PFN Company Deck

Transcript

1. Preferred Networks Company Deck
2. 2 Thank you for your interest in Preferred Networks (PFN)! This deck is designed to answer these questions from our employees' perspectives. We hope this gives you a clearer picture of who we are and inspires you to join our team! For more information, please visit: https://www.preferred.jp/en/careers/ About PFN Company Deck I know the company name, but what is PFN really about? What’s the company culture like at PFN? Can I fully utilize my skills and achieve success at PFN?
3. Our Mission Why Work at PFN? PFN Culture PFN Workstyle Career Opportunities Company Overview Contents 01 02 03 04 05 06
4. 4 Our Mission 01
5. Overview 5 Career Workstyle Culture Why PFN? Mission At PFN, we are dedicated to developing innovative and essential technologies. We strive to explore uncharted territories and take on new challenges. We are passionate about using technology to discover and understand a world we have never seen. Rather than competing in known areas, we harness the power of technology to push the boundaries and challenge what lies beyond our imagination. Make the real world computable
6. Overview 6 Career Workstyle Culture Why PFN? Mission Messages from Management By integrating computer architecture, high-performance computing, and AI technology, we can process data on an unprecedented scale and create innovative applications. This approach allows us to gain deep insights into architectures suited for AI, paving the way for the creation of new computer architectures. We don't just apply software to existing hardware; our deep understanding and capability in hardware design empower us to drive the evolution of hardware itself. At PFN, professionals from diverse fields collaborate to develop cutting-edge technologies. Through a deep understanding of each other's domains, we create technologies that go beyond what could be accomplished individually. Our strength lies in the ”fusion of hardware and software” We aim to revolutionize hardware creation and design through software advancements.
7. Overview 7 Career Workstyle Culture Why PFN? Mission Solutions and Products Computing Infrastructure AI Chips PFN vertically integrates the AI technology value chain—from chips and computing infrastructure to generative AI, foundational models, and solutions/products. This seamless fusion of software and hardware allows us to develop highly competitive technologies and drive their industrial applications. Generative AI and Foundation models MN-Core™ MN-Core™ 2 GPU cluster MN-3 (MN-Core™ cluster) PLaMo Prime (2024 LLM release) PLaMo Lite (SLM for edge devices) Cloud-based computing service powered by MN-Core™ 2 Energy calculation model for materials PFP PFN Vertically Integrates AI Value Chain MN-Core L1000 for LLM inference (to be launched in 2026) 3rd generation MN-Core
8. Overview 8 Career Workstyle Culture Why PFN? Mission Generative AI, Foundation Models Society Consumers Enhancement of human abilities New forms of creative expression and entertainment experiences Safe and secure society, quality education, and healthcare Improved productivity and quality, reducing dependency on individual skills, and addressing labor shortages Computing Infrastructure Industries AI Chips PFN vertically integrates the AI technology value chain and horizontally applies its solutions and products across various domains, benefiting industries, consumers, and society at large. Plants/ Manufacturing Entertainment Robotics Retail Healthcare Drug discovery Materials, Chemistry Education PFN Business: Horizontal Deployment of AI Tech
9. 9 Why Work at PFN? 02
10. 10 Overview Career Workstyle Culture Why PFN? Mission Why Work at PFN? 1 Skilled Professionals We gather experts from diverse fields to achieve remarkable outcomes through teamwork. Pursuing Big Challenges We focus on tackling challenges that have a significant impact across various industrial sectors. Strong Development Support With ample computing resources and a comprehensive benefits package, we ensure a secure and focused environment for your development work. 2 3 Impactful Achievements
11. 11 Overview Career Workstyle Culture Why PFN? Mission １. Skilled Professionals Top conference paper author Kaggle title holder ICPC, IOI participant Medical, drug discovery researcher Semiconducto r specialist Entrepreneu r OSS comitter PFN has a team of diverse specialists who achieve competitive outcomes through mutual respect and collaboration.
