Discover how Bitgrit leveraged three Alchemist programs to refine its strategy, accelerate US market entry, and scale its AI-powered enterprise solutions.
Written by the Alchemist Team
Saksham Kukreja, co-founder of Bitgrit (founded in 2017), along with his co-founders, has successfully navigated the company through the intersection of AI, enterprise solutions, and global expansion. With a foundation in Japan and Abu Dhabi, Bitgrit has grown into a platform that leverages crowdsourced AI development for enterprise clients. Having participated in three Alchemist programs—JETRO Commercial Traction Program, Alchemist Japan, and now the Alchemist US program (Class 39)—Bitgrit has immersed itself in Alchemist’s ecosystem, uniquely positioning the company to enter the US market with success.
The Power of Community and Technology
Bitgrit's community of 37,000 developers spans 62 countries, representing a remarkable achievement in collaborative AI development. What sets them apart? Their patented technologies enable secure AI model training on private data, a critical advantage for organizations in sensitive sectors such as finance and healthcare.
The platform operates with precision: rigorous data labeling, accurate annotations, and a distributed computing system that puts serious processing power in developers' hands. The platform's architecture ensures data integrity while maintaining the high performance needed for complex AI operations.
Their well-designed AI competitions have created an environment where developers can push innovation boundaries while businesses tap into a global talent pool. These competitions accomplish multiple goals: identifying talented developers, creating real-world solutions for business challenges, and advancing AI development through practical application.
To date, Bitgrit has worked multiple times with NASA, NIH, NCATS, NAS, NLM, and similar US federal agencies to facilitate AI competitions, resulting in industry-changing solutions, including the 'Biomedical Research Translator' by NASA and NIH, which has saved the lives of people with rare medical conditions. (More)
“Bitgrit has been one of the most exciting companies coming out of our recently launched Japan hub,” says Laurent Rains, Director of Global Access, AlchemistX. “This international team has gained clients such as NASA, which use their community to gain insights from large datasets. Gritbox, the underlying technology, allows customers to make their datasets available to AI/ML developers while maintaining privacy and security.”
The Bitgrit platform excels at balancing security with accessibility. Developers can work on challenging problems using enterprise-grade tools while organizations maintain control over their sensitive data. This approach has proven particularly valuable in regulated industries where data privacy concerns often limit innovation potential.
Exploring Global Connections
The Bitgrit team spans the globe, combining expertise from Japan, Estonia, and India to deliver data science solutions with an international perspective. The company's evolution from a consulting firm to a product-based enterprise has maintained profitability while expanding across Japan, the Middle East, and the United States. Their multinational approach allows them to tap into diverse talent pools and understand varied market needs across regions.
Strategic partnerships with accelerators such as Alchemist have expanded Bitgrit's reach significantly. The company leverages these relationships to access new markets and enhance its technical capabilities through knowledge exchange. Their collaboration model focuses on creating mutual value while maintaining independence in their core operations.
The company excels at community building through targeted hackathons and university partnerships that have created lasting connections with academic institutions and industry partners. These relationships serve multiple purposes: they provide access to emerging talent, create opportunities for practical research applications, and help bridge the gap between academic theory and industry practice. The resulting ecosystem has become self-sustaining, with academic partners contributing fresh perspectives and research insights while industry collaborators provide real-world validation and implementation opportunities. This approach has proven particularly effective in markets where traditional expansion methods might face cultural or structural barriers.
The Alchemist Experience for Growth and Innovation
Image: Alchemist Japan Demo Day 2024
1. The Power of Three Alchemist Programs
Bitgrit’s participation in three Alchemist programs has carved a path for a multi-phase approach to global expansion.
Through intensive customer discovery and narrative development, they’ve refined their enterprise-focused strategy into something compelling and actionable. The process required deep introspection about their core offerings and a willingness to adapt their business model based on market feedback.
2. Building a Strong Foundation in Japan
The first two Alchemist programs Bitgrit participated in were the JETRO GSAP Commercial Traction program and Alchemist Japan, which provided a structured way to develop their enterprise focus within the Japanese market.
"The first time I saw that Alchemist had a Japan hub, it was really fascinating because that fit in the criteria that we were looking for in an accelerator perfectly—start off in Japan, build on what you have there, and then expand into the US market." Saksham also highlights the advantages of in-person programming: "One of the most interesting aspects of the Alchemist Japan program was that it was in-person. All of the companies were operating out of one office in the heart of Tokyo, and that allows you to make those personal connections. You’re there with people who are passionate about the same things, in the same room… and pushing each other forward."
