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<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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<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50%;"><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 (Ting Yan Wong) 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.&nbsp;<hr>Throughout my time at Moon, I’ve been fortunate to collaborate with an amazing team on various healthcare projects. These endeavors have been both fascinating and deeply meaningful, as they touch on an area intrinsically connected to everyone’s life. Healthcare is not just a service or a system; it’s a deeply personal and universal experience.“Health is like air,” one participant told us during an interview — a simple statement that perfectly captures the paradox of health. It’s essential yet often invisible, deeply personal but challenging to articulate. It’s this abstract nature of health that makes design research in this space so complex and rewarding.At the heart of every healthcare project lies curiosity: How do people define health? Where does it fit in their lives? What motivates or hinders their well-being? Uncovering these insights requires creativity, empathy, and the willingness to embrace abstraction.So, how can we, as design researchers, translate intangible ideas into tangible insights? In this post, I’ll share strategies that help us understand users’ needs and craft solutions that truly matter.&nbsp;<h3>Ask the Right Questions</h3>To truly grasp people’s thoughts on healthcare, our first instinct is often, “Let’s talk to them.” Qualitative research allows us to go beyond surface-level insights, uncovering rich, personal stories that shape people’s experiences.But when it comes to health — something deeply personal yet shaped by emotional, cultural, and societal layers — the challenges multiply. Asking someone about their health priorities or habits demands more than simple questions. It requires trust, sensitivity, and an environment where people feel comfortable sharing openly.Take the “BEEfficient” project, for example, which aimed to introduce healthy eating habits for busy individuals.&nbsp;The team sought to gain a deep understanding of the participants' eating and cooking habits. However, they knew that directly asking interviewees straightforward questions, such as what they eat or cook, might result in overly predictable and surface-level responses. So, how could they uncover deeper insights? The key was in asking the right questions: thoughtfully crafted ones that encouraged reflection without leading answers.Rather than starting with direct questions about food, we encouraged participants to talk about their daily lives, including work, relationships, and social environments. By exploring how external influences shaped their habits, we gained a more comprehensive view of the factors driving their lifestyles and values. This approach revealed unexpected insights and highlighted the interconnectedness of health behaviors with broader life contexts.In qualitative research, the quality of engagement is just as important as the data itself. By&nbsp;facilitating an open dialogue and digging deep into the participants' lives, we uncover insights that lead to meaningful design solutions.&nbsp;<h3>Make It Fun</h3><img src="https://moon-website-prod-images.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/image3_5943838812.gif" alt="image3.gif">Speaking isn’t always the best way for people to express their thoughts fully. Often, individuals aren’t entirely aware of their deeper feelings or complex thought processes. As researchers, our goal is to gather diverse perspectives and enable analysis from multiple angles, uncovering hidden layers of meaning.“Interactive Interview Exercises”&nbsp;can transform the research process. These activities create a relaxed, engaging environment that encourages participants to share their experiences more freely.&nbsp;Not only do they provide thoughtful reactions, but they also make the process enjoyable, reducing the formality and pressure often associated with traditional interviews.For the “BEEfficient” project, the team designed “Interactive Interview Exercises” to explore the factors influencing participant’s eating and cooking decisions as an online exercise. Participants were asked to select and prioritize these factors, leading to fascinating insights. For example, while many spoke about their family’s influence on shaping their food and health values, family often didn’t rank highly as a direct influence on immediate food decisions. At first glance, this seemed contradictory. But it revealed an important distinction: family plays a long-term,&nbsp;passive role in shaping habits over time, while immediate food decisions are driven by short-term factors like convenience, cost, or cravings.The interactive exercise not only surfaced these nuanced dynamics but also fostered a fun, collaborative atmosphere. Participants felt less like they were being interrogated and more like they were engaging in a meaningful activity. By creating this relaxed environment, we uncovered deeper, more authentic insights while ensuring the process was positive for everyone involved.&nbsp;<h3>Get Closer to Your Users</h3>We’ve discussed the value of online interviews and remote interactions, but sometimes, the most profound insights come from stepping away from the computer and meeting users where they are. Going offline allows us to observe real-life behaviors and experiences, providing a richer understanding of the user’s world.For instance, a Moon Entrepreneur-In-Residence (EIR), <a href="https://www.mooncreativelab.com/stories/entrepreneurial-mindset?