Hi, I'm Tim

Thanks for dropping by

WHat I do

I work with established enterprises to help them become more nimble and innovative, and with growing startups to help them become more stable and scalable. The two groups have far more to learn from each other than either side usually expects.

For the past 12 years I’ve also produced the Disrupting Japan podcast, which is a labor of love. Disrupting Japan is an ongoing, in-depth conversation with Japanese founders and VCs about the true state of innovation in Japan. Please give it a listen or read the text version on Substack or LinkedIn.

What I've Done

In addition to my fractional work with both enterprises and startups, in the 30+ years I’ve lived in Japan I have:

started four startups with a 50/50 split of exits and failures.
taught corporate innovation & entrepreneurship at New York University's Tokyo campus.
built Japan into the second-largest and fastest-growing market as the Japan head of a US startup
led Google for Startups Japan.
helped establish and run both TEPCO and JERA’s CVC units

For more detail, I have a standard bio on LinkedIn and an exceptionally non-standard bio on Disrupting Japan.

For Innovative Enterprises

Innovators only have lasting impact when they can build in a stable environment. This is true of both societies and of companies. Corporate innovation succeeds not by radical transformation but connecting the innovators already present in your organization, giving them the right tools, and letting their success inspire others.

We’ll work together to design clear, repeatable processes that ensure wide participation and effective, enduring impact. I support corporate innovation teams on pilot design and successfully bringing products to market, and work with investment teams on startup sourcing, due diligence, and investment negotiation.

For Scaling Startups

You’ve found your PMF. Your customers love you. You are growing fast and no longer know the names of all your employees. You understand that the playbook that got you here won’t get you to the next level.

We’ll work together to refine and sharpen your Japan GTM with a particular emphasis on pricing, partners, and channel strategy.

We’ll break things down into lightweight, easily-trackable metrics and milestones to ensure the visibility that enables course corrections when needed. This will give you the clarity to confidently delegate so you can focus on high-level vision and direction.

Startups entering Japan will also be interested my interviews with successful Japan country heads.

If you are an early-stage startup, a consulting engagement probably isn’t what you need right now. However, I’d be glad to give you advice for free. Talk to me at one of my speaking engagements or join one of the many programs I mentor with, and I’ll be happy to help you out.

Mentoring

There are so many great startup programs in Japan today. Below are some of the ones I recommend and where I frequently mentor. These programs target startups at different stages and industries, so a bit of research will reveal which is best for your startup.