Exploring the Insights from the IVS2025 Startup Conference Panel Session

Insights from the IVS2025 Panel Session

On July 3, 2025, a notable panel discussion titled "Trying to Ask IPO Executives Innocent Questions While Pretending to Be Foolish" took place at the ICONIC IVS2025 (Infinity Ventures Summit 2025), one of Japan's largest startup conferences. This event, run by Headline Asia, gathers next-generation entrepreneurs from around the globe.

Frontier Inc., a significant participant, sponsored the event for the third consecutive year as a diamond sponsor. The IVS2025 was held over three days, from July 2 to 4, with Frontier participating in multiple sessions and two side events. Today’s report focuses on the aforementioned panel session, offering an in-depth look at the discussions that unfolded. Given the richness of the content, this article is structured into two parts, with the second part to be published later today—be sure to check it out!

Panel Highlights

The engaging session featured two startup executives: Shoori Tanaka, CMO of Frontier Inc., and Taito Shigematsu, CEO of kickflow. They were joined by moderator Soichiro Kawai, CEO of ReBoost, and Junichiro Nagata, a director and senior executive officer at FCE, who answered candid inquiries about management practices in listed companies. The questions approached traditional topics such as nurturing young talent and the changes in lifestyle post-IPO, but with a refreshing and light-hearted twist.

Opening Remarks

Kawai kicked off the session by explaining the rationale behind the theme "Trying to Ask IPO Executives Innocent Questions While Pretending to Be Foolish". The aim was to elicit authentic and candid responses that might be overlooked in more formal settings. This approach heightened anticipation amongst attendees.

Marketing Strategies at FCE

The session commenced with an inquiry from Shigematsu regarding FCE’s marketing strategies amidst the dual challenges of human resources and marketing costs in startup ventures. Nagata responded by detailing how FCE’s marketing tactics had evolved over time, initially focusing heavily on trade shows—before pivoting to web marketing during the pandemic, and eventually employing a dual approach of both once trade shows resumed.

Understanding Sales Costing

Kawai then directed a question to Tanaka about discussing deal acquisition costs, an area where Nagata candidly admitted that he was often grilled for numbers. He shared insights on how deal acquisition costs are communicated to staff to ensure they understand their impact on sales performance, while emphasizing the importance of maintaining momentum and focusing on improving hit rates over merely crunching numbers.

Nurturing Young Talent

As the discussion progressed, Kawai broached the significance of youth development and succession planning post-IPO. Nagata revealed that FCE has recently prioritized nurturing the next generation—a mission they embarked on fervently in the latter half of the previous year. He recognized the challenges of balancing corporate growth with proper mentorship practices, yet he maintained that the dedication of younger team members has opened new avenues for development.

The Pressure of Achieving Targets

Discussion shifted to the pressures faced by publicly listed companies to meet projections. Nagata contrasted the approaches needed before and after going public, explaining how FCE had established a subscription-based business model that facilitated accurate revenue forecasting—greatly alleviating pressure that typically accompanies IPOs.

Forecasting with KPIs

Shigematsu probed into how FCE forecasts financial targets, emphasizing the importance of key performance indicators (KPIs) in guiding their projections. Nagata detailed how they regularly assessed market conditions to adjust their forecasts dynamically, ensuring they remained aligned with emerging risks and opportunities.

The first part of this comprehensive insight into panel discussions at IVS2025 concludes here. The upcoming second part will delve deeper into the managers’ experiences regarding post-IPO pressures and the essential qualities of effective leadership. Stay tuned for more insightful discussions!

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