 It's starting to starting to get Towards the end of the second second day. How's everyone doing so far? Are you guys enjoying? great, so We at slush We are all about helping the next generation of founders forward and Because of that one of the highlights of our of our content is is the pitching contest where we Help some up-and-coming up-and-coming companies to get to the next level and Today, I'm really excited to invite on stage The two of the winners of last year's pitch contest that we organized here in Tokyo. So Kate and and the Hiroshi Welcome to slush Tokyo 2017. Thank you so much. I was really excited to be here again I think the the whole section is getting bigger and bigger and there are a lot of people coming So I think the size is even bigger than last year Yeah, we had last year or something around 4,000 work According to our calculation. It seems like five so five thousand this year. So some some growth happening there How have you guys been doing after this year? If we start with you Hiroshi What have you been up to recently? Yeah, last year we tried to expand our business overseas. We tried to exhibit Exhibited many treasure around the world Singapore USA and France China and I forgot but We had yeah, we had tried to find our new Partner and investor and distributor But I feel it was not easy to find a good partner because the culture business culture is different from Japan and The Price is different. Yes. So I We have to change and adapt How we sell our product? Yes, and and yeah, that sounds very interesting We'd love to hear some more details. How is it? How is it in Japan and how is it elsewhere? Yeah? recently we hired Chinese manager and she tried to Sell our product to China. Yeah now We also have our own location in China. Yeah, how the location how the field where people can play huddle But we want to increase more. Yeah until 2020 we want to Increase our location to 66600 places so mean our main targets are Japan and China and the USA so we Try to hire country manager in China and the USA They try to expand Great What about you Kate? What have you been up to recently? I see on Facebook. You seem to be traveling a lot Yeah, yeah, I travel to a lot of countries especially focus on Asia Pacific Because that's our target market So right now our team has grown from 20 people to 40 people We also have office in Beijing Shanghai. I hope we can very fast gotta come gotta office here in Tokyo So like we have been working with more than 40 brands since last May Right now. We're working like really closely with our customers and it's It's amazing to know that our solution can not just only be put in a fashion related industry But also some jewelry Manufacturer of furniture you can imagine that we can put solution in that kind of places and do the Analysis like yesterday. There's a company from France that we we actually set a meeting here to discuss how we can work together So I would say that Tokyo not just bring us an opportunity to open like our vision in a style of fail But also open a gate to get more business Great is there any like more specific cases about You mentioned like fashion and some some industries where you've been working But yes any any interesting delicious stories that this one time We work with this kind of partner and then this kind of thing happened any I'm sure you have a lot of Stories from around the world anything you you would like to share with our audience I would like to talk a lot of it about this industry because when we're talking about retail We are think about okay manufacturer. They make something and put in market to be Sold and also to get to buy by those shopper But I would like to mention about the age is pretty different right now. This is a shopper driven age So what it means is like the customer decide what I want to buy and what I need So this is always what we told our customer you need to find out a preference of your shopper And of course they are not going to tell you this is what I want Oh, this is too expensive. They will only tell you by their physical Behavior, so that's why we're using camera to analyze those shopper behavior inside a store That is really difficult to be remembered and to be analyzed by human brains And so there's also a little bit different from what we do from last year When we're doing last year we're mainly use a video analysis and also like data analysis But ever since from the end of last year we released our Alternative weapon, which is AI technology So right now we use AI technology to hire of a customer to analyze for example if this is a human hand and if this human is touching the product Experiencing product or he's just looking so this is our next step off to bring a new brand new technology To a traditional industry, which is the retail business Thanks Hiroshi One trend that I've noticed in this year's event and last year's event I hear so much more talk about VR and AR this year compared to last year I Mean in your industry is one year like a very long time has a lot of things Happened is is everything very different from last year. Can you tell us a little bit about the industry now? many country and Many startups try to develop a new product a new VR products and hardware and also software so Developing quickly. Yeah, very quickly and For example in CES the beginning of this year event we found out of product new technology. Yes so Last year Yeah, we also start our business and Launch The Hado World Cup. Yeah, this is the first techno techno sports event we heard and we also Develop our Hado as a new sports using AR technology. This is niche now, but this market will Will Grow in the future. I think so We invest this techno sports market. I see I Am myself earlier from From the games industry we're used to work for this company that makes makes anger birds but I saw also in gaming like also events and e-sports seems to be a Bigger trend Maybe not there. I'm not sure if everybody is familiar with this this sort of sports that you you guys are are Doing or like obviously they know about you guys But like there are probably some other players involved in the space Have you have you found out about something really interesting when building this Hado World Cup Recently, it's easy. The e-sports market is growing. Yeah, like as e-sports market We can grow the techno sports market using AR or VR technology. Yes. Yeah, and we are faster Pioneer of it. I see got it What about Kate just mentioned that they have hired a lot of new folks after last year What about you guys is are you guys going? You mentioned that you're opening opening more offices and maybe thinking of hiring country manager Where is that where is the team team going for you guys which direction? Which direction which direction as in like are you hiring a lot or in also in Japan or only the country? Yeah, we base in Japan and we have 20 members now in Tokyo and we also Develop our branch in China and the US rail this year so We have we are hiring US manager now. Yes, but it is not easy to hire Yeah, find the good good person. Yeah I know yes What about then like if you look Next what is up for you both of you guys next? You you both have been active in hiring