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The Place You're Passing Becomes a "Show" — A Think Tank Ace Envisions a New Mobility Experience Made Possible by AI【2025 ICT Startup League Member Interview: Bashow Inc.】
Commuting, driving—"mobility" is an essential part of our daily lives. However, this time is often seen as wasted or merely a process to get to a destination. One startup, Bashow Inc., is trying to transform this travel time into an enriching experience full of new discoveries and enjoyment.
Leading the company is Masashi Hodotsuka, who spent 10 years as a top researcher in the automotive and mobility field at a major think tank, The Japan Research Institute, Ltd. His career seemed to be smooth sailing, even delivering keynote speeches at industry conferences. However, he chose to leave this stable position and become an entrepreneur himself. His concept is an "in-vehicle app" that uses AI to deliver location-specific audio information to people on the move. Beyond that, he envisions building a global platform that maximizes the added value of all mobility experiences.
Why did he transition from a think tank researcher to an entrepreneur? We explore the new market opportunities he discovered analyzing the Chinese market during his think tank days, and his grand vision of "making every place a show."
Concept image of the "Bashow" local topic guide appConcept: "Don't Try to Use It." A Local Info App Enjoyed Passively
First, could you tell us about the service Bashow Inc. is developing?
Hodotsuka: We're creating an app for people moving in cars, etc., that announces local topics via short, 15-second audio clips every few minutes. These "topics" are bits of local information, like guides to nearby shops, events, and famous places. For example, for a shop, it's not just that the shop exists, but we summarize information that goes deeper, like, "This menu item is popular at this shop."
That's a very unique concept. How does it differ from other information apps?
Hodotsuka: The concept of our app is "don't try hard to use it." It's not an app that you're meant to stare at and focus on intently, like playing a game. In fact, we don't want that. It's designed to be used "while doing something else"—at least while moving somewhere, perhaps while listening to music or the radio—and to be enjoyed passively. We aim for it to blend naturally into the experience of driving without distracting the driver.
A major quantitative difference is the volume and quality of the content we provide. In the US market, there are several services that offer local information via audio. However, many of them just read out preset information (prepared manually by the operating company) at fixed locations. Once you've heard it, you won't get new information at that spot again.
On the other hand, our service uses our AI system to semi-automatically and continuously generate countless topics based on vast amounts of publicly available web information and other sources. As a result, the volume of content is literally orders of magnitude greater than existing services. Even if you drive the same road, you might make a new discovery every time. We believe it will become a service that people can use repeatedly in their daily lives, not just a one-off tourist guide.
If the AI generates information automatically, I'd be concerned about accuracy.
Hodotsuka: In a sense, we're realistic about that. We don't guarantee 100% accuracy for the information our app provides. It's purely about providing a "trigger" or a "spark." If someone thinks, "That sounds interesting," they can then look it up themselves. I think this is an approach that's difficult for major corporations to take. We might naturally get complaints like, "Hey, this place is closed at this time," but we place more value on providing the joy of serendipitous encounters and discoveries. It's a trade-off you can make as a startup.
"Bashow" topic delivery conceptThe "Future" He Saw in Chinese Cars: From Researcher to Entrepreneur
I heard that you were a researcher in the automotive field at The Japan Research Institute until 2024, right before founding the company. Why did you enter the automotive field in the first place? Were you always a car enthusiast?
Hodotsuka: I get asked that a lot, but actually, I'm not that interested in cars themselves (laughs). I like driving, but I get lost when car lovers get into the details like, "The suspension on that model is...". The reason I joined the think tank was that I was drawn to the "autonomous driving" project, which was a very hot topic at the time. In the mid-2010s, there was this incredible excitement that autonomous driving would soon be widespread, replacing taxis and buses and dramatically changing local transportation. From my previous experience as a secretary to a House of Representatives member, I was interested in themes like local communities and daily life, and I'd also been strongly interested in launching new businesses since my time at a consulting firm. The project at The Japan Research Institute at the time felt like an attractive intersection of those two interests.
How did you establish your position as a researcher in the automotive industry, which is full of experts?
Hodotsuka: That was a real struggle. If I tried to compete head-on in terms of car knowledge, I stood no chance against people who had been in this world for decades. So, I focused on the Chinese market, which many Japanese experts were still overlooking at the time. From the mid-2010s, China's auto market, especially for electric vehicles, was starting to grow at an incredible pace. I had worked in Shanghai in the past and spoke some Chinese, so as I decoded the local, primary-source information, I realized something incredible was about to happen.
At the time, there was a much stronger tendency than now to look down on Chinese cars, like, "Who cares about Chinese cars?" But I kept saying in various places, "Chinese cars are about to become amazing, especially in electrification and digitalization." As a result, I got labeled in ways I didn't intend, like a "Sinophile" (laughs). But my assessment didn't change. That analysis gradually gained acceptance, and I was able to slowly build my own position as a think tank researcher.
And that analysis of the Chinese market led to you starting this company.
Hodotsuka: Exactly. As I followed the evolution of Chinese cars, what caught my attention even more than electrification was the digitalization of the car's interior—what they call "intelligentization" (智能化) in China. Displays were getting huge, fragrance diffusers were being added, and passenger-sensing functions were becoming more sophisticated. The inside of the car was transforming from a simple space for movement into an information space. The starting point for this company was when I began to think, "What kind of new experiences could be born if we used this vast amount of internal and external vehicle data and diverse interfaces to provide digital content?"
Why did you decide to launch the business yourself instead of just promoting the concept as a researcher?
