The challenge: entering Japan’s market amid complex barriers
With their flagship laparoscopic instrument ArtiSential™, LivsMed had already secured regulatory approvals across major global markets, including the U.S. FDA, EU CE MDR, and Japan’s PMDA. LivsMed was operating in 72 countries and wanted to build on this momentum. Japan stood out as a strategic next step. The country offered a large market opportunity fueled by an aging population, advanced healthcare infrastructure, and a strong appetite for innovative medical technologies.
Despite the opportunity, entering Japan came with legal and operational complexities. Strict labor laws, high compliance standards, and the cost and time involved in setting up a local entity were major roadblocks. To maintain their pace and capitalize on early interest, LivsMed began searching for a faster, lower-risk path into Japan.
The solution: a trusted recommendation from Unico Search
LivsMed’s head of talent acquisition had previously worked at Unico Search, Korea’s first executive search firm and a long-time G-P partner. A proven track record as a trusted employer of record (EOR) made G-P the perfect partner to help LivsMed navigate Japan’s complex regulatory environment.
With a combination of AI-powered EOR solutions and guidance from our global HR agent, G-P Gia™, LivsMed was able to build a pre-sales team in Japan quickly and compliantly. While LivsMed focused on go-to-market execution, G-P handled local employment logistics, including compliance with Japan’s labor laws, payroll, and tax regulations. Free from administrative burden and legal complexity, LivsMed’s internal teams could focus on core business objectives, while allowing entity setup to progress in parallel.
The impact: fast market entry with peace of mind from Gia
With G-P EOR, LivsMed entered Japan much faster and at a significantly lower cost than traditional expansion models would have allowed. The company was able to validate local demand, gain early traction, and avoid regulatory pitfalls, shaving months off their launch timeline.
The peace of mind that came with G-P handling Japan’s intricate labor laws, payroll, and tax regulations was invaluable. It freed us from a huge administrative burden and let us focus purely on our business goals. G-P allowed us to deploy a pre-sales team in Japan in weeks, not months. That speed was critical for successfully bringing our medical devices to the Japan market.”
Esther Kang
HR Business Partner & Talent Acquisition Part Lead at LivsMed
Beyond the speed and compliance benefits of EOR partnership, LivsMed uses Gia to navigate complex HR challenges every day.
Gia is an incredibly innovative AI solution that every HR professional should consider using, especially those working for global companies. It's a transformative tool that saves HR managers valuable time and resources. Staying on top of ever-changing labor laws in different countries is a monumental task that often requires a lot of time and effort. Gia provides fast and accurate answers, eliminating the need to constantly check and double-check information. For HR managers at multinational companies, Gia can be a people partner.”
Esther Kang
HR Business Partner & Talent Acquisition Part Lead at LivsMed
What’s next: scaling globally with confidence
After successfully testing the market with G-P EOR and achieving early revenue traction, LivsMed has now established LivsMed Japan. The dual-track approach allowed them to move quickly while building long-term infrastructure. The partnership with G-P gave LivsMed a proven model for future international expansion.
Looking ahead, LivsMed plans to continue combining G-P global hiring expertise with real-time HR guidance from Gia to stay compliant and expand into new markets. For high-growth innovators like LivsMed, G-P offers a proven path to scale globally with confidence and efficiency.