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=subarublog250207en&amp;utm_id=subarublog250207en">Serene Li</a>, exemplified this approach during her work on the venture “Vital Grit,” a product designed to boost workout habits and performance. She was particularly interested in how her product could serve families with young children. Serene wanted to explore the challenges and joys of exercising with toddlers aged 1-3 and the potential hidden benefits of family workouts.To gain these insights, Serene visited participant’s homes to observe their weekend routine. She examined the living environment, interactions between family members, and how parents guided their child through workout activities under her in-person guidance. As a professional trainer, Serene offered guidance, making the experience both observational and participatory.This hands-on approach uncovered valuable insights. For example, the team discovered that parents faced difficulties in guiding their toddler’s exercises due to their lack of motor control and short attention spans. But they also found&nbsp;a significant opportunity: family workouts could not only serve as a way to encourage healthy habits but also act as a prompt for building emotional bonds and strengthening relationships with a shared focus on wellbeing. On the flip side, the research provided deeper insights into the challenges of designing effective workout programs for kids and the difficulties parents face in managing their children during exercise sessions. These findings reframed the productʻs value proposition, highlighting emotional connection as an essential benefit of exercising together as a social activity. Additionally, the team gained a clearer understanding of the productʻs feasibility, allowing them to refine their concept to explore opportunities that connect individuals, workouts, and their environment through social elements.By immersing ourselves in users’ lives and observing their realities, we uncover challenges and opportunities early in the process. Sometimes, the best way to understand your users is simply to step into their shoes, or in this case, their living room, for a workout session.&nbsp;<h3>Turning Abstract Idea Into Measurable Understanding</h3>Design research is collecting tangible insight that bridges the gap between abstract ideas and actionable solutions. Whether it’s asking the right questions, making the process fun, or immersing ourselves in users’ lives, each step deepens our understanding of what truly matters to people. In healthcare, this journey is particularly meaningful because it touches one of the most personal and universal aspects of life.By embracing curiosity, empathy, and creativity in our research practices, we uncover the hidden layers of human behavior and values. These insights guide the development of impactful solutions and foster deeper connections between teams and the people they serve.Ultimately, understanding users isn’t just about collecting data; it’s about telling their stories, respecting their experiences, and designing with their needs at heart. As we continue exploring the intricate world of healthcare, let’s remember that every question, every exercise, and every observation brings us one step closer to creating solutions that truly make a difference.&nbsp;<hr>Moon Creative Lab offers several programs to support startups. If you are interested in transforming your own business idea and growth, please check out the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mooncreativelab.com/?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=CTA2502&amp;utm_id=storytelling+by+subaru">top page</a>.

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<figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:4200/2801;" src="https://moon-website-prod-images.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/mcl_Dr_Conway_Ai_In_Healthcare_047_a767a7faad.jpg" alt="mcl_DrConway_AiInHealthcare_047.jpg" width="4200" height="2801"><figcaption>Moon’s Chief Creative Officer, Mike Peng, leading a Fireside Chat with Dr. Allan Conway.</figcaption></figure>A part of Moon Creative Lab’s Speaker Series events, AI in Healthcare: Pioneering Precision was an insightful talk on how artificial intelligence is emerging in the healthcare industry.Dr. Allan Conway, Clinical Associate Professor of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, UCSF and MarinHealth, was the first surgeon to use AI technology in a vascular surgical procedure for aneurysm repair. In a Fireside Chat with Moon’s Chief Creative Officer, Mike Peng, he shared his insights on how AI enables medical professionals to perform complex procedures with greater precision, and how AI can improve healthcare and patient outcomes.<figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:4200/2801;" src="https://moon-website-prod-images.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/mcl_Dr_Conway_Ai_In_Healthcare_019_9a783f7378.jpg" alt="mcl_DrConway_AiInHealthcare_019.jpg" width="4200" height="2801"></figure>Opportunities for AI in Healthcare Allan discussed how AI can play a significant part in making healthcare professionals’ jobs much more efficient. By optimizing workflow and reducing the daily tasks that are part of medical professionals’ jobs, such as charting patient data and documentation, healthcare can become more accessible. More efficient operations and automated tasks would allow doctors to see more patients and spend more time interacting with them than on paperwork. Relieving some of the administrative burden that doctors face daily could lead to improved patient communication, wider availability of healthcare, and better access to care for underserved communities.Not only would AI make daily administrative tasks more efficient, but it would also help increase efficiency in the operating room. Allan envisions AI reducing surgery times by 20-30 minutes, which would allow doctors to treat more patients.