This Startup Just Built Japan’s Most Powerful Supercomputer

Preferred Networks is making changes in Japan.

Over the past few years, this AI startup has raised more than $130M in venture funding and grown to more than 130 people.

If you live outside of Japan, you might not have heard of this team, but they are working with Toyota to create the next generation of driverless cars. They are working with Japan's most advanced industrial robot manufacturers to improve efficiency. They are also working with many financial institutions on fraud detection.

Oh yes, and they also built Japan's most powerful commercial supercomputer.

Today we sit down and talk with Daisuke Okanohara, the technical co-founder of Preferred Networks. Daisuke and I talk about the story behind Preferred Networks, he also shares his challenges and current strategies for maintaining the company's experimental and engineering culture as it grows larger and more structured.

Daisuke also talks about his time at Google, how Japanese AI stacks up to China and the US, and why he’s convinced that their biggest competition is going to come from somewhere you would never expect.

It's a great discussion, and I think you'll enjoy it.

Show Notes
What edge-heavy computing is and why it's important
How a Google Internship changed Daisuke's outlook on AI
The future of driverless cars at Toyota
Why the team decided to build Japan's most powerful supercomputer
Why you can't sell disruptive products to large companies
How to keep a curious spirit even as your company grows
Where the real competition in AI will come from