On October 16, the Japan Association of New Economy (JANE) welcomed a delegation from techUK, the UK’s leading technology trade association, and held a networking session with JANE member companies. Eight UK companies interested in entering the Japanese market and collaborating with Japanese companies, together with four JANE member companies, took part. We exchanged views on topics including introductions to technologies and businesses and challenges in collaboration.

Opening Remarks

Mr. Sato, General Manager of JANE’s Global Affairs Dept. gave the opening remarks. He welcomed the delegation to Tokyo and expressed his hope that the session would be an opportunity for Japanese and UK companies to learn about each other’s technologies and businesses and to build connections.

Session 1: Introductions by UK Companies

Eight companies from the techUK delegation (CoreWeave, Keywave, Content Guru, Nightball Technologies, BOX3, Kahootz, Eqela and Red Hat) each introduced their business and their expectations for the Japanese market. A wide range of technologies were presented, including AI cloud infrastructure, sensing, contact centers, cybersecurity, IT consulting for government and the public sector, data sharing between organizations, software development and automation, and open source.

Session 2: Introductions by JANE Member Companies

Four JANE member companies (Acompany, TECHMATRIX, CRESCO and for Startups) introduced respective strengths, including confidential AI, IT infrastructure for networks and security, system development, and a network of startups and talent.

Session 3: Q&A and Discussion

Questions and comments came actively from both the UK and Japanese sides. Participants on both sides showed strong interest in “ensuring security and reliability,” and a constructive exchange of views took place.

Questions were also raised about legacy systems and organizational culture, which are characteristic of traditional Japanese companies. Expectations were also voiced that, even as automation through AI advances, the Japanese culture of attention to detail and on-site support could create unique value that differs from that in Europe and the United States.

Networking

After the session participants actively exchanged business cards and held individual discussions, making this a valuable opportunity for UK and Japanese tech companies to directly share their technologies and challenges with one another.

JANE will continue to share information on international business trends. Member companies interested in collaborating with techUK and UK companies are welcome to contact JANE.