Disrupting Japan

Latest Episodes:

Big News from Disrupting Japan! May 13, 2024

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It's a very short episode because I just want to let you know what's coming, and to thank you for all your support over the years.

How to sell innovation in cut-throat, low-margin industries Apr 29, 2024

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Some industries need to be dragged kicking and screaming to innovation. When margins are tight and profits are small, CEOs often don't want to spend a dime on the promise of increased efficiencies or long-term savings, and so external leverage is needed. Today we talk with Shinya Shimizu, founder and CEO of Elephantech, who explains how he found that leverage in his mission to make the global technology supply chain more environmentally friendly. We explore how Elephantech and other startups are helping the world meet net-zero targets, strategies for scaling manufacturing startups, and how you can make money while doing good in the world. It's a great conversation, and I think you'll enjoy it.

Startups need to think global, but you need to beware of being global Apr 01, 2024

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Japanese HR departments are in a bit of a panic right now. The increasing job mobility that startups have unleashed is forcing them to rethink their entire mission. Today we sit down and Takako Ogawa, co-founder and CEO of Panalyt, a startup at the center of this transformation, and we talk about the changing career paths in Japan, when startups need to change CEOs, and the dangers of going global that people don't seem to talk about. It's a great conversation, and I think you'll enjoy it.

What today’s headlines don’t tell you about Fusion Energy Mar 04, 2024

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Fusion energy promises almost unlimited, inexpensive, clean energy. That's a pretty big promise. Today we sit down with Satoshi Konishi, co-founder and CEO of Kyoto Fusioneering, and we talk about what it is really going to take to develop commercially viable fusion power and the role that startups have to play in that process. We talk about the emerging public-private research partnerships, who is pulling ahead in the fusion race, and we dig into the long history and near future of fusion energy It's a great conversation, and I think you'll enjoy it.

One soil startup’s unusual and risky scaling secret Feb 05, 2024

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Most sustainability startups struggle to find sustainable business models Towing, however, has found their solution, and their customers are seeing 20% to 70% increases crop yields. Today we sit down with Towing co-founder Teppei Okamura and he explains why even such a drastic yield improvement required an innovative production and distribution model to achieve scale. We also talk about the advantages (and the challenges) of working with university research teams, how environment policy and carbon credits affect innovation in sustainable agriculture, and Towing's joint research project with JAXA, Japan's space agency, on developing farming in space. It's a great conversation, and I think you'll enjoy it.

What you need to know to sell to schools in Japan Jan 08, 2024

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Almost everyone agrees that the Japanese education system needs to be modernized, but EdTech startups face an uphill battle in Japan. Of course, academia and governments are not known for being particularly innovative or forward-thinking, and that's why Kohei Kuboyama left a fast-track career at Japan's Ministry of Finance to launch and EdTech startup. Kohei lays out his blueprint for getting new technology and new products adopted in Japan's schools, explains the challenges of leaving government service to start a startup, and talks about a few positive long-term trends he sees in Japan's eduction system. It's a great conversation, and I think you'll enjoy it.

AI’s new game-changing role in decoding mountains of EKGs Dec 11, 2023

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MedTech is one of the most challenging areas for startups to compete in, "Move fast and break things" just doesn't work in medicine. So you might be surprised to learn that there are quite a few innovative medical startups coming out of Japan right now. Today we talk with Yuichi Tamura, founder of Cardio Intelligence, who has developed Smart Robin, and AI platform that can read EKGs, has been certified as a diagnostic device and is being used in clinics and hospitals all over Japan. We talk about the challenges of bringing medical AI to market, their plans for global expansion, and the most important thing that venture capital can offer medTech startups. It's a great conversation, and I think you'll enjoy it.

What it takes to teach Japan Inc how to code Nov 13, 2023

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Japan wants to learn how to code. Over the past 15 years software development in Japan has changed from low-level clerical work to a mission-critical skill, and the Japanese government and industry as scrambling to find programmers and develop new talent. Yan Fan came to Japan on a mission to teach everyone how to code. After opening Japan's first coding bootcamp, and she and her co-founder Kani grew Code Chrysalis to profitability and about 50 staff, and continue to grow rapidly. Yan and I talk about digital literacy in Japan, and she also explains her blueprint for making sales in Japan without speaking Japanese, identifying a startup's unique value in Japan, and her experience raising money from both angels and CVCs It's a great conversation, and I think you'll enjoy it.

The innovative age of Shadow IT is coming to an end Oct 16, 2023

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Shadow IT has been responsible for more enterprise SaaS deployments and workflow innovation that any growth strategy we've seen in the last 15 years. . And that 's all about to end. Today we sit down with Yasu Matsumoto, who stepped down as CEO of Raksul after leading them from founding to post-IPO success, to start Josys, a new startup helping enterprises put an end to shadow IT once and for all. Yasu explains why that the end of shadow IT is actually a good thing for everyone, why he decided to step down from his high-profile CEO role, and the future of SaaS sales and marketing. It's a great conversation, and I think you'll enjoy it.

So you want to disrupt finance? This is what it’s going to take Sep 18, 2023

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For decades (centuries, really) lending in Japan has relied on personal guarantors and introductions rather than objective credit scoring. This startup is changing that. Before starting Credit Engine, which provides credit scoring, automated approvals, and other services to mega-banks and other financial institutions, Sei Uchiyama founded an online lending startup to ensure he understand this market from the bottom up. Credit Engine currently automates everything from loan approvals to the collection of delinquent and non-performing loans, and its already starting to change finance in Japan. Sei and I talk about the future of finance in Japan and the surprising way competition between FinTech startups and the banks is likely to play out. It's a great conversation, and I think you'll enjoy it.

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