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As the world’s fourth-largest economy, Japan holds both unique opportunities and pressing challenges. Over the past 30 years—often referred to as the “Lost Decades”—Japan’s economic momentum has slowed, and it has become increasingly rare to see global innovation on the scale once led by companies like Toyota, Sony, and Nintendo.

Unlike Silicon Valley, Japan still lacks a deeply rooted startup culture. Many young people prioritize “stability”, and while the number of aspiring founders is growing, it's still relatively small. In fact, just before the launch of Superteam Japan in May 2024, only 5 projects from Japan were submitted to Solana’s global hackathon, “Renaissance.”

But things are starting to change.

Founders from Japan’s Web2 space and non-Solana crypto founders are beginning to leverage the Solana ecosystem to reach global audiences. Once fragmented, these founders are now connecting through the shared platform of Superteam Japan—exchanging ideas, collaborating, and pushing each other to grow. At least 12 teams migrated from EVM to Solana in Q1.

Moreover, Japanese enterprises are beginning to shift as well.

Since the start of 2025, Superteam Japan, in collaboration with the Solana Foundation, has been actively engaging with Japanese enterprises. How will these enterprises contribute to the founder's first culture of Solana? In Japan, the journey has only just begun.

Introduction

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Trend Hack

Trend Hack is a bi-monthly mini-hackathon focused on the hottest themes in crypto. Sponsored by key ecosystem projects, these events provide prize funding to multiple teams. In Q1, two Trend Hacks were held—one on “AI Agency” and the other on “RWA & DePIN”—with Send AI and Nitro as sponsors. A total of 26 teams submitted projects, and 14 teams received prizes. Most of these teams are now preparing to compete at the BreakOut hackathon in April.

Builders Weekend

Superteam Japan partnered with Builders Weekend, an event joined by 60 founders with no prior crypto experience. Centered around the Solana Prize, this collaboration successfully introduced the Solana ecosystem to the founders, ultimately resulting in 4 teams joining the upcoming global hackathon.

Winter Arc

Held over two weeks in mid-March in Matsumoto and Hakuba, Winter Arc gathered 70 people, forming 25 teams. The program featured a week-long Build Station and weekend skiing/snowboarding. Over 10 mentors—including past hackathon winners, judges, influencers, and Superteam Members—gave hands-on feedback.

More importantly, it fostered a deep sense of community. One participant said:

“Honestly I feel that. I kinda never want to go back to normal networking after Winter Arc.”

In Q1 2025, Superteam Japan rolled out several initiatives to support these founders, showcase the power of Solana, and form new teams.

A New Wave of Founders is Emerging

Builders Weekend, Participants who received mentorship from Superteam Japan mentors

Build Station, part of the Winter Arc program, held in the city of Matsumoto

Trend Hack features a new theme each time and attracts new teams.

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Introducing SPE to Japanese Enterprises

There are positive developments on the regulatory front as well.

In March, SBI VC Trade became the first registered Japanese exchange to list USDC in compliance with regulations. Additionally, Japan’s Financial Services Agency is considering classifying crypto assets as official financial products. Discussions are also underway to reduce the capital gains tax from the current maximum 55% to 20%.

In March, Superteam Japan co-hosted a private dinner with Circle, SBI VC Trade, and the Solana Foundation. Over 50 decision-makers from finance and telecom industries gathered to discuss stablecoin use cases—one of the quarter’s highlights.

Many large corporations now recognize they can’t afford to be left behind in Web3. However, unlike Silicon Valley startups, Japanese firms often move slowly, with cautious decision-making processes. Still, the importance of enterprise in Japan’s economy cannot be overstated.

In 2021, Japan’s Ministry of Finance reported that “retained earnings” (excluding finance and insurance industries) surpassed 516 trillion yen—an all-time high. These internal reserves represent substantial potential funding for new ventures and R&D.

Superteam Japan’s BD team acquired around 30 enterprise leads in Q1, primarily in the financial sector, and discovered that they have strong interests in Solana. Some leads are already working closely with us, exploring real use cases involving the Solana blockchain technology.

One area of focus is SPE (Solana Permissioned Environment). Many Japanese stakeholders were surprised to learn that building on the private environment of Solana was even possible. Superteam Japan, in collaboration with the Solana Foundation, is now building an educational framework to guide enterprises on how to deploy products in permissioned environments. Regular SPE workshops will begin in Q2

Private Dinner in March with Circle, SBI VC Trade, Solana Foundation and Superteam Japan

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Is it true that Japanese enterprises and startups are fundamentally different in nature — almost like two opposing forces? It is often said that most of the workers at Japanese enterprises are just “managers” in the sense that they only know how to run a company as the MBA textbook instructs them.

