Tongali博士プログラム2026

Program for Master and PhD Students 2026

If you’re thinking about applying to this program next year — just do it. Showing your research to total strangers for the first time is uncomfortable, but that discomfort is exactly where the most valuable feedback comes from. You’ll leave with a completely different understanding of what your idea actually is and who it’s really for. Come with an open mind, be ready to be wrong about things, and take every conversation seriously because you never know where it leads.

(By Nodira Tillayeva)

このプログラムに参加して後悔する事は決してありません．将来，少しでも起業する事を視野に入れているなら，ぜひ参加するべきだと思います．ビジネスアイデアの共有の仕方や投資家を惹きつけられるような情報の出し方，そもそも自分が本当に起業することに向いているのか，足りない要素は一体何かということがわかります．普通では会えないような方々とお会いすることができるので，必ず将来の糧になります．

(By Takayuki Matsushita)

Participating in this program was a very valuable experience for me. It gave me the opportunity to present my prototype and research in an international environment. Through the U.S. training, I learned a lot about pitching, communication, and networking. I also realized how important it is to connect research with real-world needs and future business development. I am very grateful for this opportunity, and I hope more master’s and doctoral students will join this program in the future.

(By Li Minyu)

The Hakase Program has been a transformative experience, helping me shape my research into a real-world product. The Lean Launchpad and prototyping trainings provided a strong foundation in translating scientific ideas into practical solutions. Interactions with venture capitalists, founders, and funders offered valuable insights into the startup ecosystem. The international exposure, especially the visit to Silicon Valley, was a turning point, highlighting the importance of speed and execution in innovation. Overall, the program has been highly impactful in guiding my journey from academic research toward entrepreneurship.

(By Vanshika)

This entrepreneurship program shifted my perspective as a researcher. I realized that while technical excellence is the most important, identifying the most critical problem and understanding the market is essential for true innovation. Through hands-on workshops and global insights, I learned how to transform my academic research into practical. These experiences have been invaluable for envisioning the real-world impact of my scientific work. I highly recommend this program to any graduate student who has any good research and idea, and wants to be founder with your research.

(By Yuki Tsukamoto)

I absolutely recommend this program for anyone who wants to get their research rolling into a product but doesn’t know how. First of all, in the beginning I had zero knowledge of entrepreneurship, but since the training is well structured, it really gave me a good foundation on how to start and gave me a valuable opportunity to learn how to develop, test, prototype, and communicate ideas in a more practical way. Through the trainings in Japan, Singapore, and the U.S., I was able to gain not only new knowledge but also a broader international perspective. I especially appreciated the chance to receive feedback from multiple points of view from different regions, and I think this is one of the most important benefits you get from this program. You will learn the perspective of venture capitalists on why they invest in you, and also the perspective of founders on how they can make VCs pay for you. We also had the chance to engage with people outside academia, with actual potential customers, to do surveys of our product at SXSW, and I think this is something that you can’t get elsewhere. The experience helped me improve both my mindset and my way of speaking and persuasion. I would strongly recommend this program to students who want to actually make their research into a product a reality.

(By Muhammad Raditya Giovanni)

Tongali博士プログラムでの出会いのすべてが、私の人生に大きな影響を与えてくれる宝物になりました。
何度も壁にぶつかったプロトタイプ試作や資料作りの日々。立て続けに起こる失敗を、粘り強く修正していく工程の中で、ようやく『トライ＆エラーを繰り返すこと』の本当の価値を理解できた気がします。このプログラムを終えたいま、以前の自分よりも力強く前に踏み出せている、そんな確かな手応えを感じています。

(By Toshiyuki Yamada)

チームWAVORAの宇井と申します。本プログラムは、少しでもスタートアップに興味がある方には非常にお勧めです。実際に起業するための資金調達の方法やビジネスプランの考え方など、普段の研究活動では意識することのないことを様々学べます。実際に起業しなくとも、そのような視点・考え方が身に付き、選択肢が増えることは、大学卒業後にも非常に活きることだと思います。

(By Ryosuke Ui)