Expanding into the Japanese Market: Key Considerations for IT Companies in Uzbekistan

On February 6, a seminar titled “Opportunities for Expansion and Entry into the Japanese Market” was hosted at the IT Park branch. The event featured Mr. Yerzhan Karatayev, CEO and co-founder of Ringi, as the keynote speaker.

Mr. Yerzhan Karatayev is a distinguished recipient of the “Forbes 30 Under 30” award in North America, with over a decade of experience in technology, startups, and international business development. He is the founder of Business Connect, an entrepreneurial community connecting Central Asian countries and Japan. With extensive expertise gained across the United States, Japan, and Kazakhstan, Mr. Karatayev leads a multilingual team specializing in complex markets and ready to collaborate.

Participants were provided with valuable insights into essential aspects of conducting business in Japan, including:

• Japanese business culture and fundamental principles for engaging with Japanese partners.
• Current market landscape development trends.
• Strategic planning for startups over a 5-year period.
• Key areas of innovation.
• The development of corporate venture capital (CVC).
• Mechanisms for scaling and successfully entering the Japanese market.

A focal point of discussion was strategic approaches to Japanese market entry, including localization, strategic partnerships, and government-backed support programs. The speaker also presented case studies of successful Japanese unicorn startups, including:

• SmartHR — A cloud-based HR platform (valuation: $2.6 billion).
• SmartNews — A news aggregation platform (valuation: $2 billion).
• Preferred Networks — A leading AI company.
• Playco — A developer of instant-play gaming applications (valuation: $1 billion).

The seminar was attended by representatives of major IT companies, including Qulix, RealSoft, Alraqam, Progress Solution Technologies, Cloud-Solutions, Lifestyle Creative Agency, GreatSoft, United Soft, Fido-Biznes, DataPrizma, Giran Area, Datagaze, and NNT Express.

Strategic Engagements for IT Sector and Startup Ecosystem Development

It is noteworthy that during a recent visit to Kazakhstan for Digital Almaty 2025, representatives of IT Park Uzbekistan held discussions with Ringi regarding the development of Uzbekistan’s startup ecosystem and the facilitation of market entry opportunities for member startups into international markets.

The discussions primarily centered on identifying reliable partners, developing mechanisms for promoting Uzbekistan’s IT sector, and attracting Japanese venture capital funds and accelerators. Following these deliberations, Mr. Yerzhan Karatayev conducted a workshop for companies seeking to expand into the Japanese market.

How Entering the Japan Will Impact Uzbekistan’s IT Sector

The expansion of Uzbekistan’s IT companies and startups into the Japanese market presents significant opportunities for the country’s technology sector. The seminar and strategic engagements with Japanese business representatives provide Uzbekistani startups with direct access to one of the world’s largest and most technologically advanced economies. This expansion only enhances the competitiveness of local ITES companies and startups but also facilitates the attraction of foreign investments, partnerships, and new business models.

Key Benefits for Uzbekistan:

• Advancement of the IT Industry — Entering the Japanese market necessitates higher level of technological solutions, fostering innovative growth of local companies.
• Attracting Investments — Interest from Japanese venture capital firms and startup accelerators will contribute to the accelerated development of Uzbek startups.
• Export of IT Services — Expanding into new markets will boost the export volume of IT products and services, positively impacting Uzbekistan’s economy.
• Skilled Workforce Development — Collaboration with international companies will encourage IT professionals to develop their skills, contributing to the growth of expertise in the industry.  

These initiatives underscore the strategic significance of international market integration for Uzbekistan’s IT ecosystem. Establishing strong partnerships, adapting to the requirements of international markets will enable Uzbekistan to solidify its position as a promising IT hub in Central Asia.