Live from SusHi Tech Tokyo 2025 –Why Japan’s regions are throwing open their doors to global founders

May 2025, SusHi Tech Tokyo pulled more than 50,000 visitors and 500 start-ups into Tokyo Big Sight, positioning itself as Asia’s biggest, government-backed startup showcase. A sanctioned side-event, “Scramble & Connect”, took over Shibuya’s brand-new Sakura Stage towers for rapid-fire pitches and open networking hosted by Shibuya Startup Support and Tokyu Land. That’s where our Program Manager Junik Bae grabbed the mic for Innovation Dojo Japan (IDJ) – and, by extension, for the many diverse founders we coach.

Why this matters

  • SusHi Tech Tokyo is Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s flagship innovation week – a mix of SXSW and Slush, but focused on “sustainable high-tech” smart-city solutions.
  • Scramble & Connect is informally called the “Triple-Startup-Visa Bar” because the visa teams from Shibuya, Kobe and Hokkaido staff it in person, letting founders compare soft-landing options in minutes.
  • Kobe Global Startup Support (KGSS) is Kobe City’s year-round program that subsidises office rent, offers bilingual mentoring and plugs founders directly into local corporates. IDJ has delivered parts of KGSS since 2023.

Junik’s three lightning take-aways

  1. “We’re glad we launched in Japan.”
    Trust takes time here – our first Kobe City contract followed six months of courtship – but once earned it turns into multi-year, multi-project partnerships that still anchor our Japan business five years on.
  2. Cash-flow crunch is real (and survivable).
    Japan’s pay-on-completion norm can stifle growth of young companies. We negotiated partial up-front fees and kept a mix of overseas clients who pay early, smoothing local cash gaps and supporting a team that’s now ten strong and growing.
  3. Master the Japan-foreign see-saw.
    Be impeccably Japanese on compliance, documentation and risk management (that’s the trust piece), yet keep your foreign perspective front-and-centre in product and storytelling. That managed tension becomes a moat competitors can’t copy. IDJ’s job is to help founders balance the two so they don’t just land – they thrive.

How we can help you next

Missed Junik’s session? Need warm intros to Kobe corporates, visa officers, or a sanity check on market-entry strategy? Reply to this email or catch us at our upcoming events on Peatix (search Innovation Dojo Japan). We’ll make sure your first steps in Japan have firm footing.

Big thanks to our friends at Kobe City, Shibuya City, Hokkaido Government and the entire SusHi Tech team for making Japan’s ecosystem more open, more global – and a lot more fun.

Position Title

Junior Position / Project Coordinator

Purpose of the Role

Innovation Dojo Japan LLC is a globally focused innovation support company with team members based across Kansai (Kyoto–Osaka–Kobe region), Tokyo, and Sydney, Australia.

With the goal of developing and supplying the most diversity-focused talent and technology ecosystem in Japan, we operate through a highly diverse team across the following three areas:

  • Entrepreneurial talent development through joint programs with domestic and international universities
  • Startup community management and support for foreign companies entering Japan in collaboration with government agencies
  • Business development and fundraising support services through extensive networks with corporations, venture capital firms, and other stakeholders

To support operations at our Kobe base and across Japan, we are seeking a coordinator who can provide cross-functional support across multiple projects. Working closely with the CEO, directors, and project managers, this role will help manage multiple parallel projects and serve as a core position supporting the company’s growth.

