[Video] AdRoll Establishes Presence In Japan with JETRO Support

Jul 27, 2017

AdRoll is a marketing platform that enables brands to create tailored ad campaigns for their digital audiences. In 2015, AdRoll saw a need to invest in Japan as part of expanding its client base in the country and developing a larger presence in the APAC region.


 

In preparation for their launch into the market, AdRoll reached out to JETRO for help reducing overhead costs. JETRO provided AdRoll with information on local government subsidies that suited their investment goals and offered them temporary office space at JETRO’s Roppongi, Tokyo location. By using JETRO’s free office space, AdRoll was able to enter the market and begin business activities without the pressure of finding a permanent office from day one.

 

“It was really welcoming to have an organization like JETRO [work with us], and it made us more confident about the likelihood of our success in entering the market…. when we hired our local managing director, we moved into one of [JETRO’s office] facilities and benefitted from 50 days of free rent,” said Suresh Khanna, Chief Revenue Officer for AdRoll. “The facility also came with a large seminar room, and that was very handy in having early customers and interview candidates come to the office and meet with us.”

 

AdRoll eventually moved into their own office in Roppongi, a district in Minato, Tokyo famous for its many foreign embassies and expansive night life. The office now hosts 30 full time employees and expects to hire more over the course of 2017. Khanna is enthusiastic about the future of AdRoll in Japan and Asia-Pacific.

 

“So far, our Japanese entry has been incredibly successful. We’re very excited for the future of our business in both Japan and Asia. Overall the APAC region is our fastest-growing region.”

 

For other companies interested in entering Japan’s market, Khanna recommends having patience: “the pace of how businesses grow and expand and get established in Tokyo is different than [what] you might see here in Silicon Valley.”