Disrupting Japan is one year old, and ready to party. To celebrate , we gathered some of the leaders of Tokyo's startup community together in front of a live audience, had a few drinks, and talked about the future of startups in Japan.

Our panel included perspectives from software, IOT, and venture capital, which naturally let to some interesting discussions.

Matthew Romaine (@quanza) - CEO & Co-Founder of Gengo
Hiro Maeda(@djtokyo) - VC, Co-creator of Open Network Labs and Beenos startup accelerators
Hiroshi Asaeda (@asaeda ) - CEO & Founder of Beatrobo

We discuss the challenges and the advantages of working with an international staff, the financing situation in Japan, and discuss the future of startups, and startup founders, in Japan.

On a personal note, it's hard to believe a whole year has gone by. Disrupting Japan has grown faster than I ever imagined it could. When the podcast launched last September, we had a total of 44 listeners the entire month -- and I suspect I know every one of them personally.

Today, thousands of people from all over the world listen to each episode, and we are featured regularly in English language news and podcasts from all over the world. And starting this month, Disrupting Japan is being translated into Japanese and published in the Fuji Sankei newspaper.

I want to offer a communal thank you to everyone who has pitched in to make this project a success. There is no way I could have built this by myself. The real key, however, is the subject matter.

Japanese startups and Japanese startup founders are far more innovative and far more interesting than most in the West give them credit for. I look forward to continuing to bring you their stories.

Thanks for listening!

Show Notes for Startups

The challenges and advantages of working with multi-cultural staff
What value incubators provide and how to tell a good one from a bad one
The most important differences between Silicon Vally and Japan
How Japan can energize its startup community
The three most important things for new founders
What the future will look like for startups in Japan

Links from the Host

Media Sponsor: GaijinPot
Special thanks to Akihabara News

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Transcript from Japan
Tim:                Welcome to Disrupting Japan straight talk from Japan’s most successful entrepreneurs. I’m Tim Romero and thanks for coming out tonight. Man you guys are awesome.

[Crowd: Clapping]

Okay those of you at home or wherever you might be out in podcast-land have noticed that we’ve got something special for you tonight. We are recording live from Super Deluxe in Roppongi with some of the most innovative, creative people on the face of the planet which is the Tokyo Startup Community.

[Crowd: Clapping]

All right and before we get rolling with the podcast proper I would like to thank our media sponsor Gaijin Pot who helped a lot with the coordination and in so many other little ways I can’t even begin to count and to give a special shout out to Akihabara news who helped us get the word out and who’s doing the video and running around taking all kinds of pictures tonight. So a big thanks to everyone who helped out on this as well as guys. So… it’s not a proper one year anniversary or a proper podcast without a kanpai so please get your drinks ready and 一周年記念日にありがとうございます。乾杯！

Crowd:                      Kanpai!