&nbsp;The Current State of AI Allan and his team at MarinHealth used Cydar Maps, an AI-powered surgical platform that can create a detailed 3D map of a patient’s anatomy. Such visualization helps with pre-surgical planning, image guidance during surgery, and automated evaluation of surgical outcomes. This technology allows medical teams to better visualize during the surgery, operate with more precision, make better decisions in the operating room, and guide care throughout the patient’s entire journey.<img src="https://moon-website-prod-images.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/mcl_Dr_Conway_Ai_In_Healthcare_036_8a0e663cf1.jpg" alt="mcl_DrConway_AiInHealthcare_036.jpg">Implementation Challenges Like with any new technology, implementing AI in healthcare has not been immediate. Allan attributed the lack of AI-prevalence to financial hurdles. Most AI technology comes with high subscription costs, and many medical institutions might be reluctant to invest heavily into something that might not have the data to back the technology up — yet. But as AI technology is adopted, Allan is hopeful that as the data grows, so will implementation across the industry. To help overcome the financial hurdles AI technology faces, Allan thinks philanthropy and product champions are key. More philanthropic support from strong believers and evangelists of new technology could be key to ushering more AI in healthcare. No, AI Will Not Replace Surgeons With new ideas comes new misconceptions — and Allan addressed those head-on by assuring that AI will not replace surgeons. He emphasized the need to wane expectations about AI capabilities and that, instead of focusing on the fear of AI, the focus should be on enhancing and augmenting the work of medical professionals, not entirely replacing them.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:4200/2801;" src="https://moon-website-prod-images.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/mcl_Dr_Conway_Ai_In_Healthcare_110_1e5f3785f2.jpg" alt="mcl_DrConway_AiInHealthcare_110.jpg" width="4200" height="2801"><figcaption>Pictured: Moon CEO Kaichi Yokoyama, Dr. Allan Conway, Moon CCO Mike Peng, and Moon CMO Mary Ann Gallo,</figcaption></figure>Moon’s Focus&nbsp; Moon is always open and welcoming to new ideas, and one particular focus area of ours is AI in Healthcare. How might we leverage cutting-edge technologies to deliver more personalized and better outcomes for patients around the world? How can we use AI to augment the already-incredible abilities of medical professionals and transform healthcare as we know it? If you have ideas, we’d love to hear them! Chat with us, attend an event, and meet incredible innovators and entrepreneurs by joining our Moon Community <a href="https://share.hsforms.com/1OHQANbcgR9q4ky5Q4M6wMQcxaid">here</a>.Interested in being a featured speaker at Moon or partnering for your event? Reach out to us <a href="https://share.hsforms.com/1u98RYOcPTfefjoRhgX-xewcxaid">here</a>.&nbsp;

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To celebrate the end of the Boost Summer '24 cohort, on Dec. 3, Moon’s Tokyo Studio held a "Boost Pitch &amp; Connect" event where 13 ventures - 2 online and 11 in person - presented their businesses to an audience of 60 guests including VCs, startups, and organizations such as the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and JETRO. The event was followed by networking time to deepen the exchange.<img src="https://moon-website-prod-images.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/Boost_348e28871a.png" alt="Boost.png">&nbsp;<h3>Looking back on the pitch</h3><ol><li>ijo – Developing seaweed-based bioplastic products and bio-stimulants to promote vegetable growth at high quality vegetables and low cost.</li><li>Polls – Automate the creation of survey question branches for efficiency and promote consistency in responses. Conduct regular observations of employees makes sure their alignment with company goals.</li><li>KiFor – Facilitate collaboration between charities and organizations engaged in SDGs. Work with educational institutions to connect them with job training to expand their workforce.</li><li>Growth Watcher – Provides use of satellite data to monitor the growing environment of vegetables in order to facilitate the transition to the cultivation of alternative crops against the environmental changes.</li><li>BooksPetal – A platform that makes it easy for students to purchase and sell books on demand. The company designs a unique system in which the amount of money is determined by weight.</li><li>HomeTrimmer – Provides trimming services at pet owners' homes, ensuring the safety of pets &amp; the peace of mind of owners while also creating an improved working environment for trimmers.</li><li>Grouping – Facilitates social interaction by matching groups of three. More casual and dynamic, and monetizes by directing users to partner restaurants. Free for both genders.</li><li>Krip – Aggregates promotions, discounts and deals from credit cards providers and financial services, easily accessible to consumers and partners from their app and APIs.</li><li>DROP System – Provides a platform that centralizes different loyalty programs offered by companies, allowing users to use them without worrying about expiration.