Industry creation and the orchestration of knowledge

What was discussed

The session discussed how to change organizations' attitude of avoiding failure in order to turn research results into industrial and social value. From the view that a bias toward minimizing failure also cuts away large successes, it presented the idea of running multiple attempts in parallel and not tying long-term purposes to short-term performance indicators. Through OIST's research support that reduces reporting burdens and an example in which a research application emerged from casual conversation with a student, the role of free funding and slack was discussed. The difference between waste that leads to results and mere inefficiency was also questioned.

About this session

Future strategy, industrial strategy, and research and development as the power to carry them out. For these to stand in concert and produce results, how is industry creation that draws on academic knowledge actually achieved? Together with the vision to aim for, we explore a structural path to realisation — international partnership, the use of knowledge, and new routes for management — with four leading figures. [Simultaneous interpretation into Japanese is provided for this session.]

Speakers

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  Patrick Noack

  Dubai Future Foundation　Executive Director, Future, Foresight and Imagination

  Executive Director of Future, Foresight and Imagination at the Dubai Future Foundation. Previously senior policy adviser at the Royal Society, responsible for emerging technologies and foresight, where he worked on a report examining the scientific possibilities and the social and policy questions raised by neural interface technologies. Before that he worked on scenarios and foresight for complex problems in United Nations agencies and the private sector. He holds an MSc in social policy from the LSE and a PhD in zoology from the University of Aberdeen.

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  Keisuke Goda

  The University of Tokyo / Tohoku University　Professor, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo / International Distinguished Professor, Institute for Medical Innovation, Advanced Institute for Research, Tohoku University

  He studied physics at the University of California, Berkeley and took his PhD in physics at MIT. After working on quantum enhancement of gravitational-wave detectors at LIGO, he worked on optical imaging, laser spectroscopy, biomedical engineering and microfluidics at UCLA. He has been a professor at the Graduate School of Science, the University of Tokyo, since 2012. Combining quantum optics, nanotechnology, microfluidic chemistry and data science, he develops techniques for molecular imaging, spectroscopic measurement and for making serendipity more likely. He is concurrently an International Distinguished Professor at Tohoku University.

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  Takayuki Miyagi

  PwC Consulting LLC　Partner / Senior Executive Officer, Public Sector / Chief Impact Officer

  Since 1997 he has consulted across manufacturing, retail and services and the public sector, becoming the partner responsible for the public sector practice in 2018. Building on experience in social infrastructure — postal services and logistics, small and medium enterprises, staffing services — he advises government and public bodies on policy, digital transformation, regional revitalisation and innovation strategy. He is a partner at PwC Consulting LLC, Senior Executive Officer of its public sector practice, and Chief Impact Officer.

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  Yasuo Nishiyama

  Hakuhodo DY Holdings Inc.　President and CEO

  He joined Hakuhodo in 1989. From the floor of advertising production he went on to head the Sixth Account Division and other units, becoming an executive officer in 2019. In June 2025 he was appointed President and COO of Hakuhodo DY Holdings, and since April 2026 has served as President and CEO. He is concurrently a director of Hakuhodo. Looking toward an age in which people live clothed in AI, he is advancing value creation through human-centred AI, built on continuing dialogue across industry, government, academia and citizens.

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  Yuya Nishimura

  Moderatoresse-sense Inc.　Representative Director

  Born in Ikeda, Osaka, in 1981. After a master's in human sciences at Osaka University he worked at a human development venture and at the Japan Productivity Center, and founded the NPO Miratuku in 2011. He supports the building of innovation infrastructure across fields and roles, business creation inside companies, R&D projects, and the search for future visions and currents. In 2021 he founded esse-sense Inc., which runs esse-sense, connecting research knowledge with society.