We are pleased to invite interested delegates to our “About Mobile Monday” seminar on the afternoon of Weds. July 18th at Tokyo Big Sight during the Wireless Japan 2007 tradeshow. We will have speakers on-hand from local and international chapter cities to provide an overview of the community and their respective markets.
MobileMonday is a global community of industry visionaries, developers and influentials fostering cooperation and cross-border business development through virtual and live networking events to share ideas, best practices and trends from the world’s wireless markets. More details about us Here.
The “Global Networking” seminar will showcase local and international MoMo chapters providing an in-depth introduction to their cities, their markets and where the profit opportunities are to be found – from Beijing to Helsinki.
16:00 — Introduction of MoMo Tokyo by Ryo Umezawa, Business Dev. Manager at Mobikyo, providing an overview of the local Mobile Monday community activities to date.
16:10 — Introduction of the Japanese mobile market by Christopher Billich, VP Intl. Business Dev. at Infinita, providing an overview of current content and service offerings.
16:40 — Introduction of Mobile Monday Bejing by Benjamin Joffe, CEO of Plus8Star, providing an overview of MoMo activities to date in China. Benjamin will also offer a current snapshot of the Chinese mobile market.
As part of the (digital) spring cleaning craze that’s sweeping the web these days (see WWJ), we finally managed to roll our new site design for Mobile Monday Tokyo. We are looking forward to providing a few extra offerings here for everyone in the near future as well, so stay tuned!
We’re pleased to announce the next MoMo event, on 23 April at KDDI’s Designing Studio, will feature a mobile mash-up of micro presentations in the super-cool “Demo Night” format — which has been popular in other chapter cities. For Demo Night, a line-up of interesting mobile companies will be allowed a 5- to 7-minute show & tell session for their mobile content or service offering — displayed on an actual handset and projected on the big screen for all to see.
Confirmed Presentations – now updated with event video below!
Tracey Northcott, VP at Enfour Group will demonstrate Camera Jiten [.PDF]. A native Brew dictionary application for use on KDDI handsets for instant scanning of English words giving their Japanese translations. This product is linked to their full dictionary service “Sougoeigojiten” for a drill down into the full definitions and pronunciation text to speech.
Mandali Khalesi, CEO of award-winning mobile marketing firm Naviblog, will present how to find Guinness with your mobile phone [.PDF]. The Guinness service is already available in selected Irish pubs and across the 23 wards of Tokyo, and is compatible with over 160 Japanese handsets from NTT Docomo, au by KDDI and Yahoo! Keitai.
David Collier, founder and CEO of Pikkle, will demonstrate technology which enables a new type of full-screen mobile flash service. Building on top of this core technology they provide a mobile flash social network engine (SNX) that allows the creation of niche social entertainment sites. Full flash gives impact, making this a demo you’ll want to take home.. and you can!
Nobuyoshi Noda, Mobile Division Deputy GM of Adways Co., Ltd, will present their Mobile Affiliate Advertisement Smart-C product. Capable of running mobile ad campaigns on all three carrier platforms, this opt-in management service – designed specifically for mobile content publishers – is based on a reward-per-transaction revenue model.
Tim Smith, Director of Freeverse Consulting, will “debut” Malibu IVP. A middleware approach to creating useful and viable 3G videocall applications it allows the developer and service provider to effectively approach this huge market opportunity. Malibu contains patented, exclusive technology directly associated with managing advertising on the 3G video network.
Special Guest Presentation
Hiroshi Oda — VP Corporate Communications — CIAJ
An Outline of the Digital Contents Pavilion @ CEATEC JAPAN 2007
In 2007, CEATEC JAPAN will launch a new special exhibit area under the theme of Digital Contents. This area is designed to support exhibitors’ efforts to win contents work, market contents and recruit high-quality contents personnel. As co-organizers of the annual CEATEC event, Oda-san’s presentation will center on an outline of the new Digital Contents exhibit area.
