KiAI Featured in Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s “VISIONING VOICE #146” — Introducing “Trst,” the AI Service Supporting Local Manufacturers’ Global Expansion
~Presenting an AI and Local Network Model to Accelerate Regional Companies’ Global Market Entry~
KiAI Inc. (Headquarters: Hitachi, Ibaraki; CEO: Kazumasa Oba) is pleased to announce that CEO Kazumasa Oba appeared on “VISIONING VOICE #146,” an interview program hosted by NEXs Tokyo, a startup support platform operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. The program explores the “three convictions” of startups—core, innovation, and confidence—as they aim for their next stage of growth.
In this episode, Mr. Oba discussed KiAI’s AI-powered overseas expansion support service “Trst,” which helps local manufacturers enter global markets by combining rapid AI research with local networks. Trst addresses key challenges faced by Japanese SMEs, including limited market information, language barriers, and labor shortages, enabling cost-efficient market entry.
Mr. Oba also shared insights from his 15 years of experience as an economist at the World Bank Group IFC, OECD, and the Embassy of Japan in the U.S., introducing KiAI’s analytical approach and practical support model for bringing regional technologies to the world. He further spoke about potential partnerships with municipalities and organizations to strengthen regional collaboration.
KiAI will continue leveraging the NEXs Tokyo community to connect urban and regional ecosystems, advancing its mission to empower Japanese manufacturers to thrive globally through the fusion of AI and local trust.
[CEO Comment] Kazumasa Oba, CEO of KiAI Inc. “It was an honor to appear on VISIONING VOICE, a program that deeply explores startup innovation. Japan’s small and medium-sized manufacturers possess world-class technologies, yet significant barriers remain for overseas expansion. By combining AI with local networks, we aim to provide new pathways that accelerate the movement from local to global.”