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| Shun Sagara moved to India with his family in 2023 to start a VC office. Shun Sagara |
When Shun Sagara decided to leave Tokyo and move to Bengaluru with his wife and two young children, it wasn’t on a whim it was a strategic leap into one of the fastest-growing startup ecosystems in the world. As the only India-based employee of Japanese venture capital firm Genesia Ventures, Sagara arrived in the summer of 2023 to open a new regional office. He brought not only capital, but also a vision: to help build a bridge between Japan and India’s rapidly evolving innovation economy.
His journey both professional and personal is a case study in adaptability, long-term thinking, and cross-cultural integration. And while the decision to relocate across continents was challenging, Sagara now says he and his family are thriving in India and have no plans to leave anytime soon.
From Japan to India: A Bold Step Toward Global Opportunity
Sagara’s career began in Tokyo, where he worked in enterprise software sales for five years before pivoting to venture capital in 2019. He joined Genesia Ventures just as the firm began exploring international expansion beyond Southeast Asia. When India emerged as the next frontier, Sagara knew he wanted to lead the charge.
His decision wasn’t based on a romanticized view of Indian culture or food instead, it was driven by the strategic importance of India's tech landscape. “India and Japan both shine on the sidelines but never take center stage like China or the U.S.,” he said. That realization, combined with a conversation with a Japanese founder who praised his rare understanding of enterprise businesses, made him feel like he needed to challenge himself further. “If I’m the only one in the room who gets it, maybe I’m in the wrong room,” he recalled thinking.
Launching Genesia Ventures’ India subsidiary became his next mission. But before he could make the leap, he had to convince his wife.
Convincing the Family to Move
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| Shun Sagara with his wife and children. Shun Sagara |
Sagara’s wife, a former flight attendant with Japan Airlines, had previously traveled to New Delhi and wasn’t eager to return. “She didn’t like the air quality, the spicy food, or the safety concerns,” he explained. But he reassured her that Bengaluru, India’s tech hub, was a different city entirely cleaner, greener, safer, and full of international schools and expat communities.
After careful deliberation, the family made the move in mid-2023. Today, they call Bengaluru home and according to Sagara, they’re not looking back.
Investing in India: A Different VC Game
Now stationed in India full time, Sagara is responsible for sourcing and managing investments on behalf of his Japan-based firm. Genesia Ventures writes initial checks of around $500,000, with follow-on investments reaching $1 to $1.5 million.
Rather than targeting specific sectors, Sagara focuses on startups that demonstrate three key attributes:
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Deep understanding of India’s local context
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Global leadership potential, especially in industries like pharma or precision manufacturing
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Opportunity for India-Japan collaboration, such as in elder care or workforce efficiency
Since launching in India, he has invested in five startups, and the learning curve has been steep but exciting.
“There’s a stark contrast in the way Indian and Japanese founders operate,” he said. In Japan, pitch decks are lengthy and meticulously address every potential risk. In India, founders often arrive at pitch meetings with little more than an idea and unwavering confidence. “Both approaches work in their own way,” he acknowledged.
He also noted the cultural difference between India’s famed jugaad mindset improvising with limited resources and Japan’s kaizen philosophy of continual improvement. “Blending those mindsets can produce powerful results in cross-border deals,” he said.
Raising Kids in Bengaluru
While there were initial concerns about adjusting to life in India, Sagara now believes that Bengaluru is one of the best places in the world to raise children. “People are incredibly warm and welcoming toward foreigners,” he said. “And they absolutely love kids.”
His five-year-old daughter and three-year-old son are now enrolled in one of the city’s many international schools, and the family has found a strong support network through both Japanese and Indian connections. “Most of my social circle is local,” he said. “About 90% of my friends here are Indian.”
Though the family has had to adjust to differences in cleanliness and infrastructure, they’ve embraced their new lifestyle. Sagara plays weekly soccer matches with friends and is continuously surprised by the grassroots popularity of the sport in India. “I knew cricket was big, but the rise of football here really shocked me.”
A Long-Term Commitment to India
Despite the challenges of relocation and cultural adaptation, Sagara sees his future firmly tied to India. “I don’t plan to go back to Japan in the next five years,” he said. Even if the family returns home a decade from now, he’s certain that his work will remain deeply connected to Indian entrepreneurs and startups.
For Sagara, this isn’t just a career detour it’s a life mission. “Bridging India and Japan is the goal of my entire life and career,” he said. Through capital, collaboration, and shared innovation, he hopes to be part of a broader movement that strengthens ties between two of Asia’s most powerful but often underappreciated economies.
