Hosting the first-ever Rakuten Symphony Global Partner Summit in Tokyo from November 16–18, 2025, marked a meaningful milestone for our organization and our partner ecosystem. Much more than a gathering, this summit brought together leaders from across the industry to celebrate collaboration, share insights, and explore opportunities for co-creating the future of connectivity.
From the outset, the energy in the room was palpable. Partners from technology, services, and infrastructure sectors came together-not just to listen, but to engage with Rakuten Symphony. The summit mirrored precisely what we try to do every day: co-innovation to make a difference for customers and partners alike.
A key message throughout the summit was that progress is strongest when partners come together. Rakuten Symphony is not just providing solutions; it is creating a platform for mutual innovation. Throughout discussions, demonstrations, and panels, partners shared their enthusiasm for collaborating on joint projects and co-designing and integrating solutions.
Our goal was to demonstrate that working closely with partners opens up new possibilities, speeds up deployment, and creates value beyond individual contributions. In each and every discussion, the enthusiasm confirmed that our partners are aligned on this vision.
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What came through loud and clear was the authentic energy from our partners themselves: interest in collaborating on new technologies, investigating the use of innovative solutions, and, as I stated in my opening remarks, the power that comes with a "1+1 = 11 mindset," demonstrating that with our partners we can meet emerging challenges. Throughout the event, conversations went beyond products or technical features; they were about how to work better together, how to align strategically, and how to deliver real-world, measurable results.
Panel discussions underscored the strength of this collaborative approach: sharing experiences, success stories, and practical lessons from partners themselves provided valuable insights into how co-innovation accelerates both development and deployment. Across the board, there was a common recognition: the value of Rakuten Symphony lies not merely in its technology, but in the relationships it fosters and the partner ecosystem it creates.
There were powerful sessions with both customers and partners. Dawood Shahdad, SVP of Hybrid Mobile Network Operator at Boost Mobile, discussed the benefits of Rakuten Symphony's observability products within their network and future collaboration with our team. In addition, we held sessions with key partners, including Cisco, Intel, and Tech Mahindra, who emphasized the synergies they are finding with Rakuten.
Several of the summit's speakers were leaders whose perspectives reinforced Rakuten Symphony's strategy and vision. Mickey Mikitani, Chairman and CEO, Rakuten Group, and Sharad Sriwastawa, Co-CEO, Rakuten Mobile & President, Rakuten Symphony, touched upon key themes of openness, agility, and partnership in shaping the company's future.
Their views struck a strong chord by reiterating that co-innovation is undertaken together, not in a unilateral direction.
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A major component of the summit was the visit to Rakuten's Kiba Lab, where the partners saw firsthand the depth and versatility of Rakuten Symphony's platforms. From cloud-native architectures down to automated operations and advanced testing environments, the lab showed how Rakuten Symphony builds end-to-end solutions that partners can leverage and co-develop with confidence.
Feedback from partners underlined that observing these capabilities in action reinforced trust and confidence in the partnership. The lab provided a tangible view of what collaboration with Rakuten Symphony can achieve-turning vision into real-world capability.
The summit was far more than just a collection of sessions. It was a celebration of partnership, a spark for co-innovation, and a statement of shared intent. Partners left aligned, inspired, and ready to collaborate on the things that shape the future of connectivity.
For Rakuten Symphony, the way ahead is very clear: build with our partners, grow with our partners, and deliver meaningful innovation together. The summit reiterated that when we co-create with our partners, there are no limits to what we can achieve.
To all of the partners who joined us in Tokyo: thank you. Your insight, collaboration, and commitment represent the foundation for everything we try to achieve.
This summit proved one thing beyond doubt: co-innovation is not just our strategy, it's our identity. And together, we're only just getting started.
Learn more about Rakuten Symphony’s partner program and how you can participate in the next wave of innovation in the industry.
