<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:25%;"><img style="aspect-ratio:2550/3300;" src="https://moon-website-prod-images.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/Subaru_b6c53fccc0_1_c34176d9a0.png" alt="Subaru_b6c53fccc0 1.png" width="2550" height="3300"></figure>Author: Subaru&nbsp;is a design lead passionate about crafting impactful solutions through product design and research. Her versatile background spans visual, product, and branding design, with hands-on experience in eCommerce, logistics, and healthcare. Since joining Moon, she has embraced her curiosity and commitment to innovation to create designs that improve lives. Subaru’s professional interests center on design, product innovation, and aligning business strategy with creative solutions.<hr>I recently had a conversation with other designers about the evolving role of design tools. As we talked, we noticed a growing trend—some teams are moving away from traditional design prototypes and opting instead for rapid coding to build their prototypes. This got me thinking:&nbsp;Do we still need design prototypes?After debating this in my head, my answer is a firm&nbsp;yes! You might be wondering why, especially since jumping straight into a technical prototype seems faster. But speed isn’t the only factor that matters. Let me explain why design prototypes still play a crucial role in the creative process.&nbsp;<h3>From Sketch to Code:&nbsp;The Key Differences Between Design and Technical Prototypes</h3>First, let’s clarify the difference between a&nbsp;design prototype and a&nbsp;technical prototype.<ul><li>A&nbsp;design prototype includes wireframes, mockups, and clickable prototypes. It can be created quickly using tools like Figma, Sketch, or Adobe XD, or even papers requiring minimal resources.</li><li>A&nbsp;technical prototype is a coded, functional version of the product. It takes longer to develop and requires engineering resources.</li></ul>Each has its own advantages and trade-offs. A technical prototype provides a fully functional demonstration, allowing teams to test ideas with greater accuracy, assess feasibility, and uncover potential technical challenges. However, a design prototype enables rapid iteration based on user feedback, refining the concept before any coding begins. This flexibility helps teams adapt quickly and ensures they are well-prepared when development starts.For example, imagine you're in the early stages of designing a communication app. After several rounds of user testing, you decide to modify the chat screen layout to enhance the user experience. With a design prototype, you can make adjustments in minutes. Now, consider if you had jumped straight into a technical prototype—making such changes would be significantly more complex and could slow down the process.By starting with a design prototype, teams can iterate quickly, explore different ideas, and reduce the risk of costly rework later in development.&nbsp;<h3>Reclaim Your Focus: Innovate the Experience</h3>One of the biggest advantages of using a design prototype in the early stages is the freedom to explore new user experiences without being constrained by technical limitations. Without the immediate need for engineering support, teams can focus entirely on crafting innovative interactions and intuitive designs rather than worrying too much about how to implement them.A design prototype also allows test participants to concentrate on the experience itself rather than getting distracted by technical details. This creates a more authentic and unbiased response, leading to unexpected insights and organic innovation.By prioritizing the user experience first, teams can push creative boundaries and refine their vision before diving into development—ensuring that when it’s time to build, they’re working toward something truly impactful.&nbsp;<h3>Wait! What About Technical Prototypes?</h3>With all the praise for design prototypes, you might be wondering, what about technical prototypes? Are they still necessary? The answer is, absolutely! But the key is knowing when to use each type.&nbsp;<h3>What we need is… hybrid!</h3>Before jumping into prototyping, it’s essential to clarify&nbsp;your objective:<ul><li>What stage are we in?</li><li>Why do we need a prototype?</li><li>What are we trying to test or validate?</li></ul>By answering these questions, we can strategically choose the right type of prototype. Generally, we can break it down into two key scenarios:<ul><li>Use a design prototype → for early-stage ideation, user validation, and stakeholder alignment.</li><li>Use a technical prototype → for testing real-world functionality, system performance, and technical feasibility.</li></ul>A design prototype helps teams minimize risks, refine the user experience, and ensure that development resources are used efficiently on well-validated ideas. Meanwhile, a technical prototype is crucial for analyzing feasibility and performance factors, such as loading times, response time, frame rate (FPS), rendering speed, and overall responsiveness.&nbsp;<h3>Stay Agile and Adopt a Hybrid Mindset</h3>The best teams don’t limit themselves to just one approach—they adapt.&nbsp;Be flexible. Stay hybrid. Always ask yourself:&nbsp;What is the purpose of this prototype? Let that answer guide your process to success.

