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Teaming up with IVS and Startup Island TAIWAN, "Meet Trip Japan" connects the startup ecosystem between Taiwan and Japan
In a significant boost to global business connectivity, the 'Meet Trip Japan' event was successfully concluded in Tokyo and Kyoto. The three-day event, spanning from June 26-28 in CCIA Tokyo Innovation Hub and later moving to Kyoto on June 29-30, was organized by the Meet Global Team of Business Next Media. This initiative was to foster international relations by connecting 12 promising Taiwanese startups with Japanese venture capitalists (VCs), media outlets, and local communities for potential market expansion opportunities.
The Meet Trip Japan was more than a networking exercise. It was a thriving business ecosystem that saw Taiwanese startups demonstrating their potential to leading VCs, including ASU Capital, DG Daiwa Ventures, Real Tech Holdings, Japan Post Capital, and Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking. The accelerator CCIA invited a dozen of Japanese partners to join networking sessions, who have shown great interest in Taiwanese startups.
Besides VC meetups, the startup founders also consult giants of Japanese branches such as Deloitte Tohmatsu Venture Support, which offers a variety of services for startups expanding the Japanese market. Media heavyweights from Japan such as Toyo Keizai and Newspick were present to chat with these startups, getting to know more about the Taiwanese startup ecosystem and also increasing startups’ exposure to Japanese markets.
To pave the way for collaborations, industry exposure, and mutually beneficial partnerships that transcend borders, Meet Global, together with SIT, organized 12 networking sessions in Tokyo in total in three days. Among the participating startup leaders, Jeff Hu from Turing Chain, a blockchain startup that issues e-certificates, reflected positively on the event. Hu praised the efficiency and impact of the 'Meet Trip', saying, "Within a few days, we got to meet up with plenty of partners and communities, which provides resources and channels to land in the Japanese market.”
Shining at IVS, startups pitch future in Japan's largest startup conference
Transitioning to Kyoto, the Meet Trip Japan event dovetailed with the much-anticipated IVS, hosted by venture capital firm Headline. This year marked the 15th year of IVS, which has become the largest conference and community for startup executives in Japan since its inception in 2007. To further increase exposure for Taiwanese startups, Meet Global has co-organized a demo show with IVS and Startup Island TAIWAN (SIT).
A highlight of the summit was the “Taiwan Startups’ Pitches” on June 29, where six of the attending startups took to the stage to present their innovative ideas to a captivated audience. The event featured concise, six-minute pitches, each followed by a brief Q&A session, underscoring the diversity and potential of Taiwan's tech ecosystem.
Starting the series of quick-fire pitches was Lypid, a vegan-fat startup founded by Cornell scientists Jen-Yu Huang and Dr. Michelle Lee, which is revolutionizing the food industry with its innovative vegan fat product, already been adopted by numerous restaurants and coffee chains in Taiwan. The startup has also been chosen to pitch at the IVS launchpad, one of the largest pitch contests in Japan.
Seekrtech is a wellness-oriented startup that blends technology, art, and behavioral science. Their gamified apps, including Forest, SleepTown, and WaterDo, have collectively engaged over 40 million global users. Turing Chain, offers Turing Certs, a platform that facilitates schools in issuing e-certificates on the blockchain. This solution is currently adopted by more than 60 universities and government agencies worldwide. GoSky AI is a platform that boosts business loyalty and revenue by integrating marketing, sales, and CRM strategies from initial social interaction to lifelong purchases.
Authme is a startup offering an AI-powered digital identity verification solution. It provides a higher level of security and a seamless experience for customers in the digital world. Lastly, Jonathan Hsiao introduced Homexin, a marketplace that seamlessly connects patients and families with reliable, on-demand caregiving services, enhancing access to healthcare.
A panel of eminent venture capitalist judges presided over the event, including Yamato Watanabe, Managing Director at DG Daiwa Ventures; Keith Yuki Isobe, Managing Director at DG Ventures; Yen An Cho, Founding Partner at Ondine Capital, and Chiamin Lai, Managing Partner at UB Ventures. With a crowd of over 150 attendees, the atmosphere was electric, echoing the innovative spirit of these Taiwanese startups as they made their pitch to the VCs and a curious audience, marking another triumphant moment in the annals of Meet Trip Japan.
Why Japan's Startups Should Consider Taiwan: Insights from Meet Trip
A unique aspect of the Meet Trip Japan event was not just its focus on international expansion for Taiwanese startups, but also the exploration of why Japanese startups should consider expanding to Taiwan. This crucial discussion was facilitated through a panel discussion, moderated by Chi Ko, the supervisor of global affairs at Meet Global. The panelists, AppWorks partner Joseph Chan, Cherubic partner Tina Cheng, and SIT director Allen John Ku, offered a trove of insights and compelling reasons for Japanese startups to make Taiwan their first stop on their global journey.
Joseph Chan, Partner at AppWorks Ventures, highlighted that Taiwan accounts for 20% of the total inbound tourists, 40% of Taiwan visitors having visited Japan more than four times. The close ties between the two nations and the diverse, non-Japanese factors within the companies were seen as an advantage. He also pointed out that Taiwan, from Japan, stands as a strategic outpost for reaching out to Southeast Asia.
Tina Cheng from Cherubic Ventures offered a different perspective, emphasizing Taiwan's receptivity towards international products. She pointed out that social media top dogs are common in Taiwan, making it an ideal market for tech-based ventures. Taiwan ranks in the top 3 markets for Foodpanda and the top 5 for Uber Eats, indicating high consumer demand. Highlighting Taiwan's high purchasing power compared to Southeast Asia, Cheng further stressed Taiwan's appeal to international businesses. The region also boasts a supply of affordable tech talents, adding to its appeal for tech startups.
Allen John Ku, Director at SIT, pointed out Taiwan's advantage from a demographic perspective. He contrasted Taiwan's high adaptability with the fragmented populations in Europe and the US, which can make pitching certain products difficult. Taiwan's consumer base and adaptability make it a suitable and strategic choice for Japanese startups looking to expand their global footprint.
Meet Trip Japan, a tour de force of Taiwanese startup talents has yielded a multitude of fruitful results. For the Taiwanese startups, the event offered invaluable opportunities to showcase their products, exchange ideas, and establish potential collaborations. They were able to garner insight into the Japanese market, a crucial step for their strategic expansion plans. This sharing of knowledge and the forging of new connections are integral to driving future partnerships, collaborations, and mutual growth. In essence,
Meet Trip Japan has showcased how reciprocal understanding and collaboration between these two dynamic tech landscapes can forge a path toward new horizons in Asian innovation. The event encapsulates the spirit of global partnership, marking a positive step towards a more interconnected future in the technology sector.
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