From Virtual Japan Office (VJO) to the Growth Phase

― The Eatron × NEXTY Electronics Partnership Announcement and What Comes Next

On June 15, 2026, NEXTY Electronics (a Toyota Tsusho Group company) announced that it is advancing sales and deployment support in Japan for the AI battery management software developed by the UK's Eatron Technologies. Several evaluation projects, centered on Japanese automotive OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers, are currently underway.

Envital has supported Eatron's entry into the Japanese market from an early stage.

This announcement is an initiative between NEXTY Electronics and Eatron, and its results are the fruit of both companies' efforts. At the same time, for us it marks a significant milestone—an example of our "Virtual Japan Office (VJO)" business model taking concrete shape.

Three Steps Along the VJO Journey

Last year, Envital introduced the concept of the "Virtual Japan Office (VJO)."

It is a model in which we serve as an overseas deep-tech company's on-the-ground "Japan office" even before it establishes a Japanese subsidiary—handling market research, customer development, partner development, localization, and other functions to support entry into the Japanese market.

Earlier this year, we then reported that Eatron Technologies had formally established a Japanese subsidiary. Having built a certain base of customers and partnerships in Japan, the company had moved from the VJO phase to the next phase as a local entity.

And now, that same Eatron has announced its partnership with NEXTY Electronics and entered a stage where multiple evaluation projects are advancing within Japan.

Looking back, we were able to give concrete form to a single case that followed this progression:

• Supporting entry into the Japanese market as a VJO

• Establishing a Japanese subsidiary

• Developing into a partnership with a leading domestic partner

Of course, market development does not end here. Many steps remain before reaching mass-production adoption. Even so, we regard this as a highly meaningful milestone—one stage in the process by which an overseas company puts down roots in the Japanese market.

A VJO Cannot Function on Sales Alone

The Virtual Japan Office (VJO) is not simply a service that carries out sales activities in Japan on a company's behalf.

For an overseas deep-tech company to launch a business in the Japanese market, a customer network alone is not enough.

It requires understanding the technology itself, grasping what Japanese OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers prioritize and the processes by which they evaluate and adopt new solutions—and being able to translate that technical value into language that resonates on the ground in Japan.

At the same time, differences between Japanese and overseas companies extend beyond language to business customs, decision-making approaches, and communication expectations. Bridging these gaps while building mutual trust is also an important role of the VJO.

This is precisely why a VJO calls for more than sales capability: it requires domain knowledge across the mobility, energy, and AI fields; the industry network cultivated in the Japanese market; and the communication ability to connect technology, business, and culture. Envital aims to combine these elements to function as the "Japan team" for overseas deep-tech companies.

Toward the Next Case

Beyond Eatron, Envital is working with several overseas deep-tech companies in fields such as mobility, energy, AI, and edge computing to advance their entry into and expansion within the Japanese market.

Going forward, Envital will continue to support market-building for each company, one at a time, as a "Virtual Japan Office" connecting the world's outstanding technologies with Japanese industry.

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