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<figure class="media"><oembed url="https://vimeo.com/1052170837?share=copy"></oembed></figure>While a wide range of research methods exist, interviews are often favored for their speed and ease of execution, especially when resources are limited. However, is the information gathered through interviews truly sufficient?<a href="https://www.mooncreativelab.com/stories/field-research1">In the previous article</a>, we explored the fundamentals of research and highlighted the significance of field research. This article delves deeper into field research—despite being time-consuming and labor-intensive, it plays a crucial role in uncovering valuable insights. We will illustrate its importance with real-world examples from Moon Creative Lab’s venture, MariMari. &nbsp;Table of Contents<ol><li>Marimari Project Overview</li><li>Why Field Research?</li><li>Research Planning</li><li>Research Practices and Findings</li></ol>&nbsp;<h3>1.Marimari Project Overview</h3>Marimari is a project by Mitsui Indonesia that aims to solve Jakarta's waste management problem.In Indonesia, rapid population growth and urbanization have led to a surge in waste generation. However, essential waste management infrastructure—such as proper separation and collection systems, incineration facilities, and landfill sites—remains insufficient, raising concerns about environmental pollution and public health risks.Moreover, public garbage collection services are unavailable, leaving most residents to contract with private waste collection companies and pay a monthly fee. Many residents express frustration over inconsistent collection schedules and unreliable service.In response to this situation, Mitsui Indonesia is addressing waste separation, collection, and environmental pollution as part of its broader mission to create a cleaner Indonesia and promote ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) initiatives.The project's name,&nbsp;“Marimari,” comes from Malay, meaning “Let’s do it!” The initiative was conceptualized by Aris Munandar from Mitsui Indonesia through&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mooncreativelab.com/learn">Moon’s ideation program</a>. He later advanced to Moon’s incubation program where the team began conducting research for business development.Born and raised in Indonesia, his vision is to “Make cleaner Indonesia a personal mission for everyone.” To bring this vision to life, he is collaborating with Moon to explore innovative waste management solutions.&nbsp;<h3>2.Why Field Research?</h3>At Moon, we prioritize defining problems and users to maximize the likelihood of product success. Clearly identifying "for whom" and "for what purpose" a product is being developed enables evidence-based decision-making and ensures services align with user needs.Marimari was no exception. Field research was conducted to gain an in-depth understanding of the problem, user, and stakeholders involved. The research had two primary objectives:<ol><li>Understanding Jakarta residents' waste-related behaviors, values, and pain points.</li><li>Understanding the waste collectors' business, processes, and challenges.</li></ol>The necessity of objective 1: Understanding different cultures Indonesia differs significantly from Japan in climate, society, economy, and religion, with over 80% of its population being Muslim. Conducting on-site research allowed the team to directly experience local customs and gain a deeper cultural understanding.The necessity of objective 2: Understanding an unfamiliar industry The waste management industry was largely unfamiliar to the team. Field research was crucial not only for understanding Indonesia’s broader waste challenges, but also for analyzing the structure, operations, and specific difficulties faced by individual waste collection businesses.&nbsp;<h3>3. Research Planning</h3>Once the research objectives were defined, we developed a research plan to determine how best to achieve them.1)&nbsp;Research Jakarta Residents' Waste-related Behavior<ul><li>Waste Stations in the City<ul><li>Investigate how waste is handled in residents' daily lives.</li></ul></li><li>Residential Home Visits<ul><li>Observe actual waste collection and sorting practices at home and conduct interviews with residents to understand their values and concerns.</li></ul></li><li>Resident-participatory Behavioral Experiment<ul><li>Identify the factors that hinder waste separation through observed actions rather than verbal responses.</li></ul></li></ul>(2) Industry Research on Waste Collectors<ul><li>Visits Waste Collection Sites and Landfills<ul><li>Observe the entire process from waste collection to recycling. Engage with business owners and on-site workers to gain insights into their challenges and perspectives.</li></ul></li></ul>Once the overall research plan was established, we detailed implementation procedures:<ol><li>Select target participants</li><li>Specify research methodology</li><li>Recruitment</li><li>Schedule coordination</li><li>Create discussion guides</li><li>Arrange recording equipment, consent forms, and other materials</li><li>Hire interpreters, if needed</li></ol>With preparations complete, the research moved into execution.&nbsp;<h3>4. Research Practices and Findings</h3>The following are key observations and insights from the two-week field survey.&nbsp;Waste Stations in the City<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img style="aspect-ratio:1500/1999;" src="https://moon-website-prod-images.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/image4_93682afbf4.jpg" alt="image4.jpg" width="1500" height="1999"></figure>Upon arriving in Jakarta, we immediately noticed trash cans in shopping malls and office buildings designed for waste separation. However, as we observed users, many appeared confused about where to dispose of their trash.Was this due to unclear signage? Or were people simply unaccustomed to sorting? At this stage, the exact cause remained unclear, but we identified several potential factors:<ul><li>Residents are making an effort to dispose of trash correctly.</li><li>All trash bins are the same size and color, making distinctions difficult at a glance.</li><li>Illustrations indicating waste categories are attached to the bins but positioned too low to be visible when standing in front of them.</li></ul>While these challenges highlighted areas for improvement, a key finding was that residents showed a willingness to separate their waste correctly. This suggested that with better design and clearer guidance, waste separation could be more effectively implemented.The next step was to visit people living in Jakarta.<figure class="media"><oembed url="https://vimeo.com/1052171809?share=copy"></oembed></figure>Residential Home VisitsThe team visited condominiums and single-family homes to examine waste management systems and household conditions. This investigation revealed factors unique to Indonesia’s economic and climatic environment, including:<ul><li>The common employment of maids, even in middle-class households, plays a key role in waste disposal.</li><li>Concerns about winged ants and flies attracted to indoor waste.</li><li>The presence of stray cats that tear garbage bags when left outside.</li></ul>The research also uncovered the root causes of residents' distrust of waste collectors. Key issues included:<ul><li>Irregular and delayed collections leave residents uncertain about waste disposal schedules.</li><li>No uniforms make it difficult to recognize whether the person is a waste collector or a stranger.</li><li>Overflowing collection trucks result in scattered waste and environmental concerns.</li></ul>Additionally, residents expressed skepticism toward waste collectors because they were not required to separate waste. Many assumed that all collected waste was simply dumped in landfills, reinforcing negative perceptions.However, as the investigation progressed, the team discovered that some waste collectors were actively sorting waste by themselves. This finding highlighted that distrust stemmed not from actual practices but from longstanding operational transparency issues, fueling misconceptions about the industry.Based on these findings, the team proceeded with a behavioral experiment to assess residents' willingness and accuracy in waste sorting.&nbsp;Resident-participatory Behavioral Experiment: Exploring the potential of a sorting system<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img style="aspect-ratio:705/1000;" src="https://moon-website-prod-images.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/image5_d591820e6a.jpg" alt="image5.jpg" width="705" height="1000"></figure>When asked, "Why don’t you sort your waste?" many residents responded, "We’re too spoiled!" However, it remained unclear whether this was due to a genuine lack of motivation or simply a lack of knowledge and proper infrastructure.To address these questions and determine whether sorting could be successful with the right system in place, the team conducted a behavioral experiment involving 230 households to measure both their willingness and accuracy in waste sorting.&nbsp;Experiment details<ol><li>Distribution of garbage bags Two types of garbage bags—one for food scraps and one for other waste—were distributed to each household.</li><li>Measurement of Garbage Bag Usage Two weeks after distribution, the collected garbage bags were counted based on color.</li><li>Assessment of Sorting Accuracy Feedback was gathered from waste collectors to evaluate the accuracy of waste separation and the overall participation rate.</li></ol>Results<ul><li>Participation rate: 54%</li><li>Accurate sorting rate: 84%</li></ul>Despite the simplicity of the experiment—merely distributing garbage bags—the findings revealed that residents were more willing to separate waste than expected. The results confirmed that proper waste sorting was entirely feasible, provided that an appropriate system was in place.<figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:1526/646;" src="https://moon-website-prod-images.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/2025_03_14_13_59_22_5d6589e671.png" alt="スクリーンショット 2025-03-14 13.59.22.png" width="1526" height="646"></figure>Furthermore, the steady increase in the participation rate throughout the two-week period highlighted the importance of providing clear information on waste separation and the need for continuous efforts to raise awareness.<figure class="media"><oembed url="https://vimeo.com/1052172769?share=copy"></oembed></figure>Visits Waste Collection Sites and Landfills: Confirmed the lack of awareness of recycling activitiesPreliminary surveys revealed that only 7.5% of waste collection businesses handle the entire process from collection to sorting and recycling. To gain deeper insights into their operations, the team conducted site visits to observe their actual working conditions.During the visit, the team observed a facility using recycling equipment to separate plastics into 14 different types and compress them into small, fine pellet-like solids. However, it became evident that these recycling efforts remain largely unknown to residents.The distinction between businesses engaged in recycling and those that simply dispose of waste in landfills is not widely recognized. As a result, the efforts of recycling businesses are not being effectively communicated to the public, limiting awareness and potential support for sustainable waste management practices.&nbsp;<hr>This summarizes the field research conducted for the Marimari project. Through this research, we gained an in-depth understanding of Indonesia’s waste collection industry, shaped by a unique cultural background.We hope that the full process introduced here—from defining research objectives and designing the method to execution and key discoveries—serves as a valuable reference.Stay tuned for the next chapter where we’ll discuss how research findings impact the decision-making process in new business creation.&nbsp;<img class="image_resized" style="aspect-ratio:1440/2160;width:25%;" src="https://moon-website-prod-images.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/Moon_Creative_Lab_Yui_2_ab4b9bfe9c.jpg" alt="Moon Creative Lab_Yui_2.jpg" width="1440" height="2160">Yui Aiyama, Craft Lead

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<figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:3024/4032;" src="https://moon-website-prod-images.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/IMG_3695_1_427bf48618.jpeg" alt="IMG_3695 (1).jpeg" width="3024" height="4032"></figure>Moon Creative Lab recently presented to Stanford University’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stanfordfashionx.com/">FashionX</a> group, a student-led, pre-professional group focused on innovation in fashion design. The discussion dove into the intersection of sustainability and technology in fashion, with a spotlight on 3D printing. The fashion industry, long marred by significant material waste, sees much of its surplus end up in landfills, a problem ripe for innovation.Lovette Appleton, Sr. Product Developer at Moon Creative Lab,&nbsp;explored the pressing need for sustainable material alternatives in fashion, highlighting how this mission aligns with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12, which advocates for sustainable consumption and production patterns. The emphasis of the discussion was on how 3D printing could radically transform the future of fashion by disrupting traditional manufacturing and the fashion supply chain.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:1600/1200;" src="https://moon-website-prod-images.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/variloom_2_use_dac4ee2369.png" alt="variloom 2 use.png" width="1600" height="1200"></figure>Traditional fashion manufacturing often yields excessive material waste with designers forced to cut from bulk materials, leaving scraps and unused remnants. By contrast, 3D printing offers a precision-focused solution, enabling designers to build garments and accessories layer by layer, using only the materials required. Materials used in 3D printing allow for reusing and recycling, embedding sustainability not only into the reduction of waste during the production process but also into the end-of-life of the product as well.&nbsp;&nbsp;Moon Creative Lab’s sustainable 3D printed fashion venture,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mooncreativelab.com/stories/variloom-wins-ispo-2024">Variloom</a>, is tackling this problem and transforming the fashion industry by inventing new 3D-printable materials that create soft wearable fabrics that are fully recyclable.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:1201/1600;" src="https://moon-website-prod-images.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/unnamed_463dc1eb0b.png" alt="unnamed.png" width="1201" height="1600"></figure>We were thrilled to engage with students, answering their questions on scalability, material innovation, and the design possibilities of 3D-printed fashion. The collaboration highlighted the shared vision between academia and industry to pioneer advancements in sustainable practices. Stanford's FashionX students – future leaders in design and innovation – bring fresh perspectives to solving complex challenges like waste reduction in fashion. These discussions open up exciting pathways to reimagine how fashion can evolve in a resource-conscious world, aligning with Moon Creative Lab's mission to drive purposeful innovation that contributes to a more sustainable planet.&nbsp;Learn more about Variloom at&nbsp;<a href="http://variloom.com">variloom.com</a>.