Can Japanese enterprises embrace the founder mode?

There’s no clear answer yet to how Japanese enterprises can embrace the founder mode. However, Superteam Japan believes in the potential of this convergence — and is exploring how to bring it to life.

On the contrary, Superteam Japan sees a glimpse of hope in the following cases:

Salaryman with the founder mode mindset

We have encountered some of those kinds in Q1 who are willing to take risks without caring about their short term career path even when their action leads to the disruption of the existing business.

Enterprises incubating founders

There are several Japanese enterprises which are open to hosting co-working space for founders, incubating startups, and even considering investing in them. Superteam Japan is planning to collaborate with one of the major enterprises for Startup Village in the summer of 2025.

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Superteam Japan’s BD team traveled across the country in Q1 to engage with local governments, many of which are keenly interested in Web3. A common theme emerged: Japan’s local areas are struggling with depopulation due to aging and urban migration.

One solution? Attract global talent and capital. More formally speaking, they want to increase the number of what they call “Kankei Jinkou”, related populations.

Web3 digital nomads are searching for livable environments where they can focus on working and building. Many of Japan’s local areas offer exactly that—rich history, beautiful nature, and quiet and peaceful lifestyles. The synergy is clear, and Superteam Japan is working to make these matches.

Winter Arc had another purpose. The city of Matsumoto formally supported the initiative. City council members visited the event and were impressed by the energy of the global builders. A large “Welcome Winter Arc” banner hung at Matsumoto Station. Several participants are now seriously considering relocating to Japan.

Other cities like Fukuoka and Kyoto are also actively seeking to welcome Web3 talent. Though challenges remain, Japan is beginning to establish frameworks like startup visas and digital nomad visas.

Making Japan a Second Home

— Another Goal of Winter Arc

“Welcome, Winter Arc Masumoto” appeared at Matsumoto Station during the Winter Arc

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Does a Japan-based team have to be made up exclusively of Japanese nationals? We don’t think so.

You don’t need to live in Japan forever. Even if it were short stays, deep engagement with Superteam Japan and shared experiences can help non-Japanese founders become part of what we consider a “Japan Team.” Drawing inspiration from Japan, building businesses, and living alongside locals—this is already happening at Winter Arc.

Looking ahead, we envision a system where Superteam Japan can recommend teams for visa issuance, in collaboration with local governments. It may sound ambitious, but we believe that by uniting Japanese founders and locals with global internet citizens who feel a connection to Japan, we can truly compete on the world stage—as Team Japan.

What Makes a “Japan Team”?

Team Japan - a group shot taken during the Winter Arc program

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Japan Stats in Q1

$113,739

(-5.9% QoQ)

(+100% QoQ)

Over

1,774

(+63.5% QoQ)

4,005

(+11.9% QoQ)

5,577

(+23.4% QoQ)

Community GDP

Number of events held

Total participants

Discord members

Twitter followers

Superteam JP members

IRL + Online, average 22.6/month

Thanks to the multifaceted events held across Tokyo, Hakuba, and Matsumoto as part of Winter Arc, both the number of events and participants increased significantly.

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The Winter Arc stats

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Sonic local community AMA

Moonwalk Camao Cup

Solana Name Service AMA

Jito The Grid opening

Key Moments in Q1

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Over 100 people joined our AMA with Sonic on the Superteam Japan Discord, held just before their token launch.

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The first-ever Moonwalk fitness challenge in Superteam Japan had 11 members sign up.

1/7

One of Japan’s top idol groups launched NFTs on the Solana blockchain as part of a special collaboration campaign.

1/7

26 attendees joined our AMA with Solana Name Service, the provider of .sol domains.

1/7

Art by a founder who participated in the Radar hackathon was selected as the New Year commemorative NFT by SBI VC Trade.

SBI VC Trade NFT Campaign

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In Jito’s hackathon event, the Japan-based team Windfall proudly took 3rd place!

1/14

Backed by Bonk, Jupiter, Orca, NATIX, Sonic, and Backpack, Japan’s Solana community rang in the new year with a massive gathering — over 160 attendees came together to celebrate!

1/14

At the same time, a Jupiter Mobile activation was held at the venue — successfully onboarding over 20 new users.

