60/40 Podcast: The challenges of building a startup in Japan

This week, the 60/40 Podcast dives into what it’s like building a startup in the world’s fourth-largest economy and how to capitalize on the opportunities there. Sam Ghiotti, co-founder and CEO of Habitto, is a rare breed in Japan’s startup ecosystem – founder, female, and foreigner. She takes the team through the intricacies of building a fintech startup in Japan, discussing aspects like product-market fit, customer acquisition, churn, and fundraising.

Hot takes of the week then touch on Shopify’s AI memo, Grab’s 2024 earnings, and Aspire’s exit from the Indonesia market. Tune in to learn about all these topics and more!

Listen on your preferred platform: Spotify | Apple | YouTube

Send us feedback or nominate topics at 6040podcast@techinasia.com.

Timestamps:
00:00 Welcome and intro
03:30 What’s happening in Japan’s tech and startup scene
19:10 State of fundraising in Japan
25:30 The need for cash conservation in building a startup in Japan
30:30 The Triple F – female, foreign, founder
34:50 Shopify CEO’s AI memo
41:20 The difference between value creation vs. value capture by AI
57:30 Grab’s 2024 earnings and the hard road to profitability
1:04:21 Aspire withdrawing from the Indonesian market – does it make sense?

60/40 is a bi-weekly podcast hosted by Prashanth Ranganathan, Peter Bithos, and Maria Li.

Special thanks to our guest Sam Ghiotti, co-founder and CEO of Habitto.