Funai Soken Research Institute to Manage Kochi Prefecture's 'Kochi 100 Billion Yen Company Seminar' (July 21)

Funai Soken Research Institute Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; President: Daisuke Shinkai; hereinafter 'Funai Soken'), a management consulting firm with specialized consultants for mid-sized and small-to-medium enterprises, will serve as the secretariat for the 'Kochi 100 Billion Yen Company Seminar' hosted by Kochi Prefecture on Tuesday, July 21. This seminar is aimed at executives and senior management of SMEs in Kochi Prefecture, offering management knowledge and advanced case studies for breaking through the 100 billion yen sales mark. Additionally, two networking sessions for business owners are planned after the seminar. Through all three events, participants will gain practical management insights for becoming a 100 billion yen company, create their own roadmaps, and foster continuous collaboration and synergy through network formation. Kochi Prefecture's Unique Support for Creating 100 Billion Yen Companies Currently, for the sustainable development of local economies, the presence of 'mid-sized companies' and 'companies aiming for 100 billion yen in sales' with high growth aspirations is considered crucial. Kochi Prefecture, in collaboration with the national government's '100 Billion Yen Declaration' initiative, is supporting companies that challenge themselves to achieve 100 billion yen in sales, aiming to increase the number of attractive local employers. As part of this effort, the prefecture has established the 'Kochi 100 Billion Yen Company Registration System' for companies actively seeking to scale up. It also offers the 'Kochi Prefecture Income Improvement Promotion Company Comprehensive Support Project Subsidy' to support initiatives such as 'high value-added transformation,' 'production capacity improvement,' 'market development,' 'organizational reform,' 'human resource development,' and 'work style reform' by mid-sized and SMEs with headquarters or main offices in Kochi Prefecture. Seminar Overview The seminar will feature a talk session with a consultant from Funai Soken, who has accompanied over 300 companies in achieving 100 billion yen in sales, and Mr. Masayuki Imoto, Representative Director and Final Management Officer of Arigato Service Co., Ltd. Mr. Imoto is a veteran entrepreneur who transformed his company from a general apparel distributor to a reuse and restaurant-focused business, achieving a remarkable revival and growth into a 100 billion yen company. Furthermore, the seminar is not a one-off event; two follow-up networking sessions are scheduled for September 2026 and January 2027. (Participation in individual sessions is also possible.) In these sessions, participants can create a '100 Billion Yen Company Roadmap' through individual and group work, fostering a psychologically safe network environment for mutual growth. *Over 300 client companies have achieved 100 billion yen in sales in the past 5 years (Funai Soken's '100 Billion Yen Company Project' started in 2020; as of 2024, according to Funai Soken Research Institute). Name: Kochi 100 Billion Yen Company Seminar - Gathering of peers aspiring to become 100 billion yen companies, discussing the future - Date: Tuesday, July 21, 2026, 13:30-16:30 Venue: Cerise 3F, Marine Hall (155 Takasu-suna, Kochi City) Target: SME executives (senior management) in Kochi Prefecture, support organizations, etc. Capacity: 60 people Fee: Free Organizer: Kochi Prefecture Industrial Promotion Department, Industrial Policy Division Operator: Funai Soken Research Institute Co., Ltd. Details & Registration: https://www.pref.kochi.lg.jp/doc/2026051500229/ ▼Program Date: Tuesday, July 21, 2026, 13:30-16:30 [1] 13:35-14:05 'Key Points and Mindset for Becoming a 100 Billion Yen Company' Mr. Masayuki Imoto, Representative Director and Final Management Officer, Arigato Service Co., Ltd. [2] 14:05-14:35 'How to Create a 100 Billion Yen Company in a Local Region' Mr. Keisuke Suzuki, Managing Director, Funai Soken Research Institute [3] 14:55-15:50 Talk Session Mr. Masayuki Imoto, Representative Director and Final Management Officer, Arigato Service Co., Ltd. Mr. Keisuke Suzuki, Managing Director, Funai Soken Research Institute [4] 15:50-16:10 Support Measures Introduction Shikoku Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry Organization for Small & Medium Enterprises and Regional Innovation, Shikoku Headquarters Kochi Prefecture [5] 16:10-16:30 Q&A and Summary ▼Networking Session Overview Two networking sessions are planned separately from the July 21 seminar. In addition to acquiring practical management knowledge for becoming a 100 billion yen company, participants will create a roadmap and provide feedback to each other, promoting continuous collaboration and synergy. Scheduled Dates 1st Networking Session: Late September 2026 2nd Networking Session: Late January 2027 Seminar Features The talk session will feature Mr. Masayuki Imoto from Arigato Service Co., Ltd. (Imabari City, Ehime Prefecture), who will discuss business domain expansion, management decisions, and human resource development based on practical examples of building a 100 billion yen company rooted in the local community. Creating 100 billion yen companies, which are the core of local economies, directly leads to job creation and solving regional issues. Providing a venue where business owners can find 'mentors and friends' to challenge each other, freeing them from isolated decision-making, is believed to significantly strengthen the local economic foundation. Arigato Service Co., Ltd., headquartered in Imabari City, Ehime Prefecture, is a regionally-rooted listed company that operates a wide range of businesses, including reuse, food services, and regional revitalization. Founded in 2000, it changed its name in 2005 and was listed on JASDAQ (now Tokyo Stock Exchange Standard Market) in 2012. Its core reuse business operates nationwide stores like 'Hard Off' and 'Off House,' while it also promotes food service and regional revitalization businesses including accommodation and hot spring facilities. It has also expanded overseas, operating 'Mottainai World' in Cambodia and Thailand. With 143 group stores, it continues to expand its business domain from a local base to national and international markets, practicing management that balances a circular economy with regional revitalization through reuse. Media Inquiries Funai Soken Research Institute Co., Ltd. Corporate Communications Office, PR: Kuninobe, Nishizawa Tel: 0120-958-270 (9:45-17:30) Email: press@funaisoken.co.jp https://www.funaisoken.co.jp/form/press