We recruit country managers, sales directors, channel leaders and solutions engineers for foreign AI software vendors entering and growing in Japan.
The market
Japan is investing heavily in AI, with government backing and enterprises moving from trials into production. Foreign AI vendors often enter through a Japanese distributor or reseller before they set up an entity.
Buyers and channel
Japanese enterprises are adopting AI through the partners they already trust. Large SIers and cloud integrators resell and implement AI products, and several now resell the same leading models. For a new AI vendor, the first partner choice shapes which customers it can reach.
The talent
Few people in Japan have sold or deployed AI software at enterprise scale, because the category is new. Most strong candidates come from adjacent fields: data platforms, cloud and security. Many are drawn by the category itself and by the equity upside of an early-stage AI company, which makes the story and the stage of the business as important as the package.
The hires we make
- We recruit the first country manager or sales leader for AI vendors entering Japan.
- We recruit channel managers who can bring an AI product onto the price lists of SIers and cloud integrators.
- We recruit solutions engineers and account executives who can explain and prove a new category to Japanese buyers.
Frequently asked questions
Where do AI software vendors find sales and engineering talent in Japan?
Most strong candidates come from adjacent fields such as data platforms, cloud and security, because few people have sold AI software at enterprise scale.
Do AI vendors need a Japan entity to start selling?
Many start through a distributor or reseller. Our page on employer of record hiring explains when to move to an entity.