Gambling on your Success! A New Japanese Start Up in Israel!

by Mel Rosenberg - מל רוזנברג

After fruitful careers as a scientist and inventor I've gone back to what I love most - writing children's books Read More

Joined Oct 2013
Published Books 1559

This is Ani Terada. He is my new friend from the Samurai Incubate in Tel Aviv. He has a great idea for a start-up which I am going to tell you about soon.

Ani-san grew up in Kobe, near Osaka. Kobe beef actually comes from there! Can you believe?

He studied at Osaka University (B.A. in economics) followed by a MBA degree at Kyoto University. He worked for several years in educational marketing before coming to Israel.

g a B.A.

Ani-san is here in Israel as part of the Samurai Incubate Inc. He has been here for two months. “What have you got to say about life in Tel Aviv”, I ask him. He answers “Incredibly great”. I’ll take that as a positive answer.

But I am here to tell you about Ani’s great venture. It’s called “Aniwo”.

Aniwo, do a lot of good for the world through gambling

The aim of the company is to do a lot of good for the world through gambling.

That sounds strange. But the idea is truly innovational.

In the world, it turns out, people spend $4 billion dollars a year gambling. Half of this money is spent in Japan. Ani wants to put some of this money to good use!

Instead of gambling on horses and dogs, why not bet on entrepreneurs?

Here is how it works. Ani-san gets three start ups to compete in a ‘race’. Let’s say one start-up is going to find a cool way to peel cucumbers. The second is going to do hair transplants for pets. The third is going to save electrical costs by 94%. Ani receives a pitch from all three start ups.

Then the betting begins!!! You can bet on the success of any of the competing startups. Which one is going to win the judges’ hearts (and pockets)?

Aniwo, You can bet on the success of any of the competing startups

As a potential gambler, you buy e-chips (Ani-san calls them gambling coins) and place your bet.

The judges are an international group of select experts who have not heard of the companies in the race before. They view the pitches, and cast their vote.

Aniwo, the judges view the pitches, and cast their vote

Here is the beauty of Ani’s idea. The gamblers who chose the winning start-up receive a proportion of the proceeds. But about 30% of the winnings go to the START UP that won the competition. I think that’s brilliant. I want to be the first company to compete (but not against the one with the huge reduction in electricity costs).

The companies that lose do not have to pay anything. And they also get some free publicity. But, according to my own experience in life, it’s more fun to win.