?y?O?ҁzSkype?n?n?ҁA?j?N???X???ɕ????X?^?[?g?A?b?v?ƃO???[?o???????FMeet Recruit

?@?wSkype?x?̑n?Ǝ҂ɂ??āA???E4?嗤??50?ȏ?̊?Ƃɓ???????Atomico?????n?ƎҌ?CEO?ł??萢?E???w?̓????ƂƂ??Ċ??􂷂??N???X?E?[???X?g???[???????????I ????AIT????̐V?K???ƊJ????x???`???[????????I?ɍs?????N???[?g?e?N?m???W?[?C???X?e?B?e???[?g?̐ӔC?ҁE???{???F???A???݂̓???????ɂ????邳?܂??܂Ȏ????p?ӁB1??ڂ́A?V???R???o???[??X?^?[?g?A?b?v?łɂ??키?e?n??̓????ɔ???B

Niklas Zennstrom, co-founder of Skype and now one of the world's leading investors as co-founder and CEO at Atomico, visited Japan! Akihiko Okamoto, head of the Recruit Technology Institute, which specializes in venture capital, prepared a variety of for Niklas regarding the state of investing today. In this first part they cover Silicon Valley and regional trends among startups.

???{???F?i?ȉ??E???{?j?@?????ŋ߂ɂ?????Atomico?̌????Ƃ??āA?V???R???o???[?ȊO?̒n?悩?琔?????̃X?^?[?g?A?b?v???a?????Ă??Ă???A?Ƃ??????|?[?g?𔭕\???܂?????ˁB
?FAkihiko Okamoto (Okamoto)?@ You recently released a report from Atomico stating that many new startups are emerging in regions outside of Silicon Valley.

?j?N???X?E?[???X?g???[???i?ȉ??E?j?N???X?j?@????10?N?̊Ԃɐݗ????ꂽ10???h???K?͂̃C???^?[?l?b?g??\?t?g?E?F?A?֘A?̉?Ђ𒲂ׂ??Ƃ???A???̂U???̓V???R???o???[?ȊO?̊?Ƃ??ƕ?????܂????B1?ʂ̓A?????J?A2?? ?͒????A??????3?ʂ͈ӊO?ɂ??X?E?F?[?f???B???̓????͈?i?Ɛi??ł??܂??B
?FNiklas Zennstrom (Niklas)?@ When we investigated billion-dollar Internet and software companies founded within the last 10 years, we found that 60% of them were from outside Silicon Valley. America was number one, China number two, and actually Sweden was number three. This is an on-going trend.

???{?@?Ȃ??A?V???R???o???[?ȊO?̒n??ł??????????C?m?x?[?V???????N???Ă???Ǝv???܂????H
?FOkamoto?@Why do you think this kind of innovation is occurring outside of Silicon Valley?

?j?N???X?@?܂??wSkype?x??n??????2003?N??U??Ԃ??Ă݂?ƁA?????̓T?[?r?X??????Ă??e???̌???ɖ|?󂵂???T?[?o?[?‹??𑵂?????A???E???Ńv?????[?V?????????Ȃ???΂Ȃ?Ȃ??????B?ł????̊J???҂́AApp store??Google Play?ɒ??ڃ??[???`???邱?Ƃ??ł??܂??B?z?z??????@??I?Ԃ????ŁA?????ɓ????Ƃ?x???҂ƌ??‚??n?߂??܂???ˁB?????????́A??17???l???X?}?[?g?t?H?????????Ă??܂??B4?N??ɂ́A????āA?????A?k?A?t???J??A?W?A?S?̂ȂǂōX??10???l???????錩???݂ł????A???????????C???^?[?l?b?g?փA?N?Z?X????‹????ω????????Ƃ??傫???Ǝv???܂??B
?FNiklas?@For starters, looking back to 2003 when Skype was founded, we had people using our service, but we still had to translate it into other languages, get a proper server capacity, and promote it ourselves internationally. But, developers today can launch directly to the App Store or Google Play. All they have to do is choose the method of distribution, and then they can begin haggling with investors or backers right away. On top of that you now have nearly 1.7 billion people with smart phones. This number is expected to increase by another billion in four years in the Middle East, Latin America, North Africa, and all of Asia, so another bit factor this change in the way people access the Internet today.

?????????????ĂԁA????̎??v?\???̃G?R?V?X?e??
Modern ecosystems where success fuels success

???{?@?N?Ƃ??鑤?̊‹??ɂ‚??Ă͂ǂ??v???܂????H
?FOkamoto?@What are your thoughts on the environment for entrepreneurs?

?j?N???X?@?N?ƉƂƂ????̂́A?A?[?e?B?X?g??A?X???[?g?Ɠ??????˔\?????l?????ł??B???̐l??????????????ɂ͎x?????K?v?ł????A???E3?ʂ̃X?E?F?[?f???E?X?g?b?N?z?????ł????΁A?wSkype?x?????????????Ƃ??????????ɁA?wSpotify?x?A?wMinecraft?x?A?wKlarna?x?Ȃǂ????X?Ɛ??܂?Ă??????B?‚܂?A?????????????????N?????Ƃ??????v?\???̃G?R?V?X?e???????݂??Ă????ł??B
?FNiklas?@Entrepreneurs a talented people just like artists or athletes. They need support in order to succeed, but if we use Stockholm in Sweden, which is number three the world, as an example, Skype's success opened the door for other successes like Spotify, Minecraft, and Klarna. In other words, there is an ecosystem there where success fuels success.

