Key Points
- TECH BEAT Shizuoka 2024 was held at the Granship convention center, connecting cutting-edge startups with local industries to foster regional innovation.
- REVOX showcased “SellBOT,” an AI-driven system designed to automate the complex quoting process in manufacturing, addressing labor shortages and the aging workforce.
- any Inc. introduced “Qast Clone,” a service that uses generative AI to interview veteran employees and digitize their “tacit knowledge” for future generations.
- Shizuoka Bank, a key organizer, emphasized the theme of “Physical AI” to leverage Shizuoka’s strong manufacturing foundation through digital transformation.
Full Transcript (English)
Guest (Tokumura Daiki, COO of REVOX): That’s right. We were originally a parts processing company. Our parent company has been in business for about 40 years. We began developing software internally to solve challenges in our own quoting operations. While it started as an internal tool, we eventually spun it off as a startup to sell it externally. That is how we became a Shizuoka-based startup.
Guest (Tokumura Daiki): For the manufacturing industry to function daily, they receive drawings from customers and must perform quoting tasks based on those drawings. Currently, the industry faces an aging workforce and labor shortages, meaning fewer people are capable of handling these quotes. There is a critical need to pass this know-how down to younger workers. We provide a system called “SellBOT” as a solution to accumulate and share that expertise. We have faced many challenges, but we’ve found that things are possible if you just try. We now have about 200 client companies, and in our sixth year since founding, we have grown to this scale. I feel that taking that first step to challenge ourselves has opened up this path.
Guest (Shimizu Ryuta, Executive Officer of any Inc.): We are promoting the concept of “turning veteran knowledge into organizational assets.” As the “baby boomer” generation reaches retirement age, the tacit knowledge they possess needs to be visualized so the entire organization can utilize it. That is the service we provide.
Guest (Shimizu Ryuta): Experts and veterans often find it difficult to write things down or answer constant questions. For them, we have the AI conduct an interview. When we ask them to just “talk to the AI for 30 minutes,” these veterans are often happy to share what they know. That conversation is then documented and entered into a knowledge database that everyone can access at any time. Our office is in Tokyo, and we operate as a hybrid startup where employees come in on Tuesdays and Fridays. I personally spend Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays living here in Shizuoka.
Guest (Ide Yudai, Shizuoka Bank Regional Revitalization Dept.): We are creating a venue for encounters between local companies and startups. We want companies within the prefecture to take on new challenges. By inviting startups with cutting-edge technology from Japan and abroad, we aim to encourage open innovation and further revitalize Shizuoka’s economy.
Guest (Ide Yudai): This region is very active in “monozukuri” (manufacturing). We chose the theme of “Physical AI” because we want to use the power of AI to further enhance the strength of our local worksites. While some “white-collar” workers have started using generative AI, we haven’t yet reached the point where it is used on-site to make machines move autonomously. We want to raise that literacy so that such a world becomes a standard reality originating from Shizuoka.
Guest (Shimizu Ryuta): Shizuoka is incredibly blessed. TECH BEAT grows in scale every year, and the enthusiasm is rising along with it. This prefecture is very focused on welcoming startups and connecting them with local businesses; in that sense, it is much further ahead than other prefectures. We already have many manufacturing clients here. Moving forward, we want to work with companies like Technomix-Mente to show that “we can do it too,” and bridge the gap between people and AI. I definitely want to participate again next year.
Guest (Tokumura Daiki): When people hear “DX” (Digital Transformation), they tend to chase after grand ideals. However, I think it’s best to start by challenging the immediate problems right in front of you, one by one. There are areas our solution can solve and areas it cannot. By stacking up these small improvements and creative efforts, DX truly begins.
Guest (Ide Yudai): There is a message we can send: “Look at how much a regional company can achieve.” We don’t want to keep these successes to ourselves; we want to be open about them. Shizuoka has a culture of supporting everyone’s efforts. I want people across Japan to see that and know that Shizuoka is a leader in this field.
