When I was at university, social media started to become widely used. I felt that society was changing with new concepts and technologies such as Web 2.0 and ubiquitous computing. I decided to specialise in information engineering, and while studying design thinking and researching/creating "Mixed Reality", which fuses virtual reality on computers with the real world, I became strongly interested in how new technologies create new worlds.

While I was struggling to decide what field to work in, the reason I decided to join KKE was that I wanted to pursue a career that focused on technology like engineering, and the atmosphere I felt through KKE's members I met during my job-hunting. Everyone I met, from the people in charge of recruitment to the engineer members, had their own unique personalities and style, and I felt a certain sense of depth. Also, although I didn't know it initially, the fact that the company produced the software (Multi-Agent Simulator “Artisoc”) that I used in my university classes was also a factor that encouraged me to apply.

Cloud services offer a unique experience

I was initially assigned to a department that provided consulting services to companies using mathematical optimisation technology, and then I was moved to the Corporate Planning Section. Just then, there was a competition for new business plans taking place in the company, and the business plan I proposed was adopted. It was just after the Great East Japan Earthquake, and the main industries and local economies in the area had been devastated by the disaster. My idea was to rebuild the ecosystem through effective matching. Unfortunately, I was unable to get the business off the ground, and while I was thinking about my next career move at KKE having experienced several different departments, the president asked me if I would be interested in trying out a new business. That was RemoteLOCK, the business we are currently engaged in.

Back then, we were on our way to starting up a new department, as preparations for the launch of the business began. We were a team of five, and I was mainly in charge of localising the system and the product website. We were all working together on a variety of things, including product demonstrations, localisation, sales, creating documents, customer support, and finding partners.

In the last few years, the business kept growing at a high rate of 150% year on year, and the number of companies using the service reached several thousand, with the number of members increasing to around 30. I am in charge of the technical team. One of the interesting aspects of this business is that it is a SaaS cloud service, and the value of the service can be increased by making proposals that combine it with other companies' SaaS. I am in charge of coordinating with the companies that provide such system integration, and I also design the system myself as I like to have a hand in technology.

One of the joys of our work is being able to see our products in use in everyday life.
If we happen to see one of our products being used in public, we'll share that information with other members, and when they are used in an innovative way, for example in a dog run or in an unstaffed store, we'll go and see it for ourselves.

The use of smart locks in society is rapidly expanding, and our business is the No.1 provider of smart locks to hotels and local governments in Japan. I feel that the innovative ways in which our customers and partners use them, the things we have proposed, and the things that people test and try out with new technologies gradually spread like a social trend.

For people who enjoy communication

At KKE, curious people who are willing to pursue their ideas are highly valued. Although we share a common corporate culture, the nature of our business involves fast-paced changes in the environment, and in the case of cloud-based SaaS business in particular, it is impossible for a single person to do everything.
We are looking for people who enjoy communicating with teams, customers, partner companies, etc., and getting a lot of people involved. Although the backgrounds of our members are diverse, I think this is a business that people like this could really enjoy.
Also, for mid-career professionals, this is a large business with plenty of room for growth and development in many different areas. I look forward to working with you to discover how we can make the most of your experience in this business, and to hearing about the challenges you want to take on.