</li><li>CACARU – Provides a platform for a university’s physicians to search for specialists and clinics to refer patients to, send referral letters, and make appointments in one place.</li><li>Robot ATTA! – A matching website with a collection of use cases for companies considering robot implementation. Focuses on the central concern: the feasibility of implementation on site.</li><li>Kutoon – Subscription-based rental of children shoes, with home-delivery. Shoes are collected, cleaned and reused after the children outgrow them.</li><li>MEs – Develop a virtual space dedicated to creative teams, to capture, catalogue and visualize data in a 3D environment, breaking the boundaries of standard productivity tools.</li></ol><a href="https://share.hsforms.com/1xfbn-6k6Q3GsIa1jMxWUcwcxaid?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=blog1218&amp;utm_id=blog1218">&gt;&gt; Register "Boost"</a>

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Congratulations to Moon venture, <a href="https://www.variloom.com/">Variloom</a>, for winning the <a href="https://www.ispo.com/en/promotion/ispo-award-winner-rip-curl-mirage-3d-boardshort">ISPO 2024 Award</a>! Every year, the ISPO award honors outstanding products in the sporting goods industry — past recipients include North Face, Kathmandu, Arc'teryx, and Puma. Variloom, along with Rip Curl and Bilio, has received this year’s award for the creation of the Mirage3DP Boardshort, which integrates 3D printing technology and sustainable materials into an innovative boardshort that sets a new standard for comfort, durability, and eco-friendly design. &nbsp;<figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:512/341;" src="https://moon-website-prod-images.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/ISPO_award_e469d5f881.jpg" alt="ISPO award.jpg" width="512" height="341"><figcaption>From left: Danit Peleg (3D Printed Fashion Designer), Bethany Meuleners (Senior Product Development Lead, Moon), Milan Thompson (Global Head of Product Innovation &amp; Sustainability, Rip Curl), Kaichi Yokoyama (CEO, Moon), Billy Smith (Founder &amp; CEO, Bilio)</figcaption></figure>Using Variloom’s filament and 3D printing technology, the Mirage3DP boardshorts feature a 3D waistband for stability in the water, integrated panels for fit and ventilation, and a recyclable blend of bio-based TPU and wool for comfort and durability. “Winning the ISPO award for our innovations in sustainable 3DP material, production, and design is an amazing honor, and we could not be more pleased to receive this recognition with our partners Rip Curl and Bilio,” said Kaichi Yokoyama, Chief Executive Officer, Moon Creative Lab. “The Mirage3DP Boardshort made with Variloom’s 3D-printable materials is breaking ground for unrivaled comfort, resilience, fit, and performance. We will continue to work closely with Rip Curl to give customers completely on-demand, customizable, and 100% 3D printed and circular products made from sustainable materials.”&nbsp;<img src="https://moon-website-prod-images.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/Mirage3dp_shorts_c37d33954b.png" alt="Mirage3dp shorts.png">In addition to its innovative filament, Variloom is further transforming the fashion industry by creating new systems and processes to bring production closer to the consumer and make circularity a reality. The patent-pending 3DP filament and print system balances softness, stretch, and adaptable performance by utilizing bio-based TPU with carefully selected natural additives and fibers. Variloom’s 3D printing technology will offer on-demand, on-site, print-to-shape 3D fabrication that exponentially reduces production waste, lead times, product inventory, and dependence on offshore manufacturing by bringing customizable production closer to consumers.To close the loop and improve circularity for a product’s end of life, goods made with the Variloom filament can easily be returned and recycled.&nbsp;<img src="https://moon-website-prod-images.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/MIRAGE_3_DP_INT_EXT_2_76bd96cf7c.png" alt="MIRAGE3DP_INT_EXT 2.png">“Our Variloom patents cover a number of ways to produce 3D printed textiles that are flexible, soft to the touch, and wearable with adaptable performance,” said Bethany Meuleners, venture lead, Sustainable Fashion, Moon Creative Lab. “The ISPO Award is a tremendous recognition of the work Moon, Rip Curl, and Bilio are doing in the area of sustainable and high-performance apparel and materials. We will be continuing to improve our capabilities and speed in our processes through innovations in revolutionary machinery to create and fully recycle these fabrics.”See Bethany talk more about Variloom in <a href="https://youtu.be/uMI13osJArI?si=qb5Ck69bIHbXbTjg">this video</a> and look out for the Mirage3DP boardshort, available in 2026.&nbsp;About Variloom Variloom is transforming the fashion industry by creating new systems and processes to bring production closer to the consumer and make circularity a reality. Variloom’s patent pending 3DP filament and print system balances softness, stretch and adaptable performance by utilizing bio-based TPU with carefully selected natural additives and fibers. The future of Variloom and 3D printing in soft goods offers on-demand, on-site, print-to-shape 3D fabrication that exponentially reduces production waste, lead times, product inventory, and dependence on offshore manufacturing by bringing customizable production closer to the consumer. For more information, visit <a href="https://www.variloom.com">www.variloom.com</a>.

