The Bridge That Keeps Building : How Ongoing Support Turned Market Exploration into Pilot Opportunities

Meeting promising international startups at conferences is relatively easy. The real challenge is determining which companies are genuinely committed to the Japanese market investing in local relationships, building a presence on the ground, and creating long-term value. VisioLab’s story shows how sustained local support can turn market exploration into tangible pilot opportunities.

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Coming to Japan with Questions, Not Assumptions

VisioLab, a German AI computer-vision company, arrived with open questions rather than assumptions: how does the Japanese market really work for a foreign entrant, what pain points do Japanese customers actually face, and how large is the opportunity?

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How Start2Group Helped

Through the German Accelerator Japan program, Start2 connected VisioLab with strong mentors and, crucially, with people on the ground, both people who had entered the Japanese market themselves and locals offering a firsthand perspective. SusHi Tech Tokyo became a platform to present and connect.

What stood outmost, in VisioLab's words, was how proactive the team was. They kept making introductions and following up even after the program formally ended, and each connection became more relevant and more closely tailored to VisioLab's needs over time. That's the difference between a one-off introduction and a bridge that keeps building.

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The Results

At SusHi Tech,VisioLab presented its system live. The accelerator gave it a reason to bring its unit to Japan, and seeing the system in person made a decisive difference with a potential pilot partner it had met in Tokyo. VisioLab came away with sharp learnings on Japanese customer pain points and the segments that fit, a much better grasp of local culture and business etiquette, an on-the-ground BD representative in Japan, and two promising pilot discussions it hopes to close this year.

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"What sets Start2 apart is that the support doesn't stop when the program ends. The team kept making introductions afterward, and those connections kept getting more relevant and focused to our needs." — Matea Zjacic, Strategy & Operations, VisioLab GmbH

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Why This Matters for Corporates ‍

For a Japanese corporate, VisioLab is exactly the kind of counter part worth engaging: a vetted global innovator that is present in Japan and backed by a partner whose introductions keep getting sharper. When you meet startups through Start2, you are not meeting a company merely passing through. You are meeting one that Start2 continues to support and connect on the ground, and that persistence is what turns a first conversation into a live pilot.

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About Start2 Group

Start2 Group helps Japanese corporations discover, evaluate, and collaborate with high-potential global startups.

From startup scouting and market validation to pilot projects, joint development, strategic investment, and commercial partnerships, we support every stage of cross-border innovation.

Interested in exploring international startups aligned with your strategic priorities?

We'd love to hear from you.

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GermanAccelerator

GermanAccelerator is a program by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy.