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30th Anniversary of Attackers Business School

Attackers Business School (ABS), operated by Aoba-BBT in Tokyo, celebrates its 30th anniversary this year with the introduction of the "ABS Entrepreneurial Dojo," a selective program designed to cultivate skillful entrepreneurs. Scheduled to launch in December 2026, this program aims to create unicorn-level businesses by training individuals who can generate new values within existing organizations or create new ventures from scratch.

The target participants include core personnel for new business initiatives, next-generation management leaders, entrepreneurs, and successor candidates from various companies. Utilizing a selective approach, the program will enroll around 20 individuals for a six-month course that combines approximately 500 hours of learning and real-world output. Enrollees will focus on developing business concepts and plans that are sophisticated enough to be presented at management meetings, investment committee discussions, or negotiations with external investors.

The teaching staff will comprise professors from ABS and Business Breakthrough University, alongside active entrepreneurs and leaders who have successfully launched businesses and taken them public. Special collaboration will come from McKinsey & Company’s Japanese office, with current partners and consultants contributing as instructors.

What sets this program apart is its focus not only on theory but also on practical training and rigorous peer review. Participants will immerse themselves in refining their business concepts, decision-making, and interaction with peers over six months, specifically aiming to foster entrepreneurial skills that will underpin the companies of the future.

The Need for Entrepreneurs

The evolution of generative AI has prompted significant changes in the global business landscape, making old success formulas obsolete across various sectors such as manufacturing, finance, IT, telecommunications, and retail. Amid what is considered the most transformative phase since the Industrial Revolution, new business opportunities are emerging. Today's economy requires entrepreneurs capable of ideating from nothing or generating new values within established organizations, ultimately driving large-scale business growth.

In November 2022, the Japanese government announced its five-year startup development plan, which aims to create 100 unicorn companies, 100,000 startups, and gather ¥10 trillion in investments. While there has been a trend towards increasing the number of startups since the plan was initiated, challenges remain in reaching these ambitious targets. ABS aims to contribute to the development of future entrepreneurs who will actively create value in Japan's economy.

ABS: A Legacy of Achievement

Founded in 1996 by global management consultant Kenichi Ohmae, ABS has cultivated over 6,525 graduates and 810 startups, of which 16 have gone public. ABS is recognized as one of Japan's largest entrepreneurship training institutions, focused on breaking old molds and transforming changes into business opportunities. Ohmae's guiding principle, “Destroy the old order through entrepreneurship,” embodies the philosophy of ABS, emphasizing a holistic approach to learning that integrates theory, practice, and the courage to take initiative.

For the past thirty years, ABS has prioritized empowering participants to identify business opportunities from shifts in society and industry, validate hypotheses through market engagement, and make informed decisions in the face of ambiguity. The newly established Entrepreneurial Dojo will extend this practical knowledge to address the challenges of creating new business ventures, driving business transformations, and developing the next generation of management talent within contemporary corporations.

Program Design: Dual Development of Business Concepts and Entrepreneurs

Unlike many existing new business support programs that focus primarily on institutional design and concept refinement, the Entrepreneurial Dojo emphasizes the simultaneous development of both business plans and the entrepreneurs themselves. Participants will engage in high-intensity, interactive learning experiences, benefiting from feedback by seasoned industry professionals and peers to enhance their business concepts and entrepreneurial readiness.

The program aims to deliver four core values:
1. Identifying Business Opportunities: Participants will learn to recognize business opportunities driven by societal and industrial changes, focusing on discovering customer challenges, validating hypotheses, and designing viable business models.
2. Intensive, Interactive Learning: The small cohort of around 20 participants will receive close mentor guidance from ABS instructors, entrepreneurs, and McKinsey consultants, allowing for in-depth discussions and clarifications of their business ideas.
3. Decision-Making Experience: Through lectures from experienced entrepreneurs, participants will not only learn about decision-making in challenging circumstances but also reflect on their motivations for pursuing their ventures.
4. Peer Collaboration: By working alongside selected peers from diverse backgrounds, participants will critique and challenge each other's concepts, gaining broader perspectives and fostering a network of future entrepreneurs.

Closing Presentation: June 2027 at ATAMI Sekai-e

The finale of the program will take place in June 2027 at ATAMI Sekai-e in Shizuoka Prefecture, where participants will showcase their developed business concepts to an audience of entrepreneurs, investors, and industry leaders during a Demo Day.

Program Overview

• - Name: Attackers Business School Entrepreneurial Dojo
• - Organizer: Aoba-BBT (ABS management)
• - Collaboration: McKinsey & Company Japan Office (special support)
• - Course Duration: December 2026 - June 2027 (6 months, 7 sessions)
• - Capacity: Selective, approximately 20 participants (application-based selection)
• - Target Participants: Next-generation executives, entrepreneurial candidates, core new business personnel, and recommended individuals from investors and VC firms.
• - Tuition: ¥1,078,000 (tax included) / ¥980,000 (exclusive of tax)
• - Total Activity Hours: Approximately 500 hours (about 20 hours per week)
• - Format: E-learning plus monthly in-person sessions (Tokyo, Kōjimachi), weekly online sessions, and the final session at ATAMI Sekai-e in Shizuoka.
• - Website: ABS Dojo

For inquiries and applications, please contact:
Aoba-BBT, ABS Office, Email: [email protected]

About Attackers Business School (ABS)

ABS is an entrepreneurial training school established by renowned global management consultant Kenichi Ohmae in 1996. With over 30 years of history, the school has produced over 6,525 graduates and generated 810 startups and 16 publicly traded companies, solidifying its reputation as Japan's leading entrepreneurial training institution.