Our first Demo Night should be rather popular and will fill up fast! Online registration will remain open until Friday, 20 April — or until we hit maximum venue capacity. Finally, Welcome Aboard MoMo Taipei 😎
Date: Monday, 23 April 2007 :: 18:30 – 22:30
Venue: KDDI Designing Studio — GMAP
Admission: ¥1,000 with pre-registration (below) – OR – ¥2,000 at the door
Complimentary snacks and refreshments for pre-registered guests!
18:30 – Doors Open
19:00 – Welcome/introduction
19:10 – Presentations
19:50 – Q & A
20:00 – Networking
22:00 – Last Call
22:30 – Close
MoMoers had a super time during the last two mixer events, and it was truly great to see so many attendees and meet with such a wide range of mobile-savvy folks. Now it’s time to get back down to business! While we certainly plan to hold those ‘open-to-all’ evenings several more times throughout 2007, our next event is reserved for people working in the mobile community only in an effort to focus on our core audience.
We have arranged for two Tokyo-based VCs to present an overview of their operations and discuss what they are looking for when they are approached by start-ups for funding. This “get the money to meet the talent”-theme evening should certainly result in some interesting conversations and new connections for everyone concerned. So mark your calendar for 19 March at KDDI’s fabulous Designing Studio, Harajuku, and please RSVP so we can prepare enough food for the post-presentation networking session in the 5th floor Wired Cafe.
Michael Korver – Co-founding Partner – Global Venture Capital Global Venture CapitalMichael was born and raised in Tokyo and first developed his insider’s perspective on Asian business from his experience as an analyst at the Nomura Research Institute in Tokyo from 1983 until 1986 – where he first met Hirokazu-san, GVC’s other managing partner – and as an international transactions lawyer with Richards & O’Neil in New York and Tokyo from 1987 until 1993. Since 1993, Michael has worked as an international business consultant, corporate lawyer, venture capitalist and entrepreneur in Tokyo. GVC’s partners have been active in entrepreneurship, venture capital and private equity globally for over 20 years.
Masaaki Suga – Vice President – CYBIRD Investment Partners CYBIRD Investment PartnersMasaaki Suga joined CIP in January 2007. Earlier, he resided in Vancouver, Canada, and managed a number of projects in which he helped companies and products in North America to enter into the Japan and Asia market. Previously he worked for Macromedia (Adobe Systems) to run product and marketing division of server side products in Japan. Masaaki received an MBA from McGill University, Montreal Canada. CYBIRD Investment Partners Inc. (CIP) is a capital investment management company and 100% owned by CYBIRD Holdings Co., Ltd. CIP manages CYBIRD Plus Mobile Fund, the first mobile focused fund in Japan.
It’s a new year – all hail the Golden Pig – and we’re looking forward to the Mobile Monday kick-off, on 5 February, with a relaxed evening of p2p networking with plenty of the best gourmet pizza in Tokyo.
In 2007, Mobile Monday Tokyo enters its fourth year, and the size – over 350 at our last event – and sophistication of the MoMo community continues to expand. MoMo is now regularly attended by CEOs and professionals from Japan’s best-known mobile players, as well as a large number of entrepreneurs, developers and other tremendously knowledgeable people.
Moreover, as many MoMo participants tend to arrive on Monday evening direct from work, it’s clear that providing a reliable networking venue – complete with food and drink – are prerequisites for fostering a growing, ever-more dynamic community.
Therefore, starting in February, your humble organizers have decided to adopt the MoMo Beijing model and charge a modest entry fee (¥1,000 with preregistration – OR – ¥2,000 at the door). The revenue will ensure that we can book suitable locations and offer a decent light buffet, which we think will be appreciated by those ‘running on empty’ at 19:00 ish..
Regardless, corporate sponsorship will remain important support for MoMo Tokyo. Our sincere thanks to Jonckers and Robert Leonard for their fantastic on-going support! We remain keen to sign up additional forward-thinking companies interested in sponsoring the most switched-on mobile community in Japan.
Finally, we are delighted to announce that Tokyo’s very own NaviBlog was selected as the Japan nominee for the upcoming Mobile Monday Global Peer Awards, to be held at 3GSM in Barcelona, 12 February. NaviBlog presented to us here last May and also received Red Herring Asia’s Top 100 award in August. Good luck to Mandali and his team, we hope you bring home some hardware like Opera Japan did at the Global Summit in Helsinki last year.
