On May 12, we held our second Nasdaq IPO Seminar at Venture Café Tokyo.
The content of the seminar is now available for viewing at the link below. Please take a look.
2nd Nasdaq IPO Seminar: The Realities of Medirom’s Nasdaq IPO – YouTube
Many questions arise when considering a Nasdaq IPO: “I am interested in Nasdaq, but what is the actual process really like? What kind of team is necessary to achieve a Nasdaq IPO? How should we handle English communications with the SEC and investors?”
On December 29, 2020, Medirom Healthcare Technologies Inc. listed in the U.S. without first going public in Japan. This was the first time in 21 years since Internet Initiative Japan Inc. (IIJ) in 1999. Medirom is a healthcare services company that operates “Re.Ra.Ku” relaxation studios, primarily in the Kanto region.
In the seminar, we welcomed CEO Eguchi and CFO Fumitoshi Fujiwara from Medirom Healthcare Technologies Inc. In a conversational format, they answered attendees’ questions, sharing the story of their journey to the Nasdaq IPO, key points, and behind-the-scenes stories that could only be heard there. They also spoke about the importance of Investor Relations (IR), a challenge Medirom currently faces after achieving its IPO.
CEO Eguchi spoke about the reasons for deciding to list on Nasdaq, as well as the characteristics and attractions of Nasdaq, such as the ability to raise significant funds continuously, even post-listing. CFO Fumitoshi Fujiwara provided a detailed explanation from the unique perspective of a hands-on practitioner. He covered how they overcame practical challenges leading up to the listing—such as auditor selection, accounting standards convergence, and lead underwriter selection—and discussed the necessity of competing in the global capital market while considering business strategy, stock price formation, and global strategy.
Over 100 people participated, including those who watched online. We received questions from attendees in the venue who are actually considering a U.S. listing, and received feedback that they were able to learn about both the attractions and the difficulties of this path. We believe it was an extremely informative seminar for stakeholders at Japanese companies who are considering a U.S. listing as an option.
Our firm is eager to assist Japanese companies, especially highly ambitious venture companies, as they aim to list on Nasdaq.
For any questions or consultations regarding a Nasdaq IPO, please feel free to contact us using the inquiry form below.