12. 12 Overview Career Workstyle Culture Why PFN? Mission 2. Robust Development Infrastructure We have developed our own clusters, including MN-3, which achieved the top place in computational performance per unit of power consumption on the prestigious Green 500 List using our MN-Core™ processors. Our expert team has also created a robust inhouse development environment where any developer can easily run large-scale simulations and prototypes within the company. Our support for interactive use and workflow enables newcomers to run massive experiments right from day one! Supercomputer MN-3, equipped with PFN’s AI accelerator MN-Core™ Interactive use Workflow
13. 13 Overview Career Workstyle Culture Why PFN? Mission 3. Tackling Industry Challengs At PFN, we tackle diverse challenges across various industries. The excitement comes from solving difficult problems that were once unsolvable. For more details on our business activities, please see the Company Overview
14. 14 Overview Career Workstyle Culture Why PFN? Mission ４. Major Achievements OSS contribution Optuna (Star: 10k) CuPy (Star: 7.9k) Chainer (Star: 5.9k) Kaggle achievements ×2 Many top prizes #1 number of Kaggle grandmasters in Japan (as of Dec. 2023, according to ResearchPort) ×3 ×4 No.1 in the world The number of accepted papers at top conferences* ・NeurIPS (Machine Learning): 8 ・ICML (Machine Learning): 5 ・CVPR (Computer Vision): 5 ・ICRA (Robotics): 10 ・CHI (HCI): 7 *2017-2023 presentations, excluding workshops. Product awards Supercomputer awards Others PFN received Prime Minister's Award at the 5th Japan Venture Awards Daisuke Okanohara was recognized “Contemporary Master Craftsman” in 2022 Playgram won Japan e-Learning Award in 2021 PFN 3D Scan won Nikkei Superior Products and Services Award in 2022 Ranked No. 1 in the world Green500 List for energy efficiency three times (2020, 2021) Jun. 2021 No. 1 Jun. 2020 No. 1 Nov. 2021 No. 1 No. 2 in the world No. 3 in the world
15. 15 PFN Culture 03
16. 16 Overview Career Workstyle Culture Why PFN? Mission PFN Values The essence of being a PFN member is captured in four guiding principles named “PFN Values.” These unique values highlight what it means to be part of PFN and represent the core beliefs shared by all members. Motivation- Driven Learn or Die Proud, but Humble Boldly do what no one has done before
17. 17 Overview Career Workstyle Culture Why PFN? Mission PFN Values PFN Values are deeply ingrained within our company and serve as guiding principles in decision-making and evaluation processes. We are always conscious of aligning our behavior with PFN Values. When faced with uncertainty, we follow PFN Values and encourage others to do the same. PFN Values ・・・ PFN Values
18. 18 Overview Career Workstyle Culture Why PFN? Mission Company Event: ”PFN Day” PFN Day is a company-wide event held three times a year that offers opportunities for all employees to learn about project progress and the technologies used. During these events, we actively share information and engage in discussions through presentations and posters.
