NEWSWORTHY
It was one of the most infamous companies in Japan, rocking the nation with a corporate scandal that ousted a prime minister and then nearly collapsing under a mountain of debt. Now, Recruit Holdings Co. is back, reinvented by a group of employees who quietly ...
With his eye on celestial billboards, Russian entrepreneur sparks debate about who owns the heavens
Some day soon, stargazers searching for answers in the night sky might see the logo of a soft drink company blazing past the Milky Way, or a promotional message from a fast food restaurant. That at least that is the hope of StartRocket, a Russian ...
Eight themes that tell the 2018 tech story
Rock, investment, paper: Goldman Sachs to buy stake in startup making paper from limestone
Goldman Sachs Group Inc. is buying a stake in TBM Co., a startup that has become known for its technology that turns limestone into paper. The two parties confirmed the deal on Thursday. TBM, which makes business cards, posters, catalogs and stickers from limestone, is ...
Signpost's cashierless kiosk in Tokyo signals a real challenge to Amazon in 'smart store' sector
Amazon.com Inc. is betting that stores of the future won't have any clerks or registers. A company in Japan thinks it can get there first. Signpost Corp., which has a staff of about 100, has already deployed its technology in a kiosk on the platform ...
Khashoggi crisis puts Saudi ties to Silicon Valley businesses under spotlight
The crisis surrounding the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, and concerns that he may have been killed in the Saudi Arabian Consulate in Istanbul, has highlighted the role of the Middle East kingdom in the U.S. economy, especially in Silicon Valley. Saudi money has been ...
Tokyo-based clothes recycling newbie to advance to Startup World Cup 2019
A Tokyo-based startup specializing in the business of recycling clothes is slated to proceed to the final stage of an annual global startup competition, scheduled to be held in San Francisco in May of next year. Jeplan Inc. won the Japan round of the Startup ...
Company stumbles upon new software to build healthy work environment
Haruki Atarashi never thought his company's flagship software, Recog, which fosters communication between employees within companies, would ever evolve beyond just an internal project. A cross between an internal communication service and a video game where points and rewards are earned, the software began as ...
Meet the new breed of Japanese entrepreneurs who are venturing into frontier markets
Even as Japan Inc.'s influence has diminished under a series of internal scandals and international competition, the prevailing image of Japanese business remains tied to massive corporate conglomerates rather than innovative startups. But behind the scenes a unique mix of entrepreneurs are planting their flags ...
Japan's tech-hungry firms seeking help from Indian IT startups
Technology-hungry Japanese firms are being matched with startups in India as Japan looks toward innovation to revitalize its aging population and mature industrialized economy. Two Indian startups will participate in the first Well Aging Society Summit Asia-Japan in Tokyo on Oct. 9, an international conference ...
'Engineer-friendly' Fukuoka pitches merits in campaign to become tech hub
It's a fast-growing city but with a reasonable cost of living, diverse cuisine and close access to an airport. Plus, the city is willing to support new tech projects. Doesn't that sound like a great place for engineers? That's the sales pitch the city of Fukuoka ...
Japanese startup PD AeroSpace aims for commercial space travel in 2023
The startup PD AeroSpace Ltd. is developing a reusable spacecraft shaped like an airplane to carry paying customers into space by 2023. The Nagoya-based company plans to offer space flights up to an altitude of 110 kilometers using the craft, which is capable of carrying ...
