Exploring the crossroads of startups, venture capital, real estate, and economic trends — from Tokyo, in plain language.
Korean startups with strong products and funding struggle in Japan due to execution challenges rather than technology issues.
Read the postJapan's social media landscape differs significantly from Western markets, with LINE, X, and YouTube central while LinkedIn has minimal impact.
Jun 24, 2026Analysis of the Global Startup Ecosystem Report 2026: the startup economy is recovering with AI generating value, but Asia is not capturing enough.
Jun 22, 2026a16z opened its first international office in Tokyo, signaling Tokyo's growing importance.
Jun 16, 2026Founders outside Silicon Valley face distinct fundraising challenges when approaching global investors.
Jun 12, 2026How investors discover startups: cold outreach vs warm introductions.
Jun 11, 2026Founders fail at cold outreach due to preparation issues that precede messaging.
Jun 1, 2026Hi, I'm Yu Li — from Myanmar, living in Tokyo. I'm the co-founder and COO of Openfor.co, co-director of Founder Institute Japan, and I've built businesses across Japan, India, and the US. On this blog I share what I see at the intersection of startups, venture capital, and life in Japan. More about me →
“Do not go where the path may lead. Instead, go where there is no path and leave a trail.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson
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