Taku Tanaka is the founder of KAMEREO, a B2B E-commerce platform for F&B businesses in Vietnam. 

In 2021, KAMAREO raised $4.6M in a round co-led by CPF Group, Quest Ventures, and Genesia Ventures.

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👋🏼 How would you explain your job to someone outside tech?

We build a better food supply chain from upstream to downstream as a B2B e-commerce platform for F&B businesses in Vietnam.

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🧐 What's something about you or your job that would surprise us?

I am the only Japanese and the only foreigner in our company which has 200+ team members. Building a business and team in a foreign company is not an easy job but it’s fun. 

Vietnam has its own big problem in the food supply chain to solve, and we’re doing it through startups, which I cannot find in Japan. 

The team at KAMEREO always supports me in building a great business together. 

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🏆 What has been the biggest highlight of your career so far?

Starting a B2B e-commerce platform for F&B businesses in Vietnam, overcoming COVID-19, and growing sustainably. 

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🔍 What's a startup trend or space you're watching this year?‍

Obviously, investment amount and activity for startups have been down a lot compared to a few years back. The number of new startups has also decreased a lot these days.

Now, we (startups and investors) talk about "real businesses" more which means not only revenue but also, profitability, cash flow and so on which is great as the main topic of discussion.

I am sure it's not easy to overcome the funding winter and recession but this is the same for everyone. I believe overcoming this hardship will make the company stronger and increase the possibility of winning big in the market sustainably!

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💼 What advice would you give someone starting out in your industry? 

It's a long journey. You better pick your industry carefully. 

The market size should be big if you want to grow with equity finance by investors. Since this is a long journey, you also should pick something you like and are interested in.

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🗣 What's one thing you can keep talking about for hours? 

The potential of the Vietnamese market.

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🎥 What's your favorite movie/TV show? 

My Neighbor Totoro! Seriously, I probably watched it more than a hundred times.

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🍨 What's your go-to ice cream flavor?‍

Vanilla.

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FYI. We've edited this interview for clarity.