Moved from Singapore to Tokyo.

It's not about me, it's about GoGlobal Catalyst. Episode #31

It’s not talking about myself. It’s about GoGlobal Catalyst (GGC).

I happened to remember the old Japanese popular song "Negresco Hotel" by "BORO" and listened to his nostalgic voice from 1983 on YouTube.

According to Wikipedia, BORO is not defeated by his many battles with illness, but is "conscious of his mission as a musician as 'a voice for the suffering of the people' (Wikipedia)," and is actively engaged in "activities to support the treatment of incurable diseases."

His bright and clear singing voice seems to reflect his personality and character.

By the way, in a blog I wrote on January 19th of this year, I reported that I had established a new company in Singapore. To get straight to the point, I have decided to "dissolve" the Singapore entity. I have already initiated the dissolution procedures with the Singaporean government, and in approximately a month, the authorities will delete all records of GGC.

I decided to register GGC in Singapore because my co-founder, Dan, lives there, is familiar with the local conditions, and is British, so there wouldn't be any language barriers. I also thought it would be fine for me to live in Tokyo.

However, when we establish the company and attempt to raise funds, we must create an investment agreement in accordance with Singaporean law. Needless to say, I don't know anything about Singapore law, and Dan, although he runs an AI consulting company, is not familiar with the world of startups or VCs.

In addition, as we move forward with our business development, we will need contracts and legal procedures for every occasion; however, we have decided that this would be impossible under the current system.

I was reluctant to dissolve the Singapore entity that I had worked so hard to establish, but it would be better to decide to withdraw while the damage was still minor. I decided to dissolve the company two months after it was established.

In short, we were both unprepared and overly optimistic. The tuition fee was relatively small, and it provided a good learning experience.

Initially, we had planned to establish a Japanese entity as a 100% subsidiary of GGC Singapore, but we ultimately established GGC Japan as an independent Japanese entity.

Yesterday (6/27), the registration of the Japanese entity was finally completed, so I decided to write this blog. Simply reporting the dissolution of GGC Singapore would be too embarrassing...

Setting up a Japanese entity proved to be a struggle. When we set up GGC Singapore, I was a "foreigner," but this time, Dan became a "foreigner" and the founder (founding shareholder) of the Japanese entity. Various documents were required, and in addition, a document called "personal signature certificate" had to be obtained from the embassy or consulate of the person's "place of residence" and applied for at the Japanese Legal Affairs Bureau.

He travels frequently to Tokyo, Bangkok, London, Sydney, etc., so he cannot always obtain a "signature certificate (the person must sign in front of the officer at the embassy or consulate )" immediately.

In addition, it took approximately one month from submitting the necessary documents to the Legal Affairs Bureau to completing the registration. As the judicial scrivener who was tasked with handling the registration procedure for the establishment of GGC Japan stated, this was an unprecedented delay. I don't know the reason, but there must be a lot of people who set up companies.

The registration of GGC Japan has finally been completed, and GGC’s first "Co-founder Matching Program" will take place in late July.

If BORO is aware that “his mission as a musician" is to "speak for the suffering of the people," then I am aware that “my mission" as an "entrepreneur and angel investor" is to promote the "globalization of Japan's startup ecosystem."

I don't think there is anyone more committed to this than I am.

We are now accepting applications for GGC's inaugural "Co-founder Matching Program."

We are seeking “Japanese applicants” and “foreign entrepreneurs” interested in collaborating with Japanese entrepreneurs and the Japanese market.