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Growth Hub, hosted by Shibuya Startup Support (SSS), is an event series where international entrepreneurs, investors, and startup operators share firsthand experiences of building businesses in Japan.
Rather than lectures, Growth Hub encourages open discussion between speakers and participants. Each session focuses on practical topics that founders often face such as fundraising, hiring, market entry, regulations, and scaling a startup in Japan.
Between January and June 2026, Growth Hub welcomed six guest speakers, including a founder accepted into Y Combinator, an investor with deep expertise in Japan’s capital markets, and the founder of a Tokyo AI startup acquired by a leading U.S. AI unicorn. Some sessions attracted more than 50 participants to SHIBUYA BRIDGE, bringing together entrepreneurs, investors, and aspiring founders for lively discussion.
Here’s a look back at some of the highlights from the first half of 2026.
Guest: Takuya Matsumori, Founder of Jinba
Growth Hub #14 featured Takuya Matsumori, founder of AI startup Jinba, who shared his journey to becoming one of the very few Japanese founders accepted into Y Combinator (YC).
After building a career in machine learning in Tokyo, Matsumori applied to YC seven times before finally being accepted. His persistence—and eventual move to San Francisco—became one of the central themes of the discussion.
Jinba develops AI solutions that integrate directly into enterprise workflows. During the talk, Matsumori explained why Japan became the company’s first market, noting that Japanese enterprise environments provide rich opportunities to refine AI products before expanding globally.
Beyond the application process itself, Matsumori explored how repeated setbacks reshaped both his thinking and product strategy. The discussion also examined how the San Francisco startup ecosystem influenced his ambition and speed of execution, as well as why YC places exceptional importance on identifying meaningful problems rather than simply building impressive technology.
Guest: Jordan Fisher
For the fifteenth session, Growth Hub welcomed Jordan Fisher, a former J.P. Morgan investment banker who later founded startups in Japan and raised multiple rounds of venture capital.
The discussion explored why Japanese startups often pursue IPOs earlier—and at smaller scales—than their U.S. counterparts. Fisher explained that while going public is not inherently problematic, the organizational structure required for an IPO can sometimes conflict with the structure needed to pursue rapid global growth. Venture capital fund lifecycles and market incentives can also encourage founders to consider public listings earlier than they otherwise might.
The limited development of Japan’s secondary market for private company shares was also put under scrutiny, as was how this influences startup financing and exit strategies. Participants discussed recent regulatory reforms, including changes to the Tokyo Stock Exchange Growth Market and efforts to strengthen private market infrastructure, while considering what Japan’s startup ecosystem needs to support larger, globally competitive companies.
With many students in attendance, the conversation naturally expanded beyond capital markets to broader questions about entrepreneurship, decision-making and building globally ambitious startups. The networking session afterward continued well beyond the formal program, with participants engaging in discussions about fundraising and entrepreneurship in Japan.
Guest: Keita Morikawa
Growth Hub #16 featured Keita Morikawa, founder of enterprise AI startup Opera Tech, which was acquired by U.S.-based AI company Sierra just 17 months after its founding.
Opera Tech developed AI agent solutions for enterprise customers in Japan before joining Sierra, one of the fastest-growing AI companies in the United States, having raised more than US$630 million.
Morikawa reflected on the company’s journey—from meeting his co-founder and deciding to launch the business, to refining the product through close collaboration with enterprise customers and ultimately building an AI-powered contact center solution.
The discussion emphasized that successful startups are built not only on technological innovation but also on a deep understanding of customer needs. Participants also gained insight into practical management decisions, including disciplined cost control during the early stages of growth and the qualities he looks for when hiring founding team members.
Each Growth Hub session is designed to create an open space where entrepreneurs can discuss the realities of building startups in Japan with founders and investors who have already experienced the journey firsthand.
Throughout the first half of 2026, the event series brought together members of Japan’s growing international startup community. Conversations regularly continued long after the formal sessions ended, with networking becoming an equally valuable part of the experience.
Growth Hub will continue exploring practical topics relevant to founders building businesses in Japan while welcoming guest speakers from across the startup ecosystem, both in the second half of this year and beyond.
Updates on upcoming events and seminars will be shared on our social media channels. Please follow us to stay updated.
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