TeamFirst’s First Event in San Francisco

This past summer, TeamFirst took an exciting leap forward with our first-ever event in San Francisco—a city known for its vibrant innovation and entrepreneurial spirit. It was an unforgettable experience filled with learning, inspiration, and connections that reinforced our mission to bridge opportunities between Japan and the global stage.

A Gathering of Visionaries at True Laurel

The event, co-hosted with OpenAI’s Fouad Matin, took place at the iconic True Laurel and brought together an incredible group of collaborators, friends, and industry leaders. The energy in the room was contagious, with a mix of people from diverse fields of arts, technology, and business.

We would like to highlight some of our guests:

• Thomas, our very first TeamFirst client, who launched DoorDash in Japan with our help and is now building his own venture.

• Carl, the founder of Nothing, whom we are currently supporting in their expansion to Japan. Nothing, an innovative consumer electronics company co-founded by Carl Pei, focuses on minimalist design and cutting-edge technology. While their primary focus is on hardware like earbuds and smartphones, the fast-paced nature of their work means they value candidates who can adapt to evolving projects. At Nothing, it’s not uncommon for team members to juggle design, marketing, and engineering tasks, demonstrating the kind of versatility that startups thrive on.

• Visionary entrepreneurs like Nathalie from Neurode and Cameron from Software Applications Incorporated, sharing their fascinating insights and stories, being backed by some of Silicon Valley’s most impactful entrepreneurs. 

• Representatives from Japanese family offices like Banjo (Nintendo family office) and Christopher, currently based in SF and contributing to cross-border collaboration.

• Long-time friends like Jacob and Kenko, who have become integral parts of the SF innovation ecosystem.

The room was filled with the spirit of collaboration, as everyone shared ideas, experiences, and a passion for building something bigger.

Why San Francisco?

San Francisco is more than just a city—it’s a hub for transformative ideas and a gateway to global innovation. This event wasn’t just about networking but about forging meaningful connections between Japan and the Bay Area.

The event reaffirmed our commitment to bringing world-class companies to Japan and supporting Japanese talent and startups in scaling globally. The Bay Area and Tokyo have so much to offer each other, and this gathering was a testament to that synergy.

Takeaways from Two Days of Inspiration

These two days reminded us why we’re so passionate about what we do:

• Bringing companies to Japan: We’re thrilled to support businesses like Nothing and DoorDash in their expansions to Japan, and we’re eager to do more.

• Learning from SF’s entrepreneurial spirit: San Francisco has a unique energy that fuels innovation, and we’re excited to integrate those learnings into our work in Japan.

• Building a bridge: Events like this help us connect like-minded individuals across borders, sparking collaborations that can lead to groundbreaking projects.

What’s Next?

This was just the beginning. TeamFirst is committed to hosting more events in the Bay Area and beyond, creating opportunities for professionals and businesses to connect, collaborate, and grow.

If you’re a company looking to expand to Japan or a professional keen to explore opportunities in Tokyo, we’d love to help. Feel free to reach out. 

Until Next Time, SF!

We left San Francisco feeling inspired and excited for the road ahead. Thank you to everyone who made this event possible —we can’t wait to return soon🌟