A Conversation with the Founder of Crossbit: The 10-Year Journey from Founding to Joining the SmartHR Group

【Event Overview】 Z Venture Capital (ZVC) has supported Crossbit Inc. since its seed stage. The company has grown its cloud-based shift management service "Rakushifu" to over 30,000 business locations nationwide and announced its entry into the SmartHR Group in May 2026. In this event, we invite Kosaku Kokubo, CEO of Crossbit, and Tsuyoshi Kaneko from East Ventures, who co-invested with ZVC from the seed stage, to discuss the real 10-year journey from founding to the present. We will deliver a candid conversation with the two firms that have accompanied Crossbit from its seed stage, covering early hardships, the transition from seed to business expansion, organization building, and the many decisions made as an entrepreneur. After the talk session, there will be time for networking among participants and speakers. We look forward to participation from startup entrepreneurs navigating the seed stage and those considering starting a business. 【Please note that if we receive a large number of applications, admission will be by approval.】 Apply here: https://luma.com/do8wmrqp 【Date & Venue】 Date: Tuesday, June 9, 2026, 18:30 - 20:30 Venue: Near JR Shibuya Station (details will be sent by email after participation is approved) Participation Fee: Free 【Timetable】 18:30 - 19:30 Talk Session & Q&A 19:30 - 20:30 Networking (with food and drinks) 20:30 End 【Speakers】 ▍Speaker｜Kosaku Kokubo CEO, Crossbit Inc. Graduate of Waseda University, School of Political Science and Economics. Founded Crossbit Inc. in 2016 and developed business in the HR x DX domain. The founding business and main product, "Rakushifu - Workforce Automation," has surpassed 30,000 domestic installations. Announced the group company integration of Crossbit by SmartHR in May 2026. ▍Speaker｜Tsuyoshi Kaneko Partner, East Ventures After joining JAFCO Co., Ltd. as a new graduate, he moved to East Ventures, an independent VC specializing in seed funding, where he serves as a partner. He executes several dozen new seed investments annually, focusing on IT startups founded by young entrepreneurs regardless of industry or business model. He is in charge of over 100 portfolio companies in Japan and overseas. ▍Moderator｜Masaki Yuda Partner, Z Venture Capital Graduate of Waseda University, School of Social Sciences. Joined Yahoo Japan Corporation (now LINE Yahoo) and gained broad experience in planning, development, marketing, and finance in media, advertising, and data-related businesses. Joined Z Venture Capital in 2018, engaging in investment and growth support for startups in Japan and overseas. He has been a partner at the firm since 2025. 【Recommended for】 Entrepreneurs and startups navigating the seed stage Those who want to learn how to overcome early-stage hardships Those who are considering starting a business