Entrepreneurship in cross-cultural environment

The positive aspects of working in cross-cultural environment are always astonishing. The ideas and the thought process that people bring on the table is mesmerizing - be it case-studies or idea suggestions. The entire of March and April 2009 was occupied with Wharton GCP and Nipponica a Venture lab initiative. Nipponica was a seed plan, part of the entrepreneurship class curriculum, whose business model focused on providing technology consulting services to entrepreneurs/ companies in Japan helping them with their start-ups. After all this is what was required in this uncertain economy and period of unemployment i.e. to create job opportunities. Nipponica offered a reliable, high-quality alternative to in-house resources for business development, market development, and channel development. Working with 3 financials experts coming from Italy, France and Japan, with a marketing expert from Venezuela, with 15+ years experienced Indo-US IT combo was a tremendous learning experience. Language barriers and working methodology, despite the cultural differences and working styles, at times took its toll on the team, but none that could possibly stop the team from delivering high-quality plan backed by sound secondary research work. The overall quality of learning, documentation and presentation were excellent (or atleast that is what was told to us). Kudos to team Nipponica (2009)!! After Nipponica, I have now moved on to two different venture projects in the venture lab, looking to collaborate with my Latin American friends in the field of MVNO'S and CSR's. Hoping for an entrepreneurial and eventful 2009 :)