Disrupting Japan

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, ten years ago today. I released the very first episode of Disrupting Japan. And I just wanted to say thank you. I really mean that. Independent podcasting is an incredibly personal medium and it depends on there being a real connection between the host, and the guests, and the listeners.  Commercial talk shows spend a fortune creating the illusion of that connection. And being in the center of that in real life is an honor and it’s amazing. It’s become a cliche when the host thanks their audience and reminds them that the show would not be possible without them, but it’s different at Disrupting Japan. You really do create a big part of the show’s value.  Let me explain. It’s not about download numbers or affiliate link-clicks. I don’t sell anything and my guests aren’t selling anything on Disrupting Japan, so those metrics don’t matter much to me. However, my guests often comment on the surprisingly high quality of inbound contracts they receive  after appearing on the show. These connections have resulted in a lot of new hires, and a handful of investments have been made as well. That community, the engagement and overall quality of the listeners is a big part of the show’s value. In fact, over the years, four Japanese startup founders have told me that listening to our guests’ tell their stories on Disrupting Japan gave them the confidence to start their own startup, and that’s pretty awesome. So, thank you! Ten years ago I never imagined how big Disrupting Japan would become. Honestly, it kind of freaks me out sometimes. But here we are. Ten years and well over 200 episodes later, and we have over 9,000 listers in more than 150 countries around the world — including one listener from Vatican City. Now, I have no way of knowing for sure exactly who that listener is.  I mean, it could be anybody. But I like to think of it as a testament to the influential nature of Disrupting Japan’s listeners. Building Disrupting Japan is an honor and a joy. I love putting the show together, and despite having a fairly demanding day job, I always make sure Disrupting Japan is released on schedule and is a quality show that woth the time you put into listening to it. The show takes up a lot of weekends and evenings. I’ve done pre-interview research while in the hospital for a minor surgery. I’ve done post production editing in so many different airport lounges, and twice I’ve made a little pillow-fort in my hotel room so I would have decent acoustics to record the intro and outtro. So, whether you are a new lister or have been a part of Disrupting Japan ever since episode 1 was released 10 years ago, thank you for taking this journey with me. Startup innovation is really starting to flourish in Japan, and we have exciting times ahead. And most of all, thanks for listening and thank you for letting people interested in Japanese startups and VCs know about the show. I'm Tim Romero and thanks for listening to Disrupting Japan.

Shinji Asada from One Capital shares his insights into Japan's thriving SaaS market. Interestingly, while global SaaS valuations plummet, Japan sees untapped growth potential, especially in SMBs. He discusses the necessity of product collaboration tailored for Japan and what it takes for local startups to expand globally. Asada highlights a unique venture capital model in Japan, the shifting workplace culture post-COVID, and how Japanese founders have evolved. His perspective illuminates the promising future of tech entrepreneurship in Japan.

Join Jeff Wentworth, Paul Chapman, Sam Pemberton-Ahmed, and Samantha Ghiotti, successful foreign fintech founders, as they share their journeys in Japan's startup ecosystem. They tackle unique challenges like cultural barriers and the importance of local partnerships. The conversation dives into innovative financial solutions and the crucial role of timing and regulation in launching a product. Discover why foreign founders are vital for Japan’s fintech landscape, and gain insights on navigating the regulatory landscape and designing user-focused apps.

James Riney from Coral Capital discusses Japan's startup sectors poised for global leadership, the potential of niche startups, and why Japan's approach to investing differs from Silicon Valley. They explore Japan's hidden unicorns, the challenges faced by foreign VCs, and the importance of sustainable value creation in startups.

