We are pleased to announce that the Shizenkan University is now accepting applications for non-degree* students.
[Course description]
For the last two decades, startups have been attracting increasing attention worldwide with capital, talent, and government support culminating into creating hundreds of “unicorns” (i.e. private companies that are valued over US$ 1 billion). At the center of these high-growth companies are the entrepreneurs that orchestrate the birth, growth, pivoting, and exiting of these organizations. Entrepreneurial thinking is developed through intentional exploration, experimentation, and reflection. While launching a business may not be the goal for all students, the course provides a structured opportunity to apply innovative thinking across various contexts.
Through the course, we expect students to experience the process of converting an opportunity into a profitable and sustainable new business idea, while considering the risks and opportunities in a systematic manner. At the same time, the course will provide students an opportunity to reflect on their strengths and challenges in developing themselves as an entrepreneur. For participants with substantial professional experience in established organizations, this course provides tools to translate that expertise into new venture or innovation contexts. By placing participants in the role of the entrepreneur, the course enables students to learn how to apply and feel comfortable with a range of entrepreneurial ways of thinking and acting. The sessions will provide learnings and frameworks that participants can use in venture projects and their future careers.
[Faculty]
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| Associate Prof. Shunsuke Nagao |
| Shun is CFO of CorundumSystemsBiology, a VC firm investing in life science companies globally. He is also Treasurer of Corundum Convergence Institute, as well as Venture Partner at White Star Capital. Previously he was Executive Director of the Silicon Valley Japan Platform, and has held positions at the World Economic Forum, a Paris-based startup, at Goldman Sachs and at Morgan Stanley. Shun has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Keio University and a MBA from INSEAD. Born and raised in Geneva, Switzerland and educated in Japan and France, Shun has a multicultural background and is fluent in Japanese, English and French. |
[Overview]
| Course name | Entrepreneurship and Business Start-up |
| Course period | November 1st, 2025 – December 13th, 2025 |
| Language | English |
| Number of slots | Approximately 2 |
| Format | On campus (in person) and online |
| Deadline for the application | Friday, October 10th, 2025 by 12:00pm (JST) |
| Number of credit | 2 credits |
| Selection period | Friday, October 10th – Friday, October 17th (Document screening and interview) |
| Fees | 230,000 JPY (Non-Degree Program registration fee of 30,000 JPY and Tuition fee of 200,000 JPY) |
[Voicies from the past program participants]
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“Having the chance to deliver an actual pitch was a truly valuable experience. I learned how to develop my business idea, what key aspects to consider, and how to move it forward. At the same time, I realized how challenging it can be to explain ideas to others and how crucial preparation is to make them convincing. This process allowed me to experience what it feels like to be an entrepreneur and contributed significantly to my personal growth.”（Class of 2025）
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“The Entrepreneurship course with Professor Nagao was both enlightening and engaging, especially at this stage in my studies. The course was well-structured, offering a balance of theoretical knowledge and practical insights into the world of entrepreneurship. One of the highlights for me was collaborating with a classmate on their project instead of working on a solo project as I usually do. This approach gave me fresh perspectives and helped me better understand the value of collaboration.”（Class of 2025）
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“The hands-on exposure through case studies, pitch analysis, and learning from both successful and unsuccessful ventures was incredibly valuable. The final pitch session, with feedback from a real investor, was particularly eye-opening. I gained a lot from reviewing the class materials and applying those lessons to create a final pitch deck. Overall, this course served as an excellent preparation for the final project and complemented concepts from other courses. With the resources provided and Professor Nagao’s extensive experience, this course was an invaluable part of my academic journey. I would highly recommend it to future students.” (Class of 2025)
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[Class schedule]
The dates and times of the classes are as follows (Japan Standard Time). Session 1, 3, 4 and 7 will be held in person at the Shizenkan campus. Session 5 will be held in person at the entrepreneur office in Tokyo. Session 2 and 6 will be held online using Zoom.
| Session 1 | Saturday, November 1, 2025, 8:45-12:15 | Introduction to the Entrepreneur Course and the Entrepreneurial Journey |
| Session 2 | Saturday, November 8, 2025, 8:45-12:15 | Fostering an Entrepreneurial Mindset and Core Skills |
| Session 3 | Saturday, November 15, 2025, 8:45-12:15 | Your first 90 Days and How to Prepare for it |
| Session 4 | Saturday, November 22, 2025, 8:45-12:15 | Fund Raising, KPIs, Unit Economics and Brushing Your Business Model |
| Session 5 | Saturday, November 29, 2025, 8:45-12:15 | Dialogue with Entrepreneur off Campus |
| Session 6 | Saturday, December 6, 2025, 8:45-12:15 | Brushing your Venture Pitch Through a Dry Run |
| Session 7 | Saturday, December 13, 2025, 8:45-12:15 | Final Venture Pitch |
[Other Non-degree Courses Offerings]
| Course Name | Language | Course Start Date | Announcement Period |
| アントレプレナーシップと事業創造 | Japanese | Nov.-Dec. 2025 | Sept. 2025 |
| ソーシャル・インパクトの創出 | Japanese | Nov.-Dec. | Sept. 2025 |
| Leadership and Negotiation
リーダーシップと交渉学 |
English
Japanese |
Jan.-Mar.2026 | Nov. 2025 |
| Global Management: Strategy, Organization and Leadership | English | Jan.-Mar. | Nov. 2025 |
*Non-degree program
The non-degree program is a system that allows non-Master’s students to take some of the courses offered by Shizenkan’s Professional Master’s Program on a course-by-course basis. Students who complete the coursework can earn credits. The course being offered this time is “Entrepreneurship and Business Start-up” Other courses will be offered in the future (please refer to the bottom of this page).
Contact us
Admissions Office, Graduate School of Leadership & Innovation, Shizenkan University
Address: Nihonbashi Takashimaya Mitsui Building 17F
2-5-1 Nihonbashi Chuo-ku Tokyo 103-6117 Japan
E-mail: admissions-non-degree@shizenkan.ac.jp