TOPICS

Startup
【Series】JIC VGI investee
startup’s DE&I
Vol.2 Social Interior Inc.
JIC Group has been actively promoting DE&I with the belief that DE&I helps us utilize diverse points of view, trigger innovation, and strengthen competitiveness. To promote DE&I in the Japanese fund sector and startup ecosystem, JIC officially announced its position on DE&I in July 2023, and since then has been implementing a variety of initiatives, including the introduction in December 2024 of a DE&I Promotion Policy describing why JIC Group promotes DE&I and its DE&I Goals. This series features JIC VGI portfolio companies that demonstrate the practical application of DE&I principles through: advanced initiatives that empower diverse talents regardless of gender, nationality, or disability; support employees seeking to balance work and childcare; or promote unique careers or ways of working. Interviews also include comments from JIC VGI venture capitalists.

Ken Machino
Representative Director, Social Interior Co., Ltd.
After working as a consultant for Hewlett-Packard Japan and in business planning and overseas business development at Macromill, Inc., he founded Glider Associates Inc. in 2012 to launch the curation magazine Antenna. He grew the company to five million users and profitability in three years. Ken launched Social Interior in 2016 and Japan's first furniture subscription service in March 2018. He is from Kumamoto Prefecture.
Masaki Onuma
Venture Capitalist, JIC Venture Growth Investments Co., Ltd.
At NTT and Boston Consulting Group, he was involved in a number of different roles, including the formulation and execution of business strategies, M&A, and organizational restructuring for companies in the telecommunications/media, finance, and manufacturing industries, as well as the launch of new businesses. After joining INCJ, he had responsibilities in investment in startup companies, the development of businesses and entrepreneurs, and governance initiatives. Masaki joined VGI in August 2020.Working closely with colleagues in a comfortable workplace
Social Interior Inc. offers a furniture and home electronics subscription service. This interview features DE&I initiatives for developing a corporate culture that makes it possible for each employee to find fulfillment at work without having to sacrifice their family and private life.
Please describe Social Interior’s business.
Machino CEO Our main businesses are a subscription service for furniture for businesses and private customers (direct sales), and a DX platform for business flow in the interior industry (DX business).
How did you find out about JIC VGI?
Machino One of our shareholders introduced us to Mr. Onuma in 2021.
Onuma, venture capitalist, JIC VGI We made an investment decision after highly evaluating Social Interior’s strengths. For example, in addition to developing a B2B/B2C furniture subscription business, they also built a platform that enables companies and customers to buy and sell older model or used furniture that still looks beautiful – making good use of second-hand furniture in a sustainable way. The trend toward reconsidering the disposal of furniture when moving office has been growing for environmentally friendly reasons, and we expect to see further growth in a business that responds to the need for effective use and liquidity of stock.

Are there any specific initiatives for the empowerment of women, such as the high female employee rate of 60 percent?
Machino The female employee ratio used to be greater than 70 percent because of fair hiring practices. We hired excellent employees who had an entrepreneurial spirit, and they just happened to be women. We also offer a variety of options, including shorter hours, work from home, flextime, and babysitter support.
Kotomi Watajima HR/PR manager The company offers support that is very helpful for making life decisions, such as marriage and childbirth, and supports balance between work and family. When working shorter hours, and finishing work early, we do not need to feel sorry for our colleagues; this, I believe, is a good foundation for a comfortable workplace. We do not feel a gap before and after working at Social Interior.
Onuma This explains why Social Interior’s employee turnover rate is very low among startups.
Chisa Takahashi HR/PR The employee turnover rate is about 15 percent for the company as a whole. I think the key is working together to build a work environment that is good for balancing work and family.
One-hundred percent of female employees and 75 percent of male employees take childcare leave. How did you get there?
Takahashi It was 33 percent in FY23, rising to 75 percent this fiscal year. These changes are the result of our efforts to create an environment that makes it easier to take childcare leave. Management are taking childcare leave, so it is easier for employees to take it, too. We share the same value: “Taking care of family and enriching life will lead to better performance at work.”
Watajima We always work closely with team members rather than personalizing tasks. This kind of corporate culture enables us to take childcare leave as needed.
Could you talk about DE&I initiatives other than female empowerment? Do you have any specific activities?
Machino A DX business requires enormous product data entry work. We outsource these tasks to a company that employs people with disabilities. We want to offer them the opportunity to work, even if our approach is indirect.
Watajima Family Day, which encourages children and partners to experience the workplace and see their father/mother or partner working, is also one of our activities promoting work-family balance.
Machino My child participated in Family Day, saw me working, and came to understand why I came home late. Managers communicate with team members’ children, and feel closer to them. Family Day has been very effective for improving both work and life. I recommend trying Family Day!
