Ayumi O.

Japan’s ecosystem is evolving. However, the government, investors, and corporates are ‘still looking at how to better involve themselves,’ says Ode.

Japan is the world’s third-largest economy by nominal gross domestic product (GDP). However, the country lags behind other developing nations, such as Singapore and Malaysia, in adopting digital technologies as a key driver for economic transformation. Based on the IMD World Digital Competitiveness Ranking, Japan only ranks 27th globally in… Show more

Japan’s ecosystem is evolving. However, the government, investors, and corporates are ‘still looking at how to better involve themselves,’ says Ode.

Japan is the world’s third-largest economy by nominal gross domestic product (GDP). However, the country lags behind other developing nations, such as Singapore and Malaysia, in adopting digital technologies as a key driver for economic transformation. Based on the IMD World Digital Competitiveness Ranking, Japan only ranks 27th globally in a list led by the US and Singapore.

US-based early-stage venture capital (VC) firm 500 Startups is well aware of this reality. In 2016, the firm launched a local fund to work together with the Japanese government, investors, and corporates to develop a more robust local startup ecosystem. To date, 500 Startups has invested in over 60 Japanese firms, including fintech developer Paidy, personal mobility startup Whill, and crowdsourcing human translation platform Gengo. Show less

In March 2020, global venture capital firm 500 Startups surveyed early stage investors as COVID-19 led to lockdowns and started impacting businesses. The responses echoed the uncertainty the venture capital community at large felt, as it entered uncharted territory, with the majority believing that the pandemic will negatively impact investment activity.

Numbers have since confirmed the survey’s findings. Seed deals fell by more than half during the second quarter of this year, with… Show more

In March 2020, global venture capital firm 500 Startups surveyed early stage investors as COVID-19 led to lockdowns and started impacting businesses. The responses echoed the uncertainty the venture capital community at large felt, as it entered uncharted territory, with the majority believing that the pandemic will negatively impact investment activity.

Numbers have since confirmed the survey’s findings. Seed deals fell by more than half during the second quarter of this year, with investors completing 316 deals compared to an average of 650 per quarter in 2019, according to PitchBook. Investors turned their attention to their portfolio, advising founders to primarily preserve runway. Show less