National Search Fund Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President: Kenta Maeda; hereinafter "NSF"), in cooperation with Seibu Shinkin Bank, and in collaboration with Crowe Watanabe CT Co., Ltd. and Icon Capital Co., Ltd., will hold a seminar titled "Thinking About the Future of Business Succession for Next-Generation Leaders and SME Owners - The Option of 'Search Funds'" on August 4, 2026 (Tue).

This seminar is an in-person-only event where SME owners struggling with a lack of successors and next-generation leader candidates aspiring to become future managers can gather. We will share the possibilities of "business succession centered on people, known as search funds, which is not limited to M&A" from a realistic perspective, including actual succession case studies.

*This is an in-person event only. There will be no online streaming.

Background of the Event: An Option to "Entrust Your Business to People," Not Just "Sell It"

Business succession is an urgent issue for Japanese SMEs today. However, behind the phrase "lack of successors" lies not only the problem of not having candidates but also the structural dilemma of owner-managers not knowing "to whom and how to entrust their valuable business and company."

On the other hand, while there are many talented individuals who want to challenge themselves in management, most of them remain in the binary career choices of "starting a business" or "changing jobs," and opportunities to learn about the option of "taking over an existing company and managing it" are still limited.

Therefore, this seminar introduces "search funds," where individuals aspiring to management take over existing companies, as a third option beyond "starting a business" or "changing jobs." By bringing together next-generation leader candidates and SME owners in the same venue, we will provide an opportunity to jointly consider the future of "business succession centered on people," which differs from traditional M&A.

Seminar Highlights

[From Basics to Practice]

We will clearly explain the mechanism of search funds and the latest practical examples in Japan.

[Real Stories from Those Involved]

The owners of companies that have undergone business succession through search funds and the searchers (successors) will take the stage. We will delve into the decision-making process, conflicts, and post-succession changes in a dialogue format.

[Diverse Options]

In addition to succession to external personnel, we will also introduce the "Employee Succession and Management Shareholder Development Model" for nurturing internal talent. You can compare and consider the optimal form for your own company.

Seminar Overview

Date and Time: August 4, 2026 (Tue) 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Venue: Seibu Shinkin Bank Head Office Conference Room (2-29-10 Nakano, Nakano-ku, Tokyo)

Format: In-person only (no online streaming)

Participation Fee: Free (advance registration required)

Capacity: Maximum 50 people

Details URL: https://ns-fund.jp/posts/AwjlFtXO

Registration URL: https://ns-fund.jp/form_temp

[Important Notes]

*Participant information will not be disclosed. Please feel free to attend.

*Due to the nature of the seminar, participation by search fund companies, competitors, and related parties may be refused.

Recommended for:

Those aiming to become SME managers in the future

Owner-managers interested in their company's business succession and seeking concrete options

Those interested in regional revitalization and SME management through M&A and search funds

Those who want to compare and consider multiple options such as succession within relatives, to employees, or to third parties

Program Content

[Part 1] Business Succession and Search Funds

Lecturer: Kenta Maeda (President, National Search Fund Co., Ltd.)

Explains the reality of the succession gap faced by regional companies and the basic mechanism of search funds. Focusing on the concept of "nurturing and entrusting successor management talent" rather than "selling a company," we will provide an overview of SME succession by next-generation managers (searchers).

[Part 2] Dialogue: The Reality of Business Succession Decision-Making - The Case of Tominaga Electric Co., Ltd. -

Speakers: Masahiro Nakagawa (President, Tominaga Electric Co., Ltd. / Searcher), Toshihide Chinen (Chairman of the Board, Tominaga Electric Co., Ltd. / Former Owner)

Facilitators: Yuya Yamahara (Director, Crowe Watanabe CT Co., Ltd.), Masao Hirase (Chief Searcher Officer, National Search Fund Co., Ltd.)

Based on an actual case of business succession using search funds, the owner and searcher will each share their anxieties and conflicts at the time, as well as the changes they have felt since taking over.

[Part 3] Introduction to the Employee Succession Model

Lecturer: Shuichiro Yasuda (President, Icon Capital Co., Ltd.)

Introduces the "Employee Succession and Management Shareholder Development Model," which complements succession to external managers. From the perspective of how to strengthen the company after succession, we will explain a system for nurturing "management shareholders" who will be key personnel from both inside and outside the company.

[Co-organizers and Special Cooperation Company Overview]

National Search Fund Co., Ltd.

President: Kenta Maeda

Location: 28F, 2-16-2 Konan, Minato-ku, Tokyo

URL: https://ns-fund.jp/

Crowe Watanabe CT Co., Ltd.

Representative Director: Yoshiki Watanabe

Location: 13F, Tokyo Garden Terrace Kioicho Kioicho Tower, 1-3-3 Kioicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

URL: https://www.crowe.com/jp/about-us/our-office/advisory/about

Icon Capital Co., Ltd.

Representative Director: Shuichiro Yasuda

Location: 3F, SHIBUYA SOLASTA, 1-21-1 Dogenzaka, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

URL: https://iconcapital.jp/

Special Cooperation: Seibu Shinkin Bank

Governor: Ichiro Takahashi

Location: 2-29-10 Nakano, Nakano-ku, Tokyo

URL: https://www.shinkin.co.jp/seibu/

[Inquiries Regarding This Matter]

National Search Fund Operations Center

Email: [email protected]

FACT BOX

  • Source: PR TIMES
  • Category: Event