[Call for participants] 1-2Q AY 2026 Briefing Session
and Meet Up Meeting (mandatory for all participants)
Lean Launchpad Program (LLP):
The Fastest Path to Business Competition
As Entrepreneurship Course for Graduates（0-2-0, GA0M/GA1M or GA0D/GA1D）
As Entrepreneurship Course for Undergraduates（0-2-0）
As ToTAL course for ToTAL students（0-2-0, GA0M/GA1M or GA0D/GA1D）
Overview
Over a period of approximately two and half months from the end of May in 1Q2Q AY 2026, we are going to offer a business creation workshop called “Lean Launchpad Program (LLP)”, in which participants will work in teams to verify the marketability of their own business ideas and aim to create a business plan that has a high probability of being realized in society.
● Lean Launchpad Program (LLP) was proposed by Steve Blank, a serial entrepreneur in Silicon Valley, USA, and has already been adopted by many Silicon Valley startups and large companies, including Japanese companies. In addition, it is offered at many universities in the United States, including Stanford University, as a training program for developing entrepreneurship/leadership skills. Our university has been offering this program since 2014, and recently it has also been offered at Osaka University, Waseda University, Kinki University, and others. An event is also held where the best teams from each university gather to select the best team of the year. The best team chosen from this program can also participate in that event in AY 2026.
● The workshop will be facilitated by external instructors with expertise in business creation and startup investment.
● Although students can apply for this program without taking any course, we are offering the following courses that all students, including bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral students, can take, allowing students to earn credits for entrepreneurship courses (graduate students can also earn GAs).
・Bachelor’s students: ENT.V205 Bachelor’s Practical Group Work for Value Creation (0-2-0)
・Master’s students: ENT.V505 Master’s Practical Group Work for Entrepreneurship I (0-2-0, GA0M/GA1M)
・Doctoral students: ENT.V607 Doctoral Practical Group Work for Entrepreneurship I (0-2-0, GA0D/GA1D)
・ToTAL students: TAL.W504 Master’s Practical Group Work for Leadership I（0-2-0, GA0M/GA1M）
TAL.W602 Doctoral Practical Group Work for Leadership I（0-2-0, GA0D/GA1D）
Briefing Sessions
At the briefing session, we will explain the outline of the program including the schedule, preparations for participation, and course registration.
Briefing sessions will be held four times, both in person and online. The session in English will be held on February 27 and April 10. (The contents are the same for each session.)
All students who wish to participate in the Lean Launchpad Program must aattend a briefing session.
Please register in advance using the form below to attend a session.
| Date & Time | Session 1 (in Japanese) : Monday, February 9, 2026, 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Session 2 (in English) : Friday, February 27, 2026, 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Session 3 (in Japanese): Wednesday, March 25, 2026, 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Session 4 (in Japanese and English): Friday, April 10, 2026, 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. (Newly added session!) |
| Method | In person or online ・In person at S6-309B, 3rd floor, South Building 6, Ookayama Campus ・Online: The Zoom link will be notified to registrants on a later date. |
| Language used | Japanese (Session 1 and 3), English (Session 2), Japanese and English (Session 4) |
| Eligibility | Undergraduate and graduate students (Students can also apply for this program without taking any course.） |
| Registration Form | https://forms.office.com/r/ZeMUEXpnWa |
Meet Up Meetings
To participate in LLP 2026, you must either propose a business idea and form a team or join an existing team. All applicants must attend both of the two Meet Up Meetings, to hear the presentations of each business idea proposals and team formation.
LLP 2026 applicants must register using the link below to attend both Meet Up Meetings.
| Date & Time | Day 1: Wednesday, April 15, 2026, 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Day 2: Monday, April 27, 2026, 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. |
| Method | In person only at S4-201 (South Building 4, Ookayama Campus) |
| Registration Form | https://forms.office.com/r/gNeih7u75G |
Student reports on the previous Lean Launchpad Program (in Japanese only.)
Contact
Keisuke Yamada
Specially Appointed Professor
Center for Entrepreneurship Education(CEE)/Academy for Leadership(ToTAL)
E-mail address: yamada.k.9f82@m.isct.ac.jp
Office: S6-309B (3rd floor, South Building 6, Ookayama Campus)