Hodotsuka: As a researcher, I was fortunate to have opportunities to share my ideas, writing papers and books and speaking at industry conferences. But somewhere in my heart, I also felt a limit. I felt that if I continued on that path, I wouldn't be able to implement the new industrial structure, the new value of mobility, that I was truly envisioning. In that case, I decided to take the risk and try to realize that vision myself. I established the company. At The Japan Research Institute, I had been involved in creating about four new businesses, so in a way, founding a company felt like an extension of those activities.
Enriching the Mobility Experience: Realizing a World Where "Every Place Becomes a Show"
Ultimately, what kind of world do you want to create through this business?
Hodotsuka: Our mission is "to enrich the mobility experience." Travel time is often seen as wasted or boring. But originally, it should be a time for new encounters, a change of mood, or bonding with the people you're with. We want to use technology to maximize that unique value of mobility. We want to create a world where you can have rich experiences precisely *because* you are on the move. We envision a world where everyday travel itself becomes entertainment—where "every place becomes a show." That's the world I want to build.
To realize that grand vision, what kind of "partners" do you think you'll need?
Hodotsuka: We will definitely need "partners" from many different fields. Working backward from our long-term vision, we'll need car manufacturers, of course, as well as makers of the various devices installed in cars. On the software side, collaboration with people in entertainment, tourism, and local communities—those who could become future in-car app developers—is also essential.
Furthermore, in the more immediate term, as we start placing ads in the app we're already operating, collaboration with advertising agencies and advertisers—ranging from large corporations to small businesses like family-run restaurants—will also be extremely important.
Could you tell us about your specific roadmap?
Hodotsuka: Starting with the immediate steps, we will launch the full-scale smartphone app on November 1, 2025. Then, within the next year (2026), we plan to add a feature for businesses, from large corporations to local shops and municipalities, to place ads. Our first goal is to make this app a viable business on its own.
However, this is just the first step. By using the vast amount of usage data from this app for machine learning, we will cultivate what we really want to build: our proprietary AI that handles "timing judgment"—determining what content to deliver, to whom, where, when, and how.
And in the future, we will provide this timing judgment function itself to various in-car app developers and car manufacturers as "middleware" that sits between the OS and the application. This is our medium- to long-term goal.
That "middleware" you mentioned sounds a bit technical. What role would it play, specifically?
Hodotsuka: Yes. Our middleware will have an AI that understands highly complex contexts, such as the surrounding environment (like location and weather) and the in-cabin situation (like the driver's mood and relationship with passengers). Based on that, it will act as a "control tower" or a "thoughtful concierge" for the entire mobility experience, judging the optimal timing for "what content to deliver, to whom, where, when, and how."
A "thoughtful concierge"? Do you imagine realizing that on the smartphone app first? Or are you looking further ahead to the cars of the future?
Hodotsuka: There's quite a lot we can do with the smartphone app. While we envision it being built into cars in the medium- to long-term, we plan to experiment a lot with the smartphone app first. But as you point out, this middleware will show its true value in a future where cars are even more digitalized and advanced. Especially around the time Level 3 or higher autonomous driving is implemented, there will be demand for a wide variety of in-car apps. The AI will analyze car-specific data that smartphones can't get, such as "CAN data" showing accelerator and brake status, as well as facial expressions and vital data from driver monitoring systems, all in real-time.
What will change by taking data directly from the car?
Hodotsuka: It will enable ultimate personalization. In other words, customization based not just on the person's attributes and preferences, but also on the situation—location, time, mood, etc. For example, when you're enjoying a drive on the highway, it could project exhilarating XR content matching that sense of speed onto the outside window. Or if it detects the driver's expression is tired from a traffic jam, it could provide calming content to help them refresh.
We want to build the foundational system that supports the rich, digital-content-driven mobility experience of the future. That is our vision.
"Bashow" app screenEditor's Note
As a think tank researcher, Mr. Hodotsuka has always analyzed industries from an objective viewpoint. Beneath his calm demeanor lies a burning passion to fundamentally enrich the everyday act of "mobility." He possesses both the sharp analytical skill to read the future from trends in the Chinese market that many experts overlooked, and the strong execution power to implement that vision in society with his own hands. These two wheels are likely what allow him to sublimate his grand vision into a grounded business.
"Please don't try hard to use it"—this app with its unique concept might just change the mundane scenery of our daily lives into something a little more special. I, for one, would like to experience a glimpse of this future where "every place becomes a show" on my own smartphone first.
■ICT Startup League
A support program launched in FY2023, originating from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications' "Support Program for R&D in Startup-driven Advanced Technologies."
The ICT Startup League supports startups through four pillars.
①R&D Funding / Hands-on Support
Provides up to 20 million yen in R&D funding as a subsidy. Additionally, through hands-on support, the selection committee members who were involved in screening the league members stay with them post-selection to promote their growth. For companies that a committee member "absolutely wanted to select," a "fan-like" support system is built where the committee member themselves continuously provides advice on business plans and offers growth opportunities.
②Discovery & Development
We provide opportunities for learning and networking to promote the business growth of league members.
We also work to discover those aiming to start businesses in the future, aiming to expand the base.
③Competition & Co-creation
It serves as a place for positive competition, much like a sports league, with a system where startups learn together, engage in friendly competition, and win the funding they truly need (up to 20 million yen). We also provide a venue for co-creation, where league members can collaborate and expand their businesses through various opportunities, such as sessions by the selection committee members.
④Promotion
We will promote the initiatives of league members in collaboration with the media! By letting many people know about their businesses, we aim to expand opportunities for new matching and chances.
■Related Websites
Bashow Inc.
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Bashow Inc. (LEAGUE MEMBER)
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ICT Startup League
