Japan M&A Center and Imajina Host Webinar to Fuel Growth with Grants

Unlocking Potential: Transformative Insights from Japan M&A Center and Imajina

On May 21, 2025, Imajina, a company specializing in organizational and human branding, collaborated with Japan M&A Center to conduct a groundbreaking webinar aimed at small and medium-sized enterprises eager to accelerate their growth. The session catered particularly to CEOs who aspire to navigate current economic challenges.

The Background: Investing in People and Organizations

In light of Japan's pressing structural challenges, such as an aging population, manpower shortages, and succession crises, the Japanese government is actively promoting investments in mergers and acquisitions (M&A), capital expenditures, and digital transformation (DX). This initiative includes grants of up to 500 million yen for companies willing to embrace significant changes.

Despite the attractive funding opportunities, many businesses confront challenges in utilizing these grants effectively. They often struggle to map out coherent growth strategies. In such an environment, the importance of investing in intangible assets, particularly “people and organization,” has never been more crucial. This awareness underscored the necessity of the webinar, which combined expertise from both M&A specialists and human resource development professionals to present strategic insights and actionable methods for corporate renewal.

Voices from Participants

The webinar drew feedback from varied disciplines, highlighting the seminar's critical takeaways. A construction company president remarked, "This seminar delivered a fresh perspective on viewing labor costs as investments, providing concrete strategies for implementation." Meanwhile, a human resources representative from the manufacturing sector noted, "I always knew we would have to confront these issues eventually; this was a timely opportunity to reconsider our strategic direction."

Key Seminar Themes

The collaborative expertise of both companies spurred a range of discussions and interactive segments, covering:

- The state of Japanese society from a global perspective
- The pivotal role of management in brand development
- Insights into why employees leave organizations
- The necessity for companies to envision their futures
- The essential quality of perseverance in effective organizations
- Translating unique human values into compelling brands
- Strategies for M&A aimed at talent acquisition
- The prospect of public listing as a step up for organizations

Featured Speakers

Ryoji Amamori (Senior Executive Officer, Japan M&A Center):
Amamori has led numerous initiatives since acquiring J-Adviser certification in July 2019, including responsibilities for promoting listings on the TOKYO PRO Market. As of April 2023, he also serves as the Growth Strategy Department Head, demonstrating his dual expertise in M&A and IPO processes.

Yoshiki Sekino (CEO, Imajina):
With significant experience in corporate support focusing on talent development and mission integration, Sekino has collaborated with over 2,850 companies, including Canon and Panasonic. His translation and supervision of an internationally acclaimed marketing book further affirm his contributions to brand enhancement.

Looking Forward

While grants and initiatives like these are merely catalysts for growth, the real driving forces will always lie in the determination of business leaders and the resilience of their organizations. Imajina and Japan M&A Center aim to continue providing insights and support for sustainable growth among SMEs.

Due to the positive reception of this seminar, the webinar will also be made available online starting June 11. Interested participants are encouraged to sign up! Visit here to enroll for the online distribution process.