Three Hiroshima University Freshmen Launch Student Startup: 'Kodai-ken Middle' Cram School Opens with a New Challenge for Hiroshima Education

The cram school brand 'Kodai-ken' has announced the simultaneous opening of three branches of 'Kodai-ken Middle,' a high school entrance exam preparation school for junior high students, founded by three Hiroshima University freshmen.

This initiative is more than just a new school opening; it is an educational project aimed at the philosophy that 'the challenges taken on by Hiroshima University students will inspire the next generation to take on their own challenges.'

'Kodai-ken Middle' aims to convey the value of taking on challenges to local junior high and high school students by showcasing Hiroshima University students who are not only studying and overcoming their own academic hurdles but also taking on the challenge of entrepreneurship and school management. We will provide new value to education in Hiroshima by serving as a cram school that fosters not only academic improvement but also the motivation to move forward in life and career paths.

1. Kodai-ken began with the founder's 'student startup'

The origin of Kodai-ken lies 17 years ago, when the founder himself took on the challenge of an educational business while still a student. Driven by the desire to 'increase the number of moments where lives are changed through exams' and 'prove that one can take on challenges even from a regional area,' he launched the cram school business centered on the Hiroshima University brand.

Through that experience, he realized that even students can create value for their community if they take on challenges seriously. Today, Kodai-ken aspires to be more than just a school operator; it aims to be the 'soil' where the next generation of Hiroshima University students can begin their own new challenges. 'Kodai-ken Middle' is one of the initiatives that gives shape to this philosophy.

2. 'We want to build a school too'—The challenge of three current Hiroshima University students begins

The three individuals who launched 'Kodai-ken Middle' are all current first-year students at Hiroshima University. Motivated by a desire to contribute to local junior high students using their own exam experiences, they chose the challenge of engaging in education not just as 'teachers,' but as 'managers.'

It is by no means easy for first-year students who have just entered university to balance their studies with the launch, operation, and instruction of a cram school. Nevertheless, they reached this opening driven by the thought: 'We want to build the school we wished we had when we were taking entrance exams with our own hands.'

Kodai-ken intends to cultivate this endeavor not merely as a business, but as a new role model for student entrepreneurship and community contribution.

3. A virtuous cycle where the challenges of university students inspire local youth

Kodai-ken Middle aims for more than just academic guidance. By showing local students that Hiroshima University students are seriously taking on the challenges of entrepreneurship and management alongside their studies, we hope to create a 'chain of challenges' where local students feel:

• 'I want to take on more challenges myself.'
• 'I might be able to turn things around even from my current grades.'
• 'Even in a regional area, I can take on big challenges.'

Because these instructors have only just finished their own entrance exams, they can provide not only study methods and exam strategies but also convey the value of 'working hard' and 'taking on challenges' through daily guidance.

Kodai-ken Middle aims to create a virtuous cycle from Hiroshima: 'Hiroshima University students take on challenges → Local students are inspired → Students take on the challenge of turning their results around and succeeding.'

Overview of New Branches and Manager Profiles

Kodai-ken Middle is opening three new branches in Hiroshima Prefecture. Each will be managed and operated by current Hiroshima University students, providing learning support tailored to local junior high students.