19. 19 Overview Career Workstyle Culture Why PFN? Mission Other Company Events LT Party (Monthly) Presentations are not limited to technology topics; you can share anything from recent events to hobbies. Reading group (Weekly) We share and discuss recently read books (e.g. technical books, business books, manga, and more)
20. 20 Overview Career Workstyle Culture Why PFN? Mission Internal Community We have many more clubs beyond what’s listed here. We’re always looking for new members to join us on Slack! Board Games Tug of War Ski/Snowboard Beer Mame (Coffee) Yoga Anime Songs
21. 21 PFN Workstyle 04
22. 22 Overview Career Workstyle Culture Why PFN? Mission With a background of machine learning theory from university, this engineer joined PFN in 2023 Workstyle Meet Our Engineer • Develops solutions for customers using large language models. • Actively engages in customer meetings, discussing development items and presenting deliverables. • Leads team’s development activities, including assigning tasks to respective members. Before joining PFN, my limited programming experience was a concern. However, I’ve discovered that with a willingness to learn, there’s a lot of opportunities to make meaningful contributions here! • Works from home four times a week, with usual work hours from 10:00 to 19:00. • Participates in weekly discussions with customers, otherwise reading academic papers and handling development tasks. • Seeks to expand knowledge and skill-set in necessary fields such as web and management. 2nd-year Employee Role Overview Message
23. 23 Overview Career Workstyle Culture Why PFN? Mission With a background in cancer treatment research at both national and international universities, this EM joined PFN in 2019 Workstyle Meet Our Engineering Manager • Plans and manages medical and healthcare projects with corporate and research partners • Harnesses expertise to gather, review, and share information with team members • Builds a team focused on promoting life science research while providing support to team members’ career growth Moving from academia to the corporate world had me a bit nervous at first. But now, I find it rewarding to see my medical research being put into practical use! • Primarily works from home, while actively participating in conferences and meetings with colloabrators • Efficiently adjusts work in the face of personal and family emergencies with the team’s support • Fosters active discussion and collaboration with business partners and team members 6th-year Employee Role Overview Message
24. 24 Overview Career Workstyle Culture Why PFN? Mission Having worked as a software engineer, strategy developer, and project manager at two companies, he joined PFN in 2015 Workstyle Meet Our Business Developer • Collaborates with engineers to identify ways to maximize the value delivered to customers • Manages AI-focused projects in various industries such as energy, automotive, and manufacturing. • Contributes to reaching global markets and establishing partnerships, including those with group companies At PFN, many projects combine our cutting-edge AI technology with our customer’s areas of expertise. This fusion makes the job both educational and rewarding. Be assured, we will firmly support your leap into the challenges of both 0→1 and 1→10 business! • Flexibly adjusts work hours to accommodate family matters, like picking up children. • Aims to establish a work pattern that considers different time zones, with increased overseas meetings • Maintains close communication with customers and team members by going to the office at least once a week 10th-year Employee Role Overview Message
25. 25 Overview Career Workstyle Culture Why PFN? Mission Project Structure Engineer Business Development Project A (large scale) Project B (small scale) Engineering Manager Engineer Business Development While our basic structure is based on teams of engineers and business developers, we flexibly change the structure depending on the project needs. For example, an engineer may work across multiple projects, or an engineering manager may be directly involved in a project. Engineer Engineering Manager Engineer
26. 26 Overview Career Workstyle Culture Why PFN? Mission Organization Structure Business Unit X Engineer Business Develeper Engineering Manager Engineer Engineering Manager Project A ・・・ Project B VP Management team VP While each of our business units operates independently with their own autonomy, open communication via Slack enables cross-unit collaborations and encourages bottom-up proposals. Our management team and Vice Presidents (VPs) responsible for each business unit take the lead when it comes to key decision-making. Business Unit Y Engineer Engineering Manager Engineer Engineering Manager Project C ・・・ Project D Cross-organizational collaboration Business Develeper Business Develeper Business Develeper Bottom-up proposals
27. 27 Overview Career Workstyle Culture Why PFN? Mission Workstyle Statistics Weekly Office Attendance* Average Monthly Overtime* Our employees maintain a good balance between their personal lives and work responsibilities. To facilitate positive communication, some of our teams encourage members to come into the office on designated days. Twice (15.6%) Less than once (37.4%) 3 times (8.5%) 4 times (7.0%) 5 times(4.2%) Once (27.3%) *Based on data from the past 17 months for all employees Annual Paid Holidays Usage** **PFN provides 26 paid days off annually. Employees with less than one year of service excluded. 10-20h (22.7%) Less than 10 hours (53.2%) 20-30h (12.8%) 30-40h(6.5%) Over 40h(4.9%) 18-23 days (17.6%) 23 days or more (46.7%) 13-18 days (18.4%) 7-13 days(9.8%) Less than 7 days(7.5%)
28. 28 Overview Career Workstyle Culture Why PFN? Mission Performance Review, HR Systems 360° Evaluation We value evaluations from peers who understand each other's output and how we work. Our system is designed to promote growth on both individual and team levels. Grade System Our grade system enables diverse career paths, tailored to each member's area of interest, be it development, management, and so on. 1on1 Meeting Through 1on1 meetings with managers, our members receive necessary support to reach their career goals and navigate technical obstacles.
