The Future Envisioned by a Gen Z Entrepreneur: A Career-Linked AI English App Ushering in an Era Where Anyone Can Aim for Professionalism[FY2025 ICT Startup League Member Interview: Favo Technologies, Inc.]

Tsubasa Ishizuka is a spirited entrepreneur who started her own business while still in university, embarking on the path of independence at a young age. Believing that careers and skills can drastically change one's life—a view shaped by growing up in a single-mother household and witnessing her mother's struggles—she first founded Surumi, Inc., focusing on DX training for women. In 2024, she launched her second venture, Favo Technologies, Inc., centered around the AI English conversation app "DAIAL."

Her goal is to break through the limitations of traditional English education and provide everyone with the opportunity to acquire "spoken English." At the root of this strong conviction lies a fervent desire for "equality in learning opportunities," born from her own experiences as a financially struggling student. "DAIAL" is based on free-talk learning that realistically reproduces business scenes by industry. With a unique mechanism where learning achievements lead directly to career advancement, she is proposing a new business model combining "English Conversation App x Recruitment Support."

As a Gen Z leader, Ishizuka also wants to convey the splendor of choosing entrepreneurship. We asked her about the driving force behind her activities and the future Favo Technologies aims to create with "DAIAL."

Tsubasa Ishizuka, Favo Technologies, Inc.

Deciding to Start a Business to "Survive on My Own Power"

Ms. Ishizuka, before founding Favo Technologies in 2024, you had already launched a company (Surumi, Inc.) while still in university. Did you always have a desire to start a business?

Ishizuka: I grew up in a single-mother household, and my grandfather, who ran a company, was like a father figure to me. As a child, I lived a comfortable life and attended private schools until middle school, but when my grandfather's company fell on hard times, our life changed completely. My mother, who had dedicated herself to raising children, didn't have any specific qualifications or skills other than a driver's license, so she began working as a taxi driver. Witnessing her struggles, I realized even as a child that "unless you acquire professional skills and do work that you can continue throughout your life, you will struggle."

You must have gone through a very difficult time...

Ishizuka: I entered a night high school (part-time) and went on to university while working. During college, my mother fell ill, so I had to support the household expenses in addition to paying my tuition. The experience of desperately working while continuing to study became the driving force behind my current activities. The reason I started my first company in my fourth year of university was my desire to "make life easier for my mother" and to "become a woman who can carve out her own path by running a company."

Changing the Way We Learn! AI English Conversation to Solve the "Japanese People Can't Speak" Problem

Please tell us about the background behind your decision to develop the generative AI-powered English conversation app "DAIAL" at Favo Technologies.

Ishizuka:
Shortly before founding the company, I was discussing English learning with a friend who is a returnee and had attended an international school in Thailand. According to her, English education there is completely different from Japan; they learn by focusing on "speaking" first, so conversational skills are acquired naturally. On the other hand, in Japan's compulsory education, grammar-centric learning is mainstream, and many people become adults without really being able to speak English. I felt a strong dissonance with this gap.
My friend said, "I became able to speak English because I put myself in an environment where I *had* to speak, and the grammar followed later." Hearing her experience, I felt that "if we change the learning method itself, people in Japan might be able to speak English better." This was the initial inspiration for the development of the DAIAL app.

So, noticing the "difference" between overseas and Japanese education triggered the business idea.

Ishizuka: When I was in high school, I wanted to study English more seriously, but at the time, only expensive learning services were available. I had a desire to "make learning accessible equally to anyone with the motivation." When I thought about a mechanism to enable Japanese people to truly "become able to speak English," it led to the development of an app where users learn living English conversation from an AI instructor.

Learning "Living English" Through Industry-Specific Free Talk with Personalized AI Instructors

Could you explain the service details of "DAIAL" again?

Ishizuka: "DAIAL" is an AI English conversation app for business professionals. By creating highly detailed English conversation situations for each industry using our proprietary algorithm and generative AI, users can acquire practical business English. Initially, we developed the app for B2B and deployed paid services customized to the needs of client companies, but we are currently developing a B2C app for anyone to use, aiming for a release within 2025.

How is it different from other English conversation apps?

Ishizuka: I think most general English conversation apps follow a format of learning daily conversation along a set text. "DAIAL" specializes in business scenes, teaching the AI specialized English used in industries such as finance, law, advertising, and marketing, and the conversation takes place via free talk.
For example, if the user is a lawyer, they can converse with an AI English instructor equipped with expert knowledge on legal terminology, contract drafting, and litigation, set in a realistic situation. The strength of "DAIAL" is that you can properly learn living business English tailored to each industry.

Specifically, how do users learn English in the app?

Ishizuka: First, the user specifies the situation: "When, where, with whom, and what to do." For example, if you input, "For the overseas expansion of our product, I have a meeting tomorrow to present which region to target to a US partner company. I need to talk to a real estate client about Tokyo's housing policy," an AI instructor customized to that content is generated and appears on the screen. Furthermore, these prompts are accumulated on the "DAIAL" platform, and if the creating user makes them public, anyone can reuse them.

So, by specifying the desired situation in detail, a lecturer perfect for you appears. What happens after the free talk?

Ishizuka: The content of the free talk is converted into text, and the user's English ability is automatically graded. One of "DAIAL's" features is its comprehensive reporting function, which points out and corrects issues with the user's intonation or incorrect word usage during the conversation, and advises on more appropriate expressions.
In the B2C app, users can use the free talk (about 5 minutes daily) and the grading/reporting functions on a free plan.

