TBWA\HAKUHODO Inc. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo President and CEO: Ichiro Zama) announced that its newly established organization TBWA\HAKUHODO\QUANTUM has participated in the development of ‘casecan’. This is a product being developed by the Next-generation Platform Control Division of Recruit Career Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo,  President: Tomoyuki Mizutani), which applies innovation to how we work.

‘Casecan’ is a business card holder which works as a scanner and is used as a tool to manage business cards in a revolutionary and efficient manner. The built-in scanner automatically scans any business card inserted in the product and then creates a database of information including: company name, personal name, address, phone number and e-mail address. It completely eliminates the need to separately scan business cards with a smart phone or dedicated scanner.

The product is featured on “Kakushin”, a website launched on February 19 by Recruit Career to introduce products that bring innovation to how we work. On this site, the company invites other companies to collaborate in developing ‘casecan’ including ways to downsize the product etc., Individuals who want to use the product just register indicating that “I want it!” along with companies that wish to introduce the product on a trial basis.

■”Kakushin” website: click here

■Outline of casecan: click here

Quantum has engaged throughout the overall development process of Casecan from its concept design to the prototype production with KILUCK Corp. (headquarters: Komae, Tokyo; President: Shota Ishiwatari), a venture company known for its RAPIRO DIY robot kit. As partners in the prototype development they achieved a co-creation that optimizes the best of what a major established company and a venture company can offer when they work together.

■ “Kakushin”

Operated by Recruit Career, Kakushin is a website featuring products that innovate around the way people work, under the slogan of “work plus IoT equals zero time wasted and a hundred kinds of fun.”

This is a whole new style of product development platform aimed at utilizing consumer feedback in the development of new products. New concepts and prototypes are unveiled online, at the same time as recruiting joint development partners and businesses willing to try such prototypes trial them in their offices.

■TBWA\HAKUHODO\QUANTUM

TBWA\HAKUHODO\QUANTUM provides comprehensive support for business development through the co-creation of the “innovative technology and ideas of a startup” in combination with “the power of a major corporation” – all based on a foundation of corporate venturing acceleration.

Hakuhodo’s in-depth knowledge of the Japanese market, combined with TBWA’s global networks, allows the organization to provide management support from project managers with experience in both major corporations that act as sponsors as well as from the perspective of the startups participating in projects. A wide range of other creative members also provide support, including experienced designers and engineers, along with growth hacker teams.

Based on its belief that getting major corporations and startups working together is crucial to building an innovation ecosystem in Japan, \QUANTUM will continue to offer support services to startups as it pursues a variety of collaborations.

■\QUANTUM website: click here