Date: Monday, 5 February 2007 :: 18:30 – 23:00
Venue: Pizza Express in Harajuku – GMAP
Admission: ¥1,000 with registration – OR – ¥2,000 at the door
Includes: 1 drink ticket and Tokyo’s best pizza buffet
18:30 – Doors Open
19:00 – Networking – Buffet
22:30 – Last Call
23:00 – Close – Nijikai
A quick tip for the pre-registration form — Save the trees! Use your keitai email address to have the confirmation email sent to your handset and just show that for easy check in at the door!
Many thanks to everyone who made it out to our December Bonenkai event – what a way to finish off 2006! It was an honor to have Jari Tammisto, CEO of MobileMonday Oy, on hand to say a few words and meet many of the local MoMo members; he was clearly impressed.
We set new record for participation with a final count of 368 attendees!
Congratulations to the business card draw winners! We were thrilled to play Santa – on behalf of our sponsors – by giving away an i-Pod Nano, a Sony PSP, an sleek Nikon digi-camera and 3 fancy bottles of Shochu.
Looking forward into 2007, it’s our pleasure to welcome several new MoMo chapters who are set to launch early in the New Year, including Dublin, Geneva, Munich and Seoul. Welcome Aboard! Our next event – a Shinnenkai to kick-off the Year of the Wild Boar – is planned for sometime in late January 2007; we’ll pass along details asap.
Mobikyo KK and your ever-keen MoMo Tokyo organizers had a fantastic year here in Tokyo and we wish you and your families all the very best for the holidays and beyond. Yoi otoshi wo Yoroshiku Onegaishimasu!
To finish off the year in style, here’s the bonenkai event plan!
We have booked a swank venue in Roppongi, and will offer each registered guest two (2) free drink tickets plus a light buffet. For those who would like a comfortable full-course dinner – on your own yen – the attached Flower Garden restaurant is sure to please. And since Santa can’t make it, we will also do a meishi prize draw (if your company would like to offer a give-away, pls. drop us a note via info [at] mobilemonday.jp right away!).
For Mobile Monday global, 2006 will go down as the break-out year with 21 new cities launched – there are now 35 chapters worldwide. We are very pleased to announce that Jari Tammisto, CEO of Mobile Monday Oy, will be on hand to meet everyone and congratulate Tokyo for being the first affiliate location to debut events outside of MoMo’s birthplace in Helsinki Finland. 😎
While we’re on the topic of Finnish invasions, here’s a quick tip for an upcoming high-tech seminar in Tokyo on 4 December, sponsored by the Embassy of Finland, Invest in Finland, the Finland Trade Centre (FINPRO), the National Technology Agency of Finland (TEKES) and the Japan Institute for Overseas Investment (JOI).
MoMo Tokyo has had another fantastic year here with 23 mobile experts having presented on stage, and the upcoming year-end party marks our 10th event. Our deepest thanks to the many kind supporters who make this possible, not least of which are our sponsors, the venue providers, the presenters, volunteers and – of course – all members of the Mobile Monday Tokyo community. Yoroshiku!
We look forward to seeing everyone on 11 December for Tokyo’s hottest, most insidery mobile networking event of the holiday season!
Date: Monday, 11 December 2006 :: 18:30 – 23:00
Venue: Roppongi Flower – GMAP
Admission: Free with registration (below) — OR — JPY1,000 at the door
Includes: 2 drink tickets with light buffet and prize draw!
18:30 – Doors Open
19:00 – Networking – Buffet
21:00 – Meshi Draw
22:30 – Last Call
23:00 – Close – Nijikai
Registration is now closed.. See you Monday Night!
We had a fantastic event on 13 November at the Canadian embassy in Tokyo to launch Mobile Monday Tokyo’s third year of operation in Japan. The evening was truly a perfect combination of venue and presentations, with just over 300 attendees on hand to mix and mingle over an open bar; by all accounts a great time was had by all.
