SKB.vc founder Tobias Mathiasen had the opportunity to sit down with Manas Kala, part of a growing group of international entrepreneurs who have chosen Japan as their entrepreneurial home.
Manas’ journey, from research at IIT Hyderabad to founding Veritus AI in Japan, is a story of resilience and agility. Veritus AI is tackling a fundamental problem: the inefficiency of peer review and literature discovery, an issue that delays innovation and disrupts research careers worldwide.
In our conversation, we covered:
- How Japan’s research institutions are more open to innovation than you may expect.
- The challenges of being an international founder in Japan, from immigration to funding.
- Why Japan's startup ecosystem has unique strengths (and critical barriers that need to be addressed).
Veritus AI is now launching more broadly, with the goal of reaching $10,000 MRR by April. If you know professors or lab heads who might benefit from their tools, reach out. Let’s help amplify the work of founders like Manas who are driving real change.
Manas' Journey: From Research to Entrepreneurship
Manas’ entrepreneurial journey began at IIT Hyderabad, where he was deeply engaged in research. He quickly realized that beyond elite institutions, research in India often lacked structure and support. "In India, most undergraduate students outside of Tier I universities outsource their final year research projects because there’s little guidance available," Manas explained to me. "But with the right mentorship, I saw firsthand how impactful real research could be." This insight led him to build his first startup, Publicator, aimed at helping students with research guidance. However, a severe back injury forced him to step away from the venture for three years
After his recovery, he co-founded an NPO supporting children affected by natural disasters. "It wasn't big, but it showed me that change requires action. It doesn’t matter how small your initiative is, what matters is that you start," he said. Seeking new entrepreneurial challenges, he decided to apply to universities globally. Japan stood out for its three-year PhD programs, and he joined Yamaguchi Lab at Osaka University to study LiDAR technology, with the goal of launching a startup post-PhD.
Then COVID-19 hit.
"My entire research plan collapsed overnight," Manas recalled. Forced to pivot, he adapted his focus and eventually explored venture capital through an internship at Plug and Play Japan . "That experience was transformative. I interacted with founders operating at a hundred-million-dollar scale and saw how quickly they moved compared to academia. That changed my perspective." Ultimately, he decided to take the plunge once more and founded Veritus AI.
The Mission of Veritus AI
Veritus AI is tackling a fundamental issue in research: the inefficiency of peer reviews and literature discovery. Many PhD students and researchers face prolonged delays in publishing due to slow review processes and fragmented access to interdisciplinary knowledge.
"A close friend lost her scholarship because one of her papers was in review for 13 months, only to be rejected after three rounds," Manas shared. "I saw so many brilliant researchers struggle because they couldn’t navigate these bottlenecks. That’s when I knew this problem needs solving."
Veritus AI’s goal is to empower researchers through better access to knowledge, accelerating peer review and interdisciplinary research. "If knowledge becomes more fluid, research can progress faster," he explained. To address this, Veritus AI is building tools that assist with manuscript reviews and deep literature analysis, with an emphasis on breaking down silos between disciplines.
"Imagine if researchers in cellular biology could seamlessly access insights from computational biology or operations research. There’s so much potential in unlocking these connections," he said.
Why Japan? Challenges and Opportunities
One might assume Japan, with its reputation for rigid structures, would be an unlikely place for a non-Japanese entrepreneur to launch a tech startup. However, Manas has found certain unique, and perhaps somewhat unexpected, advantages:
- Diverse Research Talent: Japan deep research sector attracts a wide range of highly talented, international researchers. And Manas' founding team, all based in Japan, consists of individuals with first-hand experience of the pain points they are solving. "We are mission-driven because every single team member has personally suffered through the problems we are trying to solve. That makes a huge difference." His cofounder Anh Ngo was a lifesciences researcher in Ono Pharamceuticals, working on drug discovery. Similarly the founding UX researcher (pro-bono) Betty Lala, is a scientist in a leading Japanese organization, and the senior engineer Sharath Chandra graduated from IITH - A leading research institution.
- Supportive Research Institutions: Contrary to common perceptions, professors and labs in Japan have shown a willingness to experiment with new tools, leading to pilot programs at Osaka and Kyushu University. "I was told no one in Japan would sign an LOI with me, but professors were surprisingly open to experimentation. That was a pleasant surprise."
- Institutional Appetite for Global Collaboration: Japan’s research ecosystem is becoming increasingly outward-looking, recognizing the need for global engagement. "There is a 21% decline in PhD enrollments in Japan. Universities and research institutions are realizing they need to adapt and embrace AI as a tool to bridge gaps."
That said, Japan's startup ecosystem presents hurdles, particularly for international founders. Immigration policies, administrative bottlenecks, and limited venture capital appetite for non-Japanese teams remain significant challenges. "Every year, I lose five weeks of productivity just navigating bureaucracy—things like getting a credit card or dealing with immigration paperwork. These are unnecessary burdens that slow down progress."
The Path Ahead for Veritus AI
Having successfully conducted pilots, Veritus AI is now launching more broadly. The next milestone is reaching $10,000 MRR by April, scaling through outbound campaigns targeting professors and research labs. "We have a 6% conversion rate on cold outreach, investors tell us that’s really high. It shows there’s a real demand for this."
“If you know professors or lab heads who might benefit from our tools, we’d love an introduction. Our goal is to make research workflows significantly more efficient and impactful,” Manas emphasized.
Manas also welcomes discussions with investors who understand the intersection of AI and research, particularly those aligned with his vision of AI as an augmentation tool rather than a replacement for human expertise. "We are not trying to build an AI researcher. The human mind is irreplaceable. AI should amplify expertise, not substitute it."
Final Thoughts: The Changing Landscape of Japan’s Startup Ecosystem
Founders like Manas exemplify the emerging generation of entrepreneurs proving that Japan can be a launchpad for globally relevant, research-driven startups. As I reflect on my own experiences, I've noticed two interesting and connected trends:
- It is becoming more and more rational for Japanese organisations to seek global partnerships, as made evident by Manas' story.
- Japan’s public sector has demonstrated a higher-than-expected risk appetite for supporting startups, while the private sector remains more hesitant. However, as government initiatives increasingly encourage startup formation, I believe we are on the cusp of a broader shift.
As I wrapped up my conversation with Manas, he sees a similar pattern. "Invest in Kobe and JETRO Startup have been incredibly supportive. But city governments don’t control immigration policies. That’s the real bottleneck. If Japan truly wants more startups, the government needs to get out of our way."
If you're interested in learning more about Veritus AI, investing in this space, or connecting Manas with potential customers, you can reach Manas directly at manas.kala@veritus.ai, or or you can shoot him a message right here on LinkedIn.
This is the first in a series of planned sit-downs that I will be having with fantastic founders in Japan, people I have gotten to know and respect over the last two years, so stay tuned for more, and feel free to reach out if you have any questions or feedback.
Warm Regards,