Responsibilities and Duties

In both Japanese and English, the successful candidate will work with internal stakeholders such as the CEO, directors, and managers to support and operate multiple projects, including:

  • General project management support
  • Project coordination through communication with clients
  • Document preparation and deliverables under team guidance
  • Assisting with coordination among staff and other stakeholders
  • Email correspondence, presentation/report preparation, and data entry
  • Scheduling and coordinating meetings
  • Language support/translation as required
  • Event and program operation support
  • PR and promotional activities via social media and email
  • Scheduling and logistical coordination for speakers and stakeholders
  • Operational support across Kobe and the Kansai region (mainly Kyoto–Osaka–Kobe)
  • Back-office support including office operations and document shipping
  • Coordination with external specialists as required
  • Proactively proposing and implementing operational efficiency improvements upon approval

Location, Compensation, and Benefits

Work Location

Kobe office (Chuo-ku, Kobe) or remote work

Working Hours

Assumed 40 hours per week

Salary

Determined based on experience and skills
Monthly salary range: JPY 280,000–380,000

Holidays and Leave

  • Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays
  • Summer holidays
  • New Year holidays
  • Annual paid leave

Benefits

  • Employment insurance
  • Workers’ compensation insurance
  • Employee pension insurance
  • Health insurance
  • Transportation allowance

Employment Type

Full-time employee with probation period (3 months)

Required Skills, Experience, and Qualifications

Required

  • Native-level Japanese and conversational English ability
  • Approximately 2–5 years of professional work experience

Preferred

  • Interest in building a career in the innovation and technology industry
  • Interest in working with international colleagues and clients
  • Experience in project coordination or administrative support (industry not specified)
  • TOEIC score of 800 or equivalent English proficiency
  • Basic PC skills (Microsoft 365 / Google Workspace)

Position Title

Project Assistant (Assigned to Individual Projects)

Purpose of the Role

Innovation Dojo Japan LLC is a globally focused innovation support company with team members based across Kansai (Kyoto–Osaka–Kobe region), Tokyo, and Sydney, Australia.

With the goal of developing and supplying the most diversity-focused talent and technology ecosystem in Japan, we operate through a highly diverse team across the following three areas:

  • Entrepreneurial talent development through joint programs with domestic and international universities
  • Startup community management and support for foreign companies entering Japan in collaboration with government agencies
  • Business development and fundraising support services through extensive networks with corporations, venture capital firms, and other stakeholders

We are seeking assistants to support the practical operations of specific projects (entrepreneurship development programs, startup incubation, business development and fundraising support, etc.) while working closely with designated project managers. This role is intended primarily for project-based outsourcing or part-time arrangements, with flexibility depending on the applicant’s expertise and availability.

Responsibilities and Duties

Under the direction of the assigned project manager, the successful candidate will support the following tasks related to their assigned project:

  • Project progress management
  • Schedule coordination, meeting minutes, and task management
  • Document and design preparation
  • Communication with clients, participating companies, and mentors
  • Email correspondence and data entry/organization
  • Language support/translation as required
  • Event and workshop operation support (online/offline)
  • Scheduling and logistical arrangements for speakers and participants
  • Assistance with PR and promotional activities via social media and email

Location, Compensation, and Working Conditions

Work Location

Primarily remote work (attendance at events in the Kansai region may be required)
Preferably based in Kobe City or Hyogo Prefecture

Working Hours

Approx. 2–4 days per week / 4–8 hours per day depending on project requirements

Compensation

Hourly wage: JPY 1,400–2,000
(Determined based on experience and skills)

Contract Type

Independent contractor agreement or part-time employment (negotiable)

Contract Period

Until project completion (minimum 3 months, renewable)

Other

Remote communication will primarily use online tools such as Zoom, Slack, and Google Workspace.

Required Skills, Experience, and Qualifications

Required

  • Native-level Japanese and conversational English ability
  • Practical experience in project coordination and operations
    (Any industry; may include administrative or management-related work but is not limited to those areas)

Preferred

  • Interest in building a career in the innovation and technology industry
  • Interest in working with international colleagues and clients
  • Comfortable using online tools such as Zoom, Slack, and Google Workspace

Position Title

Long-Term Intern

Purpose of the Role

Innovation Dojo Japan LLC is a globally focused innovation support company with team members based across Kansai (Kyoto–Osaka–Kobe region), Tokyo, and Sydney, Australia.