29. 29 Career Opportunities 05
30. 30 Overview Career Workstyle Culture Why PFN? Mission If you’re excited by the idea of working with us to develop new software, middleware, and hardware - and create services and products that harness these innovations, we’d love to hear from you. • Engineer • Researcher • Sales/Customer Success • Business Development • Information Systems • Product/Project Management • Corporate Services • Part-time Engineer/Subcontractor PFN provides support for your growth and opportunities for your success. We can't wait to have you on our team! A Call to Join PFN Scan the QR code or visit the URL for available positions
31. 31 Overview Career Workstyle Culture Why PFN? Mission Employee Benefits Work Arrangements • Office location:Otemachi, Tokyo, Japan • Work from home available • Work week: Standard five-day week, with weekends and public holidays off • Flexible work hours: Discretionary labor system or flextime depending on job type • Bonuses: Provided twice a year based on both company and individual performance Welfare Programs • Annual paid leave: 26 days from the first year of employment • Kanto IT Software Health Insurance • Pre-birth/postpartum/chil dcare/nursing-care leave, condolence/wedding leave • Defined contribution plan (55,000 yen per month) • Additional benefits include babysitter discount coupon programs, full coverage of Japanese language lesson fees, complimentary beverages from office vending-machine Work Environment • BYOD (200,000 yen in purchase assistance every other year) • Ample computing resources • Standing desks • Active internal collaboration via GoogleWorkspace, Slack, Github Enterprise, Zoom and Mural • Developer-friendly, efficient coding environment using Github Copilot and ChatGPT
32. 32 Overview Career Workstyle Culture Why PFN? Mission Selection Process Casual Interview Document Screening Coding Test Formal Interviews (2-3 times), HR Interview Job Offer Interested candidates can apply for a casual interview using the QR code or URL. Please note that this option is available only for specific positions. Application form Typical interview process ▶ We are committed to a selection process that underscores the importance of aligning with PFN Values. Each candidate is evaluated with genuine sincerity and dedication ❶ Engineers from the prospective team will participate in the interview process ❷ Team assignment is decided, taking into account both the interview outcomes and the candidate’s preferences. ❸ Candidates may request a casual interview prior to the formal selection process, depending on the position.
33. 33 Overview Career Workstyle Culture Why PFN? Mission Frequently Asked Questions Is extensive knowledge in all computer science fields required? At PFN, we prioritize a proactive learning mindset over current skill sets. PFN embraces a ‘Learn or Die’ spirit, which underscores the importance of continuous learning, especially in rapidly changing fields. While having specific expertise is important, the curiosity and passion to explore new and unknown areas are equally cherished. What career paths are available for engineers at PFN? Typically, engineers at PFN can explore three career paths: Tech Lead: Responsible for technology selection and research investments, Engineering Manager and Scrum Master: Responsible for the growth and development of teams and organization, and Product Manager: Responsible for product development and customer value. You are not restricted to a single path; some members manage multiple roles!
