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"We want to use AI to supplement the workforce and continue to boost Japanese companies."

Kaisei Takazawa, 4th year student, School of Commerce

At Building 11 on Waseda Campus

Having aspired to be an entrepreneur since high school, after experiencing the COVID-19 pandemic, Kaisei Takazawa now serves as the Representative Director and CEO of Michibiku Group Inc. He provides services that utilize generative AI to support companies' recruitment activities. Takazawa, who co-founded the Waseda AI Research Group with fellow Waseda University students during his second year of university, shared his journey to entrepreneurship, memorable university lectures, and future prospects.

--What kind of business does Michibiku Group Inc engage in?

We provide "MachScout," an AI-powered recruitment tool that supports companies in their hiring activities. Specifically, it's a service where, when companies want to scout new graduates or job seekers registered on recruitment platforms such as Mynavi and BizReach, the AI generates and sends out recruitment emails on their behalf. It creates and sends customized email messages tailored to the profiles of the target individuals registered on the recruitment platforms.

Business introduction for "MachScout," an AI tool for scouting and recruitment.

-What motivated you to start your own business?

I was really into badminton until high school, but then the COVID-19 pandemic hit during my first year of high school, and I had nothing to do. So I started thinking about what I wanted to do in the future, and the idea of doing something that would have a positive impact on society grew within me, and I decided that I would start my own business someday. I chose to attend Waseda University's School of Commerce because there are many alumni who are entrepreneurs.

In order to start my own business while still a student, I did internships at a total of three companies, ranging from large corporations to startups, around the fall of my first year of university. Before starting the internships, I listened to talks by famous entrepreneurs and read books by students who had started their own businesses, and I felt that learning sales and system development was necessary for starting a business. So I chose internships that would allow me to focus on these two areas and participated in them.

—Why did you focus on AI tools for scouting and recruiting?

My involvement in scouting recruitment during my internship was the catalyst. Scouting recruitment mainly involves creating and sending messages tailored to each candidate, and as I worked on it, I realized that the task of creating messages would be a good match for generative AI, which piqued my interest. It was also around the time when the evolution of generative AI was a hot topic, so I thought it could be done using existing technology. In addition, while participating in the Waseda AI Research Group, I had many opportunities to talk with HR personnel from companies. At that time, I learned that the burden on recruiters was very heavy, and I felt that there was a need for this, which was another reason.

In May 2024, at the General Affairs, Human Resources, and Accounting Week held at Tokyo Big Sight, he exhibited a booth showcasing "Recnal," a service that provides comprehensive support from matching to creating recruitment emails. Takazawa is the fourth person from the left.

I founded The Waseda AI Research Group because I wanted to take concrete action after entering university, and I thought that interacting with students interested in generative AI would be useful when starting a business. Our activities are not limited to student club; we also co-sponsor events with external companies, such as lectures on "What is generative AI?" and workshops that explore what can be done using generative AI.

Photo on the left: A scene from a hackathon (*) held by the Waseda AI Research Group in September 2023.
Photo on the right: A scene from after the hackathon. Takazawa is in the center of the front row.

* An event where software developers form teams to compete in developing programs or devising services based on a specific theme.

—What kind of growth and challenges did you experience through starting your own business?

Since I started my own business without any prior work experience, I was in a situation where I had to handle everything quickly and efficiently, something I had no experience with as a student. As a result, I developed the ability to take on new challenges without hesitation, and because we sometimes receive investment from other companies, I also developed the communication skills to interact with people older than me without being intimidated. And, although it may seem obvious, I also value keeping promises and deadlines.

On the other hand, I have a habit of taking on too much work myself, so figuring out how to effectively delegate tasks to others is my current challenge. Also, about six months after starting my business, I had trouble with finances and was on the verge of bankruptcy. At that time, I had to beg the companies that had invested in me to get out of the crisis, which was quite difficult. But thanks to that experience, my business is now growing steadily, so I'm glad I persevered back then.

Photo on the left: A view of the office of Michibiku Group Co., Ltd. in Shinjuku Ward.
Photo on the right: With company employees. There are currently 22 employees. Takazawa is at the very back of the left column.

—Were there any university lectures that were helpful when you started your own business?

鈴木智先生（商学学術院教授）の「基礎会計学」と、朝日透先生（理工学術院教授）の「起業特論A・B」、そして「起業家養成講座」はとても役に立ちました。「基礎会計学」では、上場している企業の実際の決算資料を通して、「会計とは何か」という基礎的なところから、会計の本質的な部分と「既存の概念を疑え」という考えを学びました。起業したいと考えていた自分にとって、まさに求めていた内容でしたね。

Furthermore, in "Advanced Entrepreneurship A & B" and the "Entrepreneur Training Course," I was able to gain diverse knowledge about startups and venture companies through lectures by prominent entrepreneurs and business professionals. At the same time, I was able to meet fellow students aspiring to start businesses and peers who had already started businesses, creating an environment where we could learn from each other and be inspired. It was also great to interact with people full of entrepreneurial spirit through the lectures and receive a lot of advice on starting a business.

-Finally, please tell us about your future prospects.

I want to grow the company even more! Not only do I want to expand our AI-powered recruitment system to all industries, but I also want to provide even more support to companies struggling with recruitment.

Furthermore, we are developing a new initiative called "AI Employees." "AI Employees" are employees who work remotely 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, handling tasks such as accounting, human resources, sales, legal affairs, and public relations. Many small and medium-sized enterprises in Japan are going bankrupt despite being profitable due to a lack of successors and manpower, so we hope to help these companies continue to thrive by introducing "AI Employees" to supplement their workforce.

This is a booth that advertised "AI employees" at "DX EXPO Nagoya," held in April 2026. Apparently, this was even featured in the news in Aichi Prefecture.

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Interview, text, and photography by: Waseda Weekly Reporter
Rinka Nishimura 4th year student School of Human Sciences

【Profile】

A photo taken at a company celebration. Takazawa is in the center.

Born in Chiba Prefecture. Graduated from Meiji University Nakano High School. Hobbies include saunas and going out to eat with colleagues. Apparently, he has read all of Haruki Murakami's books, and his early works are his favorites.

Takazawa's Twitter: @kaisei_takazawa
Michibiku Group Inc. Official Website: https://www.wantedly.com/companies/company_2047685