Japan’s startups in the Forbes “Asia 100 to Watch”
Forbes lists three Japanese startups among the “Asia 100 to Watch”. That puts Japan behind Singapore (19), Hong Kong (16), South Korea (15), China (13), India (11), Indonesia (8), and Australia (6) into eighth place.
The selection of the 100 companies is based on submissions/nominations, so we should not necessarily construct a ranking out of it. Startup Genome’s “Global Startup Ecosystem Ranking 2022”, published over the summer, would be a more reliable source in that regard. However, note that to be included in this list, companies had to be privately owned, for profit, have no more than USD 50m in its latest annual revenue, and have no more than USD 100m in total funding through August 1, 2022.
The three Japanese companies are the following:
Luup
Mobility startup Luup offers a sharing service for electric bikes and scooters. The startup says its 5,000 vehicles are available in the Japanese cities of Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Sendai and Yokohama. Going forward, Luup plans to introduce rental options with three and four wheels, which will be more accessible to the elderly and people with disabilities.
Telexistence
AI and robotics startup Telexistence developed TX Scara, a robotic arm that automatically replenishes empty store shelves. The device can be controlled remotely by staff equipped with VR helmets. Japanese convenience store chain FamilyMart uses TX Scara devices to restock canned beverages, according to the startup.
Ubie
Ubie’s AI-powered app helps users identify their medical conditions, from diabetes to congestive heart failure, based on symptoms filled out in a questionnaire. The startup says it’s attracted 5 million monthly users in Japan. It seeks fresh growth in the U.S., where it officially launched its services in April.
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