The Truth About Startup Lady’s Go Global Hub #4, Here’s What I Saw
🎯 Takeaway
The key to successful global expansion is establishing a robust distribution system and business model.
For startup development, a niche model is a good strategy.
A niche business model pairs well with influencer marketing. It can be a game changer. Keep a close eye upon “micro- influencers to work with” and “industry to work on”.
Additionally, maintaining close relationships with your commercial partners will be highly valued and effective in influencing consumer behavior and media exposure.
Solid market expansion needs localisation and user-friendliness; this includes the influencers you are working with.
Hello, everyone!
This blog is a report of “Go Global Hub #4: Global Connector Salon”.
It’s a startup entrepreneurs-investor connection event series, supported by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. This time, we enjoyed our fourth gathering on 10th, December, in Shibuya, Tokyo.
If you care for the details, please check out the official website from here.
We, Build+, are grateful to play a supporting role for such future-driven business opportunities.
Let us delve into the activity. Chop-chop! :)
🗣️ Lessons from the Keynote Speaker
Here is our honourable guest and agenda for the night:
Guest Speakers
Agenda for the Night
How do you make your business successful in the global market?
What strategy helped you to market in the US and Europe?
How do you expand your market share in a niche industry?
3 Takeaways for the Aspiring Entrepreneurs
The evening led us to real-world experience and lessons from one entrepreneur to aspiring attendees.
Here we’ll have a look at Takuma’s message on each topic:
Agenda 1 : How do you make your business successful in the global market?
Opinions: Individual difference needs attention, but “Niche Industry” is a good place to start.
This is a business strategy to focus on a small sector. You’ll enjoy more demand and fewer competitors in the field. The German racing game focused company, “Fanatec”, is a good example of a niche product market fit.
However, there are pros and cons:
Pros: There are fewer competitors in the market.
Cons: With your business optimised into one sector, the effect of your content will be less eye-catching to VC.
Takuma gave tips from his business model. ShiftAll devised a B2B2C supply flow, from online order through manufacturing outsourcing with business partners in China to worldwide customer shipping.
Agenda 2 : What strategy helped you to market prosperity in the US and Europe?
Opinions : For niche industry entrepreneurs, a solid product strategy and distribution workflow will be crucial. Like above-mentioned, an optimised business model can be mighty and tiny, simultaneously. With less prospect for mass market influence, you need to create intriguing proof both for the customers and VCs. ShiftAll, for instance, accomplished market share of 50% from Japan, 20% and 25% from the States and EU trade blocks.
Agenda 3 : How do you expand your market share in a niche industry?
Opinions： “Tie-in Marketing” is a profitable tactic. Takuma shared his first-hand insight into the influencer collaboration gimmicks.
Point 1 : “Find an industry where influencers are available.”
As a matter of fact, you need existing influencers in your future field. Please, grab your smartphone or PC and dive into the net waves. If you get any hits, here’s another step.
Point 2 : “Begin with Micro-Influencers”
When you’re screening for your commercial partner, try the micro-influencers. This can be a method for a more fund-efficient process. If your YouTuber or Instagrammer has critical industry insights and content producing strategies, buta smaller follower count: Bingo! They are the ones for you. It’s time to reach out!
A handful of talent acquisition skills will be beneficial to nail this stage. You need to establish a partnership with global marketing expansion consultants or industrial consultants for a better understanding and decision making.
Agenda 4 : 3 Takeaways for the Aspiring Entrepreneurs
Strategy 1：Tips for the Tie-In Marketing
While you are gearing up for the SNS empowerment, it’s fruitful to reach out to the influencer you are about to work with. In his case, Takuma flew across the Eurasian continent to introduce his own product to the influencer, face to face. While the distance can be a huge hurdle, he suggests taking the flight, because it will be a good opportunity not only for business bonding and user feedback, and for local media exposure, especially if the destination is a small village or cosy countryside.
Strategy 2：Tips for Global Expansion
Entrepreneurs are apt to brood upon sales aspects of the business. However, the CEO encourages looking into other things. Localisation is the key. “How do you design your product for each market?” or “How do you develop your service structure according to your user’s preference and feedback?” These questions are the way to generate new fans for your service abroad.
Strategy 3：Tips for Business Strategy
Business requires both market needs and industrial fit. This is why Takuma advises taking deep consideration before going deeply into the needle-like niche sector.
What do you think?
For those of you who’d like to build connections in the startup sector, please join the following meetings. New faces and stimulating discussions will be there for you.
Now, let us go through the startup matching part.
💡 1 on 1 matching
At the event, all of us went through an eye-opening 1 on 1 self-business introduction.
Here’s the sketch of the structure.
The main rules were:
All attendees are divided into 4 groups.
Each group of people pair up and have a seat.
You give the business introduction mutually in 5 minutes. (Your name, company, field and role, strength feature and how you like to develop your business and social networking through the event.)
One of the pairs will change seats and start a conversation in a new pair.
Then we swam in business background diversity.
Sectors: Recently, AI adoption has been a huge trend in startups. We had entrepreneurs from Ed Tech, Med Tech, Agri Tech and Consumer Tech, as well as VC and Partnership representatives.
Market Base: Both Japanese and international startups joined the session. The door is open for both sides of the globalisation trends.
Business Growth Scale: The companies varied from early stage to ones longing for market entry hints in Japan.
Sharing insights and business aspirations were steaming up the floor. Please, come and dip yourself into the vibe the next time. I bet you that time literally flies there.
🙌 Conclusion
Thank you for walking through this dreamy experience.
The 5th gathering of this event is coming on the 23rd of January, 2026, and the 6th on 2nd of February. Don’t miss it!
I dare hope that this report will lead you to a new page of your professional memories soon.
We release cutting edge Tech industry and recruitment-focused updates in English and Japanese every week.
Hope to see you again!
Last but not least, “Happy New Year" to you all! 🙂