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<img src="https://moon-website-prod-images.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/Frame_1354_9ff9c573c6.jpg" alt="Frame 1354.jpg">Carrium Inc. was founded in June 2024 by Hiroyuki Narihara, who started business planning and service development as an Entrpreneur-In-Residence at Moon Creative Lab, and has officially released "CAREER FORTH," a career strategy support tool for corporate clients.<a href="https://www.careerforth.me/?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=blog1218&amp;utm_id=blog1218">https://www.careerforth.me/</a>CAREER FORTH provides a function that quantitatively visualizes and maps potential future career paths for highly specialized young professionals who will play a central role in future business, based on the large data of one million people’s job changes. The company aims to expand the use of this service, especially among companies that provide career transition and career support services for professionals, and will support the provision of quantitative career advice based on objective data.The service has been undergoing business validation, service platform construction, and interface improvement at Moon since 2022, and a beta version of the service was launched in 2023. To date, six companies, mainly recruitment companies, have implemented the service.The company aims to expand the use of the service with the goal of "providing a digital map of career paths to realize data-driven, autonomous career strategies," as more and more human capital management is required in business activities.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:1744/958;" src="https://moon-website-prod-images.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/main_b23d9403c2.png" alt="main.png" width="1744" height="958"><figcaption>キャリアマップ機能によるキャリアパスの可視化</figcaption></figure>CAREER FORTH provides three main services to enable job seekers to autonomously build their career strategies and to provide quantitative career advice based on big data from a human resources support company.&nbsp;<ol><li>Career Map function: A map function that visualizes and presents possible future career path options based on the company/organization, industry, job type, etc.</li><li>Career Route: A route search feature that visualizes and displays the path to your career goals.</li><li>Reverse Route: An analytics feature that visualizes the type of job seekers flowing into the desired company, job type, and job field, and displays their career paths in reverse.</li></ol>&nbsp;Moon EIR and Carrium Inc. representative, Hiroyuki Narihara, joined Mitsui &amp; Co. in 2005. After working in business in the retail, distribution, and food industries, he was stationed in Southeast Asia for about 5 years. While working overseas, he was troubled by the difficulty of forming a professional identity throughout his life, and developed the business idea of “CAREER FORTH” to solve the same problem of people struggling with autonomous career formation in the 100-year life era.The company plans to develop and expand job information recommendation functions, personalize management tools and dashboards, and expand integrated data in order to realize a “career strategy management tool that everyone can carry in their pocket".&nbsp;<a href="https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000357.000060069.html?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=blog1218&amp;utm_id=blog1218">Press release available here.</a>&nbsp;<h3 style="margin-left:0px;">About Carrium Inc.</h3><figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img style="aspect-ratio:1600/900;" src="https://moon-website-prod-images.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/Frame_1354_6713adc11b.jpg" alt="Frame 1354.jpg" width="1600" height="900"></figure>Carrium Inc. is a data-driven, unbiased career planning support company. It offers "CAREER FORTH," a career visualization service for young professionals that utilizes big data on career changes. The service was commercialized at Moon Creative Lab, a venture studio of the Mitsui &amp; Co. group, and incorporated in June 2024. The company is currently working on a business aimed at realizing passionate professional lives through the creation of data-driven career strategies.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.carrium.co.jp/?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=blog1218&amp;utm_id=blog1218">https://www.carrium.co.jp/</a>　<ul><li>Company name: Carrium Inc.</li><li>Representative: Hirotaka Naruhara</li><li>Registered capital: 10 million yen</li><li>Shareholders: Mitsui &amp; Co.</li><li>Address: 2F Spring Terrace Omotesando, 3-10-5 Kita-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo</li><li>Business: Operation and provision of CAREER FORTH, development of career-related services</li></ul><h3 style="margin-left:0px;">&nbsp;</h3><h3 style="margin-left:0px;">Related Blog</h3><a href="https://www.mooncreativelab.com/stories/idea-careerforth?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=blog1218&amp;utm_id=blog1218">・Internal Motivation Is Your Greatest Asset: Why a Career Exploration Map was Needed ｜CAREER FORTH</a>

