Japan isn't a harder market.
It's a different game.
100+ startups. Countless stalled deals. I've seen exactly where Japan entries break down — and I know how to play the long game the right way.
The problem
“We had the product. We had interest from their innovation team. Then nothing happened for months.”
— A story I hear constantly from startups entering Japan
Pattern 01
Wrong entry point
Meeting the innovation team feels like progress. It rarely is. The real decisions happen elsewhere inside the org.
Pattern 02
Ringi stall
Decisions require consensus across many stakeholders. Nobody tells you this. Deals go quiet and you don’t know why.
Pattern 03
Fiscal cycle mismatch
Japanese organizations run on fixed budget cycles. Miss the window and you wait another year — sometimes two.
This is why Japan requires a long-game strategy— not a sprint. The startups that succeed aren't faster. They understand the rules of a different game and play accordingly. That's exactly what I help you do.
What I do
Market Entry
Japan entry strategy
Right partner identification, messaging for Japanese enterprise, POC structure designed to get approved and funded.
Access
Enterprise introductions
Warm intros to the right people inside major Japanese corporations — not just the innovation team.
Deal Support
POC to contract
Navigate ringi, fiscal cycles, and internal politics. Keep deals moving when they would otherwise stall.
Sectors with active network
Why me
Embedded in the Silicon Valley ecosystem
Not just a network on paper — I’m in the room where decisions are made.
100+ VC & accelerator connections
Direct access to the investment ecosystem. I know which funds are active in which sectors right now.
Both sides of the table
I understand how Japanese organizations make decisions internally. And I understand what startups need to move fast.
100+ deals worth of pattern recognition
I’ve seen where things break before they do. That’s not something you can read in a playbook.
How it works
Discovery call
Understand your product, stage, and Japan hypothesis
Market fit check
Which industry, which companies, which entry point
Introductions
Warm intros to the right people, not just innovation teams
POC design
Structure a pilot that Japanese orgs can approve and fund
Deal navigation
Ongoing support through ringi, cycles, and internal politics
Discovery call
Understand your product, stage, and Japan hypothesis
Market fit check
Which industry, which companies, which entry point
Introductions
Warm intros to the right people, not just innovation teams
POC design
Structure a pilot that Japanese orgs can approve and fund
Deal navigation
Ongoing support through ringi, cycles, and internal politics
Get in touch
Ready to play the Japan game the right way?
Whether you're pre-market or mid-stall, let's talk about what's blocking you — and whether I can help.
Typically respond within 48hrs.
Based in Silicon Valley.