Delivered on October 28, 2025
Entrepreneurship Seeking Flexible Work Styles / QGIS and Location Data Consulting by SOCO
Speaker: Misako Ueno
CEO, SOCO Inc.
Affiliation and position information is as of the time of distribution
In this podcast, we welcome Misako Ueno, CEO of SOCO Inc., a company that uses GIS to promote the use of location information, as our guest. She talks about what led her to start her own company and the details of her business. With a vision of "working freely" and the goal of spreading the joy and convenience of GIS, she supports companies in resolving their issues as a "data chef." She also talks about her activities to spread the value of GIS to companies that have yet to fully utilize it, and her business development in Takasaki City.
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A Startup Originating from a Desire to Work Freely
Founded in 2019, SOCO Inc. was one of the earliest companies to adopt a fully remote workstyle. Ueno's driving force behind founding the company was his desire to work freely. Feeling constricted by the constraints of working as a company employee, Ueno envisioned creating a society where people with similar aspirations could work with enthusiasm. He decided to start a company centered on his original fields of expertise, GIS (geographic information systems) and location data.
The COVID-19 pandemic struck just a few months after the company was founded. However, because the company had been premised on a fully remote work environment from the start, there was little impact on the business, and the company says it was able to continue operations by successfully adapting to the changing times.
As a "Chef" of Location Data
SOCO Inc.'s business focuses on consulting on the utilization of location data. We provide consultation to companies that possess location data but are unsure how to utilize it, offering support in implementation, data creation, and updates.
He also holds workshops on the open-source software QGIS, helping companies maximize the value of their data as a "data chef" specializing in location data. Ueno recognizes the current situation where location data utilization is not commonplace, and expressed his desire to actively promote its value by highlighting how valuable it is.
The Impact of GIS on Business Efficiency
Ueno emphasized the appeal of GIS as "the ability to manage Excel and maps in one place." Complex tasks previously performed on paper or by overlaying multiple pieces of information in one's head can now be easily analyzed with GIS, allowing for easy cross-sectional extraction and overlay.
In one example, Ueno shared how land appraisal work that previously took half a day can now be completed in just a few minutes with the introduction of GIS. GIS thus contributes significantly to business efficiency, leading to time and cost savings.
The Future and Outlook for Location Data
Looking back over the past five years, Ueno noted that he has seen progress in the adoption of GIS, particularly among local governments. He attributes this to the promotion of digital transformation (DX), the increase in young digital talent, and steady industry-wide efforts.
As for his future outlook, Ueno aims for further growth for his company and the widespread adoption of GIS and location data. He aims to make the use of location data as familiar as Excel or Word and increase awareness throughout society.
Summary
SOCO, Inc. is a unique company with a vision of "working freely" that supports the use of location data fully remotely.
The core of its business is helping companies solve their problems as "data chefs" of location data. The company also focuses on promoting the value of GIS to companies that have not yet mastered its use.
The benefit of GIS is that it significantly contributes to improved business efficiency and productivity by integrating and managing map information and databases. Case studies were presented in which tasks that previously took half a day were completed in just a few minutes.
Looking ahead, Ueno aims to increase social awareness of location data and a future in which GIS becomes as widely used as Excel or Word.