Ava Labs is ramping up its efforts to expand into the Asia Pacific region through the recruitment of new staff in Japan and Korea, according to an official announcement. 

The company has hired Justin Kim as the Head of Korea and Roi Hirata as the Head of Japan, with both focusing on increasing the adoption of the Avalanche public blockchain, AVAX, in their respective regions. The primary focus of these new hires will be on developing businesses and communities. 

"This flurry of recent APAC partnerships dovetails with the Avalanche brand’s explosive growth in the region. " the firm said in statement, "Avalanche brand recognition in APAC countries grew by 44% in Q4 2022 versus Q3 2022, with exceptionally strong growth in Japan (93%) and South Korea (139%)."

“We’re thrilled to have Justin and Roi join the Ava Labs team and couldn’t be more excited for the positive impact they will have,” said John Nahas, VP of Business Development at Ava Labs. “With their extensive experience and the support of Ava Labs and the Avalanche community behind them, they are positioned to establish Avalanche as the premier blockchain platform for both individuals and enterprises in South Korea and Japan, which are priority markets for Avalanche. Hiring for these two markets illustrates their importance to our ecosystem.”