What what does what does Kyrek want to get done next? Okay, so right now we are at a stage of collecting all those data Of course big data is still an issue and the next step would be we're going to build an expert system So when you think about access six and you will think of okay If you have some question about running your store today, you can ask one system online And ask question like okay, how much revenue can I expect during the annual sales? Then this computer will answer your question directly and you can also ask him How come that I didn't catch up with my sales target? He will also tell you what happened your store and what should be improved So basically we're trying to make everything Automatically answering by the online robot So that's it be our next target and we believe only if you make work Efficient in not just retail, but also our industry then that can make more value I see What if what about Hiroshi What about if we talk about? investments in the in the VR space That you are in how important is it to have investment how easy Can companies like you start growing your revenue and becoming profitable and how do you see that? Yeah Now many companies try to monetize their business. Yes, and We are market has started just started and AR market is Not start yet and we are rare. We are using AR technology, but We are creating new sports industry. Yes, and we sell our product to not consumer to Simpac or amazement center or family entertainment center. Yeah be to be be to be business we are doing and We call it locate based based AR entertainment. Yes This kind of business starts started fast in VR industry. Yes, it is easy to Monetize compared to consumer business. I think so. So next step. We want to change our business to consumer consumer business Yes until 2020 The Olympics is a very important year for you. This is a big challenge We have to approach too many people many people to Create new sports industry like soccer. Yeah around the world Every people many people play soccer. Yes We won't make harder like soccer. Yeah, regular sports And the AI and VR or new technology have potential To do it. I think so So which year will a Hado Hado World Cup be in the Olympics? 2020 or maybe four years after that. Yeah, last year we start Hado World Cup and This year also We heard maybe we will hold and not only player but also Audience can enjoy the tournament. Yeah watching watching TV or Internet and then can they can enjoy the game. It is necessary to new sports sports industry and 2020 we want to show showcase our Hado as a new sports New culture in Japan to the world This is a big point 2020. Yeah So, yeah, if it takes you a long time to get into the Olympics week after this session, maybe we could fix the Hado World Championships to Slash Tokyo 2018 maybe so Let's let's talk more backstage What about Kate you guys in your Field how important is having an investment and like how easy is it to get profitable and Increase revenue Our business is pretty interesting case. We actually charge our customer like monthly. So that's monthly subscription fee and We recently received some cases. They want to extend those Contacts from two years three years to five years and that's an exciting news for us because We knew that we already found some Interesting analysis for our customers. So they they are willing to extend the usage of those services So basically, I will see if we're looking into like investment in this company in this industry I'll definitely recruit more AI taking knowledge as per and Also, like the marketing Marketing thing is very important to us like ever since such Asia last year and this year's Slash Tokyo So ever since last year we have been reported by multiple media in Including on the newspaper Magazine online media and we found the feedback from the marketing part is pretty huge I Got like released on newspaper once then the next day they will be they were like ten customer calling to our office So basically that's that's showing that people are looking for a solution they just need a way to find out where the solution is and I think that's just like media and also like this kind of star event can only help to the startups Yeah, I see I see At this year's last Tokyo we've been running over there We've been running a pitch contest of any different startups from all kinds of countries all kinds of industries What kind of advice would both of you guys have to the people who have pitched today and Later today, we will have the pitch contest final here on this stage and We will have some winners again. What kind of advice would you give? To the people who are in the position that you were last year But what do you what kind of advice would you Hiroshi give to these to a speaker to the startups of the pitch contest this year? You are now there a Senpai you've been your one year ahead of them. What? What kind of advice do you have to the pitch startups in the pitch contest this year? Not finance not to find all the startups in the pitch contest Yeah Not in not only in pitch but also Yeah, all in in the right Fascinated people yeah around you and around the world. Yeah, if you can fascinate people many great Engineer and the many great business people can help you. Yeah. Yes, and have a big vision also, yeah, yeah big and Fascinated vision is very important Is is fascinating the people important because you're in the entertainment industry? Yes Yes, is for example, is it important for a fintech company to fascinate their Customers or is it more in your area? In your area in your field in entertainment. It's a very important to fascinate people, right? Yeah, not only entertainment, but also any yeah Any industry. Yeah, it is necessary. Okay. Yeah, got it. Of course. What about you Kate? What kind of advice would you give to the up-and-coming? Startups this year. I have a lot of experience to share since I've been pitching all the time and The first thing I would like to remind you guys is don't panic That's very simple, but it's really hard to to do it. Don't panic Last year at a final contest I was sort of like pushing to stage when I was next so expecting that I should get up the stage I got a stage earlier than I thought So when I came out of stage to be honest They were blank in my head But I try to get myself back and give the best performance I can so Try to could become and no matter what kind of emergency you ever meet when you're doing a pitch Don't don't think about it. Just finish that and the second thing is if you're on stage You are the king and you are the queen so be confident and You already made it to the final which means you definitely have something that's better than others so you should be confident about yourself and Tell others about your company how great you are and what other potentials you have And these are very important keywords to those finalists later and also like if you're like me You're doing a B2B business and it's really hard for people to understand What are your businesses is about Try to use image Those picture image to show people the simple idea to explain your company Thank you very much Ladies and gentlemen, let's give a big hand to Kate and hero ship Thank you