???{?@???̃G?R?V?X?e???Ƃ????̂́A?ǂ?ȏ󋵂𐶂ݏo???Ă???̂ł??傤???H
?FOkamoto?@What sort of environment are these ecosystems creating?

?j?N???X?@?Ⴆ?΁A???̂悤?ɐ???????ɂ????N?ƉƂ??A???͓????ƂƂȂ??Ď?????̋N?ƉƂɎ??????x??????B?R???s???[?^?[?T?C?G???X??r?W?l?X??׋????Ă???w???????̒??ɂ͓????Ƃ??????Ă???ƁA???ƂɏA?E????????X?^?[?g?A?b?v??e?N?m???W?[?n??ƂŃL?????A???X?^?[?g?????ق????????Ǝv???l???łĂ???킯?ł??B???ۂɃX?g?b?N?z??????k???A?????h???A?j???[???[?N?ƃT???p?E???ł͂????????????????ŋ߂悭???܂?????B
?FNiklas?@For example, successful entrepreneurs like myself go on to become investors who support the next generation of entrepreneurs. As the number of investors increases, students who study computer science or business might think they would rather start their careers at a start-up or tech company rather than a big corporation with these ecosystems. You see this trend a lot in Stockholm, London, Beijing, New York, or San Paolo lately.

???{?@?V???R???o???[?̃X?^?[?g?A?b?v?ƁA????ȊO?̃G?R?V?X?e???Őݗ????ꂽ?X?^?[?g?A?b?v?̈Ⴂ?͉????Ǝv???܂????H?@?m???ɁA?e?n??̃X?^?[?g?A?b?v?ɂ?????????̓??????N???Ă???̂????󂯂Ă??܂??B???̂悤?ɐ??E?̊e?n???玑?{?????????񗈂Ă??邽?߁A?V?????????̉??l???󔖉?????Ă???ł͂Ȃ????Ƃ??v???܂??B
?FOkamoto?@What makes start-ups from Silicon Valley and start-ups from other ecosystems different? We have definitely seen a lot of investment occurring in startups in other regions. Do you think capital coming from all over the world like this has diluted the value of new investments?

?j?N???X?@?V???R???o???[?Ƒ??̃e?N?m???W?[?n?G?R?V?X?e???̑傫?ȈႢ???????ƁA??͂?V???R???o???[?ł̓e?N?m???W?[???̂??ł????ڂ???A?Z?p?ɂ‚??Ęb???????Ă???Ƃ??????Ƃł??B???????A?????h????X?g?b?N?z?????ɍs???ƁA?b??̒??S?́u???̃r?W?l?X?͂ǂ????Ί????̕????ς????邩?v?ɕς??܂??B?Z?p??ʂ??Čo?ς̕????ϊ???????A?Ƃ?????b?ł???ˁB???ꂪ?傫?ȈႢ?ł͂Ȃ????Ǝv???܂??B
?FNiklas?@The big difference between Silicon Valley and other tech ecosystems is that in Silicon Valley they focus most on the technology itself. All the talks are about technology. But, if you go to London or Stockholm, the topic changes to how the business can change and existing sector. Like, how can we use technology to revolutionize finance? That's the big difference in my mind.

?t?@???h???_???A?V???R???o???[?ȊO?̐V???ȉ”\??
New potential outside of Silicon Valley that funds seek

???{?@?V???R???o???[?ȊO?̐V???N?Ƃ́A?ǂ?Ȃ??Ƃ??ӎ????Ă????ł??傤???H
?FOkamoto?@What do startups from outside of Silicon Valley need to think about?

?j?N???X?@???̒n??̃e?N?m???W?[?n?̃G?R?V?X?e???̏󋵂????Ă???ƁA?A?????J?Ő??????邱?Ƃ??A?ǂ??W?J????΃O???[?o???Ȋ?ƂɂȂ?邩???l???Ă??܂??B?????A?l??????900???l?̃X?g?b?N?z?????Ƃ????????Ȏs?ꂩ??X?^?[?g???܂????B??͂菬???ȍ??ʼn?Ђ?ݗ?????N?ƉƂ́A?ł??邾???????i?K????O???[?o???ɓW?J?????ق????ǂ??Ǝv???܂??B
?FNiklas?@If you look at tech ecosystems in other regions, you can see that the entrepreneurs there are thinking of how they can go global rather than just how they can succeed in America. I also got my start in Stockholm, which is a small market of just 9 million people. Entrepreneurs who found companies in small countries should try to go global as early as possible.

???{?@?Ƃ͂????A?A?????J?̎s??͋???ł????A?V???R???o???[?ɂ͖L?x?Ȏ??{?????????t?@???h?ƌq????₷???‹???????Ǝv???̂ł????B
?FOkamoto?@But America is such a massive market, and in Silicon Valley it's very easy to connect with investors who have large amounts of capital.

