ArrowArtboardCreated with Sketch.Title ChevronTitle ChevronIcon FacebookIcon LinkedinIcon Mail ContactPath LayerIcon MailPositive ArrowIcon Print
Articles

Gen Isayama: It's time for Japan to nurture its own 'unicorn' startups

More risk taking could be good for cash-rich corporations

Mercari, an e-commerce marketplace for secondhand goods, is the only known Japanese entity that qualifies as a unicorn.

The hottest topic in Silicon Valley is the rise of the so-called unicorns -- privately-held tech companies valued at $1 billion or more.

Unicorns are coming to life in many of the globe's leading economies, but not in Japan. The U.S. has 112 of the 222 such businesses, Japan has just one, according to the research group CB Insights. China has 59, and India has three. Why such a yawning gap between Japan and other big economies?

Sponsored Content

About Sponsored Content This content was commissioned by Nikkei's Global Business Bureau.

Discover the all new Nikkei Asia app

  • Take your reading anywhere with offline reading functions
  • Never miss a story with breaking news alerts
  • Customize your reading experience

Nikkei Asian Review, now known as Nikkei Asia, will be the voice of the Asian Century.

Celebrate our next chapter
Free access for everyone - Sep. 30

Find out more