Roy and I recently returned from a very rewarding trip to Japan. We were privileged to have meetings with Finolab, Tech Bureau, Opt, and Transcosmos. I would like to give my hearty thanks to Shunichi Otsuka, Mikio Yanashita, and Comsa/NEM Nate for helping set up these meetings. Of course, I would also like to extend my appreciation to the executives at Finolab, Opt, Transcosmos, and Tech Bureau for taking time out of their day to meet a small, growing company such as us, and giving us so much respect and attention despite our relative youth.
While we are unable to reveal specific details, the meetings were very productive. We learned a great deal from the sessions, and our desire to do business and partner with companies in Japan has been reinforced. (From a practical standpoint, we learned that we need to make shorter presentations next time, as the need for translations increased the time per slide.) We will progress with our Japanese business plans by learning more about how Japanese youth consume media. Additionally, we will look into hiring a Japanese business development specialist in the next few months.
One of the many highlights of our trip was our visit to the NEM Bar in Shibuya. It was surreal seeing the face of Alex Tinsman (of Inside NEM) on a large TV screen, with a separate display for crypto-market prices. Drinks there were named after NEM features and NEM-based companies. I ordered several “Mona Milks” (similar to White Russians), and one each of the “NEM Green” and “NEM Blue” cocktails. The vibe inside the bar was incredibly welcoming and calming, and the gender mix was quite balanced. It appears from an initial impression that the cryptocurrency scene in Japan is more mixed in gender diversity than that of the United States.
In closing, I would also like to thank Qchain Alum Kaito Yanai for guiding us to the NEM Bar and showing us around Shibuya. We will be back again in Japan in the near future as we continue to develop our efforts there, and look forward to cultivating collaborative and fruitful efforts with the aforementioned companies.
-Wally Xie