Joining the Alchemist Japan cohort allowed Bitgrit to test its value proposition, establish corporate partnerships, and refine its product offerings before moving to a more competitive US market.
“Bitgrit provides a platform to drive next-generation transformation, and I’m thrilled that we can be a part of their journey!” exclaims Ryoko Manabe, Managing Director, Alchemist Japan. “Bitgrit excels in connecting AI talent, fostering innovation through its community, and making AI accessible to both enterprises and AI engineers. Their service offering might sound simple, but the team has already built a high-quality community around its services—one that is difficult to replicate. The credibility and excellence are evident, with customers such as NASA and JAXA leveraging the platform.”
3. Transitioning to the US with Alchemist
Having gained traction in Japan, Bitgrit’s entry into the Alchemist US cohort (Class 39) serves as the final stage of their global roadmap. The program will equip them with:
- A structured approach to customer discovery in the US and refining their enterprise sales model.
- Access to US investors and partners who could validate their business for the American market.
- A network of other high-growth startups, many of whom provide valuable insights into scaling internationally.
"Alchemist serves as a credibility source that we can build upon to establish trust with US customers,” says Saksham. “It offers us the right tools to tailor our messaging and sharpen our commercial strategy for this market."
Lessons from Alchemist: Refining Market Entry
1. Narrative and Pitch Transformation
One of the most impactful takeaways from Alchemist was the transformation of Bitgrit’s storytelling, positioning, and pitch deck. "We used to have 300 words on a slide in our pitch deck,” Saksham laughs. “Now, some slides have just four words. That transition made a huge difference in how we communicate our value proposition and tell our story."
Participating in Demo Days at Salesforce Tower helped reinforce this shift, preparing Bitgrit to present compelling pitches to investors and enterprise clients. "When I saw the other startups pitching at Demo Day, I realized just how strong our cohort was,” Saksham recalls. “Alchemist doesn’t just teach you how to pitch—it puts you in a room with top-tier founders who push you to be better."
2. Speeding Up Sales Cycles
There are key differences in navigating sales cycles in Japan and the US, and Alchemist helped Bitgrit form a strategy around these differences. Closing a customer in Japan can take six to eight months, whereas in the US, the cycle can be as short as two weeks.
By refining its US sales strategy and conducting extensive customer discovery, Bitgrit is adopting a faster, more agile approach to customer acquisition.
3. Market Validation Through Revenue Goals
Bitgrit is using Alchemist’s methodologies to validate its traction in the US market. "If we can generate $100k-$200k in US revenue over the next four to five months,” Saksham explains, “That would provide a solid foundation for long-term expansion." This revenue milestone will help solidify their presence and attract further investment opportunities.
Bitgrit's Vision for the Future
Bitgrit is expanding into the United States. With several US partnerships already in hand, the company maintains its commitment to advancing AI development as it addresses new challenges and pursues emerging opportunities. Bitgrit focuses on developing AI solutions that work across borders while respecting local characteristics, with plans to open regional offices, build business partnerships, and participate in major US industry events.
“Kazuya Saginawa's (CEO, Bitgrit) passion and industry knowledge is unparalleled, and JETRO has deep respect for the way Bitgrit democratizes AI while protecting the rights of engineers. During their US expansion through the JETRO x Alchemist program, we've assisted them with integration into the San Francisco tech community,” explains Satsuki Ibaraki, Startup Acceleration Program Team, JETRO. “Having seen their growth from Japan to UAE and now the US, we're very excited about their future in the US market and look forward to continuing our partnership.”
Bitgrit attracts talent through focused outreach programs and hackathons while adapting its platform to meet US regulations and privacy standards. This strategy demonstrates how international growth can blend smoothly with local understanding, supporting AI innovation across geographical boundaries.
Saksham says, "Our goal is to reposition Bitgrit as a global company that serves Japan, the Middle East, and the US in a seamless way. Alchemist has been instrumental in helping us navigate this transition."
For more information or to connect with the Bitgrit team check out these resources:
Website
Alchemist Japan Demo Day Pitch
Bitgrit Vault Profile
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