Disrupting Japan

Police departments around the world are using this startup's AI to predict future crime.

Mami Kajita, founder of Singular Perturbations, explains the success of their models, the public reaction to the technology, and how the physics models of glass transition lead to a crime prediction AI.

We debate the future impact of crime prediction technology, and we also talk about how researchers and entrepreneurs can better connect and collaborate. 

It's a great conversation, and I think you'll enjoy it.

Today's episode is about trust; trust in technology and trust in each other.

Very few startups experience what LPixel went through and far fewer survive it.

Today we welcome Yuki Shimahara, founder of LPixel, back to the show. The last few years have been a roller-coster for LPixel, and despite the chaos LPixel managed to created Japan's first certified medical AI device and roll it out into hospitals around the country.

And despite his success in Japan, Yuki also explains why smart medical AI startups are all looking to Southeast Asia.

It's a great conversation, and I think you'll enjoy it.

The way we get our food is changing. 

Many are discussing how to make modern farming more sustainable, but this startup working to end it entirely. 

Ikuo Hiraishi is a serial entrepreneur and the Japan head of Infarm Japan, an urban-farming startup growing food at supermarkets. In fact, as Ikuo explains, a lot more of your food is grown indoors than you probably imagine. 

The future of food will look nothing like its past.  

t's a great conversation, and I think you'll enjoy it.

We need to get the health care revolution right.

Artificial Intelligence promises to reduce bottlenecks, improve quality of care, and allow our over-stretched healthcare systems to scale to met the needs of the aging global population.

But it's not going to be easy.

Today we talk with Kota Kubo, founder of Ubie about the opportunities and challenges involved in the coming wave of healthcare innovation. And since Ubie just raised $27 million to  fund their global expansion, you'll be hearing a lot more about them in the future.

It's a great conversation, and I think you'll enjoy it.

World-changing trends can start anywhere in the world today. 

Because the social media platforms evolved differently in Northeast Asia, e-commerce developed differently as well. And because of recent shifts in regulation and social attitudes, Western social media is going to start to look a lot more like it does in Aisa, and e-commerce trends will follow. 

Today Masa Shimizu, founder of Zeals, explains the origins and structure of chat-commerce and how it might lead to a friendlier, more enjoyable, and more profitable internet.  

It's a great conversation, and I think you'll enjoy it.

You never hear the names of some of the world's best SaaS startups.

Why waste money building awareness among consumers when you can quickly and steadily grow your B2B business across Japan then across Asia?

Today Yu Taniguchi founder of TableCheck returns to the show and answers that question.

TableCheck is rapidly expanding their table-management system business by throwing out a lot of the traditional SaaS playbook, and Yu lays out a model for sustainable, scalable SaaS startups.

It's a great conversation, and I think you'll enjoy it.

Manga is one of Japan's best known exports, but it's surprisingly hard to make money here.

Today we dig into exactly why this is. We sit down with Sho Ishiwatari, founder of Mantra, who explains how is company is trying to expand the global market by streamlining the translation and global marketing processes.

We also talk about why manga is so much harder than books for AI to understand and a few ways Japanese universities are trying to develop and inspire the next generation of Japanese founders.

It's a great conversation, and I think you'll enjoy it.

Subscription boxes can be a tough business.

Most of these startups shine brightly as they burn through investor capital and flame out well before becoming profitable.

But there are exceptions. So today we sit down with Danny Taing, the founder of Bokksu, to learn what he and the team did differently, how they obtained substantial VC funding, and where they are going from here.

We also talk about Japan's unique snack culture and the surprising insight is has to offer about Japanese culture in general.

It's a great conversation, and I think you'll enjoy it.

There is a very good reason B2B SaaS is huge in Japan right now. 

Today we sit down with Chiemi Kamakura, co-founder and CEO of Agatha, and she explains why.

Agatha is a Japanese SaaS company that has been global from Day 1, but is leveraging some unique strengths developed in Japan. 

We talk about how Japanese SIs have responded to SaaS, why Japan is likely to see a lot more female founders soon, and  the fact that Japanese managers and regulators actually hate paper just as much as the rest of us, but there is one thing that keeps them from going digital.

Coming up with ideas is easy. Spotting the bad one early is a rare skill.

Today we talk with Yo Shibata serial entrepreneur an investor about how you know if you really have a great startup idea.

We chat about what it was like being acquired by Rakuten, and what can be done to improve M&A in Japan. Yo also talks publicly for the first time about is new startup and why the current B2B SaaS trend in Japan might have peeked and might be about to completely reverse itself.

It's a great conversation, and I think you'll enjoy it.