We’re now planning for the year-end Bonenkai party and will be sure to get the news posted here and mailed out to everyone on the MoMo Tokyo email list as soon as possible. Our sincere thanks to everyone involved with making this a going and growing community!
In November Japanese traditionally celebrate Shichi-Go-San (7-5-3) Day, so it’s an auspicious time to mark the start of MoMo Tokyo’s third year. Join us 13 November for a fantastic set of presentations including a Canadian IP phone, a first-hand report on China’s growing wireless market and fascinating usability insights from one of Japan’s top ‘mobile’ academics.
MoMo happens this month at the ultramodern Canadian embassy, one of Tokyo’s toniest Akasaka addresses. BE SURE to bring along photo ID (passport, driver’s license, etc.) for security check at the door. Special thanks to both the embassy and ACCJ-YPG for helping us organize what promises to be a fantastic event.
And more news: MoMo global continues to expand! September and October saw the launch of MoMo chapters in Washington, DC, Shanghai and Istanbul. Congratulations to our new MoMo colleagues and Yoroshiku! 😎
Finally, please contribute to complete our MoMo Tokyo Online Survey, the results will help us serve you better..
FREE with registration (below) — OR — ¥1,000 at the door
Guest presenters:
Kyle Hasegawa — Chief Engineer — Namzak Japan Six-year-old startup Namzak Japan develops web collaboration tools and has labs in Canada and the USA; clients include NTT DoCoMo, NTT East, Canon and Fuji Film. In 2005, the company deployed its ‘Arrowfone’ IP telephone and in 2006, the ‘ArrowfonePC’. Hasegawa-san will share his thoughts on mobile strategy and key technology factors as 3G convergence takes off.
Benjamin Joffe — Co-Founder — MoMo Beijing & CEO Plus Eight Star Benjamin is a long-time Tokyo mobile veteran and, after moving to Beijing, decided that the world’s largest mobile market with over 400 million mobile phones users needed a MoMo chapter of its own, which he co-founded in March 2006. Benjamin will provide an overview and local success stories on what’s happening in mobile behind the Great Firewall. Benjamin is also founder of [+8*] (Plus Eight Star) Ltd., a consulting firm focused on innovation in the mobile and Internet space from China, Japan and South Korea; +8* have just published their first report covering the Korean online and mobile social phenomenon Cyworld.
Philip Sugai — Assoc. Marketing Professor — Int. University of Japan Dr Sugai is Associate Dean of IUJ’s Graduate School of International Business, where he teaches Internet Marketing, Mobile Marketing, New Product Development and Brand Management. He has worked as a marketing executive at American Express, Muze Inc., and Lightningcast, and his primary research interests are mobile and wireless consumer behavior and new product development in new media. He has published a number of noted articles and white papers related to the marketing implications of emerging mobile technologies, and in 2006 he co-founded u-Lab, a think-tank and research organization focused on existing and future ubiquitous technologies and their impact on consumers, markets and societies.
Date: Monday, 13 November 2006 :: 18:30 – 22:00
Venue: Canadian Embassy theatre — GMAP
Admission: FREE with pre-registration — OR — ¥1,000 at the door
Complimentary nomi-hodai cocktail bar
Note: || Photo ID REQUIRED ||
18:30 – Doors Open
19:00 – Welcome/introduction
19:20 – First presentation
19:40 – Second presentation
20:00 – Third presentation
20:20 – Q & A
20:30 – Networking
21:30 – Last Call
A super evening was had by all at MoMo Tokyo 2nd anniversary event; many thanks to all who attended and especially to the panel members! We’ve posted some photos of our fantastic panel in action and – as a special bonus for those who couldn’t make it due to emergency surgery, etc. – we have uploaded an .mp3 audio file of the Q&A discussion.
NEW: ONLINE SURVEY. We have prepared this Online Survey with a few quick questions for local MoMoers feedback. Update: Results Here.. 😎
We’re planning the next event with a target date for 13 November, and we’ll be sure to get that announcement out to everyone once the details are locked down. Thanks again and see you soon!