With the goal of developing and supplying the most diversity-focused talent and technology ecosystem in Japan, we operate through a highly diverse team across the following three areas:

  • Entrepreneurial talent development through joint programs with domestic and international universities
  • Startup community management and support for foreign companies entering Japan in collaboration with government agencies
  • Business development and fundraising support services through extensive networks with corporations, venture capital firms, and other stakeholders

We are seeking long-term interns who can contribute to our business operations while learning directly through hands-on experience. Rather than performing only routine administrative work, interns will participate in projects from the same perspective as employees, including research, document creation, event operations, and client support. This role offers valuable practical experience for students with strong interests in startups and global business.

Responsibilities and Duties

Under the guidance of assigned staff members, interns will support one or more of the following tasks in Japanese (and English where required):

  • General project management support
  • Research (overseas startups, industry trends, client company background research)
  • Assistance with preparing materials, meeting minutes, and reports
  • Event and program operation support
  • Support for workshops and pitch events
  • Assistance with PR and promotional activities via social media and email
  • Article writing
  • Event reports and interviews
  • Proactively proposing and implementing operational efficiency improvements upon approval

Location, Compensation, and Working Conditions

Work Location

Primarily remote work (attendance at events in the Kansai region may be required)

Working Hours

Minimum 3 hours per day / minimum 2 days per week during weekdays between 10:00–18:00

Hourly Wage

JPY 1,200–1,400 per hour
(Negotiable depending on experience and skills)

Transportation

Full transportation reimbursement

Contract Type and Period

Paid internship (part-time/casual employment)
Minimum employment period: 3 months
(1-month probation period applies)

Start Date

Flexible / rolling basis

Required Skills, Experience, and Qualifications

Required

  • Currently enrolled in a university or graduate school
    (No restrictions on year level or major)
  • Conversational English ability
    (Reading/writing skills preferred)
  • Motivated to learn proactively and take initiative

Preferred

  • Native-level Japanese (not mandatory)
  • Strong interest in innovation, technology, startups, and international business
  • Interest in working with international colleagues and clients
  • Basic PC skills (Microsoft 365 / Google Workspace)

Application Method and Application Period (Common to All Positions)

If you are interested in any of the above positions, please send your resume and a brief self-introduction to the contact person below:

Recruitment manager  japan@innovationdojo.com.au

Please include the position title in the email subject line
(example: “Application – Junior Position”).

Application deadline: July 15, 2026

We look forward to receiving your application.

Company Overview

Company Name

Innovation Dojo Japan LLC

Representative

Co-Founder & CEO: Joshua Flannery (Executive Officer)

Established

2021 (July 5, Reiwa 3)

Listing Status

Unlisted

Business Activities

Services business (entrepreneurship development and innovation support)

Address

4-1-14 Isogami-dori, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture
(Sannomiya Sky Building, 120 WORKPLACE KOBE)

Website

Innovation Dojo

Innovation Dojo Japan was founded in Sydney, Australia in 2016 with the mission:

“Where ordinary people make extraordinary impacts.”

Since its establishment, the company has built experience and expertise around three core pillars:

  1. Entrepreneurial talent development
  2. Startup incubation
  3. Business development and fundraising support related to innovation

Moving forward, together with our mission and vision, we will continue leveraging our global connections to contribute to the growth and development of entrepreneurship and innovation.

Live from SusHi Tech Tokyo 2025 –Why Japan’s regions are throwing open their doors to global founders
Joshua Flannery

Joshua is a recognised innovation ecosystem leader in both Japan and Australia, as the co-founder and CEO of Innovation Dojo Japan. His experience includes Country Manager for European open innovation firm Rainmaking, lead Director for the largest startup hub in the Southern Hemisphere, Sydney Startup Hub, and he was the first hire and leader of the University of New South Wales startup programs, which grew to become the leading university for entrepreneurs in Australia. He also has direct experience bringing a tech startup into Japan.

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