Finding a Co-Founder in Japan: Hard Lessons and Real Strategies with Ryosuke (Ryo) Murai

Описание: In this episode, we welcome Ryosuke (Ryo) Murai, CEO and co-founder of AI Market, and a former CSO of Connected Robotics where he led a ¥1.7B Series B raise. With previous experience at Bain & Company, Ryo has helped scale deep tech companies in Japan and is now building a platform that supports enterprise AI adoption.

This is Part 1 of our conversation where Ryo and Tyson share the behind-the-scenes story of how they became co-founders, what makes someone an attractive co-founder in Japan, and how to actually find one in a market where startup matchmaking is still developing.
They also break down the importance of storytelling, mindset alignment, track record, and why AI Market made a conscious decision not to raise venture capital funding early on.

This episode is a must-listen for early-stage founders, advisors, and anyone thinking about starting a company in Japan.

Show Notes:
00:00 – Introduction
02:27 – Why Ryo decided to look for a co-founder
04:08 – How Ryo and Tyson met and decided to team up
06:52 – What makes an attractive co-founder
13:58 – Selling your vision and founder-market fit
27:40 – Co-founder fit is like dating
30:03 – Where to find co-founders in Japan
35:04 – The Benefits of Having Three Co-Founders
38:00 – External Resources: Accelerators and LinkedIn
41:40 – Why AI Market didn’t raise VC and chose angel funding
45:20 – Alternative Funding Strategy with Angel Investors

🎧 SCALING JAPAN PODCAST – GROW YOUR BUSINESS IN JAPAN
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✨Guest Appearance:
Ryosuke (Ryo) Murai – CEO and Co-founder of AI Market
LinkedIn:   / ryosukemurai  

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Produced by:
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