Building Japan into a
Top 3 Market for ClimateAi
The Challenge
ClimateAi, a leading climate resilience platform, had established strong footholds in the U.S. and European markets. They had an impressive client roster including PepsiCo, Driscoll’s, Suntory, Hitachi, and the U.S. Government. They were seeing interest from Japan and based on early success wanted to double-down on expanding in the Japanese market.
The company wanted to accelerate:
Establishing connections with Japanese corporations
Having a physical presence or "boots on the ground" in Japan
Understanding of how to navigate the Japanese business landscape
ClimateAi had their eyes set on increasing opportunities to build relationships with major Japanese corporations and grow those relationships over time. They recognized that Japanese customers, known for their long-term commitment, could provide stable, sticky revenue streams that would impact their bottom line.
They decided to hire me because of my proven track record in accelerating revenue for early-stage startups in Japan, along with a recommendation and introduction from Geodesic Capital (a venture capital firm founded by Ambassador John Roos, former U.S. Ambassador to Japan). After an initial Zoom call with ClimateAi leadership, including the CEO, followed by an in-person meeting in Tokyo in February 2023, we decided to work together to tackle the Japanese market.
My Approach
In this case study, I would like to highlight four strategic initiatives we implemented to help ClimateAi establish and grow their business in Japan:
Issued a joint press release with ClimateAi & Gradient Consulting: First, we launched a joint press release announcing our partnership and ClimateAi's entry into the Japanese market. This approach allowed the startup to signal their commitment to Japanese corporations without immediately incurring the substantial costs of establishing a legal entity. I suggest that my clients build up the customer base and revenue first until certain milestones are reached before making major capital investments such as establishing an entity and hiring full-time employees all of which come with significant financial, tax, and legal costs. Demonstrating a commitment to the Japanese market with a local consultant who can be your boots on the ground goes a long way, especially when you’re hiring someone that has pre-existing customer relationships with the companies and economic buyers you’re targeting.
Tapped into my contacts & Managed the sales process in-country: In the case of one particular customer, my prior relationship helped kickstart initial prospecting. In this specific example, a deal was signed within just 4 months after the first meeting, which is incredibly fast for a major Japanese corporation. I managed the entire sales process for ClimateAi from the first meeting, to securing an introduction to the end-user business unit, pricing negotiations and final contract signing (all while coordinating closely with ClimateAi's U.S. leadership).
Led Account Expansion: As the only in-country person for the startup, even after project kickoff, I stayed closely involved, supporting ongoing discussions, developing relationships and trust, and contract expansion. I was able to strengthen customer relationships by staying in close contact through regular meetings and by hosting customer dinners every one to two quarters, which is an important business practice in Japan. I demonstrated value to the customer through high value events where they could speak as thought leaders, through joint case studies, and PR opportunities with tier one media.
Hosted special events in Tokyo to strengthen customer relationships, advance deals in the pipeline, and add to top of funnel: I proposed high value events where customers would have a platform to share their results on the project and at the same time we could advance deals in the pipeline and add to top of funnel. In one specific case, I proposed, organized, and hosted an invite only dinner event where we brought together over 20 leaders from Japan’s most prominent companies, including c-suite leaders and industry pioneers. One attendee shared, “Participants were all leaders in the sustainability space in Japan, making this a truly unique and invaluable opportunity.” Just with this one event 12 deals in the pipeline were represented.
The Result
As a result of my approach and the collaboration with ClimateAI, we’ve seen the following results:
Top 3 market globally: Japan is now one of ClimateAI’s top 3 markets worldwide, with a strong foundation in place for continued growth.
100% renewals and expansions: Working together with the ClimateAi team, we have achieved a 100% customer retention rate with zero churn. We have also achieved a 100% success rate in account expansions and growing customer accounts.
Supply chain resilience, a new offering: I encouraged ClimateAi to deploy new use cases in Japan that they had only started testing in other markets. Specifically, I believed their supply chain resiliency offering would resonate in Japan and helped them land one of their marquee customers for that use case.
“Before working with Mike, ClimateAi saw interest from Japan but needed the right strategy and connections to turn that interest into real traction. We wanted to accelerate customer acquisition, build a strong presence, and navigate the complexities of the Japanese market. Mike quickly became an invaluable partner—leveraging his deep network, guiding us through the sales process, and positioning ClimateAI as a trusted player in Japan. Beyond being a GTM leader, Mike is a true thought partner. He helped us think through how our top use cases would apply to Japan, sharpening our focus on the most promising opportunities.”
– Will Kletter, COO
ClimateAi