Yusuke epitomizes the new generation of Japanese startup founders. Of course, that means he is almost exactly the opposite of what most Westerners picture as a startup founder in Japan. Yusuke left a fast-track, high-status job in as a college professor to start one startup after another, in both Tokyo and in San Francisco, and while Yusuke has not achieved a massive Silicon Valley style exit just yet, there is no doubt he is on his way.
Yusuke and I discuss his transition from professor, to freelancer, to founder, to founder, to founder yet again. He explains how a one-way ticket to San Francisco and how a chance meeting with Steve Blank changed his thinking and changed his life.
He also explains why sushi is the secret to successful fundraising. As an alum of well-known startup incubators in both Tokyo and San Francisco, Yusuke discusses his experiences at both and explains their most important value and their most important differences.
This is a must listen show for people who want to know more about startup incubators.
For more podcasts about the startup scene in Japan, check out Disrupting Japan.
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I can’t believe I have only realized just now that the podcasts are actually transcripted (I’m not good at spoken English, only written). I was literally skipping all of them just because I didn’t know I could read them instead. Whoops.