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On June 30, 2023, Yukari Tago, founder of <a href="https://www.lullabysleepbaby.com/">Lullaby</a>, a personalized sleep training service and platform for parents and their newborns, and Dr. Mariko Morita, the platform's supervising physician, spoke at an event held by the Work-X Office, an organization dedicated to improving the office environment at Mitsui &amp; Co. More than 40 Mitsui employees from different departments gathered for the event and participated in roundtable discussions.Yukari and Dr. Morita discussed Lullaby’s success and shared personal stories and challenges experienced when balancing childcare, work, and homelife. They answered questions and offered several tips and solutions for common problems that parents face.Key Learnings<ul><li>Sleep training significantly improves sleep for infants and parents</li><li>Tips on balancing childcare, work, and homelife</li></ul><hr><h3><img src="https://moon-website-prod-images.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/image2_615f8a855f.jpg" alt="image2.jpg"> The Effectiveness of Sleep Training</h3>Yukari Tago: What I am most proud of is Lullaby's performance of a 99% improvement rate in children’s overall sleep. Our app has a feature that allows users to rate the service, and of the 2,300+ paid napping consultations we provide, 99% of those who have used the service have rated it as good: meaning they have found it to be very successful! Users have shared their success stories and we are very proud of the results.&nbsp; &nbsp;Dr. Morita: The problems related to proper bedtime routines are big and are the number one concern for parents in Japan. Those who are troubled feel very strongly about it because they cannot get proper sleep with a newborn. On the other hand, what about children's sleep in Japan? Comparing the total sleep time of children aged 0-3 years old in 17 major countries, Japan ranks last. Data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) shows that Japan also ranks last among the 38 OECD member countries in terms of sleep for adult males and females. I feel this is a good indicator showcasing Japan's low awareness of sleep. Marital discord, divorce, postpartum distress, and postpartum depression are some of the effects people face due to their lack of sleep and frustration with their children’s sleeping habits. In Japan, there is currently no common methodology on how to improve a child’s consistent nighttime crying.The reason I am confident in the 99% improvement rate is because I have evidence. In a survey that analyzed 52 articles on sleep training, 94% of the articles concluded that sleep training was effective in improving nighttime crying, and the results showed that on average, it improved nighttime crying in more than 80% of children. Although the results are solid evidence that sleep training does in fact improve sleep, it is still not widely used in Japan. Even if you go to medical institutions or midwifery centers, they do not provide guidance or proper sleep training techniques. I think that is a problem.Factors that affect sleep deprivation in adults include the fact that children do not sleep, but also the fact that they will wait for their entire family to return home and eat dinner together instead of utilizing that time for rest. However, the impact of sleep problems on children during infancy, the most difficult time of child-rearing, is still quite significant.It often takes on average 1-2 hours to put a child fully to sleep. Children often wake up every 1-2 hours to feed throughout the night or wake up between 4:00 to 5:00 a.m. Parents often find themselves stressed with these new circumstances and often experience difficulties to increase their own sleep time.Studies have shown that the rate of postpartum depression, estimated to be around 10%, has increased to 25% since the coronavirus pandemic. The lack of sleep has had a significant impact on mental health and it’s no surprise that if people can't sleep, they will be irritable and their mental health will suffer.I want Lullaby to improve nighttime sleep deprivation and help create a society where people are not limited in their choices when it comes to parenting.<h3> Dr. Morita on Weaning, Napping, and Work-Life Balance</h3>Dr. Morita: In the preliminary questionnaire for the Q&amp;A during the event, many participants were concerned about their own sleep, including naps and power naps. We also had many questions about children's sleep and balancing home and work.To answer how I do it myself, first of all, I use Lullaby to put my own children to sleep. This is the punchline – haha!However, I think that putting children to bed and getting a good night's sleep is very important for balancing work and family life. What to do if a child is obsessed with breastfeeding?We received a question from a person who has a 2 1/2-year-old and said that her child is attached to breastfeeding. Regarding this, I think it is possible to stop breastfeeding at night. If you want to sleep at night, there is no problem to breastfeed only during the day with nocturnal weaning.However, at that age, I think the child will resist a lot. Be prepared for that, but I think they will get used to it in a week or two. It would be better to first tell the child that he or she will not drink at night, rather than stop during the day as well. How can someone take an effective nap or power nap?It is very important that naps for adults are only 20 minutes maximum. If you sleep longer than that, you will go into a deep sleep and have difficulty waking up, or you will feel foggy when you wake up. I recommend setting an alarm or having some caffeine before napping. It takes about 30 minutes after you drink it to take effect, which is said to be just right. If it is too bright for you to sleep, try using an eye mask. How do you maintain work-life balance?I recognize that work-life balance may be a matter of priorities. By far, the lowest priority is housework. I think it is important not to do the housework itself. I have three children of my own, so I hardly cook meals anymore. I outsource the preparation of meals.When I was pregnant with my third child, I physically couldn't cook anymore due to the morning sickness I was experiencing, so I asked someone to come every week and prepare a week's worth of meals for me and my family. To be honest, it doesn't last the full seven days, but on the one or two days that remain, I would cook dried fish, vegetables, rice, and so on.We also vacuum only once a week. Sorry if it seems dirty! We hire an outside cleaning service to do the cleaning once a week. This alone is a huge relief.This is a small detail, but serving food from containers is also a hassle in itself, so we put storage containers on the table and make it buffet style. The kids are happy when I tell them they can take whatever they would like. I think it's okay to make it a single-plate meal. It might be another small detail, but I tend to be very sloppy too, like not using chopstick rests.As for work, I really wanted to do both work and provide childcare, so I chose this line of work partly because I wanted to make child-rearing time useful while I was able to work.<h3> Yukari Tago on Balance and Mental Wellness</h3>How do you ensure proper sleep for your children and for yourself in the midst of balancing work and family?Yukari: Let me first give you some basic information about me. My son is 6-years-old now. My parents live in Tokyo, 15 minutes by bicycle from our home. My husband's parents live in Shizuoka [over 100 miles from Tokyo].Typically, I drop my child off at around 8:30 a.m. and pick him up at 6:30 p.m., while my working hours are from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. I have free time at night two-and-half days a week. My husband and I take turns doing this schedule, and we both make sure to have two-and-a-half days of free time each week at night. During that time, I try to spend my free time doing the work I want to finish, meeting people, getting massages, physical therapy, saunas, etc. to refresh myself and take care of my health. By doing this, I maintain my mental health and consciously try to keep myself in a state where I can be happy. How do you maintain your mental health?Mental control is the biggest thing I have learned since I was transferred from Mitsui &amp; Co. to Moon Creative Lab and started working on Lullaby. I always feel like someone is evaluating my work, but that is why I try to maintain my mental health. Of course, there are times when things don't go well, but I think that if my mental health breaks down, my work efficiency will drop very badly.As for work, most of the people working for Lullaby are outsourced, except for me, so the content and volume of outsourcing are clearly defined, and I feel that makes it easy to work efficiently. How do you make time for yourself?I thought it might not be very helpful to know how to generate time, as there are many external factors, but I feel that Moon's flexible working style (core hours are from 10:00 a.m. to 2 p.m.) makes it very easy to work.The scale of the business is still small and I have authority to make most of the decisions. I make decisions on what to do, which I think is one of the main reasons why I can work quickly. Also, since it is a domestic business, there are no overseas business trips.Also, many mothers have a lot of spare time. In order to make the best use of our spare time as mothers, we are gradually preparing useful tools on our app all while consulting with our members. Almost all of our staff members are mothers, and since we are all sleep consultants, our children are all asleep around 9 p.m., allowing us time to catch up and discuss Lullaby. We all have a shared love for the business, so we think about it all the time, 24 hours a day, and I think that is one aspect that allows us to make a lot of decisions quickly.At home, my son is fast asleep by 9:00 p.m., which is a big advantage. Perhaps the most important thing for me is that he’s in good health because of his sleeping pattern. He has attended various preschools, kindergartens, and afterschool programs, and he has received perfect attendance awards to all of them. It may not all be due to sleep, but I still believe it is related to the fact that lack of sleep often relates to getting sick more often.You might be familiar with the book, The 100-Year Life: Living and Working in an Age of Longevity, and I feel that book is the root of my way of thinking. Life is long, so it is a question of what to prioritize now. I'm not able to save much now, but I've decided that it's one stage in the long run, and I'm outsourcing as much housework as possible, and even if I have to live in a smaller house, my first priority is to generate time for travel distance, work, and family.I can relate to Dr. Morita as I also use a make-and-prepare service and have found it to be very helpful.<hr><img src="https://moon-website-prod-images.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/image1_7b2395e541.jpg" alt="image1.jpg">Yukari Tago, founder of Lullaby, is a mother to her son and experienced child rearing years in the United States. While raising her son, she struggled with his frequent nighttime crying and, after practicing a sleep training program she learned while in the U.S., she experienced a dramatic improvement. Using her experience in startup investment in the EdTech industry, she commercialized her idea to improve nighttime crying. She joined Moon Creative Lab from a career at Mitsui to start Lullaby.&nbsp;<img src="https://moon-website-prod-images.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/image3_a6318fc14a.jpg" alt="image3.jpg">Dr. Mariko Morita is a mother of three and supervising physician for Lullaby. She worked as an anesthesiologist, but started researching pediatric sleep after facing nighttime crying with her first child. She currently provides counseling as a sleep medicine doctor, trains sleep consultants, and publishes books on pediatric sleep.Lullaby’s founder and doctor share stories and challenges of balancing childcare, work, and homelife, and offer several tips and solutions for common problems that parents face.&nbsp;&nbsp;

