— Taking the Learning from the Osaka–Kansai EXPO to the Global Stage: Deepening Ecosystem Understanding Through Practice —In Part 1, we introduced the DMZ × Chiba University Global Entrepreneurship Exchange conducted in Japan, where mixed teams of Japanese and Canadian students tackled traditional industries through an entrepreneurial lens.Rather than treating that experience as a one-off, the program was intentionally designed to extend and deepen the learning. This article focuses on the second phase of the initiative: an immersive, hands-on program delivered in Toronto, Canada.Program Overview and ParticipantsThe Toronto program took place over five days, from August 25 to 29, 2025.Participants included eight students from Chiba University, as well as seven university administrators and staff selected from Chiba University and institutions across Japan following workshops held at the Osaka–Kansai EXPO.By designing distinct yet complementary learning tracks for students and university staff, the program explored entrepreneurship from two interconnected perspectives:how to experience an entrepreneurial ecosystem first-hand, and how to translate that experience back into one’s own institution.Program Structure and ScheduleAs with the Japan phase, the Toronto program emphasized speed, focus, and experiential learning.⚫︎August 25 (Day 1): Orientation, market research workshop, and fieldwork preparation⚫︎August 26 (Day 2): Fieldwork preparation, ecosystem tour at the Rakuten Kobo office, and DMZ Japan Night (networking event)⚫︎August 27 (Day 3): Market research fieldwork and briefing session⚫︎August 28 (Day 4): Presentation preparation and observation of Basecamp Demo Day (pitch competition)⚫︎August 29 (Day 5): Final presentations and wrap-up session(On-campus sessions)From EXPO to Toronto: Growing Ideas Through IterationOne defining feature of this phase was its focus on further validating and refining two business ideas, “Leescha” (a kombucha concept) and “LeesUP Bars” (a protein bar), that had received strong evaluations during the Osaka–Kansai Expo final presentations.Students conducted interviews across Toronto, both on and off campus, collecting direct feedback from consumers with different cultural backgrounds and value systems. While interviews within the university environment tended to be more accessible, engaging strangers in shopping malls and public spaces proved significantly more challenging.Martin Croteau, DMZ’s Expert-in-Residence, guiding the program, emphasized that “when research doesn’t go as planned, that experience itself becomes real marketing. It is one of the most important lessons students can learn.”Confronting realities that diverged from their initial assumptions, students rapidly cycled between input and output, sharpening their ideas under tight time constraints and increasing the clarity of their value propositions.(Market research interviews conducted on the TMU campus and around the city)A Program Designed for Both Builders and ChallengersAnother distinctive aspect of the program was its dual-track design, offering tailored experiences for students and for university staff.By developing not only those who practice entrepreneurship, but also those who enable and support it, the program aimed to deepen ecosystem understanding at the institutional level.Student Track: Learning Entrepreneurship Through ActionThe student program centered on entrepreneurial skills developed through practice, with workshops and fieldwork focused on pitching, business modeling, and market validation.Rather than absorbing knowledge passively, students were continuously asked:What can you test right now? What is the next action you should take?Even within a short timeframe, this structure demanded fast decision-making and execution.Student reflections included comments such as:“I realized how difficult it is to draw honest opinions from strangers, and how important that skill is.”“I developed a habit of constantly moving between input and output, even under severe time constraints.”The experiences from the Japan program were re-tested in a new cultural and market context, transforming prior learning into a more nuanced and multidimensional understanding.(Student final presentations)Staff Track: Seeing the Ecosystem from the Builder’s SideThe university staff program focused on the perspective of ecosystem builders. Participants engaged in workshops with TMU staff, discussions with university leaders and DMZ experts, and site visits across the ecosystem.Central questions included how entrepreneurial thinking can be embedded into university curricula and operations, and how such initiatives can be sustained and scaled over time.In particular, discussions revolved around how university research can be translated into societal impact, and how startup ecosystems can effectively connect education, research, and industry.These sessions reinforced the idea that universities can function not only as educational institutions, but as core engines of innovation.(Program sessions for university staff)Although students and university staff approached the ecosystem from different roles, experiencing the same environment from multiple angles became one of the program’s most distinctive sources of value.Looking Back: What Emerged Across Part 1 and Part 2Spanning from an intensive program in Japan to immersive practice in Toronto, this initiative offered participants more than isolated learning moments. It provided an opportunity to test, reflect, and continuously refine ideas over time.Part 1 emphasized initial steps: cross-cultural collaboration and first encounters with the market.Part 2 brought those learnings into a new context, where they were re-examined, challenged, and deepened.By designing the two phases as a connected journey, participants were able to internalize entrepreneurial mindset and ecosystem literacy in a way that felt tangible and personally relevant.DMZ Japan will continue to develop programs that prioritize practice over theory, cross-border learning, and the cultivation of both future founders and those who support them, ensuring that learning circulates across borders and ecosystems.