#Japan #Tokyo #Kawasaki Heavy Industries #Mirai Kuru Lab #Academee

Mirai Kuru Lab and Kawasaki Heavy Industries: Pioneering Entrepreneurial Education for Kids

In a groundbreaking collaboration, Mirai Kuru Lab, a Tokyo-based company focused on entrepreneurial education for youth, organized an innovative event with Kawasaki Heavy Industries, a renowned robotics manufacturer. The event, titled "Create the Future of Robotics! Invent the 'Gripper!'", took place at Kawasaki's Kawasaki Robostage, where participants learned valuable skills in entrepreneurship through hands-on robotics workshops.

During the event, students involved in Mirai Kuru Lab's community initiative, Academee, participated as interns, contributing to workshop slide creation and assisting as sub-instructors. This not only allowed the interns to gain real-world experience but also relieved some operational burdens from the organizing companies, enabling a new educational model that connects future talent with industry leaders.

Event Highlights

The event followed a continuous commitment by both Mirai Kuru Lab and Kawasaki Heavy Industries to impart entrepreneurial skills through robotics. Kawasaki, with its prestigious history in robotics, aims to share the joys of working with robots. The workshop focused on the theme of "The Evolution of the Gripper in Robotics", encouraging students to design and invent futuristic robotic hands by drawing inspiration from the movement of animals. Participants refined their ideas based on hands-on experience, resulting in unique robot hands that they created themselves.

Comments from Leaders

Ryota Watanabe, the CEO of Mirai Kuru Lab, emphasized the significance of this experience, stating, _“Using Kawasaki's advanced robotics technology as a base, watching children bring their 'likes' to life serves as a great opportunity to think about their future. We are committed to enhancing these experiences within our entrepreneurial education, linking learning with the real world.”_

Kawasaki Heavy Industries added that while robotics often focuses on the mechanics and programming, the real utility of robots comes from the 'hands' designed to perform tasks. They believe this collaboration created significant value by inspiring students to think about robotics from a young age.

Event Overview

The event stretched over three days:

• - Day 1: Exploring ideas through animal movement themes, students brainstormed on innovative gripping mechanisms.
• - Day 2: Hands-on operation where kids applied their ideas to real robot controls.
• - Day 3: Students presented their prototypes, showcasing their learning and creativity.

Venue and Schedule

• - When: August 12-14, 2025, from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM each day.
• - Where: 2nd Floor, Building B, Haneda Innovation City, Kawasaki Robot School.
• - Target Audience: Students from 3rd grade to middle school.

Leading the event was Ryota Watanabe, a Kanagawa native who has been pivotal in digital promotion and career education initiatives since moving to Miyazaki Prefecture in 2020. His dedication towards nurturing entrepreneurship in children culminated in the establishment of Mirai Kuru Lab, fostering a bridge between education and the marketplace through hands-on projects.

About Mirai Kuru Lab

Mirai Kuru Lab champions a motto that encourages children to develop their future through their passions and discomforts. They aim to enrich entrepreneurial education and practical learning through engagement with local communities. Furthermore, their student initiative, Academee, enables university and high school students to participate in real-world projects, creating a new model of cooperation between educational institutions and industries. Through such programs, the organization seeks to inspire and connect young people with their communities, encouraging them to stay locally and contribute to their hometowns in the future.

Student Community: Academee

Academee is a unique framework that offers students tangible business experiences as educational resources. By working on actual tasks for local firms, students gain insights into society and contemplate their career paths, nurturing future talents committed to their communities. Starting in 2025, Mirai Kuru Lab will cement partnerships with businesses and local authorities, reframing outsourced tasks as learning opportunities to be delivered in educational settings.

Mirai Kuru Lab and Kawasaki Heavy Industries continue to pave the way in shaping a future where education, creativity, and entrepreneurship converge, ensuring that the next generation is well-equipped to innovate and thrive.