Why the World Can't Build Without Japan | Lux Capital Grace Isford

Why the World Can't Build Without Japan | Lux Capital Grace Isford

"I don't want AI being controlled by Beijing or the Bay Area, and I want Japan to have the opportunity to shine." ¥10 trillion. That's how serious Japan is about building its next generation of unicorns. Grace Isford and James Riney have been watching this shift happen in real time, and in this episode, they break down exactly what it means. Japan dominates 90% of the global photoresist market. It supplies 90% of the steel that builds the world's nuclear reactors. And now, with government backing at an unprecedented scale, it's betting big on becoming a deep tech superpower. In this episode, Grace Isford and James Riney break down why the world can't build without Japan. They share: * Why Japan never actually stopped innovating; it just went invisible * How the US-Japan partnership is becoming the most critical alliance in global tech * Why sovereign AI matters and who controls it * Japan's ¥10T roadmap for building its next generation of unicorns * Why defense, nuclear, and semiconductors are Japan's next frontier Connect with Grace Isford: * https://www.linkedin.com/in/grace-isford-04123081/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/grace-isford-04123081/] * https://www.linkedin.com/company/lux-capital/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/lux-capital/] Connect with James Riney: * https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesriney/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesriney/] * https://www.linkedin.com/company/coralcapital/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/coralcapital/] Connect with Tim Romero: * https://www.disruptingjapan.com/tim/ [https://www.disruptingjapan.com/tim/] * https://www.linkedin.com/in/timromero/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/timromero/] If you're working on something ambitious or Building with Japan, we'd love to hear from you! Get in touch with us here: https://coralcap.co/?lang=en [https://coralcap.co/?lang=en]

Nuclear Fuel and the US-Japan Energy Alliance | General Matter CEO Scott Nolan

"There was no company to invest in. It would have to be started." Scott Nolan spent all of 2023 looking for a company solving America's nuclear fuel crisis. When he couldn't find one, he started General Matter instead. The US once supplied 86% of the world's enriched uranium. Today it has zero. Russia controls half the market, with China accelerating fast. General Matter just closed a $900M DOE contract and a $2.4B EXIM financing deal to supply Japan, announced the same week the Strait of Hormuz closed. In this episode, Scott makes the case that nuclear fuel is the linchpin of the entire energy transition, and that getting it wrong is a national security issue not just for America but for every allied nation. He shares: * How America handed the uranium market to Russia without anyone noticing * The SpaceX playbook applied to nuclear enrichment * What the $2.4B US-Japan deal means for energy security * Why Japan keeps falling into the same energy trap * What the next five years at General Matter actually look like * Will the west be able to regain its control? Connect with Scott Nolan: * https://x.com/ScottNolan [https://x.com/ScottNolan] * https://x.com/generalmatter [https://x.com/generalmatter] Connect James Riney: * https://x.com/james_riney [https://x.com/james_riney] * https://x.com/coral_capital [https://x.com/coral_capital] If you're working on something ambitious or Building with Japan, we'd love to hear from you! Get in touch with us here: https://coralcap.co/?lang=en [https://coralcap.co/?lang=en]

How Sony Became the Entertainment Giant Nobody Saw Coming | Sony AI President Michael Spranger

"There is no company that has this portfolio." Michael Spranger isn't exaggerating. As COO at Sony Research and president of Sony AI, he's watched Sony transform from a TV company into a $166B entertainment empire. In this episode with Tiffany Kayo, Michael breaks down Sony's AI strategy: what they choose to build (and what they ignore). Key insights: * Sony's shift from electronics to entertainment * Why PlayStation is now their biggest business * GT Sophy: the racing AI agent * Sony sensors are inside half the world's smartphones * Japan's 10-year manufacturing window * Why kando drives everything Sony builds Connect with us here: * Michael Spranger [https://linkedin.com/in/michael-spranger-4aa36716] * Tiffany Kayo [https://linkedin.com/in/tiffanykayo]

How Suno Built a $200M Music AI Company (And Got Warner Music to Partner)

“We thought it would be too hard to build.” That’s how Mikey Shulman, Co-Founder of Suno, describes the early days of building what is now a $200M revenue company with 100M users. Suno has since partnered with Warner Music Group and is redefining how music gets made. In this episode, Mikey envisions a future where passive listeners become active collaborators, and where your favorite artist might perform a fan-made version of their own song live on stage. He shares: - Why they almost built a completely different company - The future of "interactive music" (music you play with, not just play) - How Warner Music Group became Suno's partner - Japan's unique embrace of Suno Connect with Mikey: X: https://x.com/MikeyShulman LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeyshulman/ Connect with Tiffany: X: https://x.com/tiffanykayo LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiffanykayo/ If you're working on something ambitious, we’d love to hear from you at Coral Capital! Get in touch with us here: https://coralcap.co/contact/?lang=en

Designing the Future of Neighborhoods | Devon Zuegel on Esmeralda

Devon Zuegel, founder and CEO of the Esmeralda Institute, joins us on the latest episode of The Coral Capital Podcast. After building online communities, scaling open-source programs at GitHub, and hosting Notion’s Pioneers series, Devon Zuegel is now bringing her expertise offline to create a family focused village north of San Francisco. In this episode, she shares the challenges of shaping a people centered village, from navigating complex land use regulations to balancing environmental realities. Topics explored: - How San Francisco’s housing shortages inspired Devon to create Esmeralda - Why California’s CEQA further fueled Devon’s passion for urban planning - Designing multi-generational, walkable communities with a balance of density and nature - The concept of “traveling neighborhoods” and fostering connection through shared experiences - The hardware and software of building a physical community - Integrating seniors, families, and diverse age groups into a cohesive community - Creating lasting culture and connection through deliberate programming and shared experiences If you're working on something ambitious, we’d love to hear from you at Coral Capital! Get in touch with us here: bit.ly/contactcoral [https://bit.ly/contactcoral] Connect with Devon: X: https://x.com/devonzuegel [https://x.com/devonzuegel] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devonzuegel/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/devonzuegel/] Connect with Tiffany: X: https://x.com/tiffanykayo [https://x.com/tiffanykayo] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiffanykayo/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiffanykayo/] Connect with Alexandra Silverman: X: https://x.com/AlexandraFayeS [https://x.com/AlexandraFayeS] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afsilverman/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/afsilverman/] 00:00 Intro 00:46 Meet Devin 08:19 Placemaking and Traveling Neighborhoods 16:51 Building Esmeralda 31:12 Supporting Families in Northern California 33:23 Incorporating the Elderly in Community Planning 38:17 Learning from Other Towns and Cities 47:09 Building a New Town