Japan thinks about robotics and AI differently that the West. In addition to their functional, productive role, a lot of thought is also given to our personal interactions, their social role, and the relationships we build with them. Today we sit down with Shunsuke Aoki, founder of Yukai Engineering and one of the most innovative and creative thinkers on the emotional connection between humans and machines. We talk about the future of robot companionship, how AI will change the definition of "culture", and why the future of Japanese robotics will have a lot more participation by foreigners. It's a great conversation, and I think you'll enjoy it. Show Notes The importance of emotional connection with robots Why children will listen to robots more then parents The importance and future of robot companionship Japanese vs western robot attitudes in culture and fiction How GenZ is is accepting AI boyfriends and girlfriends What a healthy emotional connection with an AI or robot looks like How to keep AI from influencing us into developing bad habits and Why do we keep building human like robots Why it’s easier to form an emotional connection to Qooboo than Abbot How to (maybe) make money on emotional robots Why the Japanese approach to robotics needs more foreigners in Japan now Links from our Guest Everything you ever wanted to know about Yukai Engineering Follow Shunsuke on Twitter @aopico Friend him on Facebook Connect on LinkedIn Yukai's Products Bocco Emo Qoobo Nekkomimi Fufury Transcript Welcome to Disrupting Japan, Straight Talk from Japan's most innovative startups and VCs. I'm Tim Romero, and thanks for joining me. Today, we're going to talk about robots because I mean, hey, who doesn't love robots? Now, in past episodes, we've talked a lot about how Japan's relationship with robots and automation is fundamentally different from what it is in the West. It's not really about technology. I mean, technology is universal. It's more about the personal and cultural connection to machines in general. Well, today I have a real treat for you. We sit down and talk with Shunsuke Aoki, the founder of Yukai Engineering. Now Shunsuke may not be that well known outside Japan, but he's one of the most innovative and creative thinkers on the topic of how humans and machines can connect on an emotional and a subconscious level. Now, to be fair, an audio podcast can't really do justice to Yukai engineering's creations, but we're going to do our best. You need to see the videos or really you need to interact with Shunsuke's creations in person to fully understand the emotional impact. Shunsuke and I talk about the future of robot and AI companionship, how AI will change the way we think about culture, and why the future of Japanese robotics will involve a lot more participation from foreigners. But, you know, Shunsuke tells that story much better than I can. So, let's get right to the interview. Interview Tim: So, we're sitting here with Shunsuke Aoki, the founder of Yukai Engineering who's creating lifestyle robots, and thanks for sitting down with us again. It's been a while. Shunsuke: Thank you. It's been a while. Tim: Yukai over the last decade and a half has been making so many cool, interesting things that just to name a few, your first big hit was the Nekomimi wearable cattier that respond to brainwaves. You have the Qoobo sort of companion pillow which has the cat tail on it. The Bocco family robot that seems to be getting a lot of traction and it's hard to describe these on an audio podcast. But we'll put videos and pictures on the site, but it's hard to understand this kind of emotional impact unless you can touch and interact with these robots. With so much robotics research going on, you've been very focused on this sort of emotional connection. Tell me about that. Why is that important? Why do you focus on that?

Ken Yasunaga from Global Hands On VC discusses how VCs hinder Japanese startups from going global. Topics include challenges in Japan's ecosystem, lack of unicorns, need for global expansion, importance of mentorship, role of foreign VCs, and government support for innovation.

There is important news for Disrupting Japan this week. 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. Leave a comment Transcript Welcome to Disrupting Japan Straight talk from Japan’s most innovative startups and VCs. I’m Tim Romero, and thanks for listening. Big changes are coming to Disrupting Japan. Our 10th anniversary is coming up this September, and you know, I thought about making this change then, but no. No, there is too much going on right now now to wait for four more months. For the past ten years Disruption Japan has brought you the stories of Japan’s most successful entrepreneurs, and I am going to continue to do that. But starting today, we are going to be hearing from Japan’s leading venture capitalists as well. There are a few reasons for the change. Part of it is that the Japanese venture landscape is changing fast, and in some very different snd important ways than what we see in the US.  Understanding innovation and startups in Japan requires understanding how it all gets financed and understanding the changing role that venture capital is playing here. The other reason for the change coming now is that these days as a Partner at JERA Ventures, these are the waters in which I swim. And there are some incredibly interesting trends and changes going on in the ecosystem that I will be sharing with you. Naturally, we’ll also talk about the kinds of startups VCs are investing in now and where they see the market heading in the future. And of course, Disrupting Japan will still be talking with founders —  a lot of them! After all, that’s where the change and the innovation really comes from. The founders are the are men and women who are actually in the arena, fighting the good fight, and changing the world. So I’ll see you right back here in just a couple of weeks. And most of all thanks for listening, and thank you for letting people interested in Japanese startups and investors know about the show. I’m Tim Romero, and thanks for listening to Disrupting Japan.

