| Representative |
Kazuhiro Tanaka
Born in Hokkaido.
Graduated from Hokuriku High School in 2008. Graduated from Keio University SFC in 2012.
After working in new business development, startup investment, and JV formation and management at JA Mitsui Leasing Co., Ltd., he became independent in 2022. After working individually in the web3 field (working on projects such as Yubari Melon NFT), he founded MeTown Co., Ltd. in 2023 (has a track record as a co-founder of Local web3 Lab.@Shibuya together with Tokyu Fudosan Holdings). He has strengths in blockchain technology, urban development/regional revitalization, and finance. |
| Main Achievements |
2024: Selected by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications' "ICT Startup League"
2024: Selected for EDCON's "Super Demo"
2023: Winner of the Grand Prize at the "enXross Award" at Tokyo Dome Corporation
2023: Selected for D2Garage's "Onlab Hokkaido Program"
2023: Selected for the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's "J-StarX Program"
2023: Winner of the Regional Revitalization Award at the "Hometown Masterpiece of the Year"
2022: Winner of the Special Corporate Award at the 2022 "Inno Generation Award" |
| Childhood Dream |
Governor of Hokkaido. During my high school days, I loved my hometown of Hokkaido and was interested in social innovation to improve the future of the region. When I witnessed the financial collapse of the city of Yubari, I thought, "I want to become a leader who will create the future of Hokkaido," and this dream came to me. |
| Influential People, Things, and Events |
Person: Joichi Ito
Item: 3D knitting machine (knitting-type 3D printer)
Event: Yubari city's financial collapse |
| Motivation, Goals, and Ideal World |
I want to create a society where everyone can coexist with their second home town.
When I was a second-year high school student, I witnessed the financial collapse of my hometown, Yubari City, Hokkaido. This triggered my desire to contribute to my beloved hometown of Hokkaido, and I entered Keio University SFC to study local government and social innovation. During my time at university, I conducted fieldwork in various regions, including Kochi Prefecture, Nagasaki Prefecture, and New Zealand overseas, and I began to want to start my own business involved in "social innovation" to solve social issues.
After gaining experience in new business development and startup investment at a company, I encountered the field of social innovation using web3-related technologies. As we enter the year 2022, an era known as the first year of the web3 era, and as cutting-edge technology begins to dramatically change the relationship between global and local, and the relationship between virtual and real, I felt the need to use digital technology to create a society where everyone can coexist with their second hometown, and decided to start a business. After that, I founded MeTown Co., Ltd., and ran various projects with the aim of creating a platform that would realize a second hometown where fan communities can gather. Then, I focused on the idea of a community where fans can gather during times of longing, and developed a new product called Mati-wabi. |
