The History of GeneXus in Japan

The
history of GeneXus in Japan is a clear example of how technology can overcome cultural barriers and transform industries.

In this article, you will learn how GeneXus, the software platform that uses Artificial Intelligence and a Low-Code strategy to simplify and automate development processes, managed to gain a foothold in Japan, a country known for its advanced technology, making it its main market.

”
The
success of GeneXus in Japan is a testament to the power of our strategy and technology to transform the way software is developed in companies. GeneXus Next, Globant Enterprise AI, and GeneXus for Super App are new examples of our commitment to continue innovating and providing solutions that boost the productivity and efficiency of organizations’ Critical Mission Systems,” says Gabriel Simonet, CMO of GeneXus, who will be with Armin Bachmann (GeneXus Product Manager) at the Japan Tech Sessions, an exclusive event for the GeneXus Community in Japan, to be held on June 18 and 19 in Tokyo.

The
beginning

It all started in 2002, with a mission of Japanese entrepreneurs who arrived in Uruguay, where the main headquarters of GeneXus is located, aiming to strengthen the ties between both countries and enhance business relations, trade, and investments.

During that visit, Breogán Gonda, co-founder of GeneXus and president of GeneXus (ARTech, as the company was called back then), met Fumio Owaki, one of the senior executives in that delegation.

The
conversation, very formal and with an interpreter, changed direction when Breogán decided to switch from Spanish to English to directly explain how GeneXus’s Super Powers work to automate software development tasks, without manual programming, and keeping the code perpetually young, without the risk of obsolescence.

In Japan, the usual software development model is the waterfall model, a rigid approach with long delivery times and high correction costs, in contrast to what GeneXus offers: incremental, iterative, and agile development, with deliveries of 100% functional prototypes at each stage of the process.

This concept resonated deeply with Owaki, who saw in GeneXus the solution to compete and excel in Japan’s software industry.

GeneXus Japan Inc. is born

GeneXus Japan

The
GeneXus Japan Inc. office was established in May 2003, with the collaboration of prominent Japanese entrepreneurs, including Fumio Owaki, who has since held the position of president of GeneXus in that country.

The
company, based in Tokyo, was conceived to distribute and promote the adoption of GeneXus in that country, which has remained over the years in the top 5 richest countries in the world, with a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of $4.2 trillion.

First steps

The
launch of GeneXus Japan Inc. was accompanied by training initiatives and product adaptation to local needs. Gonzalo Echagüe, Technical Sales Manager, led GeneXus training sessions in Tokyo for 11 Japanese companies, while Alejandro Blengio, GeneXus Technology Consultant, oversaw the adaptation of user interfaces to Japanese characters.

Market strategy

Following the organizational culture of GeneXus, focused on event management, GeneXus Japan Inc. made its way by presenting at the most important technology fairs and exhibitions in the nation, including SME Techno Fair, Fuchu Techno Fair, Tokyo Big Sight, Business Show Tokyo, among others.

The
GeneXus Community in Japan

Every year, the GeneXus user community in Japan grows significantly, becoming GeneXus’s main sales market. Currently, Japan represents almost 40% of GeneXus’s revenue, a success explained by the great synergy between the promise of “Future-Proof” development from GeneXus and the long-term vision of companies in Japan. Fulfilling this promise of innovation year after year has undoubtedly been one of the major drivers of GeneXus in this distant, different, and distinguished market.

This growth also led to the celebration of GeneXus Day Japan, an annual event that brings together developers and companies to share experiences and success stories, such as JBCC, which reported a 70% increase in productivity using GeneXus, or Resona Holdings, which managed to renew its branch system in record time.

A remarkable success story

At this GX30 GeneXus Meeting, Tetsuya Shiratori of NTT DATA SOFIA Corporation and Yokoi Toshikazu of Innovative Solutions Inc. detailed how they implemented a Critical Mission System with GeneXus in just 7 months (less than half the time promised by other providers).

This is the case of Resona Bank Group, the largest retail bank in Japan, with 820 branches in Japan, 16 million individual customers, and 500,000 corporate clients.

Don’t miss it!