California dreamin’: 5 Japanese startups picked to pitch in Silicon Valley

Many Asian startups dream of scaling their businesses to the entrepreneur graceland that is Silicon Valley, but crossing the Pacific is easier said than done. There are a number of challenges standing between Asian entrepreneurs and their California dreams: language and cultural barriers, a complicated legal landscape, and a potential lack of key contacts on the ground.

Based dually in San Francisco and Japan, Btrax is a market consulting and brand localization firm that was established to address all those issues – particularly for Japanese companies hoping to enter the US. While the firm doesn’t limit itself to startups – it’s already assisted the likes of Sony, Panasonic, and Canon – its event this past Saturday was aimed specifically at bringing a group of Japan’s top ventures to the Valley.

The 8th edition of Btrax’s annual JapanNight pitch contest saw 12 startups take the stage, with the top five winning flights to San Francisco for a chance to compete at the main event next month. Each will be exposed to US-based venture capitalists and media outlets – invaluable contacts for entrepreneurs hoping to make a mark on American soil.

Each startup was ranked according to five criteria: technology, business model, value to users, pitch skill, and global growth potential. The judging panel included Paul Chapman, founder of fellow Tokyo startup Moneytree; Yukiko Muto, OpenTable’s local country manager; and Todd Porter, co-founder of Waterwheel, FabCafe Global, and TEDxTokyo.

Here are the winners, in descending order, that will pitch in San Francisco:

5th place: HiNative

HiNative connects users to native speakers of 120 different languages, and allows them to get quick feedback (as soon as five minutes after posting a question) on how to communicate like a local. Instead of straight-up translation, HiNative focuses on helping users learn natural conversation skills – something rarely taught in textbooks. Beyond language learning, users are also encouraged to ask about cultural customs or advice when visiting a foreign country.

4th place: Colavi

Everyone loves watching videos online, but for those without prior video editing skills, making them can be a nightmare. Colavi allows users to submit raw footage and receive a fully-edited – and even subtitled or dubbed, if you so desire – video that can be used in a professional context. The startup even offers hosting and analytics to show how engaging each video is across a variety of social media channels.

3rd place: SpaceMarket

Airbnb might connect you to someone’s unused or partially-used apartment, but where do you turn when you want to rent a baseball stadium or a Buddhist temple for your next event? The answer, if you’re in the greater Tokyo area (or a few select locations overseas), is SpaceMarket. Users can search for venues based on date, budget, and location – even technically mobile venues like yachts and trains are available.

2nd place: Drivemode

According to Drivemode, there are 1.6 million car accidents in the US each year that are a direct result of distracted driving. Late-model cars are often equipped with steering wheel buttons or voice controls that make changing the music or answering a phone call much safer, but Drivemode wants to bring older vehicles up to speed with modern safe-driving tech. Its smartphone app not only allows easy control of a car’s radio or navigation system, but allows for add-ons like backup cameras and parking sensors.

1st place: Comic English

While elearning startups are a dime a dozen these days, Comic English takes a unique approach for English learners. It combines artificial intelligence and machine learning-powered chatbots with online gaming to fully immerse a user in their course of study. Its chatbots also integrate with Line and WeChat, so you can practice conversing with a human-like partner on the go. The startup’s CEO previously founded four game companies across three continents and has created products for Electronic Arts, Disney, Bandai Namco, and Nike.

(Editor’s note: Tech in Asia was a JapanNight VIII media sponsor.)