On December 6, Okayama University and Stripe International Inc. held a joint press conference in Tokyo to announce a plan to offer the SiEED program, which is designed to promote the creation of new businesses in Okayama by providing students with a new learning forum where they can be inspired to create a better future.

The speakers at the press conference were Okayama University’s President Hirofumi Makino; Dr. Yasutomo Nasu, Director of the Office for Innovative Medicine at the Organization for Research Promotion & Collaboration, who heads the SiEED Program Working Group; Mr. Yasuharu Ishikawa, President, CEO and Representative Director of Stripe International Inc.; Mr. Hitoshi Hokamura, Partner at Scrum Ventures and former Chairman of Evernote Japan, who serves as an executive advisor for this program; and Mr. Tetsuya Yamashita, Liaison Officer for 500 Kobe Accelerator, who serves as the program director. They all vigorously expressed their thoughts and aspirations about the SiEED Program, an innovative education program that will begin to be offered in April 2019.

Mr. Ishikawa said, “I’ve been conducting my business with the hope of spreading something good across society. Through the SiEED program, I’d like to help develop people.” President Makino said, “I’d like our faculty and students to change their mindsets through this program. We will continue to develop students into globally competent individuals.”

Okayama University will offer four liberal arts education courses under this program in the first and second semester of the academic year 2019.