Headline - Asia

???? ??????????, ?? ?????????????? - ?????????????? ???? ?????????? ???????? ???????????????????? At IVS Kyoto, we sat down with Ryoga Okunishi, founder of 株式会社IVRy, to break down his journey from coder to CEO. His formula? Test fast, pivot faster. Insights : ?? Build AND Sell: A great product isn’t enough. Founders must master growth & operations. ?? Test 10, Bet on 1: Okunishi launched a new service every month—his seventh attempt, IVRy, finally hit. ?? Smart Funding: Instead of VC, he used bank loans, forcing disciplined, sustainable growth. Japan’s startup landscape is shifting. Founders are moving fast, thinking global, and iterating relentlessly—and we’re here to back them. Read more on Okunishi’s journey & why speed > perfection in building the next big thing. ?? For more startup stories bridging Japan and the world, subscribe to our newsletter: https://lnkd.in/geibVRvg --- 田井義輝, Yohei MIZUKAMI, Shinya Kataoka, Haruyuki Hirose, Satoshi Ebihara, Akio T., Akihiko Okamoto, Joseph Huang, Kazuhiro Oyoshi, Brian Yen, Isamu Nishijima, Shimakawa Toshiaki, Jennifer Lin, CHEN-HSI (Claire) LIAU, Jackson Loo, Jeremy Kai Proctor, Kate L., Jonathan Masayasu Hayashi,

?? Beyond Borders: Scaling into Japan and APAC with Headline Asia??? Last week’s highlights: ?? Founder Journey with Joshua Barry & Sach J. As a result of their shift from festival/club-focused platform, iFLYER, ZAIKO has become a major player in the $10B entertainment industry in Japan. ??Venture Radar: Highlighting APAC's Emerging Innovators??? ?? Twinsense ?? Airsquire ??Tiny (YC F24) ??Kiwibot partnership with?SCAI Our portfolio company Kiwibot has partnered with SCAI | ????!, a key driver of AI advancement in Saudi Arabia and a strategic ally for scaling new and innovative tech. ?? Subscribe to our weekly LinkedIn newsletter "Beyond Borders" here: https://lnkd.in/geibVRvg --- Malek Nasser, Kazuhiro Shimada, Andrew Winter, Akio T., Akihiko Okamoto,Joseph Huang, Kazuhiro Oyoshi, Brian Yen, Isamu Nishijima, Shimakawa Toshiaki, Jennifer Lin, CHEN-HSI (Claire) LIAU, Tatsuya Kawamura, Jackson Loo, Jeremy Kai Proctor, Kate L., Jonathan Masayasu Hayashi,

Congratulations to Felipe Chávez Cortés and the Kiwibot team on partnering with SCAI | ???? ! A key driver of AI advancement in Saudi Arabia and a strategic ally for scaling new and innovative tech. Read more on Felipe’s post below ??

????Venture Radar: Highlighting APAC's Emerging Innovators??? This week features three standout startups transforming APAC industries: ?? Twinsense develops neuromorphic computer vision that mimics the human brain for efficient, low-power processing. ??: Benjamin Schmitt, Kaz Okamura, Shingo Kokudo ??Airsquire uses AI-driven 3D modeling to improve construction monitoring, remote inspections, and project documentation. ??: Kyle Tan (陈凯龙), Yanbin Zhong, Helen Liu ??Tiny (YC F24) is an agentic ERP that streamlines sales, procurement, and production for factories. ??: Louis de Vallière, Edward Zhang, Yusuf Sholeh Want to learn more? Connect with Jeremy Kai Proctor, Jennifer Lin, Kate L.. Stay ahead—subscribe to Beyond Borders! https://lnkd.in/g-ijHiJt

?? ZAIKO’s Journey with Joshua Barry & Sach J. ?? At IVS Kyoto, Japan’s leading conference for founders and investors, we explored the story of Zaiko. What started as a shift from their festival/club-focused platform, iFLYER, has grown into a major player in Japan’s $10B entertainment industry. How Zaiko Evolved: ?? Beyond Festivals/Concerts: Shifting from iFLYER to Zaiko unlocked new markets, giving organizers control over ticketing and fan data. ??Adapting to Crisis: When COVID-19 hit, Zaiko launched paywalled live-streaming, helping artists sell thousands of virtual tickets. ??Hybrid Growth: Post-pandemic, Zaiko blended live and virtual events with gamification and tailored tools for anime IPs. ??Going Global: Zaiko now helps creators monetize internationally with a white-labeled TVOD system. From pandemic pivots to global expansion, Zaiko shows how strategic shifts and cultural insight create lasting impact. ?? For more startup stories bridging Japan and the world, subscribe to our newsletter: https://lnkd.in/geibVRvg --- Malek Nasser, Kazuhiro Shimada, Andrew Winter, Henry Seals, Diego Branco, Takayuki Nakano, Alisa Miles, Akio T., Akihiko Okamoto, Joseph Huang, Kazuhiro Oyoshi, Brian Yen, Isamu Nishijima, Shimakawa Toshiaki, Jennifer Lin, CHEN-HSI (Claire) LIAU, Tatsuya Kawamura, Jackson Loo, Jeremy Kai Proctor, Kate L., Jonathan Masayasu Hayashi,

