Toyota Chronicles: Delving into the Lives of Toyota Employees and Exploring the Brand's Future
Toyota Motor Corporation has launched an innovative initiative called BE Creation, a structured program designed to foster new businesses within the company. This program aims to leverage employees' aspirations to solve problems and apply technology innovatively, creating a supportive ecosystem for first-time ventures.
At the heart of the BE Creation program are two key systems: B-pro and E-biz.
B-pro, the core proposal submission platform, serves as the gateway for ideas. It encourages a culture where new concepts can be proposed with sound rationale and supported by leadership. Once ideas are submitted, they undergo a rigorous screening process that involves both Toyota staff and external professionals, with an emphasis on discussion and nurturing rather than strict judgment.
E-biz comes into play during the implementation phase of new business ideas that have passed initial reviews. Once a project clears final screening and moves into the "seed phase," E-biz assists in testing the feasibility of the business. It offers practical support to transform ideas into viable business models.
The process begins with idea submission and screening, where projects are refined and constructive feedback is provided through Q&A sessions. Projects that demonstrate potential pass through a final review and enter the seed phase, where the focus shifts to operationalizing the idea and testing business viability.
Toyota's leadership culture supports employees trying new ventures, particularly when there is a justified rationale. This reflects Toyota's enduring ethos of working for society and others, with BE creation embodying this by supporting people who earnestly strive to solve problems beyond themselves.
BE Creation provides a nurturing environment where new business owners receive guidance and support, making it easier for employees without prior entrepreneurial experience to launch ventures. The program also includes outside professionals in review sessions, providing diverse perspectives and expertise, enhancing the robustness of the screening and development process.
After idea approval, the program emphasizes testing and validating business models, helping first-time entrepreneurs understand market demands, operational challenges, and growth potential before full-scale launch. The seed phase focuses on testing business feasibility for projects that have passed final review.
Technology will only spread if people are made aware of it, use it for themselves, and are satisfied, according to an assistant manager at BE Creation. To this end, the E-biz team has built its expertise through supporting new business expansion and learning from the process. The knowledge and experience gained are now being applied back to Toyota's core business.
The objective behind these efforts is to create a reproducible infrastructure for current and future new businesses. The program encourages employees to pursue new ventures that aim to solve others' problems. Each year, around 300 proposals are received, and about 20-30 clear the document and interview screening.
The E-biz system is now being used to apply knowledge and experience gained from new businesses back to Toyota's core business. BE Creation offers a learning community called BE academia, which provides expert lectures, guides, and workshops to cultivate willpower and problem-solving skills.
BE Creation assigns support staff known as "sherpas" to projects, and brings in outside professionals for review sessions. The program is designed to guide new businesses to success, with a focus on strategic rationale, willpower, and underlying experience/customer needs hypothesis.
In summary, Toyota’s BE Creation program establishes a comprehensive, supportive process for new business creation. It balances rigorous evaluation with nurturing support, reflecting Toyota’s cultural values and commitment to innovation and problem-solving.
[1] This article is based on information provided by Toyota Motor Corporation and does not contain any personal opinions or unrelated information.
- With B-pro serving as the idea submission platform and E-biz aiding in testing the feasibility of approved projects, Toyota's BE Creation program leverages finance, technology, and entrepreneurship to foster new business ventures within the company.
- Toyota's BE Creation program, by offering guidance and support to first-time entrepreneurs who aim to solve problems using technology innovatively, nurtures a culture of business and entrepreneurship that aligns with the company's commitment to working for society.
