Neuroscience Student Chooses Japan Over India For Startup; Know Why - News18 (2025)

Last Updated:April 23, 2025, 12:31 IST

The man mentioned that he went to Japan in 2023 to complete his PhD as a neuroscience research student at the University of Tokyo.

He founded a full-fledged firm in Japan.

In today’s world, many individuals are turning to entrepreneurship, driven by the desire for greater freedom, passion, control over their work, and the potential for substantial financial rewards. In this context, a Reddit post has caught widespread attention for highlighting the story of an Indian man who chose to launch his startup in a foreign country rather than in India, and his reasons are sparking conversations online.

In a now-viral Reddit post, a user revealed that he had launched his startup abroad, writing, “Why I decided to build my Startup in Japan instead of India (Japan Startup Visa)." The post included a link to a LinkedIn profile identifying him as Prashant Sharma, a New Delhi native who eventually went on to establish a full-fledged firm in Japan.

The man further mentioned that he went to Japan in 2023 to complete his PhD as a neuroscience research student at the University of Tokyo. During his research, he developed a novel language learning approach based on neuroscience principles to ‘accelerate language acquisition.’

Then, he decided to pursue this idea full-time, dropping out of my PhD program and launching a firm to implement this strategy. “I had two options," he wrote, adding, “Come back to India or stay in Japan and build my startup there."

“After living in Japan for nearly 2 years, I had fallen in love with the country. Everything was so well organized, clean, and peaceful. Zero air pollution, a very high-trust society, and everything just works. So it would be an understatement to say that I was committed to finding a way to somehow stay and build my startup in Japan," he added.

He further acknowledged the struggles faced by several Indian entrepreneurs and said, “Reading about the stressful experience of numerous Indian founders on this sub, trying to survive amidst the nightmare of Indian bureaucracy, only strengthened my resolve."

Take a look at the post here:

He said that he got his Japan Startup Visa, which allows international entrepreneurs to launch their startup in the country with just an idea. “No requirements of a physical office, hiring employees, or capital investment. This was perfect for my situation, as I was just starting out. So I applied, and after a rigorous process, I finally got my Japan Startup Visa. Now I’m building my startup in Tokyo and enjoying every second of it," the post read.

The man concluded his post with a message to other Indian entrepreneurs, writing, “I read about the plight of numerous Indian founders on this sub, and I will just say this: Life is too short and precious to struggle forever. Don’t waste your potential where your skills are not appreciated."

Earlier, a man left his lucrative job with a Rs 50 LPA salary to build his startup, but after two years of relentless effort, he decided to shut down his venture. In a social media post, he wrote, “He failed at being a founder."

Location :

Delhi, India, India

First Published:

April 23, 2025, 12:31 IST

News viral Neuroscience Student Chooses Japan Over India For Startup; Know Why