One example of this is the TAKIBI Program, an entrepreneurial initiative supported by A0 that seeks to develop businesses with potential in Nishiawakura Village. The program works with residents, students, and volunteers to nurture ideas that can take root locally. Before launching a project, the team sits down with the villagers, listens to their stories, and identifies their hopes and wishes for the future. 36 This collaborative process is essential for creating a business model that not only aligns with the community’s values but also has the potential to scale and be commercially successful. At the core is a commitment to solutions that are driven by the community itself. By involving residents as active participants in both the design and implementation of programs, A0 ensures that solutions are not imposed from the outside but are co-created. This collaborative approach aims to have deeper, more meaningful, and lasting impact. Great Vision, But Is the Business Financially Sustainable? While A0 has been profitable in the past, CEO Maki and Chief Research Officer Mitsuhiro Matsuzaki believe that the current business model is unsustainable. Matsuzaki says, “If we continue to do things the way we have been doing them, we won’t survive as a business.” 37 Figure C below illustrates A0 profit and loss by business type with actuals for 2023 and projections for 2024. (See Appendix - A0 Group Case Study Supplemental Teaching Materials.) Figure C: A0 Profit/Loss by Business Line (¥000)
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Ten Years in the Making
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