| Representative |
Manabu Kimura
At the Sony Group (2002–2025), he oversaw the “Earth Monitoring Platform” project starting in 2020. With support from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications and the Asia-Pacific Telecommunications Community (APT), he led a project for the early detection of forest fires in northern Thailand, which won the Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications Award at the 6th Space Development and Utilization Awards in 2024. After serving as a Specially Appointed Professor at the Graduate School of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, he founded Planet Sense, Inc. in November 2025 to carry on the legacy of that initiative, and the company began operations the following month. He is now tackling social challenges to help realize a sustainable global environment. |
| Main Achievements |
March 2024: Received the Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications Award at the 6th Space Development and Utilization Awards
March 2026: Recognized as a Hokkaido University-affiliated startup
July 2026: Delivered a presentation at the 46th ASEAN+3 Bond Market Forum (ABMF) hosted by the Asian Development Bank
Numerous other presentations. |
| Childhood Dream |
When I was little, my dream was to become a “chemist”—not just a scientist, but a chemist. I used to treat any liquid I could find as a chemical reagent, and I found it endlessly fascinating to mix them and watch the colors change. I was always amazed by how they would turn into colors I never expected, and I think that’s when I developed the habit of examining things. |
| Influential People, Things, and Events |
Person: “My favorite teacher from middle school, Mr. Yuzukizaki”
Object: “The computer my parents bought for me when I was in elementary school (PC-8001mkII)”
Event: “The birth of my son” |
| Motivation, Goals, and Ideal World |
[What Inspired Me to Start My Business]
The biggest catalyst was the moment my son was born. When I held my newborn child in my arms, a powerful question kept running through my mind: “What kind of Earth will I leave behind for these children, and what will I pass on to them?” I had been addressing environmental issues at Sony and in academia, but the birth of my child suddenly made it a deeply personal matter. As a father and as an engineer, I resolved to do everything in my power, and that’s what led me to start this company.
[Goals We Want to Achieve]
What we aim to achieve is for Planet Sense’s business to serve as a “small catalyst” that changes the behavior of people around the world. Global environmental challenges cannot be solved by the efforts of a single company alone. However, we hope that our business will inspire people worldwide to take action, thinking, “Let’s start by making small changes in our own lives.” By combining the actions of each individual, we want to create a powerful wave of change that improves the global environment.
[The World We Want to Create]
We want to build a sustainable society where people join hands and live in harmony with the Earth. Human prosperity and economic development need not be at odds with protecting the natural environment. We envision a future where everyone—regardless of country or background—naturally chooses to live in harmony with the Earth. Together with like-minded partners around the world, we will shape such a warm and sustainable human society. |
Media Produced by ASCII STARTUP