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<figure class="image"><img src="https://moon-website-prod-images.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/L1530377_93ae1de6ce.jpg" alt="L1530377.jpg"></figure>Moon Creative Lab <a href="https://www.24-7pressrelease.com/press-release/501861/moon-creative-lab-expands-venture-programming-to-turn-brilliant-ideas-into-rockstar-businesses">recently announced</a> three new programs that we will be offering to current and future entrepreneurs. One of those offerings is <a href="https://www.mooncreativelab.com/en/orbit">Orbit</a>, a new event series where those interested in creating new businesses can connect with others to learn, network, and collaborate.Currently held at our Spring Terrace studio in Tokyo (and soon to expand to our studio in Palo Alto, California), Orbit events are free and open to everyone who is interested in entrepreneurship, business and design. Each event will focus on different topics focused on startups, technology, human-centered design, corporate innovation, and much more. They’re unique opportunities to learn and connect with others who are passionate about new business creation. And it’s the perfect environment for serendipitous connections to occur. Meeting a future co-founder, collaborating for an experiment, discovering the design research your idea needs – just a few of the wonderful “happy accidents” that could happen at an Orbit event! &nbsp;<h3>Come One, Come All</h3>Our first Orbit event was an Ask Me Anything (AMA) panel with first-time founders. It was the first time Moon invited local business leaders and supporters to share their experiences. The panel of successful founders included Takanori Sato, co-founder and CEO of <a href="https://www.shippio.io/">Shippio</a>, Japan’s first digital forwarding company; Eriko Suzuki, leader in global venture capital investing and founding director of <a href="https://www.kind-capital.com/home-en">Kind Capital</a>; and Francisco Soares, engineer, community organizer, and founder of management consulting firm, <a href="https://migiude.seefy.co/">SEEFY</a>. They provided valuable insight, gave advice on common challenges, offered tips for building a successful business, and answered questions from audience members.“Events like this are impactful for people connecting in meaningful ways to recognize the challenges of the startup process,” says Jimi Okelana, Moon Design Lead and Orbit events team member. “Through casual conversation, each of the speakers created an environment of motivation and gave insight to navigating the role of a founder. Through Orbit, we are creating a way for Moon to play a more active part in our local startup/venture ecosystem, and this has been a great way to begin that initiative!”<figure class="media"><oembed url="https://vimeo.com/852962612"></oembed></figure>Other Orbit events include Thursday Night Sliders and Moon Talk! For those who have discovered a problem they want to solve, are looking for a startup team to support, or want to learn what they need to make their venture ideas happen, Thursday Night Sliders is an opportunity to both pitch your own idea and see pitches from your peers in the startup community. Each presenter gets five minutes to present five slides describing their project, product, or idea. Thursday Night Sliders is a fun, casual event that offers attendees bite-sized tastes of challenging problems and great ideas.<img src="https://moon-website-prod-images.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/Copy_of_Thursday_Night_Sliders_Master_v1_3a6cad7a3d.png" alt="Copy of Thursday Night Sliders - Master v1.png">Moon Talk! events are casual talks that provide insightful and valuable information for entrepreneurs, intrapreneurs, and others interested in startups and innovation. With a different topic for each event, attendees will hear industry leaders and experts discuss subjects such as business strategies, the latest in corporate innovation, stories of startup founders, and deep dives into design and technology.<img src="https://moon-website-prod-images.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/ama_photo_d6a4daabe1.png" alt="ama photo.png">Whether you’re interested in innovation, passionate about startups, or want to learn more about creating new businesses, we encourage you to come to an Orbit event and join our community. You never know – you might meet your future co-founders, team members, partners, and customers!<a href="https://www.mooncreativelab.com/en/orbit">Learn more about Orbit here</a>, and be sure to <a href="https://share.hsforms.com/1OHQANbcgR9q4ky5Q4M6wMQcxaid">sign up for our newsletter</a> to stay updated on future events from Moon.

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At Moon Creative Lab, we’ve always been focused on unlocking people’s creative potential to create new businesses, and we are always looking for ways to support as many entrepreneurs and startups as we can. And now, with our <a href="https://www.24-7pressrelease.com/press-release/501861/moon-creative-lab-expands-venture-programming-to-turn-brilliant-ideas-into-rockstar-businesses">recently announced three new program offerings</a>, we are broadening our reach more than ever!Our new program, <a href="https://www.mooncreativelab.com/boost">Boost</a>, is an incubation program to help startup teams and corporations gain traction for new businesses.&nbsp;Since we were founded in 2018, Moon Creative Lab has been a venture studio for powering the creation of new businesses globally for individuals, teams, and business units within Mitsui &amp; Co. Our new programs will expand our support for Mitsui &amp; Co as well as outside corporations and startup teams that want to incubate their early stage business.&nbsp;&nbsp;Boost Your Early-Stage New Business&nbsp; Our Boost program is an intensive 3-6 month incubation program that will help new businesses build traction and potentially earn $300,000 USD in funding.* Boost focuses on a human-centered approach to new business creation with expertise in user research and testing and prototype creation. By joining our Boost program, participants will receive:<ul><li>Hands-on support and mentorship from our diverse and creative team of global experts in design, engineering, product, marketing, and more.</li><li>Help finding co-founders, team members, or strategic partners.</li><li>Working space at Moon’s Silicon Valley or Tokyo studio.&nbsp;</li><li>Potential collaboration with Mitsui &amp; Co. and its global network.</li><li>Helpful SaaS tools to build your business.&nbsp;</li></ul>&nbsp;Earn Funding After completing the Boost program, participants may compete in Moon’s Demo Day where they can pitch their business to Moon’s Investment Committee to earn $300,000 USD* of seed funding from Moon.&nbsp;The Many Ways We Can Work Together If you, your team, or your company have started working on a new business idea and are looking for additional support in building and testing prototypes with real customers, we’d love to help bring your innovative ideas to life! <a href="https://www.mooncreativelab.com/boost">Head here to learn more and apply for Boost.</a>Haven’t yet started working on that “crazy” idea but want to learn more about new business creation? Check out our hands-on learning program, <a href="https://www.mooncreativelab.com/spark">Spark</a>. And if you’d like to connect with others and become part of our diverse, creative, and fun community, check out <a href="https://www.mooncreativelab.com/orbit">Orbit</a>, our series of in-person events.&nbsp; *Participating startups will be able to pitch for an investment of $300,000 USD on a post-money KISS/J-KISS at a $3M valuation cap – 10% of your company prior to dilution. <a href="https://www.mooncreativelab.com/boost">Click here for details.</a>

