Creating From 0 to 1: Learning From the Challenges of a Startup｜Moon Alumni Interview

This alumni interview features individuals who experienced in-house entrepreneurship through a secondment from Mitsui & Co. to Moon Creative Lab. This time, we spoke with members of the Eureca team, who took on the challenge of creating a business to foster space-related talent. What did they learn from their startup journey at Moon?

_{Naoya Shiraishi: Joined Mitsui & Co. in April 2022 and was assigned to the Mobility Business Unit I. He was involved in investment management of the U.S. truck leasing business and business creation leveraging that expertise. After his entrepreneurial journey at Moon, he returned to Mitsui and now works in the Light Vehicle Solutions Business Division, engaged in passenger car sales and new business development in North America.}

_{Yasuhiro Hasegawa: Joined Mitsui & Co. in April 2022 and was assigned to the HR & General Affairs Division. He participated in the global HR system "Bloom" supporting career development for all group employees. After his secondment to Moon, he supported Moon venture CARRIUM on its HR team as an HR professional. He then transferred to the Integrated Digital Strategy Division. Currently, he supports IT/DX initiatives in the mobility sector, focusing on operational efficiency and new business creation. His lucky color is green.}

Haruka Yorifuji: Joined Mitsui & Co. in April 2022 and was assigned to the Retail Business Unit. She was involved in intermediate distribution and product export for domestic and international retailers. Unlike her peers, she did not transfer to Moon but dedicated 20% of her working hours to entrepreneurial activities. She also contributes to the global expansion of her current business.

*The project name "Eureca" was modified from "Eureka" (already trademarked) by changing "k" to "c."

Table of Contents

• Co-founding business as a trio
• Fostering Space Talent
• Curriculum receives favorable reviews
• From zero to one: experiencing the entire business journey

Co-founding business as a trio

Before joining Mitsui, Naoya Shiraishi, Yasuhiro Hasegawa, and Haruka Yorifuji participated in the company’s internship program, working together on a recycling-themed business project within the Mineral & Metal Resources Business Unit. Their team won the pitch contest, and after joining Mitsui, each member was assigned to a different department. Despite being in different business units, they continued to meet once a week to discuss ideas they could bring to Moon using their diverse backgrounds.

Shiraishi, influenced by his engineer father and the manga “Space Brothers,” had a strong interest in technology and space. Hasegawa, raised by teacher parents and accustomed to peer learning with siblings, was passionate about education and talent development. Yorifuji was interested in consumer behavior and psychology, especially in tourism-related fields.

Around February 2023, about a year after joining Mitsui, the trio applied to Moon’s ILLUMINATE idea competition. They were selected to join a Moon program that helps materialize business ideas through workshops. The issue they focused on: the shortage of talent in the space industry.

Fostering space talent

The space business market is projected to reach 1 trillion USD by 2040. While Japan has the potential to lead through manufacturing capabilities and geographic advantages, the lack of talent is a critical issue.

The team proposed a STEAM-based education product aimed at fostering talent. Specifically, they developed an educational curriculum for middle and high school students, simulating satellite development. The long-term vision included actual satellite launches to promote space education.

In August, the team joined Moon’s incubation program and the project was accepted. By October, Shiraishi and Hasegawa were seconded to Moon to focus fully on business creation. Yorifuji, whose departmental work aligned with her goals, participated concurrently, dedicating 20% of her working hours to the project.

Curriculum receives favorable reviews

"The first day of our secondment was filled with welcome events, but from day two, the freedom left us a bit perplexed," recalls Shiraishi.

While Moon experts provide support, the project direction is left to the idea owners. The team started by defining goals, gradually gaining momentum through discussions. For the prototype, Shiraishi and Hasegawa utilized their programming skills to develop the learning tool themselves.

During user tests, despite setting prices ten times higher than the market average, they secured customers from domestic educational institutions eager to purchase the curriculum.

The product was an intuitive web application that visually demonstrated satellite mechanisms through simulations. It addressed a clear need: while STEAM education was gaining traction, many teachers had never experienced it firsthand, leading to confusion about effective teaching methods.

Teachers praised the program, saying, "Students could think independently, engage hands-on, and experience the journey from concept to social implementation. Most importantly, they genuinely enjoyed it."

However, scaling the business presented challenges. The team explored expanding beyond educational institutions to university students and professionals through e-learning platforms and talent introduction services. Although student feedback was positive, the team couldn’t achieve the necessary growth for sustainability. Unfortunately, the project was discontinued in March 2024.

From zero to one: experiencing the entire business journey

The three founders reflect on their entrepreneurial journey:
 

Shiraishi: "We handled everything ourselves—user interviews, product design, app and landing page development, and user testing. Experiencing entrepreneurship firsthand was invaluable. From Mitsui’s perspective, it was a unique opportunity to understand the investor-recipient dynamic."

Hasegawa: "It was the first time I discussed financial projections with such clarity, like estimating the required funds ten years ahead. Listening to user feedback, confirming feasibility, and designing UI myself was incredibly fulfilling. Making our first sale through direct outreach was profoundly moving."

Yorifuji: "Managing the entire business, not just a part of it, and focusing on user-driven value rather than company assets through design research was significant. I believe colleagues working in consumer sectors should also experience this."

The common thread among the three was the joy of creating something from nothing and the invaluable experience of being involved in every aspect of the business.

They also faced the challenges of working as a trio. While diverse interests broadened perspectives, they sometimes led to differing visions. Yorifuji, balancing her main corporate role and the Eureca project, found it challenging to keep pace with the rapid discussions of her seconded teammates and struggled to maintain a clear 80:20 work split.

Reflecting on their experiences, they shared their future aspirations:

Shiraishi: “The methods I learned at Moon can be applied in various situations. The frameworks for visualizing ideas helped clarify what wasn’t fully understood within the team. Business creation is like mixed martial arts—you have to do everything and continuously learn what’s necessary. At the same time, it’s important to rely on others. In hindsight, I think I should’ve asked others for support more often. Since investment plays a crucial role in the space industry, I plan to gain experience in investment management at Mitsui & Co. and return to the space sector when the time is right.”

Hasegawa: “Business creation felt like clearly defining your purpose and strategically playing the cards of skills you already have. I also discovered new “cards” beyond my original technical expertise—for example, earning stakeholders’ trust, energizing team members, resilience in overcoming challenges, and effective communication with engineers. At Moon, I was amazed by the performance that emerged when people with different strengths worked seamlessly together. Moving forward, I want to leverage the unique skills and strengths I’ve gained through these challenges in my career.”

Yorifuji: “The great thing about co-founding is the ability to complement each other’s strengths. Shiraishi and Hasegawa made significant contributions in technology and the space and education sectors, while I contributed from a marketing perspective, applying behavioral economics I studied at university. This challenge gave me a valuable sense of how I’m evaluated through my work and how much value I can create financially. The experiences gained will be useful not only for business creation at Mitsui & Co. but also for future ventures at Moon and in a wide range of situations. Having the opportunity to pursue entrepreneurship while still being an employee is invaluable. I highly recommend participating in the workshops, even if that’s your starting point.”

At Moon, we offer a variety of programs to support new business development. For learning programs, head to our website and check out Learn. For incubation programs, see Build, and for growth programs, explore Grow. To receive the latest updates, consider registering as a Moon Community Member.

Stay informed about the latest from startups working on business creation at Moon Creative Lab through the Moon Stories Blog.