Students Sponsored by City of Sanda
A group of four Japanese students from Kwansei Gakuin University and the NIC International College recently wrapped up a week (August 26-30) of student pitch training at the Lobo Rainforest Building through STC’s Professional Internship Academy. The students were sponsored by the City of Sanda, Hyogo Prefecture, in Japan.
Through the efforts of STC University International Ventures Manager Eri Hoshi, Sanda City sent out an RFP in April to students living, working or studying in the city who might be interested in learning how to pitch their ideas and technologies for startup opportunities by participating in a weeklong training session at STC. The City is trying to encourage more young people, especially students, to start new companies. Six students submitted proposals and four were chosen for the training. The students benefitted from a lecture given in July in Sanda City by STC Director of Economic Development Cara Michaliszyn on best practices for startup pitches based on a business model canvas. The lecture helped them prepare for the Academy’s coaching sessions.
In addition to several pitch-coaching sessions during their week at STC, the students also attended lectures on tech transfer and commercialization by STC staff, seminars, business classes at the Anderson School of Management, visits with UNM faculty inventors and Innovation Academy staff, and trips to local business incubators. The STC visit culminated with a formal pitch session on Friday, August 30.
Below is a list of the students and their pitch presentations.
| Student | Pitch Presentation |
| Yuta Shimazu, NIC International College of Japan | IM Corporation – IM (International Marriage) Corporation is a website dashboard platform to support international marriage couples. |
| Enmin Zhou, Kwansei Gakuin University, Dept. of Computer Science Engineering | Z-Game Corporation – a mobile app game called “In Silence” to help stop bullying by educating and entertaining players to solve problems |
| Naoshi Yamazaki, Kwansei Gakuin University, Dept. of Biomedical Chemistry | Abroaders LLC – a platform website to recruit more students to participate in international programs offered by universities and cities in Japan |
| Naoya Nakaoka, Kwansei Gakuin University, Dept. of Computer Science Engineering | Sou Corporation – a movie studio (Movie Studio Sou) to produce professional-quality self-PR videos for Japanese jobseekers for Japan’s unified job-hunting system |
Pitch judges for the session were STC CEO Lisa Kuuttila, STC Director of Economic Development Cara Michaliszyn, UNM Small Business Institute Director Stacy Sacco, and UNM Innovation Academy Executive Director Robert DelCampo.
Visit the City of Sanda Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/sandacity to see photos of the student’s visit to STC.