Lucy Dong, Year 13 - Aug 18, 2023

In the last week of July, I had the amazing opportunity to attend BizVenture Japan (held in Auckland). I met 16 other young passionate entrepreneurs eager to learn about Japanese business, culture, and cuisine.

Over the three days in Auckland, we visited companies such as: NZTE, Deloitte, Sealord, and Buckley Systems (+ more). This taught me a lot about how different NZ businesses engage with the Japanese market. Additionally, we participated in cultural activities and workshops like: Aikido (martial arts), Japan 101, Japanese calligraphy, and Social Cooking. A highlight for me was Kumo Taiko, which is Japanese drumming but spiced up with martial arts and dance movements. We were taught a fun group routine which all of us enjoyed and mastered in no time! Of course, the food must also be highlighted: we had teppanyaki (the food is cooked right before your eyes), kushimono (meat & veggie skewers), and delectable ramen.

But the fun (and grind) didn’t stop there. An hour after I got home from my morning flight, we jumped on to Zoom to commence our weekend online business challenge. Joining us for this challenge were 12 Japanese students who Zoom’d in from Tokyo! We were split into six teams and were tasked to develop a business solution that contributes to one of the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) relevant to the people of Japan. My team (Team 3), which consisted of three NZ students and two Japanese students, worked over the weekend to write a two-page business plan and to prepare a 5-min pitch. Ultimately, we came in 1st place!

Overall, this experience has been one of learning, bonding, and participating. The laughter, mayhem, and carpool karaokes brought us all closer together. With thanks to Young Enterprise NZ and North Asia CAPE, the memories and friendships I made on this programme are ones that I will cherish forever.