?? Beyond Borders: Scaling into Japan and APAC with Headline Asia??? Last week’s highlights: ?? Expert Corner Series Japan’s Startup Future: Ambition Meets Opportunity ? At IVS, policymakers and industry leaders came together to discuss?Japan’s ￥10 trillion startup investment goal by 2027. Read more on Beyond Borders to find out the 5 key strategies discussed in the panel. ??Founder Journey with forest inc. (Part 2) ?? Watch our conversation with Michael (Akira) Takahashi as he shares the story of forest.inc and how it bridges the gap between e-commerce and M&A in Japan while showcasing the power of a diverse team. ??Buy&Ship partnership with?Mercari, Inc. Our portfolio company Buy&Ship has partnered with?Mercari, Japan’s top C2C marketplace, bringing 3 billion listings to users in Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, and the Philippines. ?? Subscribe to our weekly LinkedIn newsletter "Beyond Borders" here: https://lnkd.in/geibVRvg --- Sheldon Li, Shun Marusawa, Matthieu BOMBAR, Sayaka Tomihara, Kazuma Ito, Yasushi Okue,?Katrina YAU, Joe Ciou, Akio T., Akihiko Okamoto, Joseph Huang, Kazuhiro Oyoshi, Brian Yen, Isamu Nishijima, Shimakawa Toshiaki, Jennifer Lin, CHEN-HSI (Claire) LIAU, Tatsuya Kawamura, Jackson Loo, Jeremy Kai Proctor, Kate L., Jonathan Masayasu Hayashi, Tomokazu Okada,

?? Part 2 of the Founder Journey with forest inc. ???We sat down with Michael (Akira) Takahashi to explore the roots of forest. inc, where tradition meets sustainability. Tune in to hear how forest is bridging the gap between e-commerce and M&A in Japan, while highlighting the power of a diverse team. ?? Check out part 1 here: https://lnkd.in/gJTYCSFC --- Shingo Yuhara, Shun Marusawa, Matthieu BOMBAR, Shin Onoue, 谷口暢啓長濱智子,安藤成希 Naoki (Harry) Harikawa, 縄稚崚太, Keigo Murakami, Yujiro Tatsui,

Congrats to Buy&Ship on this major milestone! We’re excited to see our portfolio company partner with Mercari, Inc., Japan's top C2C marketplace, bringing its 3 billion listings to millions of users across Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, and the Philippines. This collaboration makes cross-border shopping seamless, especially for Anime, Comics, and Games (ACG) fans, showcases the power of connecting SEA startups with Japan’s dynamic market and is perfectly in line with our "Go Global" strategy. A few months ago, Buy&Ship also celebrated the closing of their US$16 million series B round! To read more on the closing: · Tech in Asia: https://lnkd.in/gPexPNsK · Deal Street Asia: https://lnkd.in/gSNh4BaV · KrAsia: https://lnkd.in/gGUAEkxf ?? Amazing work, BuyandShip team! Jeff Zielinski, Sheldon Li, Akio T., Brian Yen, Yasushi Okue, Paula Dahlia Mendoza

???? Japan’s Startup Future: Ambition Meets Opportunity ???? At IVS, policymakers and industry leaders came together to discuss Japan’s ￥10 trillion startup investment goal by 2027. Featuring insights from : - Sayaka Tomihara ( Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry Director), - Koji Matsui (Kyoto City Mayor),? - Soichiro Imaeda (member of the House of Representatives and Deputy Minister for Startups and Innovation at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology), and - Kazuma Ito (CEO of Polipoli). The panel explored key strategies to accelerate growth and global competitiveness. 1?? Scaling Investment: The government aims to grow startup funding tenfold, but external economic factors pose challenges. 2?? Tax Incentives: Japan’s version of the QSB program is set to encourage angel investments and drive reinvestment into the ecosystem. 3?? Going Global: Programs like J-STAR X are bridging local innovation with global markets, helping startups expand beyond Japan. 4?? Deep-Tech Focus: Sectors like bio, space, and materials science are key areas for growth, with regional hubs like Kyoto offering strong support. 5?? Cultural Shifts: A growing entrepreneurial mindset is shifting talent from corporate careers to startups, opening up new opportunities in fintech and SaaS. Japan’s startup ecosystem is gaining momentum and entering an exciting phase of transformation. With the right mix of policy support, investment strategies, and global collaboration, the country is positioned for significant growth. Want insights on our next IVS event? Connect with Shimakawa Toshiaki, Tomokazu Okada & Guillaume Defer to learn more!

?? Beyond Borders: Scaling into Japan and APAC with Headline Asia??? Last week’s highlights: ?? iMotorbike's $10M Series A Funding iMotorbike, a Malaysian platform for buying and selling pre-owned motorcycles, has raised $10M to expand its operations in Malaysia, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia. The company plans to open new showrooms, hire more staff, and continue redefining the motorcycle marketplace experience across the region. ??Venture Radar: Highlighting APAC's Emerging Innovators??? ?? Elcyo Co., Ltd.:???: Sunri Lee, Giichi Shibuya ??ZenAdmin:???: Yoan Kamalski, Pauline Wetzer, Aditya Anand ?? Funliday, Inc.: ??: Willie Huang, Easter Tsai ??AI has changed fundraising—stay ahead Headline is offering a free, fully editable fundraising deck tailored for today's AI-driven landscape. Join 3,000+ founders who’ve already accessed it. ?? Subscribe to our weekly LinkedIn newsletter "Beyond Borders" here: https://lnkd.in/geibVRvg