Man decides to launch his startup in Japan instead of India due to ‘plight of Indian founders’
An Indian founder who went to Japan as a neuroscience research student shared why he chose the country to launch his startup instead of his home country.
Several startup founders are taking to social media and sharing their struggles to keep their companies afloat. Amid discussions and debate, a Reddit post has piqued people’s interest. An Indian man claimed he had launched a startup in Japan and explained why he chose a foreign nation instead of his home turf.
“Why I decided to build my Startup in Japan instead of India (Japan Startup Visa),” the man wrote. He also shared a link to a LinkedIn profile, claiming his name is Prashant Sharma.
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He wrote that he went to Japan in 2023 to complete his PhD as a neuroscience research student at the University of Tokyo. During his studies, he developed a novel language learning method. Later, he decided to stay in Japan and work on his startup rather than return to India.
“Reading about the stressful experience of numerous Indian founders on this sub, trying to survive amidst the nightmare of Indian bureaucracy, only strengthened my resolve,” he continued.
“I read about the plight of numerous Indian founders on this sub, and I will just say this: Life is too short and precious to struggle forever. Don't waste your potential where your skills are not appreciated,” he added.
Take a look at the entire post:
What did social media say?
“Do you speak Japanese? Also, I'm assuming that your startup is a digital product and not something labour-intensive? I've looked into the idea, but the language barrier and labour shortage was what stopped me,” posted an individual. Another added, “Well, the visa thing is fine, but the capital you will need in Japan would be way more than India.”
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The original poster replied, “Not really. The costs would be the same everywhere if you are primarily building a digital business. Living costs are similar to living in a tier 1 Indian city. Except you can actually have a good life here. No traffic, No pollution, and No chaos. I have never heard a car horn even once in my over 2 years here. Japanese govt and VCs are also actively investing in startups, and funding opportunities are more abundant here than in India. Choosing to go bootstrapped is my personal decision, precisely because my operating costs here are so low.”
A third expressed, “I've been struggling with my company for four years. I'm considering shutting down or moving elsewhere, like Dubai, Portugal, etc. I always assumed Japan was too expensive for a start-up. May I connect and discuss collaboration or something else that's mutually beneficial?”
A fourth wrote, “Damn, this is amazing, man. I went to Japan last year. What an awesome step you have taken. Keep it up. Best of luck.”
