a company that plans, manufactures, and sells cat-related products. Co-working LLC's Takahiro Nishida, who plans, manufactures, and sells cat-related products, was interviewed on February 27, 2012.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government's Consultation Center for New Business Location conducted an interview with Takahiro Nishida of Coworking Godo Kaisha (located in Koto-ku, Tokyo), which plans, manufactures, and sells cat goods under the brand name "moftech," and published the interview on its website on February 27, 2024 ( The interview was published on the website of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's Corporate Location Consultation Center on February 27, 2024 (Tuesday).

Takahiro Nishida, Representative Employee of Coworking Godo Kaisha

■The warmth of gentle wood is also appealing, and sustainable cat goods make their presence known.

Unlike dogs, cats do not need to be walked, they look great on SNS, and the Corona disaster has reaffirmed the healing power of cats. ...... The cat boom shows no signs of ending for a number of reasons. The "cat business" is so heated that some estimates put the economic effect of "catonomics," which calculates the costs and expenditures related to cats, such as cat food and goods, at about 2 trillion yen per year.

Coworking LLC, which plans, manufactures, and sells cat goods under the brand name "moftech," is a company that has established a solid presence in the industry by improving and selling certain cat goods that are familiar to cat lovers. We interviewed Representative Employee Takahiro Nishida about the company's business, future prospects, and the advantages of its Tokyo location.

Accelerating Development by Moving into a Monozukuri Coworking Space

First, we asked Mr. Nishida how he got started in this business.

After working in marketing for a company that planned, manufactured, and sold stationery and office supplies, and in sales for an insurance company, I became independent in 2013. I chose my current job because I wanted to create unconventional goods for my cat. Although it is a niche area, the cat boom is not small in terms of the market, and I thought I could compete if I could produce quality products in a stable manner.

This is when Mr. Nishida came up with the idea of a cat tower, a plaything for cats. Also called a cat tree, it is a well-known item that allows cats to exercise indoors.

However, conventional cat towers have a fixed shape and height, so they do not fit the indoor environment of individual homes, and in some cases, they are limited in where they can be placed. We wondered if we could create a cat tower that could be assembled like a toy block and flexibly changed in height and shape. We also wondered if we could make it durable by using wood, and if it could be made into an item that would fit in with a variety of interiors. In order to give form to these ideas, we first made a series of prototypes using styrene board, which is used as a material for models and crafts and is easy to process.

After that, although the basic parts were completed, a major hurdle awaited us in order to complete the project. To make a full-scale prototype using real wood, we would need a dedicated processing machine and a larger work space. However, machines are expensive, and renting a work space is also quite costly. This is why Mr. Nishida turned his attention to the "Asia Startup Office MONO" in Aomi, Koto-ku, Tokyo. This is a business start-up support facility specializing in manufacturing start-ups. It is equipped with a machine shop with state-of-the-art machinery and a vast work space.

The office can be rented for a relatively reasonable fee, and laser cutting machines, 3D printers, and 3D CAD systems, which are indispensable for wood processing, can be used free of charge. The incubation manager who was here at the time I moved in provided me with guidance on how to use the machines from the ground up, and my development has accelerated dramatically since moving in here.

■Using the blessed environment and advice, a cat tower that can be used for a lifetime was completed.

After about a year of development, "moftech Kitten Tower" was completed. The materials used were hexagonal shina wood panels and pine poles. The tower can be freely changed in shape according to the cat's growth and personality.

The "Kitten Style" has a low height and wide panels from birth to about 12 months, the "Adult Style" is taller for cats between 1 and 10 years old, and the "Senior Style" has lower and wider panels for cats over 10 years old, so it can be used throughout their lives. The "Senior Style" can be used for a lifetime. Assembly is easy and takes about 40 minutes. All necessary tools are included.

The moftech kitten tower has been introduced in a variety of media, including TV programs, information magazines, Web news, and trade newspapers, and has become popular among cat lovers. As a new type of cat goods, sales are growing strongly.

If we had not moved into MONO, we would not have completed the moftech Kitten Tower. There are many coworking spaces for start-ups in Tokyo, but it is extremely rare to find one that allows you to use a machine tool for free. I also feel that it is a good environment where I can receive frank opinions from other manufacturing companies. Even though the types of products we make may differ, we are all fundamentally involved in manufacturing, and as entrepreneurs, we share the same perspective, so I have been able to receive a lot of useful advice on design, costs, and other issues. Of course, I have had many opportunities to offer my frank opinions to them as well, and I believe that we are friends who can inspire each other.

Advantages of Koto and Tokyo Location: Gaining Growth from Excellent Human Resources in Japan and Abroad

We continued by asking about the appeal of MONO.

As an Asian start-up office certified by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, MONO is home to many start-ups in the manufacturing industry from overseas, especially from Asia, and the interaction with them is also an asset. It is stimulating to see them concentrating on their work even late at night, and as we get to know each other better, I have been able to acquire beginner's level Chinese. It is an asset to be able to communicate with them myself when purchasing materials for products from China.

In addition, working with a company that used to be a MONO tenant, he participated in Startup Weekend Tokyo 2019, a weekend-long event for startups to experience the realities of startups. He presented "an IT device for owners to measure the activity level of their cats when they are away from home," and won third place. This was also a great experience for him because he was at MONO.

Another attractive point is the opportunity to receive financial support: "With the strong assistance of the MONO office, we were able to obtain loans from private banks and Koto Ward's business start-up support on favorable terms. I also feel that our external credibility is increasing year by year as we continue to work with MONO, which is accredited by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and supports startups not only in Japan but also overseas.

Lastly, we asked about the advantages of being located in Tokyo.

I think the name value of our company, which is recognized around the world, works to our advantage. In addition to moftech's moftech Nyanko Tower, our product "Nyanko Capsule," a private space for cats, is also made of wood, The wooden capsules have attracted attention from Australia, China, Hong Kong, and other countries as "wooden cat goods with a Japanese feel," and inquiries about them have been increasing. I think our company's location in Tokyo was one of the reasons for this.

■Company Profile

Company Name ： Coworking Godo Kaisha, Ltd.

Location ： 14F East Telecom Center Building, 2-5-10 Aomi, Koto-ku, Tokyo

Representative: Takahiro Nishida

Establishment ： February 19, 2013

Business : Planning, manufacturing, and sales of cat-related products

Website : https://moftech.jp/

Source of information

Tokyo Metropolitan Enterprise Location Consultation Center

Website: https://ilsc.tokyo/

What is the Tokyo Metropolitan Consultation Center for New Business Location?

The Tokyo Metropolitan Corporate Location Advisory Center provides free consultation for companies and sole proprietors in search of a "location" to establish or expand their business. We will ask you about your desired conditions and make a simultaneous inquiry to private real estate businesses that handle offices, stores, factories, and business sites.

We also provide information on public property information and support systems of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and its municipalities.

(The Tokyo Metropolitan Government's Consultation Center for New Business Location is operated by the Bureau of Industrial and Labor Affairs, Tokyo Metropolitan Government.)

Articles

Interviews with companies that have located and are active in Tokyo and persons in charge of corporate support at the municipalities are posted on the website of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's Consultation Center for Investors in Business Location.

URL: https://ilsc.tokyo/voice/041.html