A1 Asia’s Mission
Japan has the building blocks to become a regional AI hub — but needs stronger ties to global investors to get there.
A1 connects world-class growth capital with the operators building Asia’s AI future. We unite investors, builders, and innovators to accelerate the region’s role in the global AI economy. “A1” reflects our focus on Asia and AI—and our drive to back the region’s leading frontier builders.
Your Hosts:
A1 is hosted by WAY Equity Partners, an evergreen investment firm advancing AI adoption in Japan. Backed by global single-family offices, WAY invests in scaling AI companies from pre-idea onward and builds platforms that acquire and transform Japanese SMEs through AI.
WAY was founded by Christopher Ax, a German entrepreneur and long-time Japan-based operator and investor. Before launching WAY, Chris co-founded Schmatz, a leading retail/CPG brand in Japan, with his friend and business partner Marc Lütten, following an early career in venture capital. Together with the WAY team, he launched A1 to unite long-view global capital with Japan’s on-the-ground operators to drive the region’s next wave of AI-led growth.
