Message from the Chairman of the Nominating Committee

To get out of an economic recession, we need innovation and entrepreneurs —the driving force of capitalism—who are determined to break through such stagnation and pursue “creative destruction.” This means that our biggest task is cultivating entrepreneurship and facilitates the creation of new venture companies. More than ever before, programs to promote startups are now being implemented through industrial, academic and government collaboration in countries all over the world. Entrepreneurship has been positioned as crucial for innovation not only in the United States, but also in Europe and in Asian countries such as China, India and Singapore.
If Asia is to take the initiative and become a center of innovation for the world, we must find ways to attract young entrepreneurs not only from within individual countries but from Asia as a whole, which has been achieving remarkable growth, and inspire them to make the most of their know-how and technological expertise. This is why we must establish networks for new business development in Asia that include backing from the private sector and support for startups, as well as the participation of entrepreneurs themselves.
For young entrepreneurs, getting together with peers from around the world to learn from and inspire one another is a stimulating and valuable experience that can boost self-confidence—a trait required to overcome the various difficulties involved in successfully operating a business. As a project designed to spur innovation through collaboration with numerous Asian countries under Japan’s leadership, the Asian Entrepreneurship Award is intended to help form an expansive network for developing entrepreneurial ventures that attract venture capitals not only from Asia but also worldwide. It is my hope that this award encourage collaboration between the public, private, and academic sectors to create an “ecosystem” that fosters and supports entrepreneurship in Asia.