Nexus is assembling 40 world-class mentors to work directly with Japan's most ambitious founders. You will sit alongside the best from across the StartX Stanford, Chan-Zuckerberg Initiative, and SRI networks. Japan's government put $400 million behind this. Be part of the group that shapes which Japanese companies go global.
Join NowJoin our elite group of 40 senior strategists and take part in a network unlike anything else at the intersection of the US and Japan startup ecosystems. The average lead mentor you sit alongside has raised $50M+ and built a company at global scale with a valuation exceeding $400M. The average advisor has 5+ years in a senior operating or investing role and has experienced a full market cycle. The domain experts are operational practitioners with credentials putting them at the top of their fields.
Nexus recruits three distinct types of contributors. Each serves a different function for the founding teams. Mentors are active for roughly 10 weeks and work directly with startups based in Japan. All 40 spots are reviewed by invitation and referral.
Paired directly with a startup. You meet with your founders every three weeks, ask hard questions, challenge assumptions, and stay close to execution. No monthly decks, no passive feedback: your job is to be in the details and push the team forward. Suited for entrepreneurs who have raised capital or built a company to significant scale.
Provide strategic direction on customer targeting, market positioning, and company direction. Monthly sessions with assigned teams. More teacher than coach: debate directly, give clear recommendations, and push founders toward the decisions they are avoiding. Best fit for experienced founders or VC partners with at least one full market cycle.
Run content workshops, hold open office hours, or take one-off introductions on a topic where you have deep expertise. 3 to 5 hours per quarter, no ongoing commitment required. Best fit for operators, executives, researchers, and domain scientists who want real access without a recurring calendar obligation.
Tell us about your background and what draws you to this program. Applications are reviewed by the Nexus team. We will be in touch with details on founder matching and the next cohort.