In this episode of Off to the Valley, host Prateek Panda speaks with Evan Burkosky, Co-Founder & CRO of Kimaru.ai, about his extraordinary path from growing up on Vancouver Island and working summers on his family’s fishing boat to spending over two decades building businesses in Japan.
Evan shares how his early dream of importing Canadian seafood to Japan evolved into a career leading market entries for global SaaS platforms and now revolutionizing supply chain decision-making with AI. He dives deep into:
→ The realities of being an entrepreneur in Japan—cultural nuances, relationship-driven sales, and the growing startup ecosystem.
→ How Kimaru’s decision intelligence platform augments human judgment instead of replacing it, using AI to speed up and improve supply chain decisions worldwide.
→ Why a “human in the loop” circuit breaker is essential in AI systems.
→ Lessons from expanding from Japan into the U.S. market, including how to adapt to “Silicon Valley speed.”
His thoughts on mental health for founders and the importance of asking for help.
The emerging field of decision intelligence and why it’s a trend to watch over the next five years.
Packed with hard-earned insights, this episode is a must-listen for entrepreneurs, AI enthusiasts, and anyone navigating global business.
English 
日本語