Disrupting Japan
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Disrupting Japan
Disrupting Japan gives you candid, in-depth insights from the startup founders, VCs, and leaders who are reshaping Japan.
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Can startups save Japan’s logistics industry?
According to Taro, Japan's logistics industry is on the brink of collapse, and it's hard to argue that he's wrong.
Taro Sasaki founded...
How to start an AI Startup in late 2025
Last month I gave lecture at Globis University on what it takes to build an AI startup today.
It's no longer early days for AI, and mos...
Japanese technology to supercharge human fertility
Japan's declining birth rate makes global headlines, but most of the developed world will soon be facing the same problem.
The real sol...
What’s next for climate tech startups & innovation
Last month I spoke on a panel about the future of climate tech.
I was joined by Emi Naganuma, the founder and General Partner of Apprec...
Foreign founders are changing how Japanese start startups
For the last 150 years Japan has made a science of borrowing the best ideas from the West and transforming them into her own.
The start...
What it’s really like to be a female VC in Japan
Progress is not only slower in Japan, it is often different.
Looking at the numbers, it's clear that venture capital is even more male-...
Startup success hinges on enterprise innovation
American startups dominate the current innovation cycle not as a result of startup innovation, but of enterprise innovation.
Today we s...
Senpai culture is killing innovation in Japan
Fifteen years ago, University-run venture funds were all but illegal here in Japan, but today a higher percentage of major Japanese universities have...
How to build a successful startup community
(sketch by Kaori Rei)Today we are going to sit down with an old friend.
It was over seven years ago when I first had Tim Rowe on the po...
Software alone can’t make us work together
Today we are going to break down some startup stereotypes.
I sit down with Kunio Hara, co-founder and CEO of Beatrust and break apart t...
How AI employees are solving Japan’s labor shortage
While American AI startups are dominating the headlines, one Japanese company has begun rolling out "AI employees" to famously cautious Japanese ente...
Welcome to Disrupting Japan (Podcast Trailer)
Welcome to Disrupting Japan. Straight talk from Japan’s most innovative founders and VCs.
I’m Tim Romero, and thanks for joining me.
The...
The catalyst (finally!) pulling industrial Japan into the digital age
Japanese business loves paper.
From fax machines, to business cards, to massive project binders. Paper processes are slow to die in Jap...
How CVCs and startups are decarbonizing energy
Most outside of the energy industry are (pleasantly) surprised to learn how aggressively startups and CVCs are pushing decarbonization forward.
...
How AI startups can compete with the AI giants
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 p...
Why Japan is looking to France for startup inspiration
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,...
A game plan for working artists to beat AI in the marketplace
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...
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 Cor...
Everything you ever wanted to know about Fintech in Japan
We live in a global financial system, but fintech innovation is surprisingly local.
Makoto Shibata, the head of FinoLab, has been leadi...
Hey Hey, It’s my birthday!
Disrupting Japan is 10 years old today!
This is a simple thank you rather than a full episode.
Thanks for listening!
Why SaaS is growing so much faster in Japan Shinji Asada – One Capital
SaaS startup valuations and growth rates have dropped sharply in most of the world, but not in Japan.
SaaS startups are growing fast in...
How to build a startup in Japan
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...
The hidden danger of unicorn counting in JapanJames Riney – Coral Capital
Japan has far fewer unicorns than one expects - or than venture capitalists desire.
That fact, however, hides a fascinating story.
The surprising future of Japan’s new robot companions
Japan thinks about robotics and AI differently that the West.
In addition to their functional, productive role, a lot of thought is als...
How VCs drive (and murder) global startup ambition in Japan
What keeps Japanese startups stuck in Japan?
It's not a lack of opportunity or ambition. It's not a lack of knowledge or talent. In fac...
Big News from Disrupting Japan!
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, an...
How to sell innovation in cut-throat, low-margin industries
Some industries need to be dragged kicking and screaming to innovation.
When margins are tight and profits are small, CEOs often don't...
Startups need to think global, but you need to beware of being global
Japanese HR departments are in a bit of a panic right now.
The increasing job mobility that startups have unleashed is forcing them to...
What today’s headlines don’t tell you about Fusion Energy
Fusion energy promises almost unlimited, inexpensive, clean energy.
That's a pretty big promise.
Today we sit down with...
One soil startup’s unusual and risky scaling secret
Most sustainability startups struggle to find sustainable business models
Towing, however, has found their solution, and their customer...
What you need to know to sell to schools in Japan
Everyone agrees that the Japanese education system needs to be modernized, but EdTech startups still face an uphill battle in Japan.
Of...
AI’s new game-changing role in decoding mountains of EKGs
The medical industry is one of the most challenging areas for startups to succeed in.
"Move fast and break things" just doesn't work in...
What it takes to teach Japan Inc how to code
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 mi...
The innovative age of Shadow IT is coming to an end
Shadow IT has been responsible for more enterprise SaaS deployments and workflow innovation than any growth strategy of the last 15 years.
So you want to disrupt finance? This is what it’s going to take
For decades (centuries, really) lending in Japan has relied on personal guarantors and introductions rather than objective credit scoring. This startu...
Legal AI will shatter your perspective on legal advice
The legal system is complex, hard to understand, expensive to navigate, and ripe for disruption.
In the future, we will still need lawy...
How one innovative startup is selling true bionic legs
Startups solve real problems.
During the boom times, the media focuses on the multi-billion-dollar valuations and the mega-IPOs. But ev...
What happened when one Japanese startup talked about women’s sexual health
Some things are supposed to be only whispered about in Japan.
But startups are about breaking taboos and pushing boundaries, and making...
How Japanese graffiti Is sneaking onto the blockchain
Graffiti is impermanent.
Normally, thats a good thing, but as the global art world has begun to recognize graffiti and street art as a...
What it really takes to get your product approved by NASA
Not many startups land their tech on the moon.
Dymon has designed an autonomous lunar rover that will land near the lunar south pole la...