Odd-e Japan was established as the Japanese branch of 'Odd-e,' a global collective of software product development coaches.
CEO Kazumasa Ebata founded his first business at 15 and later led a massive 3,000-person project at a major corporation after graduating university. Despite his extensive background in system development, he chose the path of 'support.' Ebata looks back on the journey that led him there.
As the only Japanese Certified Scrum Trainer® recognized by the Scrum Alliance®, I have supported product development across a wide range of industries. My starting point, however, traces back to an experience I had at the age of 15.
At my high school entrance ceremony, my father asked, "Can I treat you as a fellow adult from now on?" I felt proud to be recognized as independent—until a month later, when he asked, "You're an adult, right? So, aren't you going to pay for your tuition and rent?"
Forced to leave home, I teamed up with two others in the same situation. We lived in a park while planning our startup. We chose a computer-related business, simply thinking it would make us popular with girls (laughs), and started visiting banks for loans.
An HR manager at one bank took an interest in us and taught us economics and financial literacy. After one of us earned several financial certifications, the manager wrote a recommendation letter, allowing us to secure a loan from a credit union. We were back on our feet and launching our business just a few months after leaving home.
Recognizing the inefficiency of paper invoices in Aichi's manufacturing sector, we decided to build a digital solution. With zero prior knowledge, we started by scratching code into the sand of the park's sandbox. Though the rain often washed our work away, we persevered, completing the system in just one month.
What started with a single spring factory quickly expanded. Our next venture—a time management system—was adopted by 200 companies, finally allowing me to cover my own tuition and living expenses. By graduation, the business had grown to 500 clients paying 350,000 yen monthly, leading to a successful exit through an acquisition by a Toyota Group affiliate.
Upon graduation, the three of us went our separate ways. I accepted an offer from a steel company that had scouted me. It was there that I would encounter the potential of Agile and Scrum—a discovery that would fundamentally change my life.
Appointed to lead a massive project involving over 3,000 people, I looked abroad for solutions and connected with Ken Schwaber, one of the co-creators of Scrum. His concepts of 'Inspection and Adaptation' and 'Transparency' as means to solve customer problems resonated deeply with me. It was 2002—a time when Scrum was virtually unknown in Japan.
Following Ken’s counterintuitive advice, I formed a team of people who 'disliked me.' Friction led to failures, but when Ken taught me that a leader's job is to take responsibility and apologize rather than to scold, the team’s mindset began to shift. They started to see the real value of Scrum through these trials.
The project eventually became a resounding success, with Scrum practices spreading throughout the entire organization. After two and a half years, I moved on to a role at a financial data vendor. It was then that I received an unexpected message from Ken: 'I'm going to Singapore. Do you want to meet up?'
In Singapore, I was introduced to Bas Vodde, the founder of Odd-e. As we discussed expanding Odd-e across Asia, the idea of founding Odd-e Japan took root. My experience at the steel company had shown me that Scrum helps grow not just businesses, but people. I wanted to recreate that 'magic'—the moment a team fundamentally shifts and individuals begin to realize their true potential.
More than just building great products, I want to increase the number of people who work with a sparkle in their eyes. Being there to witness the transformation and growth of human beings is my greatest passion.
Through our work, I aim to change how people approach their craft in Japan, cultivating a fertile ground where products that surprise the world can emerge time and time again.
Please apply for our various training programs
using the link below.