34. 34 Company Overview 06
35. 35 Overview Career Workstyle Culture Why PFN? Mission Preferred Networks（PFN） Founded Headquaters Co-Founders Employees Business Subsidiaries Investors March 26, 2014 Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Toru Nishikawa (Chief Executive Officer), Daisuke Okanohara (Chief Executive Researcher） Approx. 350 Research, development and sales of solutions and products based on AI-related technologies, including AI chips, computing infrastructure, and generative AI foundation models Preferred Computational Chemistry, Inc., Preferred Robotics, Inc., Preferred Elements, Inc., Preferred Computing Infrastructure, Inc. Chugai Pharmaceutical, Development Bank of Japan Inc., ENEOS Innovation Partners, Fanuc, Hakuhodo DY Holdings, Hitachi, Mitsubishi Corporation, Mitsui & Co., Mizuho Bank, NTT, SBI Group, Sekisui House Investment Limited Partnership, TEL Venture Capital, Inc., Toyota Motor Corporation, Wacom Co., Ltd. (as of December 2024, in alphabetical order) Mission: Make the real world computable
36. 36 Overview Career Workstyle Culture Why PFN? Mission PFN Group Companies Sales of Matlantis™ universal atomistic simulator Founded in June 2021 Joint venture with ENEOS, invested by Mitsubishi Corporation Development and sales of autonomous mobile robots Founded in November 2021 Investors include Amano, SMBC, Asahi Kasei Homes Programming schools for children Founded in December 2020 Joint venture with Yaruki Switch Group Development of multimodal foundation models Founded in November 2023 PFN’s wholly-owned subsidiary Research, development and sales of software and hardware for AI Founded in March 2014 Provision and operation of AI cloud service Founded in January 2025 Joint venture with Mitsubishi Corporation and IIJ Preferred Computing Infrastructure
37. 37 Overview Career Workstyle Culture Why PFN? Mission PFN Co-founders Daisuke Okanohara Co-founder Representative Director & Chief Executive Researcher Toru Nishikawa Co-founder Representative Director & Chief Executive Officer　 Toru Nishikawa is a co-founder and CEO of Preferred Networks, Inc. Before establishing PFN in 2014 with a focus on accelerating practical applications of deep learning, he founded Preferred Infrastructure, Inc. with Daisuke Okanohara and others to mainly develop natural language processing software in 2006 while he was in graduate school at the University of Tokyo. Born in Tokyo, Japan in 1982, Nishikawa earned his master's degree from the UTokyo’s Graduate School of Information Science and Technology in 2007. His project - Highly Abstract Hardware Description Language - was selected by the IPA MITOU IT Program. An avid programmer since childhood, he reached the 19th place at the 30th ACM-ICPC. In 2013, he received the IPSJ Software Japan Award. Daisuke Okanohara is a co-founder of Preferred Networks and currently leads PFN’s research projects on foundation models and other AI technologies in his role as Chief Executive Researcher. He also serves as CEO of Preferred Computational Chemistry, Inc., a business that promotes the general-purpose atomistic simulator Matlantis, co-developed by PFN and ENEOS. Further, he holds the position of CEO at Preferred Elements, Inc., a company that develops multimodal foundational models. Okanohara obtained his Ph.D. in computer science from the University of Tokyo in 2010. He is also a co-founder of PFN’s predecessor Preferred Infrastructure.
38. 38 Overview Career Workstyle Culture Why PFN? Mission PFN: Path to Founding (Left:) Daisuke Okanohara Co-Founder Chief Executive Researcher (Right:) Toru Nishikawa Co-Founder Chief Executive Officer Toru Nishikawa and Daisuke Okanohara meet at University of Tokyo as classmates Japanese government-funded MITOU Program for next-generation software engineers select Nishikawa’s project Highly Abstract Hardware Description Language, certifies Okanohara as a “super creator” Nishikawa’s team ranks 19th in the 30th International Collegiate Programming Contest 2005 2001 Preferred Infrastructure (PFI) founded (March) Okanohara receives multiple awards including Grand Prix at Young Researcher Association for NLP Studies (YANS), University of Tokyo President’s Award, Outstanding Research from Association for Natural Language Processing Nishikawa receives Software Japan Award from Information Processing Society of Japan 2006 2007 Nishikawa obtains Master’s degree from Graduate School of Information Science and Technology, the University of Tokyo; 2010 Okanohara completes doctoral program at Graduate School of Information Science and Technology, the University of Tokyo 2013 2014 PFN founded (March)
39. Making the real world computable