Archive

Focusing on lean startup methodology for quickly building and refining internet businesses, this program invited practitioners from Silicon Valley to share hands-on insights with Japanese entrepreneurs and corporate teams. Keynotes emphasized iterative development and hypothesis testing, while panels and interactive sessions underscored the value of speed and agility in new business creation.

Set against the backdrop of the Great East Japan Earthquake, this event highlighted the role of social media as an information lifeline. In his keynote, then-MIT Media Lab Director Joi Ito discussed how platforms like Twitter (now X) enabled rapid information dissemination during disasters. The event also explored service development through the lens of design and engineering, envisioning next-generation media built on trust and user participation.

As real-time web services gained momentum, this event examined their societal impact and potential. Twitter (now X) co-founder Biz Stone delivered a keynote on the power of immediacy and transparency in communication. Executives from Japanese platforms like GREE and Mixi also participated, offering insights into growth strategies and challenges. The event probed how real-time digital interactions are reshaping decision-making and behavior on a societal scale.

This conference focused on the emerging possibilities of “Open Networks” in the post-Web 2.0 landscape. Discussions centered on how people, software, and services can collaborate across borders and corporate boundaries. Speakers such as LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman, Kiva’s Matt Flannery, and former Last.fm COO shared visions for how decentralized models can drive new economic and cultural value. The evolving social impact of the internet was a core theme.

Focusing on the future of a user-driven web, this conference showcased the visions of pioneering innovators. Speakers included LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman and Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales. Sessions explored topics like social networks, open knowledge, and global information sharing. The event anticipated the rise of a participatory digital society and examined the responsibility and influence of empowered users.

This conference reframed Web 2.0 through a cultural lens, examining new paradigms of expression, collaboration, and information sharing. Featured speakers included Second Life’s developers from Linden Lab and Creative Commons founder Lawrence Lessig. Topics included the evolution of user-driven internet culture, open licensing, and the future of freedom of expression. Participants engaged with ideas around blogs, social media, and virtual worlds, redefining the web’s role in society.

The inaugural New Context Conference explored the new social context created by the internet. Focused on blogs, online communities, and commerce, the event examined how personal publishing and digital communities were beginning to reshape industries and society. Speakers included Technorati founder David Sifry and Six Apart CEO Barak Berkowitz. It marked the dawn of the Web 2.0 era and Japan’s early engagement in global internet evolution.