What kind of reaction have you received from users who actually used the app?

Ishizuka: We have received positive feedback such as "It's easy to use" and "Studying has become much easier." On the other hand, someone attending an English conversation school told us, "I want to use it to review the content I did at school." We hadn't considered the perspective of collaborating with English conversation schools, so that was a good realization.

Are there any challenges you feel regarding the app's functions or service content?

Ishizuka: The more specialized the industry, the more complex the content the AI needs to learn. Sometimes there are omissions in the terminology loaded, so I feel we need to refine the learning process a bit more. Also, the evolution of generative AI is remarkable, so securing capable development talent who can handle cutting-edge technology is an urgent issue.

Actual conversation content in "DAIAL"

An English App That Opens the "Door to Career Change"

Is there anything you are putting particular effort into for the development of the B2C app?

Ishizuka: Increasing the generation accuracy to bring up the AI instructor each user desires, and increasing the generation speed. We believe that enabling conversations to start without lag is most important for the user experience. Initially, it took about 1 minute to generate, but now we can generate it in about 10 seconds.
Also, as a major feature of the B2C service, we are including a function to support users' career changes. This allows users to share their English conversation scores and report information with hiring companies to receive job offers.

Connecting an English conversation app with career support is a completely new perspective.

Ishizuka: Users can improve their English skills using the app and then appeal their ability to companies using the grading function and reports. Companies can view this and use it as a substitute for English subjects in primary screening exams.
By preparing a pathway to "working as global talent" as a service, we pride ourselves on having created something distinct from other English conversation apps.

Are there any functions you are thinking of adding in the future?

Ishizuka: English learning done alone using an app tends to be lonely, so we are considering installing a bulletin board function where users can communicate with each other, and a function to add comments to public conversation situations. I want to build a community with people interacting on the app.
We are also developing a debate function. In foreign-affiliated companies, they sometimes hold light debates as an icebreaker when a meeting starts. This function would match users on the app to debate each other, with the AI acting as the judge.

Are you thinking of expanding the service overseas?

Ishizuka: We have already started developing a service for native English speakers abroad to learn Japanese conversation. Currently, development is only for Japanese and English, but after the business expands, we want to support multiple languages.

English conversation app "DAIAL"

Creating a Society Where Everyone Can Grasp Opportunities if They Have the Will to Learn

What kind of society do you want to realize through your business and services?

Ishizuka: The core of "DAIAL's" service is human resource development. Regardless of financial issues or whether one has access to opportunities, anyone can start by downloading the app and can acquire skills anytime, anywhere, 24 hours a day. That leads to chances, such as offers from companies. I aim to create a society where anyone with the ambition can obtain learning opportunities and chances equally.

I sense a strong conviction to change the world.

Ishizuka: When I started my first company, I was a student and didn't know left from right, so I hesitated quite a bit at first, thinking, "Starting a business is..." But someone encouraged me, saying, "If you start a business, the world will change. You should definitely start a business and convey your thoughts." I was able to take the first step thanks to that, and I still cherish those words.
Because I lack experience, I make many mistakes, but those will become part of my strength. I want to tell the younger generation, especially, that if you have a desire to change the world or change yourself, you should start a business.
If you find something inconvenient or a social issue, turn the solution into a service yourself, and if it is accepted by the world, I think you'll get quite an "adrenaline rush." I want to experience more of that, and I want others to experience it too.

Editor's Note
Tsubasa Ishizuka's strong driving force as an entrepreneur lies in her own upbringing filled with hardships and the passionate desire for "equality of opportunity" born from it. In particular, her idea of not limiting the AI English conversation app "DAIAL" to a personal study tool, but linking the "talent" information and learning data gained there to career advancement, felt like the crystallization of an entrepreneurial spirit aimed at creating a society where anyone can seize opportunities. Her message that "young people are the ones who should start businesses" will likely be a powerful cheer that resonates with today's youth, who tend to be conservative in a low-growth Japan. I look forward to the release of the B2C version of "DAIAL" becoming a key that opens new doors for self-transformation and careers for many people.

■ ICT Startup League
This is a support program launched in FY2023, triggered by the "Start-up Creation and Embryonic Research and Development Support Program" by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC).
The ICT Startup League supports startups through four pillars:
1. R&D Funding / Hands-on Support
Up to 20 million yen in R&D funding is provided in the form of subsidies. Additionally, in hands-on support, the selection evaluation committee members who were involved in selecting the league members will stay close after selection to promote growth. For companies that the evaluation committee members rated as "must-select," a support system akin to "fandom" is constructed, where the evaluators themselves provide continuous support such as advice on business plans and providing growth opportunities.
2. Discovery & Incubation
We provide opportunities for learning and networking to promote the business growth of league members.
We also deploy initiatives to discover people aiming to start businesses in the future, aiming to expand the base of entrepreneurship.
3. Competition & Co-creation
Serving as a place for positive competition like a sports league, startups learn together and improve through friendly rivalry while competing to win the necessary funding (up to 20 million yen). We also provide a place for co-creation where league members can collaborate to expand their businesses through various opportunities such as sessions by selection evaluation committee members.
4. Dissemination (PR)
We will broadcast the initiatives of league members in cooperation with the media! By letting more people know about their businesses, we aim to expand new matching opportunities and chances.

■ Related Websites
Favo Technologies, Inc. ／ Favo Technologies, Inc. (LEAGUE MEMBER) ／ ICT Startup League

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