Supporting JETRO in Developing a Video Series to Guide Startups on Partnering with Japanese Organizations

The Client

JETRO (Japan External Trade Organization) New York, a government-related organization aimed at promoting trade and investment between Japan and North America.

The Challenge

JETRO wanted to help North American startups navigate the complexities of forming partnerships with Japanese companies. They sought an engaging, informative way to provide startups with insights on how to successfully approach and work with Japanese businesses and investors.

The Solution

We partnered with JETRO to create a three-part video series aimed at educating North American startups on building partnerships with Japanese companies. The series featured expert insights and practical tips from our team, alongside first-hand stories from three startups that had successfully partnered with Japanese companies and raised funding. The featured startup founders included Miho Beal from Arbor Energy, Sean Storin from Proto Hologram, and Alex Todorovic from Arbor.

The Outcome

The video series was well-received by North American startups, providing valuable knowledge on entering the Japanese market. It helped foster stronger connections between the two regions and positioned JETRO as a key resource for startups looking to tap into Japan’s vast economic potential. The series not only educated entrepreneurs but also demonstrated actionable paths to success through real-world case studies.

Watch the series here. (Note: You’ll need to enter your name and email—this helps JETRO track engagement)

Ana Martinez

Ana has extensive experience in corporate innovation. She has helped over 25 Global 1000 corporations from a wide range of industries develop new business strategies using the latest technologies in the market and has also led 70+ partnerships between corporations and startups. Ana has worked with corporate clients such as Nestle, PepsiCo, Volkswagen, Procter & Gamble, JetBlue, Mizuho, BP, Repsol, Nissan, Avis Budget Group, Magna, Renault, Ferguson, Allstate, GrainCorp, Givaudan, BSM, Griffith Foods, AGC, IAG, among others.

As a member of Rabobank’s first Innovation Team, Ana successfully launched Foodbytes, a pitch competition and networking platform that connects the top food and agriculture startups, corporates and investors. With 15 global pitch competitions, 260+ startup pitches and 4700+ attendees, Foodbytes has become the top startup pitch competitions in the food and agriculture industries. She also launched TERRA, a food and agriculture accelerator that brings together the industry’s most disruptive startups and leading corporations to fuel industry innovation and strategic partnerships.

Ana graduated from the University of California Berkeley with a major in Economics. She was born in Guadalajara, Mexico and loves to play golf!

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