KiAI Presents at MIC JPD3 Workshop on "Global Expansion Know-how for Ventures and Startups"
~Presented Nigeria Expansion Initiatives at MIC-led Public-Private Digital Overseas Expansion Platform~
KiAI Inc. (Headquarters: Hitachi City, Ibaraki Prefecture; CEO: Kazumasa Oba) was selected to present at the 5th Workshop of JPD3 (Japan Platform for Driving Digital Development), the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications’ digital overseas expansion platform, themed “Global Expansion Know-how for Ventures and Startups,” where we shared our business achievements and insights from our operations in Nigeria.
JPD3 is a public-private platform established in February 2021 to support Japanese companies’ overseas expansion of digital technologies, with participation from telecommunications carriers, ICT vendors, ICT startups, trading companies, consulting firms, financial institutions, and other Japanese companies involved in overseas expansion of digital technologies, as well as related ministries and agencies. JPD3 collects and shares information and needs regarding digital technologies in various countries and regions, promotes project formation, and facilitates matching among members for overseas expansion, providing seamless support for the entire process of Japanese companies’ digital technology overseas expansion. This workshop was designed to share practical success stories and challenges from ventures and startups that have achieved international expansion, providing actionable insights for member companies and related ministries and agencies planning future global growth.
Our company was selected for the FY2025 Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications’ “Support Program for Overseas Expansion of Digital Infrastructure Ensuring Safety and Reliability” regional framework, and from August to December 2025, we conducted a project in Abuja, Nigeria, in partnership with the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) to optimize export strategies for small and medium enterprises. Through this project, we localized our AI platform “KiAI” for the Nigerian market, participated in the Abuja International Trade Fair, conducted thorough interviews with over 20 local SMEs, and identified genuine local needs. This led to the evolution of our service concept into “Trst”—an integrated platform encompassing sales support and credit verification—achieving everything from partnership building to new service conceptualization within just seven months.
At the workshop, we presented our practical approach as a regional startup originating from Hitachi City, Ibaraki Prefecture, working on project formation in Nigeria, and our process of building relationships with local partners. In particular, we shared the product evolution process from deepening local needs understanding to new service conceptualization, as well as our methodology for building trust through collaboration with ACCI, and had meaningful discussions with participating companies and organizations.
Leveraging the feedback and networks with JPD3 member companies gained through this presentation, KiAI will accelerate full-scale operations in Nigeria and horizontal expansion to other African countries including Ghana and Kenya from 2026 onwards. We will also deepen our collaboration with related ministries and agencies including the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, JICA, and JETRO, promoting global business expansion as a platform that facilitates mutual growth between Japanese and African SMEs.