Disrupting Japan: Startups and Venture Capital in Japan

Jan 20 2025 240 ep. 36 mins 649

Disrupting Japan: Startups and Venture Capital in Japan Podcast artwork

Startups and venture capital work differently in Japan and are developing in very different ways. Disrupting Japan introduces you to some of the most important innovator in Japan and explains what it’s really like to be an innovator in a society that prizes conformity.

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How CVCs and startups are decarbonizing energy

Jan 20 2025 20 mins

Most outside of the energy industry are (pleasantly) surprised to learn how aggressively startups and CVCs are pushing decarbonization forward. Decarbonization is a fascinating and incredibly important issue, so please join me on this short but special episode. It's a great conversation, and I think you'll enjoy it.

How AI startups can compete with the AI giants

Jan 06 2025 51 mins

Japan is lagging behind in AI, but that might not be the case for long. Today we sit down with Jad Tarifi, current founder of Integral AI and previously, founder of Google’s first Generative AI team, and we talk about some of Japan's potential advantages in AI, the most likely path to AGI, and how small AI startups can compete against the over-funded AI giants. It's a great con

Why Japan is looking to France for startup inspiration

Dec 09 2024 34 mins

While the rest of the world is copying Silicon Valley, Tokyo is looking at Paris. Today we sit down with Mark Bivens and Matt Romaine, the co-founders of Shizen Capital to talk about Japan's new startup policies, the changing role of M&A, the main force behind the changing attitudes about startups in Japan. It's a great conversation, and I think you'll enjoy it.

A game plan for working artists to beat AI in the marketplace

Nov 11 2024 33 mins

Today, we are going to talk about AI, but not in the way you expect. Today, I’m going to give creatives a solid three-point plan to beat AI in the marketplace. I’m going to explain how musicians, podcasters, authors and other artists can survive and even thrive amidst the unstoppable flood of AI generated slop we will all be forced to wade though for the foreseeable future, An

Inside the government program to invest $1B into Japanese startups

The Japanese government is taking a very hands-on approach to funding startups. Yuka Hata, Senior Managing Director of the Japan Investment Corporation (JIC) explains the kinds of startups and funds they invest in, and why. We also talk about the two biggest challenges new Japanese VCs face, and what it’s really like for women in VC in Japan It's a great conversation, and I th

Everything you ever wanted to know about Fintech in Japan

Sep 16 2024 36 mins

We live in a global financial system, but the fintech innovation is surprisingly local. Makoto Shibata, the head of FinoLab, has been leading financial innovation Japan for over 20 years, long before the term fintech existed. We talk about the evolution of Japan's fintech landscape, and which fintech sectors are facing consolidation and which are facing growth. And we also explor

Hey Hey, It’s my birthday!

Sep 01 2024 4 mins

Disrupting Japan is 10 years old today! This is a simple thank you rather than a full episode. Thanks for listening! Transcript Welcome to Disrupting Japan, Straight Talk from Japan's most innovative founders and VCs. I'm Tim Romero and thanks for joining me. This is a very short and very special episode. It's not an episode really, more of a personal message. You see, te

Why SaaS is growing so much faster in Japan Shinji Asada – One Capital

Aug 19 2024 37 mins

SaaS startup valuations and growth rates have dropped sharply in most of the world, but not in Japan. SaaS startups are growing fast in Japan, and that trend is set to accelerate even more over the next five years. Today Shinji Asada of One Capital explains Japan's still-untapped SaaS potential, his unique SMB and product-focused investment thesis, and the big changes that are ha

How to build a startup in Japan

Aug 05 2024 49 mins

If you have ever wondered what it really takes to start and grow a startup as a foreigner in Japan. Well, I have a treat for you today. Earlier this year, at the Japan FinTech Festival, I had the privilege of sitting down with four fantastic foreign FinTech founders and talking about what you need to succeed in Japan. There are some great insights here from Jeff Wentworth of Curv

The hidden danger of unicorn counting in JapanJames Riney – Coral Capital

Jul 22 2024 45 mins

Japan has far fewer unicorns than one might expect - or than venture capitalists desire. That fact, however, hides a fascinating story. Today James Riney, founding partner of Coral Capital explains the danger of unicorn counting. We dive deep into which startup sectors Japan is likely to lead in globally in the coming decade, how to identify unique startup value in Japan. We al