Message | ASIAN ENTERPRENEURSHIP AWARD 2012

Many entrepreneurs appeared in Japan at the time of the Meiji Restoration and during the post-war recovery years, providing the foundations for Japanese economy. In order to keep a sustainable economic growth, it is essential to have continuing creation and growth of new enterprises. Japanese universities and research facilities possess numerous world-leading technologies and patents, but in spite of these ample opportunities for starting new businesses, the rate of entrepreneurial activity is extremely low. Although there has been an increase in startups arising from universities, a large percentage of these have not been profitable. In November 2009 we founded TX Entrepreneur Partners [TEP] as an organization to bring together experienced mentors willing to help startups, focusing on the area along the Tsukuba Express (TX) rail line, which runs through an area with high-concentration of people and resources to support entrepreneurship, including many universities, research agencies and incubation facilities. In Europe and the U.S.A. many young entrepreneurs receive support from individual mentors rather than from organizations or companies. In addition to the financial backing, these mentors provide hands-on support, working side-by-side with the entrepreneurs on daily operations. This not only increases the returns on their own investments, but is also indispensable for achieving solid growth of startups which have limited experience in business activities. TEP aims to provide a role model for entrepreneurship and mentoring in a specific region, operation now in the TX area, home to an abundance of startup resources. Through this Award, it is our hope that entrepreneurs expand their views to include all of Asia and the world, and to foster the entrepreneurship and mentoring environment in the TX region to become a model area pulling the Asian economy forward.	Masaru MURAI TX Entrepreneur Partners President Asian Entrepreneurship Award Awards Committee Chairman First President of Compaq Computer Japan. Later, participated in the establishment of more than 10 start-ups, both in and outside Japan. Chairman of the Review Committee for Entrepreneur of the Year Japan.

Many entrepreneurs appeared in Japan at the time of the Meiji Restoration and during the post-war recovery years, providing the foundations for Japanese economy. In order to keep a sustainable economic growth, it is essential to have continuing creation and growth of new enterprises.

Japanese universities and research facilities possess numerous world-leading technologies and patents, but in spite of these ample opportunities for starting new businesses, the rate of entrepreneurial activity is extremely low. Although there has been an increase in startups arising from universities, a large percentage of these have not been profitable.

In November 2009 we founded TX Entrepreneur Partners [TEP] as an organization to bring together experienced mentors willing to help startups, focusing on the area along the Tsukuba Express (TX) rail line, which runs through an area with high-concentration of people and resources to support entrepreneurship, including many universities, research agencies and incubation facilities. In Europe and the U.S.A. many young entrepreneurs receive support from individual mentors rather than from organizations or companies. In addition to the financial backing, these mentors provide hands-on support, working side-by-side with the entrepreneurs on daily operations. This not only increases the returns on their own investments, but is also indispensable for achieving solid growth of startups which have limited experience in business activities. TEP aims to provide a role model for entrepreneurship and mentoring in a specific region, operation now in the TX area, home to an abundance of startup resources.

Through this Award, it is our hope that entrepreneurs expand their views to include all of Asia and the world, and to foster the entrepreneurship and mentoring environment in the TX region to become a model area pulling the Asian economy forward.

Masaru MURAI
TX Entrepreneur Partners
President
Asian Entrepreneurship Award
Awards Committee Chairman

First President of Compaq Computer Japan. Later, participated in the establishment of more than 10
start-ups, both in and outside Japan. Chairman of the Review Committee for Entrepreneur of the Year Japan.

>>PAGE TOP