Sydney 33.8688°S · 151.2093°E Tokyo 35.6762°N · 139.6503°E
SYD -:- TYO -:-
Ecosystem Builder · AUS × JPN

Building a
global mindset
in founders.

I’m Matt · an ecosystem and community builder, startup mentor and speaker with 20+ years across product, marketing, sales, and communication. I work alongside early-stage founders to ship the right things, in the right markets, with the right people.

Matt Ainsworth portrait
M.A. · Sydney ⇄ Sydney · Tokyo
Worked with
Timee DeNA ANRI CyberAgent Capital Innovators Campus Plus Eight Core Innovation Hub Startup Weekend Timee DeNA ANRI CyberAgent Capital Innovators Campus Plus Eight Core Innovation Hub Startup Weekend
§ 01The offer

Ready to build global from day one?

Most founders retrofit global later and pay twice. I help you build with it baked in from the start · across idea, market, story, and entry strategy.

I bring hands-on experience across product, marketing, sales, communication, and market entry · with a specific focus on the AU ↔ JP corridor for founders building with global ambition from the start.

1:1 Founder Program

The Global Founder Sprint.

A structured 4-week 1:1 program for founders who want to build global from day one · not retrofit it later. We work through idea validation, market entry strategy, MVP scope, and the pitch narrative you need for AU and JP audiences.

“By the end you’ll know whether your idea is worth pursuing, what to build first, and how to talk about it to AU and JP audiences.”

Idea validation AU × JP market entry MVP scope Pitch narrative Frameworks + worksheets Warm intros
Investment
$1,497
USD · 4 weeks · limited spots
Apply now
What we cover
01
Idea Audit
Map your assumptions, identify the riskiest bets, and define what “validated” actually looks like for your idea.
02
Market Validation + AU × JP Entry
Customer interview framework, competitor landscape, and a clear read on which market to enter first and how.
03
Prototype & MVP Scope
Define what to build first. Wireframe-level clarity on the smallest thing that proves the concept.
04
Business Plan & Pitch Narrative
A one-page business model and a pitch narrative ready for AU and JP audiences · investor or customer depending on what you need next.
“By the end you’ll know whether your idea is worth pursuing, what to build first, and how to talk about it to AU and JP audiences.”
What you get
  • 4 × up to 90 min 1:1 sessions over 4 weeks
  • Assumption mapping & validation framework
  • Customer interview guide and scripts
  • MVP scope brief and prototype direction
  • One-page business model canvas
  • Pitch narrative draft
  • Frameworks, worksheets & reference materials
  • Action logs after every session
  • Async support between sessions
  • Warm intros where relevant
This is for you if
  • You have an idea but don’t know where to start
  • You’re building while still employed
  • You want AU or JP market access built in from day one
  • You want structure and accountability, not just advice

Ready to build global from day one?

Apply for a spot

or get in touch about a custom program

§ 02Free tool

Is your idea ready to go global?

Five questions. An instant read on your idea's viability across AU, JP, APAC, US, and Europe. Takes 2 minutes.

Global Readiness Assessment

Is your idea ready to go global?

Five questions. An instant read on your idea's viability across AU, JP, APAC, US, and Europe. Takes 2 minutes.

0 / 5
Question 01 / 05
What best describes your idea?
Pick the category that fits closest.
Question 02 / 05
Does the problem exist the same way in other countries?
Think about whether culture, regulation, or behaviour changes it significantly.
Question 03 / 05
Which markets are you most interested in?
Select all that apply. Be honest · more isn't always better at this stage.
🇦🇺
Australia
Home base or first market
🇯🇵
Japan
High-trust, relationship-driven
🇸🇬
Singapore / SE Asia
English-friendly APAC gateway
🇺🇸
United States
Large market, highly competitive
🇪🇺
Europe
Regulatory complexity, strong B2B
🇰🇷
Korea / Greater China
Fast-moving, tech-forward
Question 04 / 05
What's your current connection to your target markets?
Existing relationships compound. Starting cold takes longer than most founders expect.
Question 05 / 05
Where are you right now with the idea?
Be honest · this shapes which part of the program is most useful for you.
Your Global Readiness Report
Readiness dimensions
Problem universality
-
Founder readiness
-
Traction signal
-
Idea type
-
Matt's read
Ready to act on this?
The Global Founder Sprint turns this into a real plan · validated idea, market entry strategy, and pitch narrative across AU and JP audiences.
Apply for a Sprint spot
USD $1,497 · 4 weeks · limited spots
§ 06Who I am

Building global from day one.

Sydney to Tokyo to Perth and back. Twenty years at the intersection of startups, community, and commercial growth across both markets.

I'm Matt. Born in Sydney, eight years in Tokyo, a stretch in Perth · back on the East Coast since early 2025. I've spent my career helping founders build things that travel across borders, not just markets.

I lead Innovators Campus, a startup education and storytelling platform bridging Australia and Japan, and host the 13,000+ member AU × JP Startups community. I'm also building a global accelerator program connecting founders across both markets. I've mentored 150+ founders across Sydney, Perth, and Tokyo, and worked alongside VCs including Timee, DeNA, ANRI, and CyberAgent Capital.

0+
Years in startups
0+
Founders mentored
0+
Community members
2
Continents, one operator
§ 03Words

From founders I've worked with.

I came to Matt @ Innovators Campus as a founder with ideas but not yet the confidence to articulate them clearly. What I found was a room full of people who genuinely wanted each other to succeed · and an environment that made it safe to be a work in progress. The feedback I received on my pitch was specific, honest, and immediately actionable. I left with a sharper message and a clearer sense of what I’m actually building.

N
Newton
Founder, Tokyo, Japan

Matt is truly intelligent, well-traveled, and highly experienced in both Japan and Australia. With his business background, cultural understanding, and tech-savviness, he mentored me to establish my business in Japan and expand to Australia in less than a year.

A
Ali
Founder, Perth, Australia

Matt is a great and responsible person to work with. I tried different coaches before but he is the best · I got a lot of insight every session. If you work with him, I promise you will develop some great outcomes.

R
Ryounosuke
Founder, Tokyo, Japan
§ 04Ventures

What I'm building.

Three platforms I lead and host · all built around the same thesis of building global from day one.

§ 05Speaking

Available to speak.

Practical, founder-first talks drawn from two decades building, mentoring, and operating across Australia and Japan. Open to keynotes, workshops, panels, and fireside chats.

Topics
Going global from day one Cross-border founder storytelling AU × JP market strategy Pitching and investor narrative Building communities that compound Founder resilience and operator mindset
Formats
Keynote Workshop Panel Fireside
Fee

Open to discuss based on event type, audience, and format.

Get in touch
Get in touch

Let’s have a conversation.

Whether you’re interested in working together, booking me to speak, or just want to connect · drop me a note.

[fluentform id="1"]

Tweaks Live

Phosphor
Amber
Coral
Azure
Bone
Geist
Newsreader
Dark
Light