Kobashi Monozukuri Seminar- Beyond Manufacturing Practices
Cyberjaya, 26 August 2026 – The 3rd KOBASHI Monozukuri Seminar in Malaysia was successfully held on 26 August 2026, bringing together approximately 30 participants from startups, government and ecosystem agencies, as well as university researchers.
The seminar provided participants with a deeper understanding of Monozukuri, extending beyond manufacturing practices to encompass the mindset, processes, documentation, and values required to transform an idea into a product that can be manufactured and commercialized.
The main session was delivered by Mr. Ambrose Chia from Leave a Nest Singapore and Managing Director of 144 Ventures, who shared practical insights into the KOBASHI Monozukuri approach and how it can support startups throughout their product development journey.
More Than 100 Years of Trust, Integrity and Intention
The seminar began with a special video message from Mr. Shojiro Kobashi of KOBASHI Holdings, who was unable to attend the seminar in person. In his message, Mr. Kobashi reflected on how KOBASHI Holdings has sustained its business for more than 100 years across nine generations. He emphasized several fundamental values that have remained important throughout the company’s journey particularly trust, integrity and intention.
His sharing demonstrated that Monozukuri is not solely about technical manufacturing capabilities, but is also closely connected to the values and mindset that guide how a company develops products, works with partners and continuously evolves over generations.
Understanding the Monozukuri Process
Following the opening message, Mr. Ambrose Chia provided a comprehensive introduction to the Monozukuri approach and explained how KOBASHI Holdings supports startups throughout different stages of product development.
The session covered the journey from product design and proof of concept (POC) to manufacturing and commercialization, highlighting that manufacturing considerations should not begin only when a startup is ready for mass production.
One of the key areas emphasized during the seminar was the importance of documentation. Proper documentation enables startups and manufacturing partners to communicate product requirements clearly, maintain consistency throughout development and create a stronger foundation for future manufacturing and scale-up.
Mr. Ambrose Chia sharing the importance of documentation as an essential part of the Monozukuri process.
Startup Perspective: Learning from KOBASHI Holdings
The program continued with a special sharing session by Dr. Shian Lee from Alphaswift, who shared his experience of visiting KOBASHI Holdings in Okinawa, Japan.
During his sharing, Dr. Shian highlighted several practices he observed during the visit, particularly the core pillars that guide KOBASHI Holdings’ manufacturing approach. His experience provided participants with a startup perspective on how the Monozukuri philosophy can be translated into practical product development and manufacturing practices.
Dr. Shian Lee sharing his experience and key learnings from his visit to KOBASHI Holdings in Japan.
Beyond Manufacturing
Overall, the 3rd KOBASHI Monozukuri Seminar provided participants with a broader perspective on manufacturing and the philosophy behind Monozukuri. A key takeaway from the seminar was that KOBASHI Holdings’ support for startups can extend beyond the POC and mass-production stages. By engaging with manufacturing considerations from earlier stages including design, documentation, product development, and manufacturing preparation startups can better understand what is required to transform their innovations into practical, consistent, and commercially viable products.
Mr. Yukihiro Maru, Founder and Group CEO of Leave a Nest, sharing how KOBASHI Holdings and Leave a Nest can support startups in advancing their innovations.
The seminar concluded with information on an opportunity for participants to visit KOBASHI Holdings in Okinawa, Japan, allowing interested startups and innovators to further explore the Monozukuri approach, observe KOBASHI’s manufacturing practices, and identify potential areas for collaboration.
Through this seminar, KOBASHI Holdings and Leave a Nest continue to create opportunities for startups, researchers, agencies, and ecosystem stakeholders in Malaysia to deepen their understanding of manufacturing and explore collaborations that can bring innovative technologies from ideas and prototypes towards real-world products.
Participants of the 3rd KOBASHI Monozukuri Seminar in Malaysia, bringing together startups, researchers, agencies and ecosystem stakeholders to explore Monozukuri and manufacturing collaboration.