Microsoft Innovation Center Report 2010-2011 vol.15
Certificates Presented in Yamanashi, Okinawa and Okayama Prefecture Ceremonies – Microsoft IT Venture Support Program
Published: June 13, 2011
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February 23rd, 2011, Yamanashi Prefectural Government (Yamanashi Prefecture); April 5th, 2011, Okinawa Prefectural Government (Okinawa Prefecture); April 28th, 2011, Okayama Prefectural Office (Okayama Prefecture)
Microsoft IT Venture Support Programs are underway in collaboration with the local governments of Yamanashi, Okinawa and Okayama prefectures for 2011. Before local media assembled at each location, Microsoft visited local government offices and held ceremonies to present certificates and invitations to selected companies and semi selected companies.
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Nine Selected, Five Semi Selected Partners Introduced at Three Local Government Offices
 | Support of local area IT venture businesses leads not only to creation of new industry and jobs in the local area, but enriches local area activities, creating a society in which residents see potential and have hope. |  | | Yasuyuki Higuchi
(President & CEO, Microsoft Co. Ltd., Japan)
| | |
In 2011, Microsoft continues to be engaged in IT Venture Support Programs in collaboration with the local governments of Yamanashi, Okinawa and Okayama prefectures. The IT Venture Support Program provides technical and marketing support to selected and semi selected companies for one year in cooperation with local government and local information industry associations.
“At Microsoft, we believe in the potential of software, and have made it our mission to support people and businesses throughout the world to realize their full potential,” said Yasuyuki Higuchi (President & CEO, Microsoft Co. Ltd., Japan), “We have a number of customers who utilize software to scale new heights and achieve goals they never thought possible. Using a network, customers can access vast amounts of information and meet many people, both of which enrich local area activities. In the near future, customers will utilize the cloud to access information and use services at any time, no matter where servers are located. Support of local area IT venture businesses leads not only to creation of new industry and jobs locally, but enriches local area activities and creates a hopeful society in which residents see potential.”
After the February kick-off meeting for IT Venture Support Program, the selected partner companies in 2011 are introduced (Microsoft IT Venture Support Program 2011 Selected Partner Companies(Japanese)) on the Microsoft site. Ceremonies to present certificates were held at each local government office from February to April. In addition to presenting them with certificates and invitations, Microsoft introduced selected and semi selected companies to numerous local media outlets.
| February 23rd, 2011 Yamanashi Prefectural Government | • | Certificate presenter: Gov. Shomei Yokouchi (Yamanashi Prefecture) | | • | Invitation presenter: Yasuyuki Higuchi (President & CEO, Microsoft Co. Ltd., Japan) |   |
| April 5th, 2011 Okinawa Prefectural Government | • | Certificate presenter: Gov. Hirokazu Nakaima (Okinawa Prefecture) | | • | Invitation presenter: Shunichi Kajisa (CTO, Microsoft Co., Ltd.) |   |
| April 28th, 2011 Okayama Prefectural Government | • | Certificate presenter: Gov. Masahiro Ishii (Okayama Prefecture) | | • | Invitation presenter: Yasuyuki Higuchi (President & CEO, Microsoft Co. Ltd., Japan) |   |
Re-energizing Japan Locally: Supporting Exceptional Local Area IT Ventures
| | In this program, Microsoft uncovers exceptional IT ventures in each local area, and helps these companies to grow into businesses able to compete on the world stage. | | | Shunichi Kajisa
(CTO, Microsoft Co. Ltd., Japan)
| | |
The goal of the Microsoft IT Venture Support Program, one part of Microsoft’s corporate citizenship activities, is to promote local IT industry and economic revitalization. Microsoft has partnered with 81 companies through corporate citizenship activities such as Microsoft IT Venture Support Program & Incubation Program (Japanese). Now on a nationwide scale, these programs have nurtured many companies now ready to compete on the world stage.
“As society goes through major changes, I believe that starting the IT Venture Support Program has great meaning,” said Shunichi Kajisa (CTO, Microsoft Co. Ltd., Japan), “People face the tough job of rebuilding areas struck by the earthquake and tsunami disaster, and power shortages in Eastern Japan have become a problem. From the perspective of staying in business, it is now important that power is distributed over a number of local areas, rather than a single concentrated area. Microsoft uncovers exceptional IT ventures in each local area through this program, and helps the companies grow into businesses that can compete on the world stage. We are focusing all our energies into support to do everything we can to re-energize Japan locally.”
Representatives from selected companies participated in Japan Venture Program 2011 from April 19 - 21. After experiencing the latest Microsoft technologies and interacting with Microsoft Redmond campus employees and Microsoft Innovation Award 2010 winning companies, participants return home with a wealth of knowledge and understanding.
“I went to Seattle recently with the other selected company representatives to participate in training held at Microsoft Redmond Campus,” commented Kiyomi Inoue (HeartBird Co., Ltd., President), “The environment, with offices spread over a large green campus, was beautiful. The lab itself was a version of near-future reality. And more than anything else, I feel that attending the detailed lectures by the people directly in charge of each technology was time well spent.” Inoue continued, “I want to use what I learned at our company to develop the services we envision in our minds and provide them to our clients. The prestige of being chosen as a selected company makes us want to work all the harder to take our business to the next level.”
Local Governments: High Hopes for Collaborative Project Effects on Local Area Revitalization
| | Internet technology is an extremely effective tool for energizing and infusing a local area with hope. I am certain that signing a memorandum with Microsoft will greatly aid revitalization of our local areas. | | | Gov. Masahiro Ishii
(Okayama Prefecture)
| | |
The three local governments involved in collaborative projects with Microsoft via Microsoft IT Venture Support Program 2011 pin high hopes on utilizing the programs to spur local area IT industry.
“I am very pleased that we have signed a memorandum related to utilizing IT to revitalize the local area,” said Gov. Nakaima, “Okinawa is the only prefecture that is solely comprised of islands. We have to cross the seas to connect to one another in Okinawa. IT is crucial technology for our prefecture to be part of the world network and is one of our most important industries,” continued Nakaima, “We are thankful to the people at Microsoft for the opportunity to participate in this program, and entreat the IT Venture Support Program selected and semi selected companies to make full use of this program and expand their operations even further.”
Meanwhile, the IT Venture Support Program was selected as one part of the Local Area Revitalization Collaboration Program in Yamanashi and Okayama prefectures, where information highway infrastructure is rapidly progressing. Use of IT is expected to enrich citizens’ lifestyles in areas such as industry, education, medical treatment, nursing care and social welfare in the prefectures.
“One of the foremost ICT companies in the world, Microsoft carries out corporate citizenship activities and instituted the Local Area Revitalization Collaboration Program in 2009,” said Gov. Shomei Yokouchi (Yamanashi Prefecture), “Microsoft is actively involved in IT human resource development, and we in Yamanashi are thrilled to be hosting this program in our prefecture. Together with Microsoft Japan, we will step up our efforts to promote ICT use in our prefecture.”
| Microsoft held a lecture meeting in Okinawa prefecture as a kick-off event for the IT Venture Support Program. Participants included selected companies and local government representatives as well as representatives from local companies and students, who listened as speakers outlined Microsoft’s business trends and corporate citizenship activities. | • | Special Lecture “The Future of IT Expanded by Cloud Computing”
Shunichi Kajisa (CTO, Microsoft Co. Ltd., Japan)
April 5th, 2011, Okinawa University Building 1 |   |