What founders say

“Founders University Japan was instrumental in getting Puddin AI to where we are today. When I first joined I barely had a product, had no idea how or where to market it, and no clue what my next steps should be. Through the mentorship I was given, I was able navigate all these challenges and more.”

“Founder University Japan helped me sharpen both our pitch and business model. The sessions gave me a much clearer understanding of how US investors think, what makes a startup truly investable, the level of traction they expect, and which milestones we need to achieve next. We keep in touch with three investors that Founder University introduced us to. This program is so practical and helpful. The team gave us honest and practical feedback, and the cohort environment kept us motivated to improve our product, revenue, and investor narrative. I would recommend it to any founder who wants to better understand global investor expectations and turn that feedback into real progress.”

“As a solo founder building a physical AI startup in Tokyo, Founder University Japan helped most with sharpening our pitch and business model. The sessions gave me a much clearer picture of how US VCs actually think, what makes a startup investable, the bar you need to clear, and which milestones you’re expected to hit by when. The team gave us honest feedback and the cohort was structured to keep us all motivated to grow our revenue. I’d recommend it to any founder who wants a sharper read on what investors expect and the accountability to act on it.”

“I already had some experience with fundraising, so I thought I knew what to expect. But joining this program made me realize I didn’t know the first thing about the cutting edge of Silicon Valley. The logic of an equity business where you swing for the fences to hit an exponential home run is completely different from Japan’s bank-centric financial culture. It was a massive shock to the system. Understanding that launching in the US and raising capital there from day one means competing on a truly global scale has been a complete turning point for me. I truly hope more young Japanese founders will step through this door and experience this environment.”

“As a startup founder, I have joined a few startup programs in the past, and Founder University Japan has been the best so far. The program was well structured, and the speakers were top-notch. The LAUNCH team was very helpful and connected me with experts who could help me overcome my current challenges. The program greatly helped me refine my pitch. The pitch deck I had for CallButler before and after the program was at completely different levels. The best part is that you get to pitch to Jason and receive his honest opinion about your startup. I would highly recommend this program to anyone.”

“Founder University Japan was a turning point for Cascade. Through the program, we had the opportunity to go to the U.S. and pitch in front of hundreds of people, which is an experience that is very hard to access from Japan. It taught us how to communicate our business clearly and powerfully in just two minutes: what problem we solve, why now, why us, and how big the opportunity can become. That discipline changed the way we pitch, sell, and tell our story. I would strongly recommend the program to Japanese founders who want to challenge themselves globally.”

“As a first time co-founder, I really had no idea what I was stepping into when I joined a startup... so the Founder University program was the perfect soft landing! I learned how to build a startup from the ground up, I met and had the chance to engage with many many people who have helped me in countless ways, and built my confidence all the way up to visiting Silicone Valley with the program. I could not recommend it highly enough, I count myself very lucky to be a part of Tokyo's first cohort and I would join any of their sister programs in a heartbeat.”

“The Founder University Japan program was a continuous learning journey for us. As a company based in Southeast Asia, joining a US-based accelerator gave us invaluable insight into the perspectives of US investors. We gained a deeper understanding of what truly matters for business growth, and since then we have achieved strong progress, including significant client acquisition. Most importantly, the experience gave us the confidence and courage to pitch our vision anywhere in the world.”

“I'm honored to have been part of the 1st cohort of Founder University Tokyo. Jason and the team were magnetic — full of energy and fresh perspectives. The journey is hard, but I look forward to the day we all meet again and celebrate everyone's great success.”

“The program is the best! Every week we learn so much from the lectures, live sessions and materials in the founder university. Our personal coach and the manager in charge of the program would offer unwavering support when we have questions. They also connected us to alumni or other people who they knew would be helpful. We feel protected and charged in a very strong network, which has incubated and helped numerous people like us.”

“The Founder University Japan program was high quality from minute one to its very last moment. The team was incredibly engaging and supportive, and the level of mentors and fellow entrepreneurs was outstanding. Everything we learned in the ten-week program has been invaluable in our start-up journey, and I’d recommend anyone to join Jason and his program.”

“What stood out about the Founder University Japan was how quickly it connected us to the right people. Through the Immersion Program, we built real relationships with leading VCs and angels from Jason’s syndicate, which is the access that’s incredibly hard to get on your own. The community was just as impactful: the LAUNCH team and alumni consistently opened doors, from warm intros to experienced founders to even helping us secure critical resources for our robotics development. It’s a network that keeps delivering value long after the program ends.”