Minnano Yume o Kanaeru Kai

What Minnano Yume o Kanaeru Kai does

Minnano Yume o Kanaeru Kai (みんなの夢をかなえる会), legally registered as the Public Interest Incorporated Foundation Minna no Yume o Kanaeru Kai (公益財団法人みんなの夢をかなえる会), is a Tokyo-based non-profit foundation founded in 2009 by Miki Watani, Chairman and CEO of WATAMI Co., Ltd. The organization operates Japan's flagship social business competition series, the Minna no Yume AWARD (みんなの夢AWARD), which has run 15 editions and cumulatively attracted 5,426 applicants and 40,293 participants, alongside a High School Minna no Yume AWARD (高校生みんなの夢AWARD) reaching 876 schools and 5,144 students across six editions. Supplementary programs include the Watami Juku (渡美塾) management training program (1,203 graduates across 27 cohorts), a Social Business Learning Program provided free of charge during COVID-19 school closures, the Future Business Card Project (未来の名刺プロジェクト), Minna no Yume Radio, and a series of forums, seminars, and symposia held across Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, and Nagasaki.

The foundation's core technology stack is intentionally lightweight: a web-based entry and event platform, online event infrastructure adopted during the pandemic, and standard content distribution through Twitter (@minnanoyume_org), note.com, and an RSS feed. There is no proprietary software product, no mobile app, and no API surface — the foundation is fundamentally an event-and-program operator rather than a technology company.

Its business model is funded by corporate sponsorships: 34 sponsoring companies and 32 corporate supporters (法人パートナー) as of August 2025, supplemented by event operations at premium Japanese venues (Japan Budokan, Maihama Amphitheater, LINE CUBE SHIBUYA). The organization was certified as a Public Interest Incorporated Foundation by Japan's Cabinet Office in 2014, providing tax-advantaged status and government endorsement. Programs are offered free to participants (students and aspiring entrepreneurs), with the foundation serving beneficiaries across two primary segments: high school students developing social business plans, and adult aspiring entrepreneurs pursuing social-issue-focused ventures who receive mentorship, networking, and pitch-competition exposure to corporate sponsors.

Name

Minnano Yume o Kanaeru Kai

Legal name

公益余万元みんなの夢をかなえる会

Website

https://minnanoyume.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Minnano Yume o Kanaeru Kai is a Tokyo-based Public Interest Incorporated Foundation that operates Japan's flagship social business competition series (Minna no Yume AWARD), a High School AWARD, and management training, serving aspiring entrepreneurs and high school students who build businesses addressing social issues.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Entrepreneurship Education

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (61143), Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920), Business Associations (813910)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Management Services (8741)

akta.pro primary industry

Model United Nations (MUN) (EDAMAGAB)

Keywords

• Social entrepreneurship education
• Business plan competitions
• Youth entrepreneurship programs
• Management training seminars
• Public interest foundation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Corporate Sponsorships: The organization receives financial support from 34 sponsoring companies and 32 corporate supporters (法人パートナー) who enable the operation of the みんなの夢AWARD events and related programs.
2. Event Operations: The foundation operates large-scale events at venues like 日本武道館 and 舞浜アンフィシアタ with support from various government ministries and corporate sponsors, generating revenue through sponsorship fees and participant engagement.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Minnano Yume o Kanaeru Kai operates a portfolio of dream-realization and social business programs anchored by the Minna no Yume AWARD business model competition and the High School Minna no Yume AWARD. It complements these competitions with the Watami Juku management training program, a Social Business Learning Program for students, the Future Business Card declaration project, and supporting media (radio, forums, symposiums). Activities are delivered through major-venue events in Japan and via online channels, supported by corporate sponsors and government endorsement.

Product overview

Minnano Yume o Kanaeru Kai is a public interest foundation operating a portfolio of dream-realization programs centered around the みんなの夢AWARD business model contest series (15 editions, 40,293 total participants) and its high school variant (6 editions, 5,144 students from 876 schools). The organization layers supplementary programs including the 渡美塾 management school, みんなの夢ラジオ radio program, ソーシャルビジネス学習プログラム learning content, and community events (symposia, forums, seminars) to create an ecosystem supporting dream declaration, entrepreneurship education, and social issue resolution through business.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• みんなの夢AWARD (Minna no Yume AWARD): Annual business plan competition to support dream realizers who solve social issues through business models
• 高校生みんなの夢AWARD (High School Minna no Yume AWARD)
• 渡美塾 (Watami Juku)
• 未来の名刺プロジェクト (Future Business Card Project)
• みんなの夢ラジオ (Minna no Yume Radio)

