EduTechSmart Takes the Next Step Internationally – With Japan in Sight
When North Sweden Cleantech brought together a business delegation to Expo 2025 Osaka, innovative companies from northern Sweden were given the opportunity to engage with a global market. For Umeå-based EduTechSmart, the trip marked the starting point of an accelerated international expansion – with Japan as the next step.
“No, not a chance we would have found the accelerator without joining the delegation,” says Matti Larsson, Operations Manager at EduTechSmart.
Matti Larsson, Operations Manager at EduTechSmart.
A New Generation of Healthcare Training
EduTechSmart develops digital training solutions for care providers in a format that goes beyond traditional e-learning. By combining AI, storytelling and game-based technology, the company creates interactive training built on real-life scenarios.
Users are placed in situations they may encounter in their daily work, ranging from patient safety to hygiene routines, and are guided through continuous choices and knowledge checks. The aim is to create engagement and learning that truly sticks.
“The training should feel like having your own teacher,” says Matti.
A key part of the offering is that all content is quality assured by experts and aligned with current regulations – which is critical for care providers.
A Fast Track Into the Japanese Market
During the delegation, EduTechSmart participated in a pitch competition that resulted in a place in an international accelerator programme. Since November, the company has been one of 23 selected companies globally.
Through the accelerator, EduTechSmart has received support in identifying the right partners, adapting its materials and establishing dialogue with several Japanese stakeholders.
“This has exceeded our expectations. We’ve been able to connect with the right types of companies and received valuable feedback, particularly on language and localisation. Thanks to that, we’ve been able to update our courses so they are well suited for the Japanese market,” says Matti.
The process has led to ongoing discussions with potential resellers and companies providing IT systems to care providers.
“The most important thing is to have a local partner who can manage customer relationships and help us validate our products for the market,” says Matti.
Technology Addressing a Growing Need
EduTechSmart’s solution addresses a clear global need. As populations age – particularly in Japan – the demand for trained care professionals continues to grow.
One of the key strengths of the solution is that it works even in environments with limited connectivity.
“Our product shouldn’t consume all of the customer’s bandwidth,” says Matti.
At the same time, the digital format enables organisations to train large numbers of employees in a cost-effective and scalable way.
Next Steps: Partnerships and Market Entry
EduTechSmart is currently negotiating with a potential reseller in Japan and is also in dialogue with companies supplying IT systems to care providers. In parallel, international collaborations are underway, where training is used to prepare healthcare workers before entering the Japanese workforce.
The strategy moving forward is to build strong partnerships while maintaining flexibility to work with multiple actors.
“You have to put in the work,” says Matti.
With the support of the delegation and the connections established, EduTechSmart has now taken a concrete step towards international expansion – with Japan as the next natural market.
Click here to read more about the delegation trip to Japan!
Click here to read more about EduTechSmart!
Image caption: An example from a course module on patient transfer.