PENON Inc.

Focusing on pens, which have been thrown away without proper recycling methods, PENON Inc. developed a sustainable ballpoint pen using PEFC-certified wood. Committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and achieving carbon neutrality, PENON was founded in 2021.

Since its start, PENON's primary goal has been global expansion. To make this goal a reality, PENON decided to apply for the Buy TOKYO Promotion Support Program, which is the first time they have used a support program like this.

Gaining a number of new business partners after traveling to France twice and taking part in domestic trade shows during their first year with the program!

Nagaoka, the CEO of the company, noted that PENON's participation in two overseas exhibitions was a considerable challenge and it was only possible thanks to the program.

Showing at an exhibition requires a lot of preparation, and the costs involved can be a huge burden for companies. However, the Buy TOKYO Promotion Support Program subsidizes not only booth fees and display costs but also transportation and travel expenses. This allowed them to pursue their objective, without worrying about the cost.

As a result, they were able to showcase their products at Maison&Objet and MUSEUM CONNECTIONS PARIS 2024, two major trade shows that take place in Paris, during their first year with the program. PENON plans to participate in these two exhibitions again in January 2025.

Attending exhibitions for two consecutive years through subsidies is a particularly strong point of the Buy TOKYO Promotion Support Program since it can provide support for up to two years.

In addition to overseas exhibitions, PENON also appeared at domestic exhibitions including Lifestyle Week and Gift Shows, creating more opportunities for many people to learn about their products.

While gaining new business partners by attending exhibitions both in Japan and abroad, they have had significant successes connecting with museums to plan and sell original products. They have been able to tie up with domestic art museums such as the Chichu Art Museum and the National Museum of Western Art, both widely known for their Claude Monet exhibitions, as well as overseas museums such as the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in France.

The connections they established through exhibition participation are not only with business partners.

In 2024, PENON launched a project to accept international interns. These interns learned about PENON at the exhibitions and had the opportunity to apply as a result.

Attending exhibitions not only helped them gain business partners but also accept interns.

Expert advice for new, concrete goal: entering the US market

When talking about the dispatch of experts, PENON's sales representative Yamamoto said that the support program allowed them to receive advice from knowledgeable specialists before starting out on their own. This made it easier for them to take the first step towards a full-scale expansion into the US market in the future.

For hands-on support, experts are dispatched based on the company's needs or any issues and problems they face. PENON has received advice focused on overseas business expansion.

While the exhibitions in France were their primary goal, PENON received advice from specialists to help them with their next objective of expanding into the United States. Through their advice, PENON learned about the market and how to develop sales channels, heard about the features of the exhibitions, and gained introductions to specific exhibitions.

Also, the dispatched experts informed PENON about sample showroom events, one of the test marketing methods for the United States. They were then able to take on the challenge of applying to a sample showroom event.

One of the strengths of dispatching experts is that they allow companies to gain access to information that would not be available generally within their companies while also giving them timely support as they put their ideas into action.

The greatest benefit they have seen after two years in the Buy TOKYO Promotion Support Program is that it encourages companies to take on new challenges

When asked what she found especially valuable about the support they received, Nagaoka said, "Of course, the subsidies and expert dispatches helped us greatly. But the most significant benefit of the Buy TOKYO Promotion Support Program was that it encourages companies to take on new challenges.

Thanks to this program, we achieved our goal of expanding overseas, which has been our dream since the company was founded.

Showing through our actions that we're going abroad to our employees in just three years since we started the company is a massive step for us. "

Nagaoka also mentioned that applying for the Buy TOKYO Promotion Support Program gave them a chance to examine themselves and become cognizant of their strengths and weaknesses.

We look forward to seeing how PENON will grow even after the support years end.