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In Moon Alumni interviews, we hear from entrepreneurs who have worked with Moon Creative Lab on their innovative ideas for new businesses and incubating new startup ventures. This time, we talked with Takayuki Yamanaka, General Manager of Innovation &amp; Corporate Development Div. of Mitsui &amp; Co. India Pvt, Ltd. Mumbai Branch.In this story:<ul><li>Supporting overseas expansion of domestic IP businesses&nbsp;</li><li>Using Twitter to gain traction</li><li>Personal experiences benefit businesses</li></ul><h3>Supporting Overseas Expansion of Domestic IP Businesses</h3>Takayuki Yamanaka has an incredibly diverse background. Since joining Mitsui &amp; Co. in 1999 having a license of registered customs specialist, he has dealt imports/exports and logistics consultations in Logistics Business Unit, was involved in overseas sales and project management for the Iron &amp; Steel Products Business Unit, served as a COO in the Media Division’s affiliate(at that time) TV Channel “Kids Station”, and is currently the General Manager of Innovation &amp; Corporate Development Div. of Mitsui &amp; Co. India Pvt, Ltd. Mumbai Branch, where he focuses on B2B information and communication technology.Takayuki joined Moon in 2021 to work on his venture, Japan IP Studio, an intellectual property platform to support the global development of content produced in Japan. This idea had been on his mind for a very long time, seeing that Takayuki is an avid domestic anime fan and collector owning a library of around 6,000 books in his basement.<img src="https://moon-website-prod-images.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/_62843e0378.jpg" alt="山中さん.jpg"> "I wanted to create an environment that would make it easy to match domestic content creators with companies that wanted to showcase their content overseas by making all kinds of IP and creative data related to domestic content searchable,” Takayuki explained.Japan IP Studio would provide domestic content creators with marketing data that would help them determine the value of overseas expansion, while also helping international companies search for Japanese content. By acting as a mediary to handle business and IP between Japan and other countries, Japan IP Studio would have hopefully helped the supply of content meeting overseas demand.According to Takayuki’s research, there were at least 40,000 manga, anime, games, novels, and other types of content in Japan. Though the language barrier was a large challenge, cultural differences in content creation also presented a hurdle. In Japan, content is often created before a marketing strategy is put in place. With global companies, however, art is created to tailor to existing market data. As a result, Takayuki says, foreign companies would often only see popular content, while lesser-known creators remained overlooked.To counterbalance the disparate domains, Takayuki collected data on each piece of content existing in Japan and made it, for the first time ever, searchable. He also managed the information in intricate detail so that other countries could determine if the content fit its cultural background and legal restrictions.Takayuki collected and compiled data on approximately 5,000 pieces of Japanese content into a singular database. With the help of a data scientist, he worked with domestic IP owners and overseas companies to customize the search results. But setbacks with time, resources, and the pandemic slowed the Japan IP Studio project down. "I remember it was like a game of messages. Later, with advice from Moon members, we decided to pivot. At first, we were aiming to develop a matching platform for B2B, collecting data on works and systematically connecting content and companies. But then we realized that it is consumers who support the foundation of the IP business. As a result, we came to the conclusion that we must first understand the fans in each region, such as what fans in the U.S. were looking for, or what fans in Southeast Asia are searching for. It seemed faster to take the data I had in my head on domestic content and link it to international fans. For example, trends in games can be generated from Discord conversations, and content can generate buzz without any marketing. I thought it would be faster for me to create such things by sending out information myself, rather than collecting data and creating a platform.”<h3> Using Twitter To Gain Traction</h3><img src="https://moon-website-prod-images.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/2023_06_29_20_08_43_f466459c96.png" alt="スクリーンショット 2023-06-29 20.08.43.png">Takayuki decided to pivot to a business model using SNS. Japan IP Studio used Twitter to not only communicate with fans to identify and forecast trends, but also used that information to provide planning proposals to Japanese content creators and introduce content to overseas companies.&nbsp;However, building a fan-based business takes time. Though Takayuki was able to gain valuable data by using Twitter, it was difficult to show results in a short time frame. He decided to end his time at Moon after one year.The project was unfortunately terminated, but Takayuki decided to continue the operation on his own. He devoted his personal time to his blog and Twitter, promoting the account at his own expense and continuing to introduce Japanese productions to overseas users in English. Japan IP Studio’s Twitter account now has a following of over 10,000 international anime fans.<h3>Personal Experiences Benefit Businesses</h3>Takayki emphasizes that he learned the importance of personal growth through his research at Moon and his Twitter operation. "I took advice from consultants and actually tried it out, but there were few successful social networking strategies that could be applied directly to what I had heard. I had to try it myself."Takayuki explains further, "If you advertise too much, you are likely to lose followers rapidly afterwards. So, how much is just right?” He says that subtle adjustments to the strategy, like trying to find the right amount of advertising, would have been difficult to understand without actually trying it, and would have been something that no one could teach him.&nbsp;He believes that an individual’s hands-on experience brings the greatest benefits to a business group or organization. "Right now, I'm using my personal time to increase my social influence as much as possible through the Japan IP Studio account… I think it is better for individuals to first gain experience and then apply it to their own business where it will be mutually beneficial. That alone has the potential to create great synergy."Takayuki, who also holds an MBA from the University of Wales and a PLD (Program for Leadership Development) from Harvard Business School, shares that creating connections, such as the personal ties of alumni, can also help build business. "Harvard Business School has an alumni association called HBS Alumni. Everyone has left for their own paths, but the concept of alumni is to loosely unite them… in five or ten years, if the internal entrepreneurs at Mitsui and Moon can create synergies within their networks, the relationship between them should be a great asset.”&nbsp;He explains the necessity of networking, sharing information, and receiving feedback in order to make a business successful, and how a collaborative environment is beneficial for innovation. “It is similar to checking out of a hotel. ‘How was your stay? Please let us know if there is anything we can improve on, and please come back and have a nice trip!’ I think Moon is playing an important role in promoting such an environment within the Mitsui &amp; Co. group.”&nbsp;Learn more about Japan IP Studio on their&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/Japan_IP_Studio">Twitter account</a> and&nbsp;<a href="https://japanipstudio.hatenablog.com/">blog</a>. Alumni Interview<ul><li><a href="https://www.mooncreativelab.com/stories/interview-hiraoka">"Experiment Fast and Take Control" Anna Hiraoka</a></li><li><a href="https://www.mooncreativelab.com/stories/interview-tatsumi">"Be the target user" Yoshinori Tatsumi</a>&nbsp;</li></ul>

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I’m excited to announce the biggest change we’ve made at Moon Creative Lab. Today, we’re launching three new Moon programs –&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mooncreativelab.com/en/spark">Spark</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mooncreativelab.com/en/boost">Boost</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mooncreativelab.com/en/orbit">Orbit</a> – that will help organizations and startup teams unlock their creative potential to start new businesses.&nbsp;Since Moon was founded in 2018, we have been working closely with Mitsui &amp; Co. to transform our people and businesses globally. We hosted eight pitch events (in person and online), supported 150+ idea owners, and launched 10 successful ventures into the market – among many other achievements – and I’m so proud of the work we have accomplished together over the past five years.With today’s announcement, we’re enhancing our support for Mitsui &amp; Co. employees while broadening our reach to individuals, startups, and corporations outside the company, which will expand our community to make an even bigger impact through brilliant ideas and entrepreneurship.<h3>Why now?&nbsp;</h3>I often spend my time thinking about how to make a greater impact at Moon through books, in-depth conversations, and listening to thought leaders’ personal experiences and stories. One quote in particular that has stood out to me through and through comes from the wise Mark Twain, which reads, “Name the greatest of all the inventors. Accident.”&nbsp;Within our two studios, I’ve witnessed accidental connections blossom into meaningful conversations and even deeper collaborations, all of which happens not by design, but by happenstance. The effects we have on our expanded network of entrepreneurs, founders, and creatives have been an outcome of the environment we’ve created and the impact of our activities.Of course, we always start with a general course of action for every individual. But as every entrepreneur knows, the road to success is never straight or narrow, and there will be many detours along the way. These detours just might end up being better than the main thoroughfare. In fact, they might be the best road of all: happy accidents that lead to successful business outcomes.&nbsp;<h3>Nurturing more happy accidents&nbsp;</h3>Our new program offerings invite individuals to work in a unique environment with people from different backgrounds, careers, industries, cultures, and passions to work, learn, and transform – together. Mitsui &amp; Co. employees, anyone curious about entrepreneurship, employees from outside corporations, and first-time founders are invited to leverage Moon’s resources through our new Spark, Boost, and Orbit experiences.&nbsp;Our Moon programs are for anyone who would like to:<ul><li>Learn about human-centered new business creation.</li><li>Build new businesses with a diverse and creative team of global experts in design, engineering, product, marketing, and more.</li><li>Find co-founders and build a team.</li><li>Find potential joint venture partners to accelerate and scale their business.</li><li>Potential collaboration with Mitsui &amp; Co. and its global network.</li><li>Earn $300,000 USD in funding to scale early-stage startups quickly.</li></ul>Beyond expanding our efforts to create an even bigger impact, I am most excited about watching the transformation of people and businesses that will take place at Moon. You never know what happy accident at Moon might lead to the next greatest invention.&nbsp;Kaichi Yokoyama President &amp; CEO of Moon Creative Lab&nbsp;&nbsp;

