Intern builds billion-dollar company inspired by mom’s comment


Tsuruoka at Base Inc's office in Tokyo, Japan. The shares of Base, a Japanese company that helps individuals and small businesses create Internet shops, are up more than sixfold since listing last year. — Bloomberg

Everything changed for Yuta Tsuruoka when his mother, who runs a small shop in rural Japan, made a passing comment: She wanted to set up her own online store but didn’t know how.

“That was the start of it all,” Tsuruoka, 30, said. “We were in a world where people with no internet skills and no money, like my mom, couldn’t imagine creating online businesses.”

The Star Christmas Special Promo: Save 35% OFF Yearly. T&C applies.

Monthly Plan

RM 13.90/month

Best Value

Annual Plan

RM 12.33/month

RM 8.02/month

Billed as RM 96.20 for the 1st year, RM 148 thereafter.

Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!

Next In Tech News

Tech influencer Lamarr Wilson dies by suicide at 48
Sam Altman’s cringe AI thirst trap says a lot about the future of OpenAI
Italy regulator fines Apple $115 million for alleged App Store privacy violations
The rise of deepfake cyberbullying poses a growing problem for schools
As US battles China on AI, some companies choose Chinese
Boys at her school shared AI-generated, nude images of her. After a fight, she was the one expelled
Banks in M'sia urge customers to update browsers and mobile OS for enhanced security
Waymos froze, blocked traffic during San Francisco power outage
Cancer stole her voice. She used AI, curse words and kids’ books to get it back
Once a gamble in the desert, electric grid batteries are everywhere

Others Also Read