Oriental Consultants Global Co., Ltd. held its first Ideathon presentation event on March 27th, employing a hybrid format with both in-person and online participation in the headquarters conference room and via the web. Approximately 70 people attended in total. “Ideathon” is a portmanteau of “idea” and “marathon,” where participants brainstorm ideas within a set time frame, continuously refine them, and compete for results, akin to a marathon.

Winner Team Commemorative Photo
Left: Eiji Yonezawa / CEO, President
and
Team members (One out of three participated via the Web)

The theme of the first event was “Ideas to Solve Challenges in Our Ongoing Projects.” Outstanding ideas were to be considered for business implementation. Over a period of approximately three months, 11 young employees, mainly from general positions, formed three teams and engaged in brainstorming sessions and discussions to propose ideas for addressing challenges and providing solutions. Throughout the discussions, not only the feasibility of the ideas but also their market viability, such as their practicality in actual projects and whether there was demand in the market as a business, were researched and examined.

This initiative was organized and managed by the New Business Incubation Department, established in October 2023, with the company directors serving as judges. Kenichi Yamamoto, Executive Officer and Head of the New Business Incubation Department, who is responsible for this initiative, stated in his opening remarks at the presentation event, “By expanding private-sector businesses, it is possible to catch up with the world’s leading consultants and significantly increase our revenue. Those who will be active in 2030, the target year of OC Global’s medium-to-long-term plan, are the young employees in their 20s and 30s today. That’s why we planned this Ideathon to encourage young minds not only towards ODA projects but also towards new business and private-sector projects.”

During the Q&A session, specific questions and comments were raised regarding business implementation, such as “How does your idea differentiate from existing similar businesses? What are the strengths of our company in implementing this?” and “Is there demand in the regions your team has envisioned? Wouldn’t it be better to target other countries or regions?” Numerous inquiries were made with a focus on business viability.

The winning team’s idea will be implemented in our company’s projects, with the goal of eventual business development.

Opening Speech by
Kenichi Yamamoto /
Executive Officer of
Business Incubation Department

Photo of the Headquarters Venue