Here’s a download link for the .mp3 file from our panel Q&A discussion. Run time: 70 mins (48MB)
Tatsuki Tomita – VP for APAC Business Development – Opera Software
Tatsuki leads Asia/Pacific business development related to Opera’s browser for mobile handsets, PCs, and other networked devices. Opera’s browser adapts to varying screen sizes and input methods while enabling cross-device access to Web applications and dynamic user interfaces based on interoperable, open-Web technologies such as AJAX.
Joseph Jasper – Investor Relations – Index Group
The Index Group of companies develop dynamic mobile content and innovative service solutions that support the market penetration of 3G mobile phones, the spread of rich content and cooperative links between television broadcasting and mobile communications. The Index content distribution network extends across rapidly expanding and increasingly sophisticated mobile markets that include Asia, Europe and North America.
Ray Tsuchiyama – VP – Tegic Communications
Based in Tokyo, Ray Tsuchiyama serves currently as vice president for Tegic Communications, a wholly owned subsidiary of Time Warner Inc’s AOL unit. He currently directs emerging market development in the Asia-Pacific region (India, SE Asia) and Latin America, and formerly headed Japan and Greater China operations for Tegic.
Martyn Williams – Tokyo Bureau Chief – IDG News Service
Martyn has lived in Japan and followed this country’s IT and telecommunication industries since 1995. He was formerly a correspondent for Newsbytes News Network and Data Communications Asia Pacific magazine, and he currently reports for IDG’s magazines including Computerworld, PC World, Network World and Macworld.
You’re invited to MoMo Tokyo’s 2nd Anniversary Event on 25 September 2006, at KDDI’s fabulous Designing Studio (freshly updated with touch & try examples of au’s newly announced handsets). We also look forward to introduce our new sponsor: Robert Leonard Consulting, who – along with continued support from Jonckers Translation & Engineering – make our Tokyo events possible. Huge Thanks to all for the last 2-years!
It’s our birthday, so we’ve decided to change the evening’s format from the usual presentations and present a special expert mobile panel, who will field your free-flow open-mike questions and provide fantastic insight based on the theme of “Japan Mobile: Past, Present and Future”
And since MoMo Tokyo is well into the ‘Terrible Twos’ era, we’ve decided that input from the local community would be in order to help us navigate direction of the community. Accordingly, we’ll ask you to fill out quick feedback form on arrival at the venue in exchange for the ever-popular ‘free’ drink ticket.
Finally, a quick follow-up to last month’s ‘The Heat is On’ event: thanks to the good folks from the eNews team at IFRA Germany who attended and, by all accounts, enjoyed their evening with MoMo followed by a super study week in Tokyo. Yoroshiku!
Special Guest Panel:
Tatsuki Tomita – VP for APAC Business Development – Opera Software
Tatsuki leads Asia/Pacific business development related to Opera’s browser for mobile handsets, PCs, and other networked devices. Opera’s browser adapts to varying screen sizes and input methods while enabling cross-device access to Web applications and dynamic user interfaces based on interoperable, open-Web technologies such as AJAX.
Joseph Jasper – Investor Relations – Index Group
The Index Group of companies develop dynamic mobile content and innovative service solutions that support the market penetration of 3G mobile phones, the spread of rich content and cooperative links between television broadcasting and mobile communications. The Index content distribution network extends across rapidly expanding and increasingly sophisticated mobile markets that include Asia, Europe and North America.
Ray Tsuchiyama – VP – Tegic Communications
Based in Tokyo, Ray Tsuchiyama serves currently as vice president for Tegic Communications, a wholly owned subsidiary of Time Warner Inc’s AOL unit. He currently directs emerging market development in the Asia-Pacific region (India, SE Asia) and Latin America, and formerly headed Japan and Greater China operations for Tegic.
Martyn Williams – Tokyo Bureau Chief – IDG News Service
Martyn has lived in Japan and followed this country’s IT and telecommunication industries since 1995. He was formerly a correspondent for Newsbytes News Network and Data Communications Asia Pacific magazine, and he currently reports for IDG’s magazines including Computerworld, PC World, Network World and Macworld.
