Early Lessons for Global Scaling: Any-Edge’s Experience in Germany

Established in Japan in 2023, Any-Edge Inc. isa digital health startup that seeks to transform oral care through IoT technology. The startup’s innovative sensor detects VSC gas emissions linked to periodontal disease, enabling real-time, at-home monitoring of oral hygiene.With a patent-pending method, the company empowers individuals to proactively assess their oral health – redefining how periodontal disease is detected and managed. Today, the team is developing point-of-care devices that visualize oral hygiene levels in real time through VSC gases in breath and detect pH levels inhuman and pet saliva.

In 2024, the startup started to explore the possibility of expanding toGermany.

“Germany is the second-largest digital health market in the world and has one of the highest economic growth rates among EU countries. It is also one of the world's leading pet-related countries, so we believe it is the ideal market for our product to expand overseas,” explains its Founder and CEO, Mr. Daisuke Tanaka.

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However, like many startups exploring global markets, Any-Edge soon discovered that entering Germany comes with its share of challenges.

For a Japanese start-up, two main hurdles were dealing with strict and highly specific regulatory frameworks and navigating a relationship-driven business culture.

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“First of all – and this is only natural – even within the European Union, each country has its own regulations, and entering the German market meant that we had to meet Germany’s specific requirements. We lacked clarity on the specific regulations we needed to comply with for healthcare products like ours,” Mr.Tanaka explains.

“Furthermore, in Germany, where personal relationships are highly valued, we were unsure which groups or organizations to approach,” he shares.

Clarity and Strategy with Start2Group

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This is where Start2Group came in.Mr. Tanaka first came across Start2Group through the Market DiscoveryProgram, which introduced Any-Edge to a wide network of mentors and industry experts in Germany.

Any-Edge’s experience with Start2 Group helped address its uncertainties so that it could better chart its next steps. Mr Tanaka shared that the accelerator program introduced AnyEdge to a wide range of people and events, which was extremely helpful for the startup.

One key breakthrough came from framing the device’s key potential applications: medical or non-medical, and for use in humans or pets.

Through the program, Any-Edge gained a better understanding of the types of regulations required for international expansion and have been able to develop a strategy for entering the market in the future.This exercise enabled the team to sketch out preliminary entry pathways and decide how best to position the technology for Germany.

Just as important was exposure to Germany’s startup ecosystem.

“Expanding into the European Union, particularly Germany, can be challenging for Japan-based startups. Maintaining relationships with mentors and industry-specific organizations is essential for building a successful entry strategy,” Mr. Tanaka reflects.

Today, with a deeper appreciation for how critical the right connections are for international growth, Any-Edge is actively expanding the network it first established during the Market Discovery Program.

For instance, the network established through the Market Discovery program led the AnyEdge team to participate in the TOKYO x NRW SME PartnershipProgram, a collaboration between the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the German State of North Rhine-Westphalia(NRW) to support small and medium enterprises in both regions.

“Although we haven't yet reached the stage of expanding our business, we have gained an understanding of the types of regulations required for international expansion and have been able to develop a strategy for entering the market in the future,” he adds.

 

Lessons for Japanese Startups

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Reflecting on Any-Edge’s ongoing journey, Mr. Tanaka emphasizes the importance of networking and long-term relationship-building, particularly as the startup prepares for international expansion. “We see the value of leveraging existing connections to gain insights from key opinion leaders and obtain strategic introductions,” he says.

Looking ahead, the startup plans to set up a micro-corporation (µG) in a city near North Rhine-Westphalia or Hamburg.Building on the momentum of his positive experience with Start2Group, Mr.Tanaka also plans to participate in a local acceleration program with the support of regional subsidies – a step he believes will deepen the company’s foothold in Germany’s innovation ecosystem.

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