Takehiro Ueda

Author

Born in 1979 in Hyogo Prefecture. After graduating from the Faculty of Law at Waseda University, he participated in the launch of a corporate solutions company and continued writing while serving as an executive. In 2013, he made his debut by winning the 45th Shincho Newcomer Award for "Taiyo" (The Sun). In 2015, he won the 28th Yukio Mishima Prize for "My Lover." In 2016, he was selected as one of GRANTA magazine's Best of Young Japanese Novelists. In 2018, he received the 68th Minister of Education's Newcomer Award for Fine Arts for Towers and Gravity. In 2019, he won the 160th Akutagawa Prize for "Nimrod." In 2022, he received the 46th Kawabata Yasunari Literary Award for "Without Travel." In 2024, he won the 30th Shimase Award for Love Stories for Beloved. His works include The Sun and Planets, My Lover, Friends from a Foreign Land, Towers and Gravity, Nimrod, Cue, Without Travel, Lack of Gravity, Beloved, K+ICO, and The Story of the Multi-Headed Beast.

Takaaki Umada

Director of FoundX, The University of Tokyo

Takaaki Umada is a director at FoundX, the official startup accelerator program at the prestigious University of Tokyo. With over a decade of experience supporting software developers and startup founders, Umada brings deep expertise in startup support, including navigating public affairs and regulatory matters.Prior to his current role, Umada held positions at Microsoft Japan as a product manager and evangelist. In 2016, he transitioned to the University of Tokyo, where he founded and led Hongo Tech Garage before launching FoundX in 2019. He is the author of "Paradoxical Startup Thinking," "Successful Entrepreneurs Choose Where to Stay," "Implementing the Future,” “Raising Your Resolution.”

Lisa Mandemaker

Speculative Designer

Lisa Mandemaker is a speculative designer with a strategic, contextually aware and critical approach to research and design. She considers speculative design as a tool for debate in the public domain. In collaboration with scientists, ethicists and researchers she crafts future narratives through designed prototypes, creating invitations to reflect on possible futures. Making impactful, topical work and creating strong interventions and conversation starters are key elements to her practice. The focus is on the socio-cultural and ethical impact of emerging technologies in the fields of reproduction, health and politics. Through the lens of Reproductive Futures, her projects are a call to action and a pursuit of understanding and shaping the impact of technology on our most fundamental aspects of life. Known for her contribution to the design of the prototype of an artificial womb, she received a spot on the annual BBC 100 Women List, listing the 100 most inspiring women of the world.

Koichiro Nakamura

Sozo Ventures Co-Founder/Managing Director

While still a university student, he was involved in the founding of Yahoo! Japan alongside Taizo Son. He later worked at Mitsubishi Corporation, engaging in telecommunications and investment businesses, and was responsible for incubation fund projects.In 2009, he graduated at the top of his class from the Kauffman Fellows Program (KFP), a U.S. venture capitalist next-generation leadership program, receiving the Jeff Timmons Award. In the same year, he co-founded Sozo Ventures with Phil Wickham, who had served as the head of KFP for nearly a decade.Sozo Ventures has become one of the leading U.S. venture capital firms known for its investments in companies like Twitter, Palantir, Square, ZOOM, and Coinbase during their international expansion phases.He was the first Japanese person to be ranked in the 2021 Midas List 100, a global ranking of venture capitalists (72nd), and improved his ranking consecutively in 2022 (63rd), 2023 (55th), and 2024 (45th).He serves as an advisor (Council Member) to the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Chicago and is a member of the Management Council at Tokyo Institute of Technology. He holds a law degree from Waseda University and an MBA from the University of Chicago.His publications include The Theory of Startup Investment: What American Venture Capitalists Are Looking For (Diamond, Inc.).

Keiichiro Hirano

Author

Born in 1975 in Gamagori City, Aichi Prefecture, and raised in Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture. Graduated from the Faculty of Law at Kyoto University. While still a student, he won the 120th Akutagawa Prize in 1999 for his novel Nisshoku (Eclipse), submitted to the literary magazine Shincho. Since then, he has published numerous works in a variety of styles that change with each piece and have been translated and introduced in various countries.His major works include novels such as Funeral, Takase River, Collapse, Dawn, Fill in the Blanks, Transparent Labyrinth, At the End of the Matinee, A Man, and True Intentions. His essays include How to Read Books: The Practice of Slow Reading, How to Read Novels, What Am I? From "Individual" to "Dividual", Thinking Reed, What Does It Mean to Be "Cool"?, On the Death Penalty, and On Yukio Mishima. In 2024, he published his latest work, Mount Fuji, marking his first short story collection in ten years.