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. Show Notes The surprising impact of circuit boards on global CO2 emissions Growing from a kickstarter camping into a multi-million dollar startup How to raise debt financing rather than equity financing How Elephantech is selling eco-friendly solutions in a low-margin commodity industry How they built their first factory, and Shinya never wants to build another one How to scale a manufacturing startup Advice on successfully selling to and collaborating with Japanese enterprise How to take a deep tech startup global without massive amounts of capital Advice for sustainability startups on how to survive and thrive in cost-conscious industries When government regulation is good for startups and when it's damaging The danger of the wrong kinds of founder role models in Japan. Links from the Founder Everything you ever wanted to know about Elephantech Follow Shinya on Twitter @shinyashimizu_e Connect with Shinya on LinkedIn Transcript Welcome to Disrupting Japan. Straight Talk from Japan's most successful entrepreneurs. I'm Tim Romero and thanks for joining me. Circuit boards are one of those things that are everywhere, but that we really don't think about very much. Personally my only direct experience with circuit boards was years ago and involved a fair amount of cursing and a lot of solder burns. But printed circuit boards or PCBs, or a $90 billion global industry that is highly standardized, tightly controlled, and surprisingly damaging to the environment. Well, Shinya Shimizu and the team at Elephantech are changing that, they've not only developed the technology to re-engineer PCB manufacturer to be more environmentally friendly and less expensive, but they've also built their first factory and are now selling to some of the world's largest manufacturers. Elephantech is a great example of how startups can succeed while making a positive contribution in this world. And Shinya also gives some great practical advice about how to sell to large enterprises as a new startup. How to raise money for capital intensive growth, and how to introduce new innovation into a low margin cutthroat industry. It's really quite an amazing story of their journey from a small Kickstarter project 10 years ago to make a pen that lets you draw working electrical circuits to selling PCB technology to some of the world's largest manufacturers today, to just maybe fundamentally changing the way circuit boards get made tomorrow. But, you know, Shinya tells that story much better than I can. So, let's get right to the interview. Interview Tim: So, we're sitting here with Shinya Shimizu, the CEO and founder of Elephantech. The first company in the world to mass produce printed circuit boards using an inkjet printing, echo friendly, sustainable manufacturing process. Shinya: Yeah. Sure. Tim: That's longer to say than I thought. But thanks for sitting down with us. Shinya: You're welcome. So, I'm really happy to be here. Tim: Well, I try to explain what you do in that big mouthful of an introduction, but I think you can probably explain it better than me. So, what does Elephantech do? Shinya: So, Elephantech is going to completely change the way of manufacturing electronic circ...

Takako Ogawa, CEO of Panalyt, discusses career paths in Japan, dangers of going global, importance of people analytics, challenges in startup CEO changes, and the right way for startups to expand globally. Insights on HR struggles, transparency in startups, and Japan's stance on failure. A must-listen for startup enthusiasts.

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. Show Notes Why fusion energy is much older than you think Why fusion energy dropped out of the news and why it’s back How to raise venture capital for moonshot startups The three core components to a fusion power that form Kyoto Fusioneering's business model A strategy for standardizing when technology moves quickly How recent fusion energy headlines have been misleading Why we have a fusion energy startup cluster in Japan The Japanese public attitude towards fusion How the fusion industry will develop over the next five to ten years The biggest misconception about fusion in Japan One way to solve Japan’s deep tech scaling problem Links from the Founder Everything you ever wanted to know Kyoto Fusioneering Connect with them on LinkedIn Check out some videos of the experimental fusion equipment Satoshi's ResearchGate page Transcript Welcome to Disrupting Japan. Straight Talk from Japan's most successful entrepreneurs. I'm Tim Romero and thanks for joining me. Today we're going to talk about fusion energy. Now, for the past several decades, fusion has been touted as the best possible solution to the world's energy needs. It's a promise of clean, safe, inexpensive, and virtually limitless energy. So, what's not to love? Of course, making that dream a reality is not exactly a simple matter. Today, we sit down with Satoshi Konishi, founder and CEO of Kyoto Fusioneering, and we talk about the state of fusion energy today, the problems that still need to be solved and the role that startups have to play in making fusion energy a commercial reality. And if during our interview, it sounds like I'm sometimes kind of bubbling over in geeky excitement, well, it's because I am. Fusion energy is something that's fascinated me since I was in high school. It's just such an interesting and important set of technologies, and it's some genuinely cool physics as well. Anyway, Satoshi and I dig into both the history of fusion power and the current challenges being faced by both universities and startups alike in bringing it to commercialization. Why the most viral headlines about fusion energy tend to be really misleading, what’s needed for more effective public private partnerships and fusion, and of course, we also dive into how Satoshi sees fusion energy developing over the next 10 years and the real trigger that will determine when and if we will see a world powered by fusion. But, you know, Satoshi tells that story much better than I can. So, let's get right to the interview. Interview Tim: So, I am sitting here with Satoshi Konishi of Kyoto Fusioneering, who's working with researchers and startups around the world to make fusion energy a reality. So, thanks so much for sitting down with us. Satoshi: I'm very happy to just talk with you. Thank you very much. Tim: Well, it's my pleasure. And before we get deep into the fusion technology, my understanding is that Kyoto Fusion hearing's focus is on the materials and the precision engineering that are needed for fusion research. Satoshi: Yeah, that is partially true, but what we intend to do ultimately is that to make the anti-fusion plant to make fusion energy. But what makes fusion energy well is not resource, but small amount hydrogen, but big machines very precisely made. So, when need special materials,