Kei Watanabe
Co-Founder of Glasp
Meet Kei Watanabe
Co-founder of Glasp 📚
Kei Watanabe is the co-founder of Glasp, a social learning log that allows people to highlight and organize ideas from web articles, then share what they are learning with others. The platform is built around the belief that learning becomes more meaningful when knowledge is collected, reflected on, and shared.
Before founding Glasp, Kei explored several different paths across business, technology, and community building. He used data analysis to consult for a restaurant in Seattle, founded an organization connecting students with companies in the Bay Area, worked on an advertising team at a large IT company, and later became a product manager at a San Francisco startup.
His career has been shaped by curiosity, documentation, and a willingness to move toward interesting people and opportunities, even without a clear plan.
What are you currently building?
Glasp, a social learning platform he started five years ago. Today, the team is developing its web product and Chrome extension, along with tools that help users save and export highlights from sources such as Kindle. The goal is to make it easier for people to collect what they learn, organize their ideas, and share knowledge with others.
What excites you about Japan?
Tokyo offers some of the best food in the world, combining exceptional quality with prices that are often more accessible than cities like San Francisco or New York.
He also sees Japan becoming a growing hub for AI and technology. More founders, companies, and global figures are visiting, creating new opportunities for Japan to become a stronger hub for ideas, talent, and innovation in Asia.
A risk that changed your trajectory?
Moving to the United States immediately after graduating from university. Although he studied law and had several job offers waiting in Japan, he chose to stay in San Francisco after meeting founders and engineers at a coworking space. Despite having no technical background or backup plan, that leap into the startup ecosystem ultimately changed the course of his career.
A habit that has had the biggest impact?
Keeping detailed logs of his life. For years, he's documented everything from food and books to movies, ideas, and daily reflections. Looking back on those records helps him spot patterns, make better decisions, and has ultimately inspired the philosophy behind Glasp. He also makes it a habit to meet interesting people, believing that great conversations often lead to unexpected opportunities.
Advice for your 20s?
Follow your curiosity and stay open to opportunities. Spend time with interesting people, learn from how they think, and don't be afraid to explore different paths. Keep pursuing what genuinely excites you, and trust that your direction will become clearer over time.
Favorite restaurants and cafés?
Ramen Break Beats, Men Shio, Nata de Cristiano, Tofu Cuisine Sorano, Aoyama Torimikura, Mugigoya