Startup City: Specials Magazine

Edge-based AIoT technology is shaping the future of connected environments by enabling local data processing, streamlining decision-making and enhancing user control. MySmaX is at the forefront of this transformation with its service-centric AIoT platform, JOI, and a JOI-installed edge device, called JOI Hub. The solution securely manages communications and interactions between various devices, transforming complex device-specific management into service-centric automation. “Building the JOI AIoT platform around edge computing has enabled us to create a truly secure, reliable and user-centered smart platform,” says Soonhoi Ha, CEO. MySmaX primarily caters to smart commercial and industrial spaces, high-trust environments and homeowners. Factories, farms, warehouses and offices experience scalable automation that streamlines operations, optimizes resource use and reduces downtime. In high-trust environments where critical infrastructure is held to stringent data privacy and reliability requirements, JOI ensures that sensitive information remains local and devices operate securely. It equips residential properties with intuitive automation across lighting, climate, security and robotic services, without technical complexity. JOI stands apart by delivering absolute convenience, built-in security and future-ready flexibility, all within one intelligent platform. Users simply need to describe what they need, and it seamlessly coordinates devices without the hassle of multiple apps or compatibility issues. Operating at the edge, it ensures privacy and resilience even if one device is compromised. When clients scale, it adapts dynamically and integrates any device or service into the network. These capabilities make it not just smart but intuitively designed for real-world impact. Its technology reduces the risk of interception during data transmission. Devices communicate exclusively through the secure middleware, which authenticates commands and blocks unauthorized access, giving users complete control over their environment. They can define automation scenarios, select compatible devices and decide what data leaves their premises. Privacy and control are pre-integrated. JOI routes all device communications through a local server, enabling real-time behavioral monitoring. Using AI-driven anomaly detection, it analyzes device activity against established behavioral baselines. Any suspicious activity, like conflicting signals or abnormal patterns, is instantly identified, isolated and reported to the user, preventing lateral spread and preserving system integrity. .

International trade has always been a grand stage where nations exchange goods, ideas, culture, and opportunity. However, behind this spectacle lies a complicated backstage. Exporters chase customs officers with stacks of forms. Importers watch anxiously as documents crawl through email threads. Banks, insurers, and logistics companies juggle phone calls and spreadsheets, often struggling to sync. The system functions with difficulty, consuming significant time and resources. That’s where TradeWaltz has emerged as a model for how public–private partnerships (PPPs) can transform global trade. Established in 2020 through a joint initiative of 18 of Japan’s leading corporations, including NTT Data Corporation, Toyota Tsusho Corporation, Mitsubishi Corporation, Sumitomo Corporation, and MUFG Bank, Ltd., the company represents PPP backed by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). “Our goal is to build Japan’s national digital infrastructure for trade and extend that framework across borders through secure, standardized data exchange,” says Takahiro Sato, president and CEO. Building Japan’s Trade DX Infrastructure To achieve this, TradeWaltz provides a blockchain-powered SaaS platform that connects and allows all participants to share information with required parties instantly on a single, trusted network. This eliminates the dependence on emails, faxes, and redundant document entries, allowing data to flow instantly and securely between stakeholders. TradeWaltz’s approach: Standardization → Digitization → Visualization → Streamlining → Efficiency has already set the de facto standard for trade digitalization in Japan. Working with FUJIFILM Logistics and Hankyu Hanshin Express, TradeWaltz reduced process time by 47 percent through automation. Similarly, for Japanese exporters trading with Indonesia, the platform enables direct digital submission of shipping documents and customs data into Indonesia’s system, replacing paper-based processes with real-time, cross-border data flow..