Products and services

• Minna no Yume AWARD (みんなの夢AWARD) Annual business model competition that discovers and supports entrepreneurs who pursue their dreams while addressing social issues; targets aspiring and early-stage social entrepreneurs in Japan. Across 15 editions the program has attracted 5,426 cumulative applicants and 40,293 cumulative participants.
• High School Minna no Yume AWARD (高校生みんなの夢AWARD) Business model contest for high school students that develops entrepreneurial mindset by guiding them to design business models addressing social issues; targets Japanese high school students. Six editions have drawn 5,144 students from 876 schools.
• Watami Juku (渡美塾 / Watanabe Miki Practice Management Seminar) Practical management school offering mentorship and business training from founder Miki Watami; targets aspiring and current entrepreneurs seeking hands-on management skills. Has produced 1,203 students across 27 cohorts.
• Social Business Learning Program (ソーシャルビジネス学習プログラム) At-home learning curriculum that teaches high school students social business concepts, business plan development, and presentation skills; distributed through schools and downloadable materials.
• Future Business Card Project (未来の名刺プロジェクト) Web-based project that enables individuals to declare and share their dreams, serving as an entry point to the foundation's dream-realization programs; registrations exceeded 2,000 by 2013.
• Minna no Yume Radio (みんなの夢ラヂオ) Radio program sharing dream-related stories and entrepreneurship content, used to spread awareness about dream realization and the foundation's activities.
• Minna no Yume Symposium (みんなの夢シンポジウム) Multi-city symposium series discussing dreams and social contribution, engaging entrepreneurs, students, and supporters across Japan.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5,426 total applicants across 15 みんなの夢AWARD events
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• 34 Sponsoring CompaniescoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 August 202534 corporations provide financial sponsorship and organizational support for みんなの夢AWARD events. These sponsors enable the large-scale events and provide resources for dream-chasing entrepreneurs.
• 32 Corporate Supporters (法人パートナー)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 August 202532 corporate partners provide ongoing support to the foundation's mission of helping people realize their dreams and promote social business entrepreneurship.
• 内阁府・文部科学省 (Cabinet Office, Ministry of Education)flagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 16 September 2020Various government ministries provide official endorsement and support for みんなの夢AWARD programs, adding credibility and enabling broader reach for entrepreneurship education initiatives.
• School AId JapanminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Following the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, the organization partnered with School AId Japan to support recovery efforts in Rikuzen Takada, demonstrating commitment to social impact beyond regular programs.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• NPO ETIC. Japan-based non-profit focused on youth entrepreneurship education and social innovation incubation (Social Innovator Boot Camp, etc.). Directly comparable in target audience (aspiring young social entrepreneurs), educational programming, and corporate partner network.
• Ashoka Japan: Global social entrepreneurship support organization that identifies and backs leading social entrepreneurs (Ashoka Fellows). Closely comparable to みんなの夢AWARD in mission (supporting dream-driven social entrepreneurs) and operating model (non-profit, partner-network driven).
• Social Enterprise Japan: Industry association promoting social businesses in Japan, providing certification, networking, and ecosystem-building for social entrepreneurs. Comparable in mission and member-driven non-profit structure.
• Social Innovation Support Foundation (社会変革推進財団 / SIIF): Japanese foundation supporting social innovation through grants, accelerators, and ecosystem programs. Comparable in role as a Public Interest Foundation backing social entrepreneurs and scaling impact ventures.
• Enactus Japan: Global student entrepreneurship organization running national student-team competitions and social venture projects in Japan. Highly comparable to the High School みんなの夢AWARD in audience, format (student business/impact competitions), and corporate sponsorship model.

Others

• TABLE FOR TWO International: Japan-originated social enterprise addressing global hunger through a consumer-funded model. Comparable in operating as a Japanese-rooted social-impact organization with corporate partner network, though focused on operating its own programs rather than running competitions.
• Ashinaga Foundation (あしなが育英会): Major Japanese public-interest foundation supporting education for orphaned/youth in need through scholarships and programs. Comparable as a long-running Japanese 公益財団法人 with education-focused programming and large-scale student reach, though focused on scholarships rather than entrepreneurship competitions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/minnanoyume_org
• Facebookfacebook.com/minnanoyume

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Minnano Yume o Kanaeru Kai