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<a href="https://www.lullabysleepbaby.com/">Lullaby</a>, a personalized sleep training service and platform for parents and their newborns, has collaborated with industry leader Pigeon Corporation launching a new service together that provides individual online consultations for breastfeeding, diet, and childcare.&nbsp;<h3>Key Learnings</h3><ul><li>Lullaby enhances their app with new consultation service</li><li>Meet the consultants&nbsp;</li><li>Research reveals mothers’ top 3 concerns&nbsp;</li><li>Hearing from the consultants</li></ul><hr><figure class="image"><img src="https://moon-website-prod-images.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/image3_c4541eac51.png" alt="lullaby_pigeon_image3.png"></figure><h3>Lullaby enhances their app with new consultation service &nbsp;</h3>As Certified Pediatric Sleep Consultants1 and under the supervision of doctors, Lullaby provides the latest research on baby sleep health and information tailored to parents in Japan. In addition to its existing infant sleep training service, Lullaby has recently launched a new range of consultation services for parents, including breastfeeding, weaning, and childcare.Through a partnership with Pigeon Corporation, which focuses on creating a more baby-friendly world through its products and services, Lullaby is able to offer more consultation services than ever before. By having access to industry experts such as midwives, nutritionists, weaning/infant food advisors, childcare professionals, speech therapists, physical therapists, teachers, and many others, new parents are able to get the guidance and resources they need throughout their parenthood journey.&nbsp; &nbsp;<h4>&nbsp;</h4><h3>Meet the consultants&nbsp; &nbsp;</h3>Fujiko: nursery teacher Childcare consultation services for mothers and caregivers by a childcare professional, including advice on how to interact with and talk to children to promote their physical and mental development.Momo Mommy: nutrition Consultation on baby and toddler food, including how to prepare easy and healthy food for your child.&nbsp;Hana: midwife from Kaneko Midwifery Clinic Provides help with breastfeeding and weaning.Kaori: Montessori educator and nursery teacher Offers guidance on childcare for children up to 3 years old.&nbsp; &nbsp;<h4>&nbsp;</h4><h3 style="text-align:justify;">Research reveals mothers’ top 3 concerns &nbsp;</h3><figure class="image"><img src="https://moon-website-prod-images.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/image1_851d1bee06.png" alt="image1.png"></figure>After surveying mothers of children who are 0-11 months old, the team learned that the top three concerns for new mothers are breastfeeding, sleep, and baby food.2 Though these things are all normal for new moms, concerns could be about their baby not taking to breastfeeding, not sleeping through the night, having allergies, or being introduced to new foods at the right time.Additionally, interviews with Lullaby app users3 revealed that the ideas about breastfeeding, sleep, and baby food differ from family to family and are difficult to discuss with others, thus creating a need for more individualized consultations with specialists. &nbsp;<h3>Hearing from the consultants &nbsp;</h3>To choose their consultants, Lullaby worked with Pigeon to conduct a series of monitor tests where users were able to consult with area experts. &nbsp;Consultation topic: dealing with the “terrible twos” Consultant: Fujiko, nursery teacherUser feedback: “I was able to talk with her in a very friendly atmosphere and relaxed my shoulders about how to deal with the early stages. It was helpful that she gave me ideas on how to deal with my child and ideas to ease my way of thinking. It was very easy to talk to her! I was impressed with the idea of making food a fun event. I was also impressed by what she said when I told her that my daughter sometimes doesn't eat and I worry about whether she is getting enough nutrition.”&nbsp;Consultation topic: Montessori education Consultant: Kaori, Montessori teacherUser feedback: “I hated myself for getting angry and frustrated when I was working with children, but I was relieved when [Kaori] said that it is difficult unless I know why the child is behaving the way he or she is. She told me why my child was acting the way he was, what he was interested in by age, and not only that, she told me about my son's actual behavior. Just knowing how I should treat my son in these situations and what he is interested in at this time has made me less frustrated than before, and I have learned to be calm with my son and allow him more time for his behavior. As for playing at home, there are many items that can be found at 100-yen stores, and I can quickly incorporate them into my home, so I feel that I am able to spend more time at home on holidays and rainy days, and I feel more fulfilled.”&nbsp;Consultation topic: how to play with children as they grow Consultant: Kanako, physical therapistUser feedback: “First of all, I am surprised and grateful that the process from application to individual consultation went so quickly and that I was able to discuss my concerns right away. In my case, my concern was about my child turning over. In child-rearing books, it is written only that ‘it is time for the child to be able to turn over,’ etc. I did not understand how the child's body works to turn over, and was puzzled as to why the child did not turn over very often. This time, I learned a lot by learning in detail about the causes of not turning over and the mechanism of turning over. First, she praised me for what my child was doing, and then told me what I was not doing or what I was missing, so I could easily accept her advice. Also, Kanako taught us by using her body, so it was easy to visualize what she was doing.” &nbsp;For more information about Lullaby, visit their <a href="https://www.lullabysleepbaby.com/">website</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/lullaby_nenne">Twitter</a>, and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/lullabysleepbaby/">Instagram</a>.You can download the Lullaby app via <a href="https://apps.apple.com/jp/app/lullaby-%E4%B9%B3%E5%B9%BC%E5%85%90%E3%81%AE%E5%AF%9D%E3%81%8B%E3%81%97%E3%81%A4%E3%81%91%E3%82%B5%E3%83%9D%E3%83%BC%E3%83%88%E3%82%A2%E3%83%97%E3%83%AA/id1541996755?shortlink=c40c4a7&amp;pid=Official_site&amp;c=Official%20Site_LP&amp;is_retargeting=true&amp;af_dp=https%3A%2F%2Fapps.apple.com%2Fjp%2Fapp%2Flullaby-%25E4%25B9%25B3%25E5%25B9%25BC%25E5%2585%2590%25E3%2581%25AE%25E5%25AF%259D%25E3%2581%258B%25E3%2581%2597%25E3%2581%25A4%25E3%2581%2591%25E3%2582%25B5%25E3%2583%259D%25E3%2583%25BC%25E3%2583%2588%25E3%2582%25A2%25E3%2583%2597%25E3%2583%25AA%2Fid1541996755">iOS</a> and <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.lullabysleepbaby.app">Android</a>. &nbsp;Sources 1. Certified by the Consultant of Infant Sleep Association (CISA) 2. Pigeon research (conducted in May 2022, web-based survey, 500 mothers with first child aged 0-11 months) 3. Lullaby app user interviews (conducted from January to February 2023, interviewed about 50 people) &nbsp;

