The changing times as an opportunity
—Business Idea Contest
2025.03.21
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- The changing times as an opportunity —Business Idea Contest
The automobile industry is going through a period of huge transformation with the spread of vehicle electrification and self-driving technology. To achieve sustainable growth amid the rapidly changing business environment, we cannot be held back by existing business and business models, but need to actively pursue new opportunities with the power of ideas. This demands people who can create unprecedented value.
To bring out the creativity and ability to get things done of every employee, Toyoda Gosei began Business Idea Contest in 2021 to help create a culture of taking on challenges. We are developing a system that does not stop at presentations of these ideas, but in which we continue to provide active support for efforts to realize the best of these ideas.
01Generating more ideas
In Toyoda Gosei’s Business Idea Contests, we seek a wide range of topics that will lead to new businesses or work reforms, and every year more than 100 employees submit their ideas. Accepting proposals for the improvement of familiar work makes it easier for people to submit ideas, leading to greater employee participation. For office operations, we also bring together people from various departments in a mechanism that allows people to easily consult someone near to them.
By welcoming ideas from various fields not limited to our main automotive business, all employees can use their imagination with the aim of creating new value. We hold workshops, seminars and conferences to support the generation of ideas. These things serve as opportunities for people to obtain hints for their proposals and come up new ideas.
■Workshops to learn techniques for generating ideas
02Flow in Business Idea Contests
The contests start with the recruitment of themes, after which the submitted ideas are carefully examined over about half a year. For the proposals that make it through the first selection, occasions are established for feedback and advice from outside experts so that the ideas can be further refined to take on a more feasible form. At the stage of verifying the proposed ideas, their feasibility as a business can be further raised through interviews with actual customers.
In the Final selection, contestants make presentations in front of the company president and outside experts (pitch contest). The people who present the idea selected for the grand prize are later provided with support from the company for practical application and commercialization of their product or service.
■Final selection
President Saito (left) and prize winner
03Examples of ideas that we aim to implement
The people who propose the most outstanding ideas that are selected in the Business Idea Contest are transferred to a new department where they work full-time on the materialization of their idea.
Next-generation blindsFirst grand prize winner
These are blinds without blades that can switch between letting light through and blocking it out without the use of electricity. Currently, the dedicated team is conducting trials and demonstration experiments for commercialization, with the aim of use in various settings.
Trial product (transparency)
Trial product (light blocking)
■Ushida (right) and Ito (left) make further improvements
Voice of leader
I was previously involved in the design of interior products such as registers (vehicle air conditioning ducts) in the IM Engineering Division, which develops interior and exterior products for vehicles. The next-generation blinds being developed came into being as a product that leverages interior product technology. It is a product that responds to the need in society for heat insulation of windows in residential and commercial buildings due to global warming. We are working toward market entry.
Kenichi Ito, New Value Creation and Marketing Dept., New Value Business Planning Division
INABERRYFirst grand prize winner
This is a plant factory project to grow strawberries year-round using renewable energy. Trial cultivation is being conducted at the Inabe Plant, making use of Toyoda Gosei’s production and quality control know-how and LED technology. We hope this will contribute to resolving global challenges by spreading the cultivation system as well as producing fruit in the company.
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Demonstration experiment in outdoor greenhouse
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Used in a seasonal menu at the Nagoya Prince Hotel in January 2024
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Test marketing at the &tresse restaurant in August 2024
■Fujii (left) and Okamura (right) working in greenhouse at Toyoda Gosei’s Inabe Plant
Voice of leader
I was previously involved in new business planning and development in the New Value Development Division. I wanted to give shape to a new business idea in the Business Idea Contest, and I applied with the theme of cultivating strawberries at the Inabe Plant. We are also using the knowledge gained in developing the hydrogen tanks that are manufactured at the Inabe Plant, and are currently conducting demonstration experiments and trial sales for the materialization of this plan. Through this experience, we would like to spread a company culture where new businesses are created one and the other in a bottom-up fashion. We want to continue taking on challenges and creating new, competitive businesses that leverage Toyoda Gosei’s strengths.
Kohei Fujii, New Value Creation and Marketing Dept., New Value Business Planning Division
Sleep inducing deviceThird grand prize winner
Taking advantage of the habit of mostly young people to use smartphones before going to bed, this is a device to achieve comfortable sleep induction. Development is underway for further improvements and a market launch.
Image of sleep inducing device
■Inomata conferring with related party
Voice of leader
I previously worked on the design of interior lighting and parts from vehicle interior creation concept for s in the Design Development Division. I came up with this idea from concern about my own lack of sleep, and received a lot of help from the people around me, from developing the idea until the final pitch. During that time, we touched on things that one person could not do alone and novel ideas, which I felt helped us to make a better proposal. Going forward, we plan to verify again whether our concept is something that people really want and things that will lead to solving problems, and then make efforts to the realization of this concept. We have just started working on this, and hope to make progress while enjoying the challenges.
Miharu Inomata, New Value Creation and Marketing Dept., New Value Business Planning Division
04A company where a diversity of people can play active roles
Through these efforts, Toyoda Gosei not only creates new businesses but also cultivates a culture for the growth of employees while backing those taking on challenges. In the future we will seek ideas from Group companies as well, making efforts to cultivate a culture with the entire Group together while aiming for the creation of new business.