Solana New Year Party & Jupiter Mobile Activation

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Google Cloud Japan × Solana Games Web3 Meetup

AI Hackathon Winning Team Study Group

AI Agent study session

Moonwalk Soylana Cup

Huma Finance AMA

1/16

AMA with Huma Finance — the first-ever PayFi project — brought in 49 attendees.

1/20

Right before President Trump’s inauguration, we hosted an AMA with Japanese crypto YouTuber Joe Takayama — drawing in 335 attendees.

1/23

Over 60 participants gathered at Google’s Shibuya office for a joint event with Google Cloud Japan.

1/24

14 members joined a research session diving into the winning teams from the recent AI hackathon.

1/24

Blockchain Lures, a Solana project, exhibited at Japan’s largest fishing event. The booth featured the Solana and Superteam Japan logos — with over 35,000 attendees over three days.

1/27

Superteam Japan surpassed 5,000 followers in just 8 months since launch.

AMA with Joe Takayama: Insights Before the Inauguration

1/22

AI agent study session led by Superteam Japan member Yuki attracted 32 attendees.

1/22

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The second Moonwalk event saw even more momentum, with 16 participants joining

Fishing Festival 2025

Superteam Japan’s X account has reached 5,000 followers

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Solana Developer Hub #13

Solana×Murasaki Futsal event #2

A Japanese team took first place at the DeAI Hackathon

1/31

Our monthly developer event featured the Solana Agent Kit as its theme, drawing 40 developers together.

1/31

Over 60 attendees joined a women-only crypto event — and we brought a Solana-themed cake to celebrate!

2/11

The second futsal event was a full house, hitting the participant cap with 24 players joining the match!

2/12

The first-ever Trend Hack, themed around AI agents, saw 14 teams participate — with 5 of them, a full third, coming from the EVM ecosystem.

2/12

Our first-ever collaboration video with Eno surpassed 15,000 views.

2/10

For Solana’s first global creator competition, three Superteam Japan Members — Camao, Cryptobaby, and Joe Takayama — were selected as judges.

2/10

UNKOMON, which earned an Honorable Mention in the DePIN track at the Radar Hackathon, claimed 1st place at the DeAI Hackathon!

First Trend Hack held

Winter Arc Promotional Video

GIRLS ONCHAIN🌙 vol.1

Japan Prize appears in Solana Global Creator Competition

Builders Weekend Icebreaker

2/14

Ahead of the co-hosted Builders Weekend, we held an icebreaker event for developers — 17 participants joined to kick things off.

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Adrena AMA

2/20

An AMA with the perpetual DEX project Adrena brought together 24 trading enthusiasts from the community.

2/21

Superteam Japan member Kano has been hired by Pyth Network to support its localization efforts in Japan.

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Over three days, a developer event drew more than 60 attendees each day — and successfully got 16 developers, previously unfamiliar with Solana, interested and building on Solana.

2/25

We hosted an SPE study session in Fukuoka for representatives from 13 local companies.

2/14

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A 3-day AI Agent bootcamp for developers was held, with 7 participants diving deep into hands-on learning.

2/16

A community formed by participants of the AI Agent bootcamp has officially been recognized as SendAI Japan.

2/18

To welcome the Photo Finish team to Japan, 15 members of the Web3 industry gathered for a networking meetup.

Superteam Japan Member Got hired by Pyth Network

Builders Weekend & After Party

Blockchain SPE Study Session for Corporates in Fukuoka

Photo Finish Private Dinner

AI agent development training camp

SendAI Japan launched

Sonic Hackathon Briefing & Mainnet Launch AMA

2/27

The AMA with Sonic, held right before their mainnet launch, brought together 14 community members.

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Eternal Hackathon Overview Video

3/3

Superteam Japan released its first-ever hackathon explainer video.

3/4

Superteam Japan contributor Kevin has been hired by Huma Finance to support its Japanese community.

3/3�-9

Superteam Japan co-hosted a student-focused Web3 ideathon, with over 70 attendees gathering for the pitch day.

3/6

A restaking study session led by a Japanese member of the Jito team drew 21 participants.

2/28

31 developers joined the post-Builders Weekend afterparty to celebrate and connect.

2/28

3/1

This edition of the Solana Developer Hub kicked off simultaneous streaming on X, YouTube, and Discord — drawing in an audience of 62 viewers.

We hosted a study session with Termina, the sponsor of the second Trend Hack — 14 participants joined to learn and connect.

Superteam Japan Contributor Got Hired by Huma Finance

WEB3 IDEATHON for Students Pitch Day

Jito (Re)Staking Workshop for Builders

Termina Online Study Session

After Hack – Builders Weekend 2025 official post event

Solana Developer Hub #14

Winter Arc - Coworking space

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Nearly 100 people joined the 5-day coworking space we hosted at the Crypto Cafe during the Winter Arc.

