The article is a conversational interview with Associate Professor Yasuhiro Yamakawa of Babson College, conducted by editor Okuda Yoshie for BCN+R’s “千人回峰” series. Yamakawa discusses his philosophy that “Failure is good,” describing how Babson’s entrepreneurship education deliberately embraces failure as a learning tool. He contrasts Japanese and American cultural attitudes toward business failure, noting Japan’s lingering stigma and the need for a more tolerant environment to foster a culture of challenge. Yamakawa explains Babson’s curriculum, which focuses on self‑knowledge, action, learning from failure, and collaboration, and distinguishes between entrepreneurship education (mindset) and entrepreneurship training (startup creation). He outlines a three‑step personal framework—experiment, accept failure, involve others—to live freely and impact society. The interview also highlights his roles in Japanese innovation ecosystems (CIC Japan, Venture Café Tokyo, J‑Startup) and the symbolic “Failure is GOOD” mascot used to promote a tolerant attitude toward failure. The piece concludes with reflections on defining failure, the importance of shared organizational definitions, and the broader goal of nurturing a culture that encourages risk‑taking and societal change.
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Failure is Good: Embracing Failure in Entrepreneurship Education
Yamakawa’s core message that failure should be celebrated as a learning opportunity, and how he repeatedly tells students “Failure is good.”