I’m Rohit Naidu Siriporam, Tech Lead at AKIYA2.0. I’ve been working here since 2023, and honestly, it’s been nothing like what I expected when I first graduated. Going from university straight into the world of Japanese real estate tech has taught me things I never would have learned at a traditional company, and I wanted to share some of those experiences.
Breaking away from the expected path
When most of my computer science classmates were targeting positions at big tech companies or the usual startup spaces like fintech, social media, and SaaS platforms, I took a different route. I joined AKIYA2.0, a company focused on exploring the potential of Japan’s akiya (abandoned traditional houses) and finding ways to bring them back to life.
Looking back, this decision to work in real estate tech, specifically in such a niche area, has fundamentally changed how I approach engineering and what I value in my work.
The reality check: Tech isn’t always about tech
One of the biggest shifts in my thinking came from realising that being a good engineer isn’t just about writing clean code or mastering frameworks. At AKIYA2.0, I quickly learned that understanding the domain is just as crucial as understanding the technology stack.
Getting to know Japanese real estate law, traditional construction methods, international property transactions, and cultural nuances around homeownership wasn’t just helpful. It became essential if I wanted to create meaningful change rather than just execute tasks I was given. When I took time to understand these details and then made a small adjustment to our website, I wasn’t just seeing a code change go live. I was witnessing how that tiny modification could shift a user’s entire perspective about purchasing an akiya, turning confusion into confidence or hesitation into action.
This context made me a better problem solver. Instead of building features based on assumptions, I started asking deeper questions: Why would someone from Australia want to restore a 100-year-old house in rural Japan? What are their biggest concerns about renovation costs? How does the process work for international buyers?
Also Read: Why Japanese startups are interested in the Southeast Asian market
Small team, big impact: Wearing multiple hats
In larger companies, engineers can often focus only on their specialty—frontend, backend, mobile, or DevOps. In a small company, that luxury doesn’t really exist.
One week I’m building user interfaces for property search platforms. The next, I’m creating data pipelines to process property listings. Sometimes I’m experimenting with how AI could support restoration projects, adding translation features, or building internal tools for our team to handle customer inquiries.
This breadth has made me more versatile as an engineer. I understand how different parts of a system interact because I’ve had to build many of them myself.
More importantly, I’ve learned to think in terms of business value rather than technical elegance. Every feature has to solve a real problem for users or for the team. There’s no room for over-engineering when resources are limited and when people are relying on your work to make important decisions.
Understanding users beyond demographics
Working in a specialised field taught me that user research goes much deeper than typical personas and user journeys. Our users aren’t just “millennials interested in real estate.” They’re people with complex motivations, cultural backgrounds, and very specific dreams about their relationship with Japan.
Some are digital nomads looking for a base in Asia. Others are second-generation Japanese-Americans reconnecting with their heritage by restoring family properties. Some are retirees seeking a new lifestyle in the countryside. And in some cases, people who have lost homes elsewhere are looking for a fresh start. Each group brings different levels of technical comfort, different priorities, and different definitions of success.
This diversity forced me to design systems that are flexible and accessible. I couldn’t assume everyone would be tech-savvy, or that everyone would interact with our platform the same way. Building for this varied user base made me a more empathetic developer and taught me to test assumptions early and often.
The startup reality vs big tech myths
Working at a small, mission-driven company has given me perspective on what I actually want from my career. There’s no free lunch, no ping pong tables, and no equity that might make me rich. But there’s also no bureaucracy slowing down good ideas, no projects that get cancelled after months of work, and no feeling that my contributions are just a drop in an ocean.
When I fix a bug or launch a feature, I can see its immediate impact. When someone successfully completes a purchase using our platform, or when a tool we built helps someone take the next step, I know my code played a part in that moment. That direct connection between effort and outcome has been incredibly motivating.
Constraints have also made me more resourceful. When you can’t just spin up another service or hire a specialist, you learn to find creative solutions. It’s pushed me to become a more thoughtful architect and a more efficient developer.
Also Read: Transition climate risk: Navigating the future of sustainable real estate
Learning from global perspectives
The way systems work varies drastically across countries, and usually companies need specialists who can guide developers through these complexities. I’ve been fortunate to work closely with two such people: Lester Goh and Terrie Lloyd, our COO and CEO.
Goh comes from Singapore and Lloyd from New Zealand and Australia, but both have lived in Japan long enough to understand its unique challenges. Their multicultural perspectives have been invaluable for my growth.
What stands out most is their professionalism and support. When you’re working hard and facing challenges, having leaders who genuinely back your growth makes all the difference. Their encouragement has kept me going through difficult problems and motivated me to keep learning.
Looking back, I can see how much I’ve grown since joining as an intern. My eagerness to learn and try new things seemed to align well with what a young company needed. As the company evolved, I had the chance to take on more responsibility and grow alongside it. It showed me that with the right support and motivation, growth can happen much faster than you expect.
What I’d tell my past self
If I could go back to when I was deciding where to start my career, I’d tell myself this: don’t underestimate the value of working somewhere your contributions matter, where you can learn the business deeply, and where you’re solving problems that feel meaningful.
Technical skills can be picked up anywhere. What’s harder to find is work that challenges you in multiple dimensions: technically, intellectually, and personally. Working outside traditional tech has given me a unique perspective on what technology can accomplish when it’s applied thoughtfully to real human needs, whether that’s helping someone navigate vacant house renovation in Japan or connecting families with their heritage through property restoration.
Looking forward
I’m not suggesting that everyone avoid big tech or traditional startups. There’s tremendous value in those experiences too. But sometimes the most interesting problems and the most rewarding growth come from industries you might not have considered.
When people ask me for career advice now, I don’t just talk about salary or prestige. I ask what problems they find genuinely interesting, what kind of impact they want to have, and what kind of person they want to become through their work.
For me, choosing a less obvious path has shown that great engineering isn’t just about great code. It’s about creating solutions to real problems. Sometimes the path that looks different from everyone else’s is the one that helps you discover the most about yourself and your capabilities.
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