This case follows the steps taken by Kaichi Yokoyama, Moon Creative Lab’s CEO, to establish the entity as a pioneering venture studio and entrepreneurial talent development entity within the Mitsui Group. As a corporate venture, the story began in 2018 when Kaichi embarked on a mission to reshape Mitsui’s deeply entrenched traditions and pursue a new era of innovation and creativity, a need highlighted by the appointment of a task force entrusted with the role of charting the company’s strategic direction until 2030. Kaichi believed Mitsui needed to evolve from merely “connecting” to “creating” to remain relevant in an ever-evolving world and to avoid being disrupted from the outside, but rather the inside. His vision extended far beyond short-term profits; it was about investing in Mitsui’s most valuable asset: its people. Kaichi aimed to nurture curiosity, broaden employees’ perspectives and create a culture of innovation. Moon was the vehicle to bring the vision to life, a corporate venture studio that would revolutionize Mitsu’s conventional operations and mindsets by celebrating curiosity and innovation in a venture studio set up in Silicon Valley. Despite strong resistance from Mitsui’s middle management, Moon pressed on with its mission. By 2023, it had to take stock of progress and define the objectives for the next five years, as well as the KPIs that would ensure its continued relevance within the Mitsui Group in an era of increasing uncertainty.
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