What’s it like to have Audrey Tang as your startup mentor?

J-STORIES – Taiwan’s digital prodigy Audrey Tang personally mentored three Japanese startups on the launch of the Tokyo Metropolitan Authorities’s “Premium Mentoring” program, offering a uncommon alternative for Japanese startups to obtain direct recommendation from a distinguished mentor.

Taiwan’s former digital minister and present cyber ambassador-at-large was invited to kick off Tokyo’s state-run program, aimed toward serving to Japanese startups develop and succeed on the world stage.

Taiwan’s former digital minister Audrey Tang advises entrepreneurs at a “premium mentoring” occasion in Tokyo. Photograph by Toshi Maeda | J-Tales (Identical under)

After a 30-minute, all-English one-on-one session with Tang at Tokyo’s flagship startup assist hub Tokyo Innovation Base (TiB), Shingo Otobe mentioned he had a renewed respect for Taiwan’s digital icon, including that Tang’s recommendation from an Asian perspective resonated with him.

“What left the deepest impression on me was the recommendation supplied from an engineer’s perspective—not simply technical steerage, however insights into enterprise methods enriched by Japanese tradition and philosophy,” mentioned Otobe, CEO of Ibaraki-based startup Lightz, which develops AI programs that assist shoppers – similar to artisans and craftsmen – flip their professional information and abilities into information and switch them to different folks.

“In conversations with Silicon Valley traders and stakeholders, the main focus typically leans towards the best way to win in a aggressive atmosphere,” mentioned the mentee. “Nonetheless, in the present day’s mentoring session centered on the place we must always purpose and what we have to put together to get there.”

Shingo Otobe, CEO of Japanese AI startup Lightz (in middle, at left), and his team members receive advice from Tang during a 30-minute mentoring session. — Shingo Otobe, CEO of Japanese AI startup Lightz (in center, at left), and his workforce members obtain recommendation from Tang throughout a 30-minute mentoring session.

Tang careworn the significance of pursuing “plurality” over “singularity” in her keynote speech.

“In Taiwan, ‘digital’ additionally means ‘plurality’ — multiple, many, variety.” Tang defined. “So being a digital minister can be being a minister for plurality.” Identified for co-founding a profitable IT firm at simply 16, Tang, who’s transgender, additionally emphasised the significance of sustainability and different “pro-social” values for entrepreneurs.

Taiwan’s former digital minister, Audrey Tang, speaks at Tokyo’s inaugural “premium mentoring” event for startup entrepreneurs. — Taiwan’s former digital minister, Audrey Tang, speaks at Tokyo’s inaugural “premium mentoring” occasion for startup entrepreneurs.

“My message to all of you startup folks is to consider the best way to shift from the extractive economic system mannequin to a sustainable, high-tech mannequin,” mentioned Tang.

“On your startup, it’s essential to construct an ecosystem, not only a firm. I’m positive that right here in Asia, like in Japan and Taiwan, that is our default mode of motion,” Tang mentioned. “Increasingly, we’re seeing around the globe that individuals see this as the precise solution to develop sustainable rising applied sciences, with out having the singularity-like colonization of the remainder of the world.”

Tokyo’s first “premium mentoring” session was held on November 17 at Tokyo’s startup support hub Tokyo Innovation Base (TiB). — Tokyo’s first “premium mentoring” session was held on November 17 at Tokyo’s startup assist hub Tokyo Innovation Base (TiB).

Tang’s speech was adopted by a dialogue session that explored how synthetic intelligence and digital know-how are altering society. The session was joined by Ren Ito, COO of Sakana AI, the Japanese startup that achieved unicorn standing inside its first 12 months of operation, making it a standout in Japan’s tech ecosystem.

The Tokyo-based unicorn develops nature-inspired synthetic intelligence fashions. Sakana AI goals to create a brand new sort of foundational AI by drawing inspiration from nature’s effectivity, significantly by ideas like collective intelligence, just like the conduct of bee colonies.

“We needed to do the extraordinarily reverse of Open AI,” mentioned Ito, referring to the developer of generative AI large ChatGPT. “We come from an open-source background, and we thought, ‘Let’s make AI extra sustainable, and let’s be sure that it advantages the local people—like Japan.’”