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Jupiter Japan & Superteam Japan Presents: ENTER THE JUPIVERSE

3/13

Our first co-hosted meetup with Jupiter Japan drew over 100 attendees.

Winter Arc - Ski / Snowboarding in Hakuba Part1

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The optional Hakuba tour during Winter Arc brought together 28 participants who enjoyed three days of winter activities in the snow.

3/10

We hosted a dinner with sponsor companies supporting Winter Arc, bringing together 22 participants.

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3/13

Nearly 100 members of the Solana community came together for the Tokyo meetup held during the first half of Winter Arc.

The second Trend Hack, themed around RWA & DePIN, featured 13 participating teams — nearly half of them (6 teams) came from the EVM

3/17

Since the launch of Superteam Japan, this was our first chance to celebrate Solana’s 5th birthday — and we did it with everyone at Build Station during Winter Arc.

Solana 5th Birthday

Trend Hack - RWA&DePIN

Winter Arc - Opening VIP Dinner 【TOKYO】

Tokyo Meetup - MonkeDAO METAPLEX SOLFLARE Winter Arc Gathering

Winter Arc - Build Station in Matsumoto

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With over 70 participants in total, we carried out five days of intensive business development.

3/18

During the Build Station program, 20 participants visited a shrine to pray for success in the global hackathon.

Matsumoto City Sightseeing Tour - Winter Arc

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The first-ever Solana tokkōfuku, Japanese battle uniform

Skiing/Snowboarding with CUDIS

3/22

Wearing the first-ever Solana tokkōfuku, we hit the slopes on a snowboard to rep Solana in style.

3/22

15 Winter Arc participants geared up with CUDIS rings and took on the Skiing/Snowboarding mode together.

3/22�-23

After five days of Build Station, we returned to Hakuba and enjoyed winter activities with 42 participants.

3/27

This time, our developer workshop was once again streamed simultaneously on X, YouTube, and Discord — reaching a record-high 160 viewers.

Winter Arc - Ski / Snowboarding & After Party in Hakuba

Solana Developer Hub #15

Monke Meetup Winter Arc Edition

3/18

AMA with RateX was our first to be streamed live on both Discord and X simultaneously, drawing an audience of 39 participants.

During Winter Arc, a MonkeDAO meetup was held in Matsumoto, bringing together 20 participants.

RateX AMA

Huma Finance Go-to-Market Promotion

3/27

We’re big supporters of projects aiming to enter the Japanese market — which is why we launched our GTM package, starting with a blog post and intro video for Huma Finance.

3/30

Meow and Kash, who were in Japan for the event, reviewed one-minute pitches from five Japanese hackathon teams.

JUPIV4RSE: Welcome to Web4

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Plans in Q2

About half of the Q2 will be occupied with the “war time” of the Breakout hackathon. While making sure that we support Japan founders as much as possible for the hackathon, we will move fast aggressively on multiple fronts including the Community GDP and the Enterprise fronts.

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Breakout Support

Japan’s goal for the Breakout hackathon is to have 50 + submissions and 5 winners (including honorable mentions)

We proceed the 2 patterns approach,

2: Increasing number of submissions

1: Increasing number of winning

Support for 1on1
Pitch review by founders of Solana Ecosystem and Judges
Create the Hackathon Canvas (Hackathon Playbook, framework of winning) for teams

Find non- Solana native but promising teams at several builders events such as Trend Hack and Build Station.
Introducing them to the culture of Solana and aiming for wins in the long term

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SPE Study Session

ST Japan is planning to organize an SPE study session for Japanese enterprises on a quarterly basis.

GTM Package Launch

It is tough to break into the market like Japan where most of the crypto don’t speak English. ST Japan is planning to offer several menus such as content creation, deck creation, event planning, consulting, legal advice to those Solana projects who seek to enter the Japan market. Let’s accelerate with Superteam Japan. Also, this will help Superteam Japan’s Members and Contributors earn more.

Japan Enterprise Push

Together with Solana Fondation, Superteam Japan’s BD team will continuously engage with Japanese enterprises and help them deploy the Solana blockchain technology.

SuperTokyo Promotion

Superteam Japan will be organizing SuperTokyo on August 24th this year. Last time, it attracted around 1,000 participants. This year, we are planning to focus the theme on “Stablecoin and Payment”. More to be announced in Q2.

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