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Hiro Narihara, Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR) of Moon Creative Lab venture&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pioneerguild.jp/">Pioneer Guild</a>, shares his experiments in career mapping and mentoring. In this interview, you’ll learn how Pioneer Guild launched its product, how they use customer feedback and professional networking to help drive growth, and why it’s never too late to start your own company.<hr>Hi Hiro! Tell us about your venture, Pioneer Guild.<img class="image_resized" style="width:76.48%;" src="https://moon-website-prod-images.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/image1_2_bfc8b2e79f.jpg" alt="image1 2.jpg">Hiro Narihara:&nbsp;Pioneer Guild is a venture that is creating a new experience for people to map out their career pathways. Pioneer Guild will allow users to see where they are in their career today and navigate to where they want to be years later. Like Google Maps, they’ll see different paths to go where they want&nbsp; and they can zoom out to take in the bigger picture: they’ll see major highways and minor roads, they’ll see where congestion is choking progress, and they’ll see which route is best for them - which could be the path that’s fastest or the one with the least amount of hassle.&nbsp; Our app’s users – we call them Explorers – will also be able to hear from others who have traversed these paths before. They can read reviews of their career pathway’s conditions or discover insider tips and interesting stops along the way. And there will be seasoned “career travelers” they can talk with – we call these folks our Career Pioneers.&nbsp;&nbsp;We recently ran an experiment matching up Career Pioneers with Explorers looking for advice on traveling down similar career paths, and we learned a lot from it!&nbsp;Can you provide details about how you ran that specific experiment?H.N.: Sure! The whole process was extremely fast and agile. Late last year, our team ran an experiment to test some hypotheses we had made about the current market. We created a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pioneerguild.jp/">website</a> within a week and launched a mentoring program with real customers in only two weeks! The program matched tech startup people who were originally in the finance industry with Explorers who are interested in a similar career shift. The key element that allowed us to run the experiment so fast was networking: Human-to-human connections are always the most powerful, and for us it paid off.Overall, the experiment had some successes but also a lot of struggles. Many visitors to our website were doubtful at first, thinking it was simply another recruiting service. As a result, we did not get much response from users. If I wanted to change anything it would be to use fewer “loaded” words that are common in the industry – e.g., “job change”, “career-up”, “work-life balance”, etc. – which can trigger people’s defensiveness.Taking all this into account, we adjusted our messaging halfway through the experiment. Instead of talking to people as though they were customers, we found they were much more willing to engage with and support us if we simply asked them to evaluate our new experimental offering. Many told us they were excited to become part of something new and join a community of like-minded people. It’s important to remind ourselves that most people fundamentally want to help others.My big takeaway? As founders, we should draw people together into a community and allow them to participate in the creative process of experimentation itself. In fact, when we asked our customers to describe their ideal mentoring service, many of their ideas were more original and insightful than our own! They were teaching us how we should proceed.Listening more and bringing people together to co-create – that’s something I want to focus on more moving forward.&nbsp;Why a mentoring program? How can it help people?H.N.: There are many services out there in the world like this, but most have major drawbacks, which was something we heard again and again from users during our research.Career coaches, for example, tend to be very dream-like and almost therapeutic in tone. They are great for setting long-term, “North Star” goals and going deep into motivations, uncovering unconscious blockers and so on. But their recommendations can lack practicality and near-term actionability.Recruiters, on the other hand, are the opposite – they tend to focus on the near-term, have their own agendas, and don’t necessarily have the best interests of their clients or prospects at heart – sometimes creating a conflict of interest. Recruiters often simply want to make a commission and will push people to accept jobs and take career paths that don’t really meet their needs.With Pioneer Guild, we want to take a different approach and help our Explorers make career path decisions based on objective data, contextualized by the perspective of fellow career travelers – our Career Pioneers – to both inspire them and help them make well-informed, life-changing decisions.&nbsp;Do you have a mentor? Or are you a mentor yourself?H.N.:&nbsp;Yes! I have regular sessions with a certified career coach and also consult with many mentors. It’s extremely valuable to me. Through the process of questioning and being questioned, I can see myself more clearly. In this sense, my coaches and mentors are like mirrors that give me an objective point of view on professional development.Actually, I’ve found the startup founder community in Tokyo – which is relatively small and close-knit – to be a rich resource for mentorship. We often meet up and mentor one other casually. When you’re thinking of building a company from scratch, it’s great to be able to bounce ideas off of so many smart and dynamic people.&nbsp;Is career mapping and mentoring something that more people need?H.N.:&nbsp;Absolutely! Especially in Japan. First off, it’s obvious that Japan needs dramatic changes to recover its competitiveness in the global market. Younger generations know this very well, but middle-aged people (like myself!) are struggling to accept it.&nbsp;The nature of work itself is changing. Everyone needs to start thinking about their mid- and long-term career goals and how to reach them. Too many people are content just existing in their current roles and don’t take an active approach in building their future.&nbsp;As things go on, I believe the employment landscape in Japan will become increasingly fluid with more job mobility – both within and outside one’s current company – with more emphasis on mid-career hiring, hybridity, and work-style diversification. Studies show that many young Japanese people dream of professional independence and are taking steps to make that dream a reality.In recent years, we have seen the growth of freelance matching services and decentralized C2C marketplaces, which reduce the barriers for people wishing to start their own businesses. Pioneer Guild is part of this revolution, where work is more fluid, skill development is self-directed, and people can work across organizations.Our dream is to democratize pathways to rewarding careers, to connect individuals with related expertise, and build guilds of professional excellence. Young people are seeking a more systematic way to find the guidance they need to reach their career goals. That’s the change we want to make in the world!&nbsp;As an EIR, what advice would you give to others wanting to start their own ventures or businesses?H.N.:&nbsp;Truthfully, I’m still learning this. Maybe we all are. But one thing I can say is, don’t give up before you’ve even started. If a middle-aged corporate worker with a young family like me can start a company, so can you!I recently read a great book by Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn, called&nbsp;<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/12030438">The Startup of You</a>, where he talks about the need to do an objective self-assessment and treat yourself like a company by analyzing your aspirations, the market for your particular skills and experiences, your assets, debts, risks and so on. And I agree – this is the first step.Contrary to popular belief, I don’t think starting a venture needs to be a total risk the way it is often portrayed. Instead, you need to make reasonable adjustments to your life and take measured risks. In fact, you can launch a new venture as a side gig while still working a full-time job. You just need to be clever and efficient in the way you go about it.Even the big, traditional Japanese corporations are starting to accept this. Recently, there have been policy shifts allowing employees to have side businesses that even a decade ago would have been unthinkable. Why? Because the world is changing and the pressure to adapt is so intense. As societies, industries and markets evolve, new value creation is increasingly important, wherever it comes from.&nbsp;What’s your next experiment with Pioneer Guild?H.N.:&nbsp;Right now we are starting to collaborate with recruiting agencies to create a dynamic career pathway mapping tool. It’s pretty exciting!It’s well known in the industry that job seekers complain about recruiters, saying, “They don’t understand or care about my mid- or long-term career plan. They just want to push me into a role as fast as possible.” And that’s often true. But to be fair, these agencies know this problem and really struggle with it. They want a better way to provide quality advice, too. After all, this is what truly great career consultants do for their clients.&nbsp;So that’s what we’re building right now: a data-driven, objective way to explore the many possible paths careers might take, and make fact-based decisions to navigate the way through this labyrinth. In fact, we’ve previewed what we’re doing with recruitment agencies, and they are very interested indeed.In the end, everyone deserves to find a career that not only pays the bills, but inspires them and brings them satisfaction. We want to help create that world!&nbsp;To learn more about Pioneer Guild and stay in touch, visit:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pioneerguild.jp/">https://www.pioneerguild.jp/</a> or reach out to Hiro at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:hiro@mooncreativelab.com">hiro@mooncreativelab.com</a>.&nbsp;

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On March 7, 2023, TennisBear, Inc., a provider of a digital sports platform that brings recreational tennis players together in Japan, held an event at the Nihon University College of Humanities and Sciences Centennial Hall Arena to announce TennisBear's first amateur tennis tournament. The comedy duo Nishikigoi was invited as one-day PR ambassadors to give a talk session, and wheelchair tennis players, Daisuke Arai and Yuma Takamuro were also invited to demonstrate wheelchair tennis. Nishikigoi tried wheelchair tennis for the first time, and other guests also enjoyed a hands-on wheelchair tennis course.&nbsp;Table of Contents<ol><li>What is TennisBear?</li><li>TennisBear launched its first amateur tournament "TennisBear Cup"</li><li>Wheelchair tennis is so difficult but It's a lot of fun!&nbsp;</li><li>The key is to focus both on the wheelchair and hitting the ball</li></ol><h3> What is TennisBear?</h3>TennisBear is one of the projects being incubated at the Moon Creative Lab, that powers the creation of new businesses for Mitsui &amp; Co., Ltd. and beyond. TennisBear’s online platform allows users to search and book over 3,000 tennis courts nationwide. On October 3, 2022, TennisBear has spun off from Moon to form a new company. Currently, the service has 200,000 monthly active users, making it one of the largest tennis court reservation applications in Japan. It also has an event function that allows users to organize their own tennis offline meetings, private practices, circle recruiting, private lessons, small tournaments, etc., helping to build a community of tennis enthusiasts.<h3>TennisBear launched its first amateur tournament "TennisBear Cup"</h3><img src="https://moon-website-prod-images.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/image10_45cf259e70.jpg" alt="image10.jpg">The purpose of this event was to announce TennisBear's first amateur tennis tournament, "TennisBear Cup supported by Mitsui&amp;Co. and Moon Creative Lab," which will be held in the summer and winter of 2023. The purpose of this tournament is to create an opportunity for players of all levels, ages, and experiences to play tennis with a sense of satisfaction and purpose. There are amateur general and wheelchair junior divisions, and the amateur general division is scheduled to be held on July 1st and 2nd, 2023. The wheelchair junior division will be held in early December.<figure class="image"><img src="https://moon-website-prod-images.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/image4_86dea2a8d9.jpg" alt="image4.jpg"><figcaption>From left, Moon Creative Lab COO Shunsuke Kato, wheelchair tennis player Yuma Takamuro, Nishikigoi (Masaki Hasegawa and Takashi Watanabe), wheelchair tennis player Daisuke Arai, TennisBear CEO Kei Ezaki.</figcaption></figure>The TennisBear Cup utilizes TennisBear's new "Ranking Point System" feature, where top point scorers qualify for the competition. TennisBear’s CEO Esaki commented, "We want to create an event that everyone can enjoy, and we plan to add categories such as women's doubles and team competitions in the future.” One-day PR ambassador Nishikigoi's Mr. Watanabe, also commented "It's nice to be able to communicate with many people through TennisBear.” Mr. Hasegawa added "Let’s spread the word about TennisBear! ” and excited the audience.<h3>Wheelchair tennis is so difficult but It's a lot of fun!&nbsp;</h3><img src="https://moon-website-prod-images.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/image2_44aa94bc5d.jpg" alt="image2.jpg">At the event, two wheelchair tennis players gave Nishikigoi a demonstration of wheelchair tennis. Daisuke Arai, a Tokyo Paralympic representative and wheelchair tennis player ranked 12th in the world, commented "There are few wheelchair junior tennis competitions, and I would love to contribute to helping wheelchair tennis grow bigger.” Yuma Takamuro, who was the runner-up in the women's singles of the U.S. Open Tennis Junior Wheelchair Division in September 2022, added, "There are not many junior competitions, so I am grateful to have an opportunity to showcase my hard work. I started playing tennis and then became a wheelchair player. What’s great about wheelchair tennis is you can play with or without disabilities." Nishikigoi had only played tennis once before and were surprised by how challenging it is to play in a wheelchair. Mr, Hasegawa commented, "It’s crazy hard to move around in the wheelchair !" Mr. Watanabe added, "It is difficult to operate a wheelchair and play at the same time, but it's a lot of fun."<h3>The key is to focus both on the wheelchair and hitting the ball.</h3><img src="https://moon-website-prod-images.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/image84_59b41e1d31.jpg" alt="image84.jpg">During the second part of the event, Mr. Arai and Ms.Takamuro provided the general guests with a chance to try wheelchair tennis. Twelve participants, including university students to working professionals, tried wheelchair tennis. In teams of three, participants practiced turns and slaloms to practice wheelchair operations and hitting the ball while moving the wheelchair at the right time, which many found difficult.&nbsp; Participants were encouraged to enjoy riding a wheelchair like they are on a ride and participated in a three-on-three match with instructor players. Thanks to the support of Mr. Arai and Ms. Takamuro, the hands-on session was a great success. Even those who had never experienced wheelchair tennis before were amazed by the excitement of the sport.&nbsp; TennisBear allows users to search for and participate in various events, including different levels of practice sessions and lessons hosted by professionals, as well as a chat function to invite friends or people they have played with and to notify the meeting place or cancellation. The platform also includes a match table function for event operation and a score recording function.For the latest information on the TennisBear Cup, check out<a href="https://www.tennisbear.net/"> TennisBear's official website</a>.

