Trans-N Raises 155 Million JPY in Pre-Seed Funding
from UTokyo IPC and Delight Ventures
August 20, 2024
Tokyo, Japan — Trans-N Corporation, a company
dedicated to advancing digital transformation (DX) in Japanese enterprises
through the integration of cutting-edge AI technologies and best practices from
around the world, announced today that it has raised 155 million JPY in pre-seed
funding from UTokyo IPC and Delight Ventures. This
funding will accelerate the development and dissemination of innovative AI
technologies and further promote AI transformation (AX) across Japan.
Expanding the LLM Landscape Amid a Growing IT
Talent Gap
Since the
advent of generative AI, approximately 70% of large Japanese corporations have
expressed plans to fully implement LLM (Large Language Models) across their
operations by 2025. However, the country is facing a significant shortage of
advanced IT talent, with a projected gap of 545,000 specialists by 2030.
Trans-N aims to bridge this gap by building a platform that connects the
Japanese market with global AI talent and technologies. By leveraging
large-scale language models and generative AI, Trans-N seeks to enhance Japan's
global competitiveness in the AI sector.
A World-Class Team Bringing Global AI Expertise to
Japan
Trans-N’s
founding team is composed of two experts with extensive experience in
technology development, entrepreneurship, and investment across China, Japan,
and the United States.
CEO and
co-founder Harry Na holds
a master’s degree from the University of Tokyo’s Graduate School of Information
Science and Technology. After gaining experience in strategic consulting,
internet strategy at a major company, and venture capital, he founded two
startups in the autonomous driving field. Meanwhile, co-founder and CTO Youhan
Sun, a Columbia University graduate in Computer Science, has held key AI
engineering roles at leading tech companies like Microsoft and Facebook, as
well as at autonomous driving firms such as Pony.ai. Their international
experience brings a unique perspective and a global vision to the company.
Additionally,
Trans-N’s Chief Technology Advisor is Associate Professor Lei Ma from the
University of Tokyo, a globally recognized authority in AI safety evaluation.
His research on the reliability and safety of AI systems has been featured in
over 100 top international conferences and journals in fields such as AI,
software engineering, autonomous driving, robotics, and human-computer
interaction (HCI).
Former
Mitsubishi Corporation Hong Kong President Kosaku Kawai serves as a business
advisor, and the team includes top talent from Japanese companies like Mercari and Lark Japan (ByteDance). With this international
background, Trans-N is uniquely positioned to bring world-class AI talent and
cutting-edge AI products and technologies to the Japanese market while
maintaining a deep understanding of local needs.
Trans-N’s
business activities span management and strategic consulting, AI system
development, and AI-related product distribution. The company has provided
strategic consulting services to major trading companies, focusing on smart car
strategies, Chinese automotive OEM research, and investment industry analysis.
Additionally, Trans-N has developed comprehensive AI solutions for enterprises,
including high-precision minute-taking tools and contract analysis and review
tools.
With this
pre-seed funding, Trans-N plans to accelerate its technology development and
market expansion, aiming to lead Japan’s AI industry. By introducing global
best practices and innovative technologies, Trans-N will support more Japanese
companies in achieving AI transformation and enhancing their market
competitiveness.
Comments
from the Founders
Harry
Na, CEO and Co-founder of Trans-N "I graduated from the University of Tokyo in
2012 and returned to China in 2014. Over the past decade, I have directly
experienced the venture investment boom and rapid development of the AI
industry in China. Leveraging the rich experience and extensive networks I've built, I am committed to realizing AI transformation (AX) in
Japan and creating an AI industry that leads in the international market. It is
a great honor to receive support from many large Japanese corporate clients, my
alma mater, and former workplaces. We will do our utmost to build a
next-generation AI application leader from Japan to the world."
Youhan
Sun, CTO and Co-founder of Trans-N "AI technology is advancing rapidly, bringing
unprecedented opportunities and transformations across industries worldwide.
Moving forward, we will focus on continuously advancing large-scale AI model
technology and providing cutting-edge technical solutions. Our team is
dedicated to assembling top-tier AI experts, applying the latest technologies
in real-world scenarios, and elevating the intelligence level of various
industries.
We
firmly believe that the widespread application of AI technology will
significantly enhance corporate efficiency and drive industry upgrades and
digital transformation. We are particularly excited to collaborate with our
Japanese partners to drive progress and innovation in the AI field and bring
transformative change across industries. We sincerely thank everyone for their
support and trust. Together, let's build a smarter and more beautiful
future."
Comments
from Investors
Naohiro
Mizumoto, CIO of UTokyo IPC "I was introduced
to Mr. Na through the president of one of our portfolio companies. Initially, I
found it hard to believe that two entrepreneurs who had created an autonomous
driving unicorn in China were starting a business in Japan. However, by the end
of our meeting, I was convinced to support this challenge.
The
background to this is my long-standing concern about the small number of
entrepreneurs in Japan and how to create startups that can compete globally. As
a capitalist, one of my ideas has been to attract serial entrepreneurs from
abroad (especially China) to Japan. I have named this approach 'Re: Umigamezoku
Strategy.'
It
is not widely known, but over 30% of doctoral students in the University of
Tokyo's engineering departments are Chinese nationals, and many of them go on
to achieve great success in China after graduation. Among them are serial
entrepreneurs like Mr. Na, and if these individuals choose Japan as their next
challenge, we will naturally be able to create startups in Japan that take on
global challenges. In this sense, I am convinced that the success of Mr. Na and
his team is of great significance to Japan."
Shintaro
Asako, Partner at Delight Ventures "Mr. Na is a super-talented individual who was
responsible for strategic planning in the rapidly expanding Chinese gaming
market as a leader in DeNA China's strategy
department. After leaving DeNA, he accumulated
entrepreneurial achievements through multiple startups and eventually founded
Trans-N. No one understands the needs and challenges on the ground that arise
from the rapid evolution of AI better than he does. He is fully committed to
helping Japanese companies transform through the use of AI technology. With his
passion and drive, I am confident that Mr. Na will successfully take on this
challenge. Delight Ventures fully supports Trans-N's endeavor."
About
Trans-N
Founded
in 2024 and headquartered in Tokyo, Trans-N is an innovative company focused on
driving digital transformation in Japanese enterprises through AI technology.
Established by a team of experts with international backgrounds, Trans-N
introduces cutting-edge AI technologies and best practices from around the
world to the Japanese market, offering customized AI solutions across various
industries.
Company
Overview
- Platform: Connecting the
Japanese market with global AI talent and technology.
- Founded: March 2024
- Headquarters: 302 HiRAKU GATE,
2-3-10 Mukogaoka, Bunkyo-ku,
Tokyo
- CEO/Co-founder: Harry Na
- Website: https://trans-n.ai
Media
Contact
Trans-N Corporation
Email: info@trans-n.ai