DFP CEO Kohei Muto Speaks on Connecting Japan, Luxembourg and Africa at “European Expansion Strategies for Startups”

Kohei Muto, CEO of Double Feather Partners (DFP), recently spoke at “European Expansion Strategies for Startups,” an event held at JETRO Innovation Garden.

The event was hosted by the Luxembourg Trade and Investment Office – Tokyo and the Belgium-Luxembourg Market Council, with support from the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO). It brought together companies, investors, government representatives and innovation support organizations to share practical insights into how Japanese companies can establish and expand their presence in Luxembourg and the wider European market.

Kohei joined Rikiya Masuda of bitFlyer Europe S.A. for a session exploring the real experiences of Japanese companies building business operations in Luxembourg. While the session addressed European expansion more broadly, Kohei’s presentation focused on how companies and investors can approach African markets through connections developed in both Luxembourg and Japan.

For Japanese companies seeking to enter or expand in Africa, establishing local partnerships and understanding the business and regulatory environment are essential. At the same time, access to European financial, investment and innovation networks can provide additional opportunities for fundraising, business development and cross-border collaboration.

During the session, Kohei shared DFP’s perspective on how the respective strengths of Japan, Luxembourg and African growth markets can be combined. Japan offers advanced technologies, established corporations and a growing startup ecosystem, while Luxembourg provides an internationally connected environment for finance, investment and innovation. African markets, meanwhile, continue to present opportunities for new business models, infrastructure development and locally driven innovation.

By connecting these ecosystems, DFP aims to support partnerships that go beyond conventional market entry. These may include collaborations between large companies and startups, cross-border investment, pilot projects, technology deployment and the development of new financial structures suited to African markets.

The event also featured a diverse group of speakers from Luxembourg and Japan’s innovation ecosystems. Participants included Jenny Hällen Hedberg, Head of International Relations at Luxinnovation GIE; James Kim, CEO of Data Design Engineering; Takao Fukuoka, Founder of Archilys Corporation; Mosleh Uddin, CEO of GigaLogi; Yusuke Nakayama, General Manager at TIER IV; Ahmed Essam Aly, Lead for Business Development and Investments at the Luxembourg Space Agency; and Anne Moes of the Embassy of Luxembourg in Tokyo.

Their contributions provided practical perspectives on entering European markets, establishing local operations, working with public-sector and innovation organizations, and developing partnerships across industries.

For DFP, Luxembourg represents far more than a European foothold. It is an important platform for connecting Japanese companies and startups with European financial institutions, innovation organizations and African growth markets.

DFP’s engagement with Luxembourg has developed through several initiatives. These include our collaboration with The LHoFT – Luxembourg House of Financial Technology and our participation in Catapult: Inclusion Africa, which supports fintech companies developing solutions for African markets. DFP has also participated in GlobalXpander Tokyo, supporting Japanese startups as they explore international expansion and partnerships.

More recently, the DFP Africa Mobility Innovation Fund was selected for the International Climate Finance Accelerator Luxembourg 2026 programme. The fund is being developed to support sustainable mobility and clean logistics businesses in Africa, while creating stronger connections between African companies and investors, corporations and institutions in Japan and Europe.

Together, these activities form part of DFP’s broader commitment to building meaningful links between Japan, Luxembourg and Africa. We believe that combining investment, corporate collaboration and local market knowledge can help create more sustainable and scalable business opportunities across the three regions.

The event provided a valuable opportunity not only to discuss expansion into Luxembourg and Europe, but also to consider how international networks can support new business and investment opportunities extending into African markets.

We sincerely thank the Luxembourg Trade and Investment Office – Tokyo, the Belgium-Luxembourg Market Council and the City of Tsukuba for organizing the event, as well as JETRO for its support. We also extend our appreciation to all fellow speakers and participants for contributing to the discussions and making the event a success.

DFP looks forward to continuing to build partnerships among companies, investors, public institutions and innovation organizations across Japan, Luxembourg and Africa, and to creating new opportunities for cross-border investment and business collaboration.