Prior to starting SEELS, Cesar founded the Center for Japanese-Filipino Families (CJFF) in 2000 and, as the Executive Director, leads a program to enhance the quality of life for Filipino migrant women and improve the perceived image of theirs among Japanese by creating jobs to them as English teachers. Before relocating to Japan, he lived in Hong Kong and worked as Executive Director at the Asian Center for Development Studies (ASCEND) in coordinating reforestation initiatives of farmers’ organizations in the Philippines.
Cesar received the Geny Lopez Bayaning Filipino Award 2012, and his social enterprise, SEELS, was selected for the 1st Michinoku Entrepreneurship program led by Entrepreneurial Training for Innovative Communities (ETIC). Furthermore, SEELS was named one of the Global Hot 100 Companies at the World Summit on Innovation & Entrepreneurship (THEWSIE) held in Boston in September 2012.
- 2009
- Social Innovation Scholarship (SIS), founded by Hirofumi & Atsufumi Yokoi in Tokyo, Japan on July 17
- Partners with Japan Educational Exchanges and Services (JEES) in Tokyo, Japan on July 17
- Selects the 1st SIS scholarship winners in Tokyo, Japan on October 23
- Launches a new global website on October 27
- Elects the 1st SIS Fellows in Tokyo, Japan on November 12
- Akira Foundation Japan (AFJ), established by Hirofumi & Atsufumi Yokoi in Tokyo, Japan on December 11
- 2010
- Selects the 2nd SIS scholarship winners in Tokyo, Japan on August 8
- Approves the current Akira Foundation’s emblem on August 22
- Elects the 2nd SIS Fellows in Tokyo, Japan on August 23
- Akira-Keio SFC Social Innovation Scholarship (AXIS), founded by AFJ in Tokyo, Japan on November 11
- Partners with Keio University Shonan Fujisawa Campus (SFC) in Kanagawa, Japan on November 11
- 2011
- Launches new Japanese website on February 7
- Main Office moves to Shibuya in Tokyo, Japan on March 1
- Selects the Akira-Keio SFC Social Innovation Scholarship (AXIS) winner in Tokyo, Japan on March 17
- Sponsors the 1st conference on Vulnerable Filipino Migrants: Focus on Japan, held in Osaka, Japan on March 19-20
- Supports the formation of a social enterprise, SEELS Co., Ltd., founded by the Center for Japanese-Filipino Families (CJFF) on May 18
- Sponsors the Asia Career Seminar Series, held by JRI & AFJ in Tokyo, Japan on May 28
- Selects the 3rd SIS scholarship winners in Tokyo, Japan on August 25
- Hold the 1st off-site meeting of Akira Social Ventures (ASV) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on September 30
- 2012
- Establishes Akira Social Ventures, JLT (ASV), formally registered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on January 3
- Formally registers as a general incorporated association (Act No. 48 of 2006) in Tokyo, Japan, and renames as akira foundation on February 3.
- Elected as a strategic partner of the World Summit on Innovation & Entrepreneurship (THEWSIE), which was launched in 2006 at the United Nations, on March 12
- Announces the Microfinance Tour to Lebanon on April 28
- Baria Daye selected as a Global Shaper by the World Economic Forum on May 4
- Mr. Cesar Santoyo, President of Social Enterprise English Language School (SEELS), awarded 2012 Gawad Geny Lopez Global Bayaning Pilipino Awards in the Philippines and selected for the 1st Michinoku Entrepreneurship program in July
- Selects the Akira-Keio SFC Social Innovation Scholarship (AXIS) winner in Tokyo, Japan on July 27
- Coordinates and sponsors the symposium of the "Sophia University 100th Anniversary Project", "Urbanization in Africa and the Emergence of New Global Scale Issues", held in Tokyo on August 9
- Becomes a strategic partner of African Centre for Cities to help create academic and social bridge between Japan and Africa on September 20
- SEELS named to the list of Global Hot 100 Companies at The World Summit on Innovation & Entrepreneurship (THEWSIE) on September 25
- Coordinates in collaboration with African Centre for Cities (ACC) at University of Cape Town and Graduate School of Design (GSD) at Harvard University, and sponsors the session of the “Smarter African Cityscapes: Evading the Hype” at the World Summit on Innovation & Entrepreneurship (THEWSIE) 2012, held in Boston on September 26
- Funds and registers Annata Foundation in Beirut, Lebanon, on October 9
- Selects the 4th SIS scholarship winners in Tokyo, Japan on November 21
- Becomes the International and Regional Supporting Organization to support the international forum of MaD (Make a Difference) 2013, to be held by Hong Kong Institute of Contemporary Culture (HKICC) in Hong Kong on November 23
- 2013
- SEELS awarded grants from World in Asia (WiA) on February 24
- Elected as a strategic partner of the World Summit on Innovation & Entrepreneurship (theWSIE), which was launched in 2006 at the United Nations, on April 11
- Signs Memorandum of Understanding with American Councils on Promoting International Education, Social Innovation and Cultural Exchange on April 18
- Cesar Santoyo selected as one of 600 entrepreneurs in Tohoku by Social Incubator Fund led by Entrepreneurial Training for Innovative Communities (ETIC.) for his effort as the President of SEELS on April 27
- Hirofumi & Atsufumi Yokoi appointed as the “TOMODACHI U.S.-Japan Youth Exchange Program” country co-directors in Japan by American Councils International Education on May 17
- Financially supports the campaign activities led by Tokyo Volunteer Action Center on June 13, as do other companies including Toyota Motor Corporation, Mitsubishi Corporation and Glaxo SmithKline
- SEELS awarded grants from Japanese government under the project to promote creation of social business on August 9
- Becomes a member of TrustLaw Connect, the Thomson Reuters Foundation's global pro bono service that connects NGOs and social enterprises with the best law firms around the world on August 22
- Hirofumi & Atsufumi Yokoi attended in the World Summit of Innovation & Entrepreneurship (theWSIE) held in New York, USA, on October 9 to 11
- Hirofumi & Atsufumi Yokoi named among over 30 innovators in the world by Kogan Page, a leading independent global publisher in London on December 12
- 2014
- Agreed to continue to work together with American Councils for International Education in the TOMODACHI U.S.-Japan Youth Exchange Program on February 12
- Sponsors the Philippine Studies Conference in Japan (PSCJ): Emerging Philippines: New Frontiers, Directions, Contributions, held at Kyoto University on February 28 to March 1
- Elected as a strategic partner of the World Summit on Innovation & Entrepreneurship (theWSIE), which was launched in 2006 at the United Nations, on April 9
- Financially supports the campaign activities led by Tokyo Volunteer Action Center on June 10, as do other companies including Toyota Motor Corporation, Mitsubishi Corporation and Glaxo SmithKline
- Sponsors the program “Connect The Dots: Workshop for Future Entrepreneurs” on August 8
- Organizes a seminar for a delegation from the King Prajadhipok's Institute (KPI), Thailand, on September 19
- Imprements the 2014 TOMODACHI US-Japan Youth Exchange Program from November 1 to 16