Congratulations to Team Tsukuba for winning the University Ethics Challenge (Japan Competition) in 2023 organized by CFA Society Japan, achieving the “3 RENPA” of the CFA Ethics Challenge in Japan. We are enormously proud of our team.
We greatly appreciate the strong support from CFA Society Japan, Heiwa Real Estate Co., Ltd., FinCity.Tokyo, Financial Services Agency, committee volunteers and insightful questions and comments from Judges.
Here are the comments from our team members:
"The CFA Ethics Challenge provided us an opportunity to learn not only high-level decision-making skills for ethical dilemmas but also how to show our opinion in a limited time. Our team had definite confidence in our analysis, but came across the difficulty of showing our message effectively due to the complicated story. Our team had never stopped our deep discussion until midnight and could develop sophisticated output at the end with nice teamwork. Having an environment that allows us to learn with classmates who have diverse backgrounds beyond nationality is one of the strong points of MBA-IB. This achievement became my unforgettable experience in the MBA-IB life and would like to express my gratitude to all my teammates, classmates, and mentor Prof. Gu for giving me this opportunity."
~ Takayoshi Inoue ~
"The CFA ethics challenge was a challenging but meaningful journey for me. And the time spent with my best teammates is undoubtedly one of the unforgettable memories in my MBA life. And a big thank you to our mentor and all the people who have been encouraging and supporting us."
~ Limin Wu ~
"I am absolutely honored to be receiving such an excellent award.
The CFA Ethics Challenge was a great event for me because I could acquire the skill in ethical decision-making and get valuable feedback from professional judges. I have faced several challenges with high intensity on my way here. Still, my teammates and our mentee Assistant Prof. Gu supported me, so we could make it. Every single moment I spent with them is one of my best memories in the MBA-IB life.
Last but not least, I sincerely thank everyone who organized this event. I would also like to thank my wife for supporting me mentally during this journey."
~ Ken Toritsuka ~
Our team made it to the finals of the SCG Bangkok Business Challenge organized by Sasin School of Management that took place from 22-24 June, 2023.
At the same time, another team from us made it to the semi-finals wait list.
Congratulations to both teams!
Below are comments from both teams members.
Juliana Ibeas Moreira de Souza:
"The lessons we learned at the Bangkok Business Challenge 2023 surpass anything that we could have covered in a classroom. We learned immensely about entrepreneurship in the research we did for every round since the very first pitch deck. We received valuable insights on business management strategy from the panel of judges and had the opportunity of practicing and advancing pitching skills. Most importantly, we learned from each other about the value of collaborative teamwork. Months of hard work paid off with the result of making it straight to the finals. We competed against top-ranked universities from the US and Singapore, and they brought some incredibly innovative venture ideas to the table. For these reasons, we are very proud of our achievement."
Fu Lu:
"I am extremely fortunate to have the opportunity to participate in this incredible competition with such remarkable team members. We have achieved the honor of becoming finalists, and it wouldn’t have been possible without the unwavering support and assistance of my teammates Juliana and Tan. They have been there for me throughout the entire process offering their help and support. They have truly lifted me up, and I am deeply grateful for their contributions."
Tan Maria Novena C.K.:
"It's an honor to be in the top 6 finalists out of 172 applicants representing Japan! We would not have come this far without an amazing team - Juliana, Fu Lu, and Nick - who were supportive and faithful until the very end. This global business case competition has inspired me to know no limits, and to believe in myself and my team. Wish our university can host something similar in the near future."
Yuko Eguchi:
"The SCG Bangkok Business Challenge is a global student start-up competition and gave us a valuable opportunity to understand the importance of transforming ideas into reality. I hope to utilize the precious feedback we received through this competition and aspire to realize a service that can truly contribute to society. Our journey was filled with continuous challenges. However, gathering together during evenings and weekends to create something new as a team was truly enjoyable and rewarding. The final output surpassed our expectations, reflecting the expertise and experience of all team members. Furthermore, the precise guidance from Associate Professor Dr. Caroline S.L. Tan served as a great encouragement. Lastly, I would like to express sincere gratitude to everyone who has supported us in overcoming this challenging journey."
Peter Toby Lozada:
"As Earl Nightingale said, "Everything begins with an idea." It is true for any startup trying to make its mark. Starting with an idea and trying to build it into something viable is the most complex challenge any budding entrepreneur can face. However, perseverance to make it through is what counts in any endeavor. Applying our critical learnings from MBA-IB helped us gather our thoughts and insights, and we could churn out a potential product even if our team is from different backgrounds and industries. Our idea may be too early for the competition level as opposed to other teams with pre-existing products, but the wealth of experience gathered sets us up for greater challenges in the future. Personally, the MBA-IB experience instilled a heightened sense of self-assurance, an expanded knowledge base, and a clear roadmap for transforming any vision into a thriving business. I want to thank the professors, the University, and everybody in the program for the growth and validation that I sought."
Park Kyung Tae:
"My journey in participating in the Sasin Startup Project has been incredibly rewarding. Throughout the program, I gained valuable insights on how to establish a company from scratch. I learned essential strategies to attract consumers and effectively market my business. The emphasis on market research highlighted its importance in making informed decisions. Moreover, I am delighted to be part of a strong team that has been incredibly supportive. The collaborative environment has enhanced our collective efforts and made the experience even more enjoyable. Overall, participating in this project has provided me with invaluable knowledge and skills, and I’m excited to continue applying them in my entrepreneurial journey."
Takuya Sekiguchi:
"It was a great experience working together to create a new business model with my classmates. Although we could not get the result we wanted, we were able to not only gain new knowledge but also use the skills we learned in the MBA-IB program. Learning from this experience, we are going to try and enjoy new challenges in the rest of MBA school life.
We appreciate the support we received from Tan-sensei and our classmates!"
Ippei Takahashi:
"It was a challenging but fulfilling experience to work together with my classmates to participate in this competition and come up with the business plan. I believe we were able to work well, despite being under the pressure of time constraints. Definitely a valuable experience that I recommend other classmates to participate in the future."
