[No. 149] Shin Sumida

It was last year that an acquaintance said to me, "Mr. Sumida, your picture is in Mita-hyoron (official monthly journal published by Keio University Press)" (2016, Aug./Sep. issue). The photo was from the first Faculty of Science and Technology Homecoming, where I had been invited, and it captured me listening to a presentation while marveling, "Compared to our time, the Yagami Campus has transformed into quite a stylish place for research." I completed my Doctoral Programs about 37 years ago. Since then, I have spent about 10 years at the NTT Research Laboratories (then Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Public Corporation) as a researcher, about 10 years at an overseas venture company (handling everything), and about 10 years at a manufacturing company as a business manager. I am now leading a company I founded seven years ago that develops, manufactures, and sells optics-related products. Throughout this time, I have consistently held onto my passion for light (lasers), which I first encountered in my university laboratory, and that brings me to where I am today.

The early 1970s was a time when the student conflicts, an outlet for the energy of young people, were already coming to an end, marking the beginning of a free and unrestricted university life. Until my third year of university, I was passionate about my club activity (handball) and enjoyed a pleasant university life with my friends. At the time, I was by no means a praiseworthy player, but at my age (64), my greatest weapon is not skill but the fact that I can "still move," which allows me to find a way to succeed in matches with my peers these days. Perhaps it's not so much technical growth as it is a slower rate of decline.

Joining a laser laboratory in my fourth year of university was a turning point in my life. One of the reasons I chose the lab was the thought that "in the field of lasers (masers), invented in 1954, there must still be much to be done." At that time, the laboratory had a sweaty, almost athletic atmosphere, and the lab itself resembled a sports club. One example was a soccer team composed only of students and professors from the lab. We even had uniforms with the logo KLL (KEIO Laser Laboratory) on the chest. My first assignment from the lab was at the First Research Institute of the Japan Defense Agency in Ebisu. For two years, from my fourth year of undergraduate studies through my master's program, I was given the opportunity to learn and think about many things, such as how to conduct research and observe working professionals, all while receiving guidance from my seniors in the professional world. In my Doctoral Programs, I began a life of traveling by car every week between the Institute of Plasma Physics at Nagoya University and Keio University for a joint research project. The photo was taken in front of a homemade ultraviolet laser (excimer laser) that I installed at the Institute of Plasma Physics. In those days, everything from metal and plastic processing to building power supplies was done by hand; it was truly the age of DIY. The Institute of Plasma Physics had a very different atmosphere from the university, and the tense, seemingly endless discussions with the physicists were particularly memorable. I believe that my university experience, being in an environment where I couldn't move forward unless I acted on my own initiative, became a valuable asset in my later professional life. It was a life of "Do not be passive!"

My assignment was at the Ibaraki Electrical Communication Laboratory in Tokai-mura. I worked on the design, measurement, and evaluation of optical communication cables, as well as the development of passive optical components (planar lightwave circuits), which was different from the laser development I had been involved in for many years during my university days. Today, FTTH (Fiber To The Home) is commonplace, but at that time, fiber optics had not yet reached every home. The system in which all of NTT's laboratories united to share the same goal and tackle various themes was nothing short of spectacular.

In 1987, with significant backing from NTT, I was given the opportunity to establish a company to commercialize planar lightwave circuits, which was my assigned project. The location was Columbus, Ohio, in the American Midwest. I moved to the US filled with excitement about living abroad for the first time, more so than about the success or failure of the new company (though my wife seemed full of anxiety... it turned out okay). I wasn't fluent in English either, but I went with the thought, "It'll work out somehow!" (And it does.) In the early days of the company, I was greatly helped by the support I received in many aspects, both public and private, from the people at Battelle Memorial Institute, where we rented space. Thanks to their help, about 10 years after moving to the US, the products we developed began to make their way into the world, and we reached a point where the company seemed to be on track. At the same time, the telecom bubble was at its peak, and in the US, where M&A was rampant, talk of selling the company naturally began to surface. In the end, I gave up the green card I had obtained with the intention of permanently residing there, and feeling the generosity and sentimental human kindness of Americans, I said "goodbye, Columbus" and set off on my journey back to Japan. Learning about cultural differences, in particular, in this vast and prosperous land was a major achievement. Incidentally, the company was sold successfully.

After returning to Japan, I was once again at the NTT Research Laboratories, where I was put in charge of optical connector development. I couldn't forget the free and open-minded venture spirit I had experienced myself and witnessed firsthand in Silicon Valley, and it was a time when I began to act with an eye toward the future. After careful consideration of "What do I need to supplement what I lack to start a business?", I decided to find a new job at an optics-related manufacturer and transferred. By that time, the telecom bubble had already burst, and after transferring, along with my duties to expand the business, I experienced a difficult period of leading business downsizing and two M&A deals. During this period, being able to see company management from various angles, in addition to gaining factory management know-how, was an extremely valuable experience.

Opti Inc. is a company whose main business is the development, manufacturing, and sales of components for optical communications, as well as lasers and their parts. Thanks to the tremendous support from my university laboratory, my time at NTT, and people in private companies, this year marks the seventh year since I founded the company. Starting a business at my age may be late compared to the general case, but in an era of longevity, as long as I am healthy, there still seems to be room to be active.

A few months ago, a survey result in a newspaper caught my eye, stating that "university students these days prefer passive-style classes." If you act globally and dynamically without fear of failure, what you learn along the way will surely be useful in the future. Live your student life and Be active!