Sony Opens Up Internal Startup Program
Sony will begin to back entrepreneurs outside the company with money, marketing support and more as it seeks more breakthroughs.
The company said on Wednesday it would open up an internal accelerator program to external entrepreneurs, including a partnership with Tokyo University under which students can turn ideas into businesses. Depending on the opportunity, Sony may invest, strike an alliance, provide office space or support the startups with its own marketing and sales expertise. It may also acquire the businesses.
“All kinds of people should have a chance to be an entrepreneur, that’s our slogan, ” said Shinji Odashima, head of Sony’s accelerator program, at an event in Tokyo. “We’ll offer the know-how and the environment of our enterprise. Through these things, we want to realize the vision of creators.”
Sony is looking for innovation under Chief Executive Officer Kenichiro Yoshida. This month, the company cut its annual revenue forecast and reported weaker profits in the PlayStation business, triggering the sharpest share drop in more than three years. A week later, it announced its largest stock buyback ever to support the shares.
The initiative, now known as Sony Startup Accelerator Program, was started in 2014 by Yoshida’s predecessor, Kazuo Hirai, to encourage innovation and risk-taking among employees. To date, 34 ideas have been incubated and 14 of them have become new businesses, Sony said.
Sony said the program will span all stages of starting a business: creating an idea, incubating it, marketing and expansion. After a product reaches a mature stage, a decision will be made whether to invest, partner or acquire it, Odashima said.