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Expert Interview: Japan Business Trilogy 3/3: Deep Dive On Japan's Startup Industry, Ken Charles


Guest: Ken Charles, Tech Recruiting Manager, Apex KK, Japan HR Society
Host: James Santagata, Publisher, FirstPoint Japan and Principal Consultant, SiliconEdge.

Running Time: 39 minutes, 23 seconds
High Quality Version (192 kbps @ 44 khz, stereo)
deep_dive_japan_startup_industry.mp3
File Size: 56716 kb
File Type: mp3
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Mobile Device Version (128 kbps @ 44 khz, mono)

PictureKen Charles Deep Dive On Japan's Startups
Ken Charles' Profile:
Ken is a seasoned recruiter having recruited for tech positions for startups, gaming and technical positions in the financial industry in both in the US (10 years) and in Japan (3 years) and in just the first few years of entering the recruiting profession he had made over 100 placements.

Equally impressive, Ken has also founded/co-founded two startups (based in San Francisco) and helped lead them to successful exits.

Currently, Ken runs the technology recruiting practice at Apex K.K., an executive search firm located in Tokyo, Japan.

With an intimate knowledge of both technology as well as the types of candidates companies need to succeed, these are just a few of the successful placements Ken has made on behalf of his technology clients in the Japan market.

Client Successes Include:
  • Country Manager, Japan - Series B Ad Tech Startup from San Francisco
  • Japan Team Head - Pharmaceutical Safety Data SaaS Platform
  • Game Director - Series B Foreign Game Startup (2nd hire in Japan)
  • Server Side Engineer - Public Japanese Gaming Company
  • DevOps Engineer - Series B B2B Tech Startup
  • PHP Engineer - Gaming Company
  • Product Manager - American Public B2C Tech Company


  • ERP System Engineer - Award-winning ERP Vendor
  • Director, Marketing – Series B App Monetization Platform
  • Front-end Engineer - Japanese Gaming Startup (Series B)
  • BD Manager, Payments – Series B App Monetization Platform
  • Commercial IT Director - Global Pharmaceutical Company
  • iOS/Android Developer - Mobile Gaming Company
  • Country Manager - C2C Platform (Series A)
  • UI/UX Designer - Gaming Company 
Ken Charles' Contact Information:
  • Phone: +81  3-6450-6279 (from outside Japan)
  • Phone:         03-6450-6279 (from inside Japan)
  • Email: ken@apexes.co.jp
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The Japan Business Trilogy With Ken Charles: Interview 3 of 3

We welcome back Ken Charles to wrap up our Japan Business Trilogy with a Deep Dive On Japan's Startups (Episode 3/3).
Previously we covered with Ken, a Deep Dive On Japan's Gaming Industry (Episode 2/3) and the Challenges & Opportunities In Japan's Tech, Startup & Gaming Industries (Episode 1/3).
 

Topics Covered Include:
  • What is today's startup environment in Japan like?
  • Compare and contrast Japan startups with Silicon Valley specifically and the US and globally.
  • What are the similarities and differences between these startups?
  • What specifically helps or impedes the progress of foreign startups establishing a presence in Japan?
  • What specifically helps or impedes the progress of foreign startups operating in Japan?
  • What difficulties do foreign startups face in Japan and what can knock these startups for a loop?
  • It's no secret that the US startup / tech investment market has been more than frothy. Now this froth has moved to Japan, what does it mean?
  • Discussion: Masayoshi Son and his early investment in the formerly "unknown"Alibaba. 
  • Discussion: Gunosy Newsreader.
  • How important is speed to market in Japan for foreign startups?
  • Does your recruiting brand in the West or outside of Japan carry over to Japan -- Twitter, Facebook & Google excepted.
  • What threat level do local clones present and how to fight them?
  • Discussion: "Hotel Tonight" vs Gree's clone, "Tonight".
  • Discussion: Twitter's Japan Market Entry.
  • The inverted recruiting market for local, bilingual Tech and Marketing talent.
  • Trends: Larger Japanese investment funds and foreign firms looking to fund in Japan and greater Asia.
  • Trends: Fighting the local competition in the market and fighting for the same pool of candidates.
  • Savvy Locals: The internet is a democracy of information: growth hacking, lean startup methodology, MVP, etc.  ** Yawn ** This is nothing new in Japan and it's well in effect.
  • How to select a recruiting firm, your recruiting options and a comparison of local boutiques vs national retained firms.
  • How companies inadvertently kill their recruiting efforts in Japan.

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