?j?N???X?@?e?N?m???W?[?n?̊?Ƃ͒??????Ԋ?Ƃ̂܂܎c?邱?Ƃ??????̂ŁA?ǂ?ǂ?l?i???????Ȃ??Ă??܂??܂??B???????A???B?⒆??ĂȂǂł́A???̂悤?Ȍ??ۂ͂??܂茩?Ȃ??̂ł??B?Ƃ????̂??A?????n??̃t?@???h?Ƃ????̂́A??ɏ????I?ȉ”\???????鎖?Ƃ?Z?p??_???Ă?????́B???????????Ӗ????܂߂āA?V???R???o???[?ȊO?̐V???G?R?V?X?e???ɂƂ??ėD?ʂȓ_?́A???ꂩ????܂??܂?????Ǝv???܂??B
?FNiklas?@Most tech companies stay private for a relatively long time, so the price tends to keep increasing. But, you don't see that as often in Europe or Latin America. One of the reasons for this is that the investors there are always looking for businesses or technology that has future potential. In that sense, I think we will continue to more benefits to the ecosystem for startups outside of Silicon Valley.

?????֑???

?v???t?B?[???^?h?̗?

??N???X?E?[???X?g???[??

Niklas Zennstrom

?@Atmico?????n?ƎҌ?CEO?B1966?N?A?X?E?F?[?f?????܂?B?X?E?F?[?f???̃E?v?T????w?ɂăr?W?l?X????эH?w?????w/?R???s???[?^?[?T?C?G???X?̗??w?C?m?????擾?B?ŏI?w?N?̓~?V?K????w?ɍݐЁB?e?N?m???W?[?x???`???[?L???s?^????ЃA?g?~?R?̋????n?ƎҌ?CEO?A?????ƁB?ߋ??ɁwSkype?x?wKazaa?x?wJoost?x?wJoltid?x?ЂȂǐ??X?̃e?N?m???W?[??Ƃ𗧂??グ??B2005?N?ɁuSkype?v??31???h????eBay?ɔ???????A???̌?̓j?N???X???܂ޓ????ƃO???[?v?ɍĔ??p?B2006?N?ɁA?ă^?C???????I?Ԑ??E?ōł??e???͂̂???100?l?u?^?C??100?v?ɑI?o?B???N?A?A?g?~?R??n?ƁB?ȗ??A???E4?嗤??50?ȏ?̊?Ƃɓ??????s???Ă????B2011?N?ɂ́A?}?C?N???\?t?g???uSkype?v??85???h???Ŕ????B2011?N?ɂ͉p?I?b?N?X?t?H?[?h??w?C???^?[?l?b?g???????????ʌ??J?܂???܁B?o???g?C?̊‹??????P???A?Љ?N?ƉƂ?????????uZennstrom Philanthropies?v??n?݁B2012?N?ɁA???{???_???J?݁B

Co-founder & CEO of Atomico. Niklas Zennstrom was born in Sweden in 1966. He obtained a master's degree in business, engineering physics, and computer science from Uppsala University. He spent his final year of college at the University of Michigan. Niklas is now an investor as well as the co-founder and CEO of Atomico, a technology venture capital firm. He is also the co-founder of several other technology companies such as Skype, Kazaa, Joost, and Joltid. Skype was purchased by eBay for $3.1 billion in 2005, but was later bought back by Niklas and a group of investors. In 2006, Time Magazine chose him for their Time 100 list of the 100 most influential people in the world. Niklas would then found Atomico the same year. Since then Atomico has invested in more than 50 companies on four continents. Microsoft would later purchase Skype for $8.5 billion. In 2011, Niklas received a Lifetime Achievement Award from Oxford University's Oxford Internet Institute. He works actively to improve the state of the Baltic Sea and has also founded Zennstrom Philanthropies, which supports social entrepreneurs. Niklas opened a Japanese base of operations in 2012.

???{???F

Akihiko Okamoto

?@??????Ѓ??N???[?g?z?[???f?B???O?X ???N???[?g?e?N?m???W?[?C???X?e?B?e???[?g?g?D?? ?????J???? ?????B2007?N???ЁB???Z???Ɛݗ??????ASUUMO?ɂ????鎖?ƊJ???ӔC?҂??o??2011?N???O???[?o???V?K???ƊJ???ƃR?[?|???[?g?x???`???[?L???s?^???t?@???h??S???B ?݌v85???~?̓??????{?????p???āA35?Ђւ̏o???A4?Ђ̊C?OJV?ݗ????w???B2014?N4????茻?E?B???N???[?g???ЈȑO?́A??s?A?x???`???[?L???s?^???A?،???ЂȂǂŐV?K???ƊJ?????ɏ]???B

Head of Recruit Holdings' Recruit Technology Institute and Investment Development Lab. Akihiko Okamoto joined Recruit in 2007. In 2011 he was placed in charge of new global business development and corporate venture capital funds after overseeing business development at SUUMO. He has invested a total of 8.5 billion JPY in 35 companies and directing the founding of 4 international joint ventures. He is actively involved in new business development at securities companies.