Lullaby, a Moon Creative Lab venture that offers personalized sleep training services and an app for parents and their newborns, exhibited at a pop-up event in Tokyo called "Papa Mama Boku Watashi," which took place at the main building of the Isetan Shinjuku store Feb.16-21, 2023. Approximately 10,000 people visited the exhibition to see 47 brands selling a wide range of lifestyle items such as clothing, bags, cosmetics and tableware. Lullaby also collaborated with Sandesica on co-branded sleep sacks for newborns and offered gift cards people can use on the Lullaby app.<h3>What is Lullaby?&nbsp;</h3><img src="https://moon-website-prod-images.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/Group_438_c54c862799.jpg" alt="Group 438.jpg">Lullaby is a personalized sleep training service and&nbsp;app for parents and their newborns. Lullaby has welcomed Dr. Mariko Morita, a mother of three children, a physician, and an infant sleep specialist, as a subject matter expert to develop informative sleep support for parents based on scientific evidence of modern daily life in Japan. The app offers three easy-to-use functions for busy parents:<ol><li>Virtual courses provide carefully selected sleep-related resources recommended by physicians according to the baby's age.&nbsp;</li><li>Online schedules keep records of the baby’s sleep and identify the best time for naps.&nbsp;</li><li>In-depth consultation offers a matching service with CISA -certified pediatric sleep consultants when needed.(CISA =&nbsp;Consultant of Infant Sleep Association)&nbsp;</li></ol><h3>Step One: Know Your Baby’s Rhythm</h3>On the first day of the pop-up event, Dr. Morita hosted a fireside chat with special guest&nbsp;Dr.Tomori, a dermatologist. The theme of the discussion was, "Baby’s sleep &amp; Mom's sleep, and the beauty before and after childbirth."<figure class="image"><img src="https://moon-website-prod-images.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/Lullaby_2_d744c73983.jpg" alt="Lullaby 2先生.jpg"><figcaption>Left: Dr. Mariko Morita, Lullaby app supervising doctor and sleep specialist. Right: Dermatologist&nbsp;Dr. Arata Tomori</figcaption></figure>Most importantly, the doctors shared valuable advice such as learning your baby's rhythm, which is the first step to getting good quality sleep – for mom, dad, and baby.&nbsp;Here’s a snapshot of what they discussed during the fireside chat:&nbsp;Dr. Tomori: "Many moms-to-be experience changes in their skin during pregnancy, some of which is caused by the appearance of additional estrogen, a female hormone that is produced more during pregnancy. Symptoms vary, with some women experiencing smoother skin while others develop acne. These changes are normal, and ultimately, moisturizing is the key.”&nbsp;Dr. Morita: "However, it is medically proven that one of the causes of dryness and troubles of the skin is lack of sleep. Sleeping is very important not only for your baby's growth, but also for your skin and hair."Dr.Tomori "Especially after giving birth, the mother’s hormone balance tends to be unstable, so it is important to have a well-scheduled routine to enable better sleep, both for her and the baby. Iron is also very important because it’s good for skin and hair, and even helps you avoid depression – and it’s good for the baby, too."Dr. Morita: “That’s right, because after 15 months, babies are prone to iron deficiency, and iron is important for a baby's sleep. The good news is that in Japan, baby food with iron supplements is widely available.”&nbsp;&nbsp;<h3>Lullaby Merch Was a Hit!</h3><img src="https://moon-website-prod-images.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/Lullaby_1top_ebd76042dd.jpg" alt="Lullaby 1top.jpg">In addition to the app, Lullaby collaborated with Sandesica, a designer of sleep sacks for newborns. The co-branded sleep sack – sold exclusively at this event – was a huge success, selling out the available inventory. The Sandesica sleep sack is a “wearable blanket” that provides a safe sleeping environment for newborns, the development of which Dr. Morita directed.<img src="https://moon-website-prod-images.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/Lullaby_3goods_1514293e09.jpg" alt="Lullaby 3goods.jpg">Lullaby also sold gift cards that parents who have completed Lullaby sleep training could give to other parents interested in Lullaby’s services – the cards were packaged with a multipurpose handkerchief parents could use with their own newborns as a reminder to check out Lullaby’s sleep consultation services, with the aim of lowering the psychological barrier for seeking advice on their baby's (and their own) sleep.<h3>Newborn-tested, Parent-approved&nbsp;</h3>At the Lullaby booth, the sold-out "Sleep Consultation for Baby, Mom, and Dad" session helped pregnant parents and parents with infants aged 0-2 years so they could talk to Certified Infant Sleep Consultants (CISC) who have specialized knowledge in improving sleep habits and infant sleep.&nbsp;Here’s what a few attendees had to say:&nbsp;"I was happy that I could ask many questions.&nbsp;I could tell they are professionals.” (Mom of a 4-month-old)“I asked about my baby’s sleep and also how I can help her take longer naps.&nbsp;I felt better after talking to someone. It’s much better than struggling by myself.” ( Mom of a 5-month-old)&nbsp;"I'm glad I was able to ask a lot of questions! I'd come back again if I have any problems as we continue with the sleep training." (Dad of a 2-month old)"It was very helpful and motivated me to try! I'd like to talk to the professionals again if I encounter any struggles." (Mom of a 10-month old)&nbsp;&nbsp;You can check out Lullaby’s latest information on <a href="https://www.lullabysleepbaby.com/">Lullaby’s official website</a>&nbsp;or the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mooncreativelab.com/stories/page/1">Moon Stories Blog</a>.

News and Insights - Page 7

Lullaby: Helping Parents Find More Balance in Their Busy Lives

Widening Our Orbit: A New Series of Events for Tokyo’s Growing Startup Community

Starting a New Business? Moon Can Give You the Boost You Need!

Hands-On: How an Entrepreneur’s Experience Helps Build Better Business

Expanding Our Reach: A Message From Our CEO

Parental Guidance Advised: Lullaby Launches New Services With Pigeon

Bringing People Together To Fuel a New Kind of Career Growth Engine

TennisBear Launches Its First Tennis Tournament!

"Lullaby" Pop-Up Helps New Parents Manage Their Newborns’ Sleep Patterns – and Their Own

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