Building software in Japan, with Jim Weisser

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Complex Systems with Patrick McKenzie (patio11)

Patrick McKenzie

72 episodes

4 days ago

We live in a world where our civilization and daily lives depend upon institutions, infrastructure, and technological substrates that are _complicated_ but not _unknowable_. Join Patrick McKenzie (patio11) as he discusses how decisions, technology, culture, and incentives shape our finance, technology, government, and more, with the people who built (and build) those Complex Systems.

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All content for Complex Systems with Patrick McKenzie (patio11) is the property of Patrick McKenzie and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.

Investing

Business

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Building software in Japan, with Jim Weisser

Complex Systems with Patrick McKenzie (patio11)

1 hour 17 minutes

5 months ago

Building software in Japan, with Jim Weisser

Patrick McKenzie (patio11) is joined by Jim Weisser, a serial entrepreneur and founder of SignTime, for an in-depth exploration of Japan's software market and startup ecosystem. They discuss the unique challenges of building software in a culture that prizes stability over rapid iteration, the dominance of systems integrators, and how Japan's economic stagnation shaped its relationship with technology. The conversation covers everything from Excel-driven development processes to the recent transformation of Japan's VC landscape, offering insights for anyone considering doing business in the world's third-largest economy.

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Full transcript: https://www.complexsystemspodcast.com/building-software-in-japan-with-jim-weisser/

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Sponsor: BoxWorks 2025

Discover hands-on AI data extraction techniques, network with industry experts, and hear featured speakers Vinod Khosla, Jared Kaplan, and Aaron Levie at BoxWorks 2025 in San Francisco (Sept 11-12). Use code BW25-ComplexSystems for 50% off at this link: https://bit.ly/452036h

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Links:

Signtime:: https://www.signtime.com/en/

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Timestamps:

(00:00) Intro

(00:24) Exploring the Japanese software market

(01:25) Challenges in the Japanese startup ecosystem

(02:37) Jim Weisser's background and journey

(05:14) The evolution of Japan's economy and business practices

(10:15) Understanding Japan Inc. and its impact on software

(10:28) The role of systems integrators in Japan
(19:01) Sponsor: BoxWorks Conference 2025 (*discounted tickets for Complex Systems listeners)

(20:29) Cultural differences in software development

(26:06) Digital transformation and efficiency in Japan

(32:44) Labor market dynamics and employment practices

(35:50) Startup ecosystem and equity culture in Japan

(42:53) Success stories and market potential in Japan

(43:42) Corporate relationships in Japanese companies

(44:10) Salesforce's success in Japan

(45:44) E-commerce boom in Japan

(46:33) Rakuten's evolution and strategy

(48:27) Amazon's journey in Japan

(49:13) Cloud services and security concerns

(51:18) Sansan: Business card management

(55:14) Venture capital landscape in Japan

(01:05:02) Personal reflections on living in Japan

(01:16:21) Wrap