Takeharu Asada: Why I Continue to Be an Entrepreneur

May 22, 2025

HyperDrive is the second company I have founded.

My first was Novarese, which focuses on wedding venue operations. Based on the belief that even a founder should pass the baton to the next generation to prevent the privatization of management, I stepped down at the age of 47. To ensure a situation where I could not interfere at all, I also sold all of my shares.

At the time, various media outlets covered it as a "brilliant exit," and people around me said things like, "You'll be living a life of leisure from now on." However, I didn't feel like I had "cashed out"; instead, I was already thinking about what kind of business to start next.

This mindset was largely cultivated at Keio. I saw alumni who didn't hesitate to donate for current students, and I felt a noble pride in conversations with seniors—a sense that "I have a social responsibility to fulfill." I believe there was a prevailing consciousness on campus that the talents and wealth one is endowed with should be given back to society.

HyperDrive aims to improve the health of the bridal industry. Old business customs, where choices for wedding dresses and gifts are limited to vendors designated by the venue, have taken root and are hindering healthy market competition. Furthermore, many aspects of the bridal industry remain analog, accelerating the departure of digital-native customers. To solve these issues, I created "CORDY," a wedding preparation website. Customers can browse and purchase items and services necessary for a wedding—such as dresses, gifts, and photographers—online. By creating an environment where people can choose freely according to their own values, rather than being forced into the venue's standard offerings, I believe we can increase satisfaction with weddings.

Currently, the rate of people holding weddings has fallen below 50%. While I don't blame anyone for deciding not to have a ceremony, having been involved in the bridal business for a long time and knowing the irreplaceable value of a wedding, I feel strongly that it is a "great shame."

There is no milestone that makes you realize the value of family and friends more than a wedding. It is also an opportunity to strengthen bonds with the people essential to a couple's life. A wedding is not just a glamorous party surrounded by many guests. There are various forms of weddings, such as photo weddings or small dinners with just family. I believe it is my mission to present such options to the world.

*Affiliations and titles are as of the time of publication.