo by providing support for the entire intellectual
property process from its discovery, evaluation, management and application through the starting of businesses andcommercialization. In the area of support for business startups and university-originated ventures, the division
implements a wide range of activities; in addition to business startup consultation, incubation projects, and a programthat nurtures and trains student entrepreneurs, the division is also involved in funding business startups through
University of Tokyo Edge Capital Co., Ltd., a corporate body established to promote transfers of the university’stechnology. The Division of University Corporate Relations is committed to fostering a culture of business startups andentrepreneurship, and by sponsoring Asian Entrepreneurship Awards aims to encourage even greater business startup
activity and more university-generated business ventures.
Chiba PrefectureWebsite: http://www.pref.chiba.lg.jp/
Conveniently located next door to Tokyo and home to Narita International Airport, a hub that links Japan to the rest ofthe world, Chiba Prefecture has attracted a great deal of talent, which, along with its location adjacent to the nation’scapital, gives the area amazing potential. The area along the Tsukuba Express rail line thrives with the University ofTokyo Kashiwa Campus and other academic and research institutions, as well as companies operating in such fields as
IT and biotechnology. The prefecture has undertaken a number of initiatives designed to create new industry, promoting
research and development linking industry and academia with the Tokatsu Techno Plaza incubation facilities and otherinstitutions. By bringing together the best entrepreneurs and venture supporters from Japan and overseas at Asian
Entrepreneurship Awards, Chiba Prefecture hopes to attract more business ventures and startups and solidify its position
as a base for innovation and initiative.
Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd.
Website: http://www.mitsuifudosan.co.jp/kashiwanoha/e/
As outlined in its Group statement, Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd., is committed to “bringing affluence and comfort to urbanliving,” focusing on urban and residential planning that builds attractive communities. The company’s urban planning atKashiwanoha Campus is developing its “Smart City” concept based on three key elements: coexisting with nature,
health and longevity, and the creation of new industry. The project is currently underway at District 148 adjacent to thetrain station to create a lushly green, creative office environment that will serve as a base for entrepreneurs. Mitsui
Fudosan sponsors Asian Entrepreneurship Awards as part of its focus on the creation of new industry.

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