End2End Japan Market Entry- [White Labeled Operations for OEMs]*Distribution * Retailing *eCommerce * Marketing & Advertising * Import & Market Compliance * Logistics * Customer Care * Depot Repair * Field Service.
I’m not sold yet I’ve been investing for 20 years across EU, US and JP. Unless the startup is domestically focused, I’ve yet to have anyone effectively explain the strategic advantage of establishing your HQ in Japan. If your startup is domestic market focused, great go for it, you have a chance at success. If your product or services are globally focused, you’ll do better establishing your HQ outside JP due to excessive taxes. Even the Japan big industry players are offshored for global sales. VC raises are small compared to other markets. A complete overhaul of the corporate and investment tax structure is needed before Japan has a chance at competing globally on startup / scale up / IPO stage. Current model is ok for absorption of new tech/talent/products before they scale, resulting in a big letdown for the founders and big win for the acquirer. Furthermore, the corporate partner programs are dressing cover only due to lack of top level support and follow through. I see a lot of movement in nationalism and market protection in many sectors. The model in the article will more likely result in a bleed out in offshoring. For now, all the content hype I’m afraid is just that. Hint hint METI / JETRO
I help companies evaluate, enter, grow, and succeed in Japan | ConsumerTech Entrepreneur I Venture Growth Leader | 3x Founder | CXO Leadership Strategy & Coaching I LinkedIn Top Voice
Japan's startup ecosystem is gaining real momentum for Japanese and non-Japanese entrepreneurs and the businesses supporting them. This piece highlights several entrepreneurs and startup ecosystem supporters but this is only the tip of the growing iceberg. Visiting SuShiTEch or any other startup event will make it abundantly clear that Japan is becoming a great place to start a business. If anything is still lacking, it would be funding for early-stage ventures. Japanese startups are becoming aware that the Japanese market is just not big enough for their ambitions, and going global for growth will be essential. Larger Japanese companies are also seeing that relying on the domestic market like they did for the past thirty years is not going to bring growth. And global does not have to mean the US. The fastest-growing economies are in Asia; for Japanese-based startups, going global from Asia is a great idea. This is going to be fun.
