Insights
J-Startup and Beyond
An honest scorecard on Japan's five-year plan to build 100 unicorns — what's working, what's not, and why it matters for global partners
Keyword
An honest scorecard on Japan's five-year plan to build 100 unicorns — what's working, what's not, and why it matters for global partners
Japan has fewer than 15 unicorns. But behind the numbers, a new class of deep tech startups is raising bigger rounds and building for global markets.
In the US, 90% of startup exits are acquisitions. In Japan, 76% are IPOs — most of them tiny. The exit ecosystem is finally being forced to change.
Japan is the world's fourth-largest economy but has fewer than 15 unicorns. The structural reasons run deep — but the forces of change are finally gaining momentum.
Born Global: 8 Japanese Startups You Haven’t Heard of — Yet Japan’s startup scene has a reputation problem. The narrative says Japanese…
Japan has only 15 unicorn startups despite being the worlds third-largest economy. This definitive guide covers every Japanese unicorn, their valuations, why the gap exists, and the soonicorns poised to break through. Updated for 2026.
