Takushi Yoshida - "Yoshi"

Career

School of Political Science and Economics, Waseda University

Yoshida received his Bachelor's degree in 2010 from the School of Political Science and Economics at Waseda University. As a student, he studied political science and economics and worked part-time at the Asahi Shimbun newspaper headquarters. He also produced digital music, wrote novel, acted in the film friend directed.

Journalist in Jakarta, Indonesia

Between 2010 and 2015, Yoshida served as a journalist for the "Jakarta Shimbun", a Japanese newspaper based in Indonesia. He gained recognition within the local Japanese business community as a Japanese individual deeply versed in Indonesian politics and economy. Similarly, Indonesian business and political leaders acknowledged him as a Japanese professional proficient in the Indonesian language and knowledgeable about local matters.

During his tenure in Indonesia, Yoshida made two significant contributions. His first accomplishment was his astute analysis and prediction of the political landscape during the 2014 presidential election, which outperformed projections from institutions like the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, various trading companies, and academia. 

These accomplishments were made possible because Yoshida possessed a background in political science, economics, and law, accumulated vast knowledge of Indonesian politics, meticulously examined documents in Indonesian, and built a network that could gather information in Indonesian Language.

His second achievement was as the inaugural foreign journalist to disclose suspicions of corruption related to the gasoline subsidy, which at the time comprised approximately 20% of the country's budget. This investigative report, underpinned by diligent research, exposed the "Mafia Migas",  a vested interest group both within and outside the government. This group wielded substantial influence over the country's politics and devised a plan to divert part of the government's expenditure to Singapore. Unfortunately, Yoshida's affiliated company lacked the resources to withstand the ensuing political pressure, preventing him from fully disclosing his findings, as doing so could have endangered his position.

Launching the Japanese Edition of Digital Marketing Media DIGIDAY

After returning to Japan in 2015, Yoshida served as the founding editor of the Japanese version of the US digital marketing media "DIGIDAY" at Infobahn Group, a Japanese media firm, and its affiliated company from July of the same year until August 2017. He played a decisive role in editing and business-related tasks for the Japanese edition, including translation processes, editing methods, creation of coverage articles, community building and relationship building for the event business which was the source of revenue for the media, and sales activities. He became one of the most knowledgeable individuals in the Japanese media industry about US digital marketing, which was imitated by advertising agencies and consulting firms, leading the lagging Japanese industry forward.

Founding a Next-Generation AI News Startup

In September 2017, Yoshida established Axion, a subscription-based AI news app startup with a focus on user well-being. Initially beginning as a personal project, the formal incorporation took place in April 2019, and Yoshida has remained engaged since its inception. He skillfully manages various aspects of the business, including product management of digital media products, software development, marketing, business development, finance, accounting, and legal affairs. His conviction in the business's viability, gained during his tenure at DIGIDAY, was only strengthened through subsequent validation.

Due to Axion's considerable strategic value, navigating the complexities of startup operations such as venture capital fundraising, partnerships with major companies, and team formation presented challenges akin to an intricate puzzle. As such, the company operates in a fashion comparable to a triathlon, where Yoshida undertakes multiple roles.

Between 2021 and 2022, he raised over 23 million yen from individual investors. In this transaction, he distributed ordinary shares he held, along with A-type shares (non-voting rights, excluding shareholder meetings) to individual investors through preference shares. Yoshida demonstrates expertise in various legal and accounting strategies utilized in startups.

Using this initial capital, he began translating and distributing articles from esteemed foreign media outlets such as Bloomberg, The Economist, Financial Times, New York Times, and Scientific American. Concurrently, he initiated the registration for newsletters containing original content.

Thanks to these user acquisition efforts, the Monthly Active Users (MAU) soared to 140,000. Business metrics revealed an impressive churn rate of 3% for the $10/month subscription product and a Lifetime Value (LTV) in the region of 70,000 yen. User demographics suggested that subscribers typically fell into one or more categories: affluent, high-ranking, specialized, or highly literate. By avoiding mobile app development—a common pitfall for many consumer internet companies—and instead forming and testing a customer base through a robust web application and newsletters as a Minimum Viable Product (MVP), Axion has achieved notable success in digital marketing.