Please tell us about your company's business.
Flat Minima is a company I started to tackle problems that I couldn't solve as a university faculty member and researcher. The catalyst for its establishment was a workshop I organized at OIST in March of this year. When hosting a workshop inviting researchers from Japan and abroad, various tasks arise, such as collecting visa information from participants and arranging poster presentations. However, there were no tools optimized for these tasks, which made the management very challenging.
If tools specialized for such tasks were developed, it would reduce the cost of hosting events like workshops and lead to the revitalization of the research community. While this is a valuable initiative for universities, it's not an issue I should tackle personally as an OIST faculty member. So, I decided to start a business to develop these activities as a venture independent of university work. Currently, we're providing a beta version of a registration system for international workshops that we've developed.
Additionally, as a parent with a daughter, I felt a personal challenge in the limited educational options in Okinawa compared to Tokyo. So we're also experimentally starting an educational business for elementary and junior high school students.
The company name "Flat Minima" borrows a mathematical concept (a solution with good properties for a certain function) to embody our philosophy of pursuing optimal solutions not just for our company and customers, but for society as well. Through our company's efforts, we hope to contribute to the development of Okinawa.
What were the reasons behind your choice to join the OIST Innovation Incubator as a tenant?
Simply because it's located on the OIST campus, and I needed to contract an office where I could register the company when establishing it.
How are you currently using the OIST Innovation Incubator?
As I'm engaged in university work during weekdays, I'm currently not using the space much as a location.
What benefits have you found in being part of the OIST Innovation Incubator?
This might not be a benefit of the incubator itself, but I personally believe I wouldn't have started a business if I wasn't at OIST. OIST has an atmosphere that actively encourages entrepreneurship as a university, so I think it's an interesting environment for researchers interested in starting a business.
Which companies would you recommend to join the OIST Innovation Incubator?
Personally, I hope to make OIST a major hub for AI and artificial intelligence in 20 years. So, I'd be happy to see an increase in AI-related startups.
What do you expect from the OIST Innovation Incubator in the future?
I'm looking forward to the opportunities for interaction with various people as the facility expands in the future.
(Interview date: July 29, 2024)
