Creativity Through Hyper-Fusion, for the Future We Envision | Shingo Noda (Faculty of Policy Management, 1998)

May 25, 2020

Shingo Noda

Founding Partner, Any G.K.

Graduated from the Faculty of Policy Management in 1998

Viewing the Same Scenery from Different Fields

After acquiring so much, what will people seek next? What kinds of things will captivate their hearts? I believe it will be robust products and services that are considered from various perspectives and hold multiple meanings. However, it is difficult to create these within one's own area of expertise alone. That is why I launched "Any" with partners from different fields.

"Any" is a creative collective that brings together experts from diverse backgrounds, such as brand producers, architects, and designers. Each of them, in their respective fields, shared a common vision with me for the future. I think we were all looking at a similar landscape, but from our different fields.

I am involved in creative work, focusing on areas like business strategy and business investment. Our actual projects vary widely, from in-house development to external collaborations such as consulting.

For example, there's a case where we are developing a new OS at the request of students from a design school in New York. Another case involves consulting on the future of hotels, including their business models. We are also supporting a new system of co-operative childcare that working mothers are exploring. Additionally, we run a creative festival called "AnyTokyo," which brings together art, culture, and cutting-edge technology that aim to break new ground.

My career began in the financial industry, driven by a desire to be involved in work that would build up Japanese industry. I started at a Japanese bank, then moved to a foreign investment bank, and later gained experience at several startups in completely different industries. Based on the knowledge I cultivated through this journey, I established my own company and, in parallel with "Any," I am engaged in supporting startups through investment.

There are many points to consider in investment, but in the end, it comes down to people. I believe the passion of the management and their enthusiasm to see the business through are crucial. However, startups are not so simple that they can succeed on enthusiasm alone. So, if things are not going well, where does the reason lie? Perhaps it lies in the failure to create products and services that are needed for the coming era. This feeling is what I leverage in my activities at "Any."

My studies and connections from SFC played a role in my transition from the financial industry to the startup world. The catalyst was meeting a junior alumnus from SFC who was also involved in the launch of "Rakuten Ichiba." Hearing about the concept of "4travel," a user-participatory travel media platform he was newly launching, reminded me of the environment at SFC, which was at the forefront of the internet.

"Where information is decentralized, diverse communication arises among many people. Through their individual autonomy, this communication coordinates toward a better direction." His vision was a business that embodied the internet philosophy of "autonomy, decentralization, and cooperation," something I had learned from Professor Jun Murai (Professor, Faculty of Environment and Information Studies) and been very excited about. So, I decided to dive into this world myself, joining "4travel" and getting involved in its management as a co-representative.

"To grasp things integratively by studying across academic fields that previously existed separately." This SFC philosophy that resonated with me also connects to the activities of "Any." We cross the boundaries of existing specialized fields to find ways to solve problems. We fuse cutting-edge design and science and collaborate with exceptional talents from diverse fields. I want to pour everything I learned at SFC into creating the products and services that will be required in the coming era.

It's not just about acquiring a single specialty, but about engaging in learning across diverse fields and communicating with people from those diverse fields. This is something I was conscious of during my time as a student, and it is also very enjoyable. I hope that all of you who will be studying at SFC from now on will also aim in that direction.

Another thing I feel is that we are in an era where it is difficult to decide what to learn unless you envision your own future. The future is not something that passively arrives; it is something you actively engage with and create. I think it's important to first have a positive image of the future.

In the future, amidst various possible scenarios, I want to define the desirable future for us. The activities of "Any" are also connected by the thought, "This is how it should be." For example, developing an OS and supporting co-operative childcare may seem like projects that are worlds apart from a product and service perspective. However, their destinations are close to each other. To use a mountain climbing analogy, we are tackling hyper-fused creativity with the image of aiming for the summit from various routes and meeting again at the top.

Professor Hiroshi Kato, the first dean of the Faculty of Policy Management, said, "You are international students from the future." The more experience I gain out in the world, the more I can truly feel and appreciate those words. I believe this is because they encapsulate the unchanging theme of my journey: "how to create the future."

The exceptional talents from various fields who gather at "Any."