Business & Operations Founder (Japan)

• Location: Japan
• Work setup: Remote
• Start date: ASAP
• Languages: Fluent English required; Japanese highly preferred
• Industry: HealthTech / MedTech / AI

About the Role

Pragmatike is recruiting on behalf of a YC-backed, fast-growing health technology company expanding into Japan and opening its local operations.

We are looking for a Business & Operations Founder to take ownership of the company's launch and early growth in Japan.

This is a highly entrepreneurial role for someone scrappy, hungry, and comfortable figuring things out from zero . You will be the person on the ground building the business, establishing operations, developing local relationships, and turning the Japan market into a functioning operation.

This is not a traditional corporate country manager role. We are looking for someone who can roll up their sleeves, make things happen, and operate with founder-level ownership .

Your Responsibilities

Own the launch and day-to-day business operations in Japan

Build the local presence from the ground up, including partners, vendors, and operational processes

Identify and develop commercial opportunities and strategic partnerships

Navigate the Japanese market, healthcare ecosystem, and relevant regulatory or operational requirements

Work closely with the global leadership team to adapt the business for Japan

Represent the company with customers, partners, healthcare organizations, and other local stakeholders

Identify what needs to be built next and independently drive execution

Act as the local point person across business, operations, and market development

Required Qualifications

Proven experience building, launching, or operating a business, team, or new market in Japan

Strong entrepreneurial mindset with a scrappy, hands-on approach

Comfortable working with significant autonomy and ambiguity

Strong business development, operations, and stakeholder management skills

Excellent understanding of the Japanese business environment

Fluent English is required

Strong communication and relationship-building skills

Willingness to be deeply hands-on and own whatever needs to get done

Preferred Qualifications

Experience in MedTech, HealthTech, healthcare, medical devices, or digital health

Existing network across Japanese healthcare, medical, or technology ecosystems

Experience launching a new country, office, product, or business from scratch

Startup or founder experience

Experience working with international teams or US-based startups

Why Join Us

Be the first key operator on the ground in Japan for a YC-backed company

Own the launch of a new country from the ground up

Work directly with an international founding team and have significant decision-making autonomy

Build partnerships and operations in one of the world's most important healthcare and technology markets

Opportunity to shape the Japan business as an early, founder-like member of the team

Pragmatike is committed to a fair, transparent, and inclusive recruitment process. We do not discriminate based on age, disability, gender, gender identity or expression, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.

In accordance with GDPR, your personal data will be processed lawfully, fairly, and securely, and used solely for recruitment purposes, including sharing it with our client(s) for employment consideration.