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<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:25%;"><img style="aspect-ratio:526/665;" src="https://moon-website-prod-images.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/image1_2_f9a19e996c.png" alt="image1 2.png" width="526" height="665"></figure>Author: Serene Li, is a Moon Entrepreneur-In-Residence (EIR) from Mitsui Singapore. She joined the Boost program in 2024 with the goal of solving the problem of creating sustainable exercise habits for long-term health benefits. Here is what she experienced at Moon on her entrepreneurial journey.<hr>"Do I need to wait for instructions to start interviewing users?""What are the safest choices to go with?"&nbsp;"Should I wait for Moon's approval for my next concept design plan?"&nbsp;These questions frequently popped up during my early days exploring startup ideas at Moon Creative Lab. They appeared naturally from my corporate-employee mindset. I felt anxious when I realized I no longer had the "safety net" of a manager or senior colleague providing clear instructions and guidance, unlike my previous role at Mitsui &amp; Co.Letting go of this employee mindset wasn't easy. It took courage to take charge of my own plan and execution for the idea. Adjusting to this mindset took time, but it felt necessary because I wanted to see if I could bring my startup idea into reality.In the <a href="https://www.mooncreativelab.com/boost">Boost program</a>, I researched, designed, tested, learned, and adapted continually to deepen my understanding about the market and customers, and considered other factors such as industry trends, on-going innovation, available government support and many more. This constant iteration is essential to drive the idea forward.One of the most important principles that shaped my entrepreneurial mindset is Design Thinking. The problem serves as our compass — whether designing, testing, or connecting with stakeholders, keeping the problem statement in mind has prevented me from pursuing creative concepts that don't effectively solve the problem.&nbsp;<h3>Focus on ends, not means</h3>When I started my entrepreneurial journey, my purpose was to help people develop sustainable exercise habits for their health. I tested a few ideas and struggled to grasp users’ interest in relation to their problem.Later, I moved on to test the next idea: an app that curates audio playlists for users to use while running.&nbsp; I developed a prototype to keep people motivated to run by providing them with stimulating music synced to their heartbeat, interesting, location-specific information, and random fun facts while they are running. However, I was too obsessed with the concept of the playlist, and the problem solving became secondary. Eventually, I realized that providing the curated content was not the means necessary to the problem I really wanted to solve. It was difficult, but I was able to step back and refocus on the important issues.&nbsp; It was a wake-up call that reminded me to stay focused on “solving the right problem.”My key learning in the <a href="https://www.mooncreativelab.com/boost">Boost program</a> has been the importance of staying open-minded and agile. To gather feedback, I've initiated conversations with Moon employees, target users, and even strangers. It was initially challenging for myself as an introvert, but pushing past my shyness and being open-minded have led to unexpected insights and inspiration.&nbsp;&nbsp;For example, I have noticed that asking open-ended questions such as “What approach do you think would work best?” or “How do you identify your exercise motivation from time to time?” and listening closely without jumping to conclusions or imposing my own opinions, has helped me build stronger connections with target users. Those connections have encouraged them to continuously share deeper thoughts about their personal exercise experiences, useful articles, and fitness trends, and even helped to discover an innovative market player that addressed the habit-creation problem with a different approach. Such enthusiastic sharing from target users has quickly deepened my understanding about the market and fueled innovation.The process of concept brainstorming and selection, developing the prototypes, reaching out to people, learning from user-testing, and iterating the concept (mostly on my own with some support from Moon) requires much agility. Staying flexible and adapting quickly without being overly attached to the concept allowed me to refocus on the core mission, which is to solve users’ problems.&nbsp;<h3>View risk as an opportunity for growth</h3>Developing an entrepreneurial mindset has opened a new world to me. I've transformed from someone who avoided risks into someone who embraces them as opportunities for growth. While this journey isn't about becoming the next Steve Jobs or Mark Zuckerberg, it's a transformative experience that's helping me — and those around me — become more innovative, inspiring, and empathetic in both work and life.If I could share one piece of advice: Don't wait until you feel ready, because you never will. Embrace the uncertainty of growth and you'll discover you're capable of more than you ever imagined!&nbsp;Author: Serene Li EIR at Moon, from Mitsui &amp; Co.(Asia Pacific) Pte. Ltd.

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