Why this longevity startup raised in Japan, not Silicon Valley | TWiST Tokyo | E2315

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Today's show:

French ex-martial artist Bilal Kharouni is building his longevity startup from Okinawa, one of the world's "blue zones." (These are regions with the most people living long, healthy lives.) In this TWiST taping from Founder University in Tokyo, Jason investigates why a $200K raise in Japan can out-build a $2M raise in San Francisco, and why the best moat for biological AI isn't the model; it's the data no one else has.

Plus a tactical and practical discussion of product market fit, why Ekei killed a growing side business to maintain focus, Japan's fast-track for regenerative medicine, and hitting the upper limits for consumer longevity gadgets. Plus a live Q&A with Founder U attendees.

Guest

Bilal Kharouni on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bilal-kharouni/

Ekei Labs: https://www.ekeilabs.com/

Relevant Links

Okinawa Institute of Science and Tech (OIST): ****https://www.oist.jp/

Life Biosciences: https://www.lifebiosciences.com/

NewLimit: https://www.newlimit.com/

Centivax: https://www.centivax.com/

Medical Daily: "First Human Trial to Reverse Aging Gets FDA Clearance": https://www.medicaldaily.com/first-human-trial-reverse-aging-just-got-fda-clearance-what-epigenetic-reprogramming-actually-476076

Tim Friede snake venom article from Science: https://www.science.org/content/article/he-injected-himself-venom-decades-can-his-antibodies-help-snakebite-victims

Micro1: https://www.micro1.ai/

Whoop: https://www.whoop.com/

Station F Paris startup campus: https://stationf.co/

Japan Times: "PM Takaichi sleeps only 2-4 hours a night": https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/14/japan/politics/takaichi-sleep-overwork/

FDLI: "Japan's Regenerative Medicine Regulatory Pathways": https://www.fdli.org/2019/02/global-focus-japans-regener