Dr Adriana Marais

Proudly Human Founder

アドリアーナ・マレは2019年、SAPアフリカのイノベーション部長を辞職し、Proudly Humanを設立。現在、地球やその先での極限環境に備える「Off-World Project」を主導。現在、南アフリカのステレンボッシュ大学および国立理論・計算科学研究所の研究者であり、シンギュラリティ大学の教員としても携わっている。また、アフリカの初の月探査ミッション「Africa2Moonプロジェクト」を準備するFoundation for Space Development Africaの理事を務め、ジュネーブ科学外交予測機構の宇宙資源に関する科学アドバイザー、そして航空宇宙および宇宙科学に関連する研究機関、Tod'Aérsの宇宙科学部門の議長として幅広く活動中。

Marcus Brauchli

Blue Ocean Chairman

マーカス・ブラウクリは、2008年9月から2012年12月までワシントン・ポスト紙のエグゼクティブ・エディターを務め、ウォール・ストリート・ジャーナル紙のトップ・エディターとして24年間、アジア、ヨーロッパ、米国の特派員兼編集者として活躍。その後、2013年に成長市場のデジタルメディアへの投資を専門とするNorth Base Mediaを共同創業し、ベトナム、台湾、アラブ首長国連邦、インドネシア、フィリピンを拠点とする各メディアへの投資実績をもつ。

Kristina Yasuda

SPRIN-D

Graduated at the top of the class from the School of Political Science and Law at Sciences Po, Paris. In 2016, became the Director of the U.S. NGO InternetBar.org, where a new digital identity project was established to develop identification infrastructure in developing countries.Joined Microsoft in 2019 and worked on the international standardization of identification protocols, including decentralized ID. In the same year, was selected for Forbes Japan's 30 Under 30. In 2020, was also chosen for MIT Technology Review's Innovators Under 35 Japan.Since March this year, has been working as an Identity System Architect at Germany's Federal Office for Digital Innovation. The aim is to provide identification means to everyone by building infrastructure for decentralized ID services.

Emori Seita

Professor, Institute for Future Initiatives, The University of Tokyo

Born in 1970 in Kanagawa Prefecture. After obtaining a Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Cultural Studies from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at the University of Tokyo in 1997, he worked at the National Institute for Environmental Studies. He served as Head of the Climate Risk Assessment Research Section and Deputy Director of the Earth System Division before assuming his current position in 2022. He also supervises students at the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, University of Tokyo. His expertise is in climate science. He was a lead author for both the Fifth and Sixth Assessment Reports of the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change). His publications include Extreme Weather and Human Choices and Is the Prediction of Global Warming 'Correct'?, co-authored works such as How 'Scary' is Global Warming?, and supervised works like Recently, It's Been Too Hot on Earth.

Rina Sakai

CEO, FERMENSTATION Co., Ltd.

After graduating from International Christian University (ICU), she worked at several financial institutions, including Fuji Bank and Deutsche Securities. She developed an interest in fermentation technology and enrolled in the Department of Brewing Science at Tokyo University of Agriculture's Faculty of Applied Biosciences, graduating in March 2009. In the same year, she founded Ferment Station Co., Ltd. and became its CEO, a position she holds to this day.

Mari Ogiso

SDG Impact Japan Co., Ltd. Representative Director and Co-CEO

Engaged extensively in businesses aimed at achieving the SDGs, particularly SDG finance, including impact investment, support for social entrepreneurs, and the promotion of inclusive business. In 2017, established Asia's first gender investment fund, the Asia Women Impact Fund. Has held positions such as Head of Capital Markets at the World Bank, Tokyo Representative for the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) of the World Bank Group, Representative of Dalberg Japan, Diversity Director and Secretary-General of the Human Rights Committee at Fast Retailing Group. Serves as a W20 Japan Delegate, an expert committee member for JICA's Overseas Investment and Loan Committee, and an advisor for WE Empower. Graduated from the University of Tokyo with a degree in Economics and holds a master's degree from the Fletcher School at Tufts

Takaya Matsuda

Co-CEO,HERALBONY Co., Ltd.

After working as a planner at Orange and Partners, a planning company led by Kundo Koyama, he became independent. He founded HERALBONY with his twin brother Fumito Matsuda, using the mysterious word "HERALBONY," which his older brother Shota, four years his senior, had written during elementary school, as the company name. With the mission "Let Your Uniqueness Shine," they aim to innovate in the welfare field through their welfare experiment company. He oversees the creative aspects of HERALBONY. Resides in Tokyo. He is the younger twin brother. He was selected as one of Forbes JAPAN's "30 UNDER 30" for individuals under 30 who are changing the world. Author of Let Your Uniqueness Shine: How HERALBONY is Changing the World with Welfare and Art.

Antti Sonninen

Takeoff Tokyo Co-founder、CEO

A Finnish entrepreneur and CEO of Takeoff Tokyo. He spent his childhood in Finland and California and graduated from Aalto University with a major in Industrial Engineering. He later expanded the popular game Angry Birds into Japan and became the CEO of its Japan office. He is also known for his experience as COO of Beatrobo and as the founding CEO of Slush Tokyo, Japan's largest startup event. Passionate about fostering global entrepreneurship, he founded Takeoff Tokyo in 2023. The international pitch event Takeoff Tokyo supports startups with a global focus.

Ayuko Nakamura,

President & CEO, eiicon Co., Ltd.

In 2015, founded and launched the service "eiicon" as a new business within the Persol Group. In April 2023, executed an MBO to establish eiicon Co., Ltd. independently. Operates "AUBA," Japan's largest open innovation platform with over 30,000 registered companies. In December 2023, co-founded XSprout Inc. as a joint venture with the Spiral Group and became a director. Author of The Rules for Successful Open Innovation (Cross Media Publishing, 2019).

Marcus Brauchli

Blue Ocean Chairman

Marcus Brauchli served as the Executive Editor of The Washington Post from September 2008 to December 2012 and worked for 24 years as the top editor at The Wall Street Journal, where he was a correspondent and editor in Asia, Europe, and the United States.

NIKO WOISCHNIK

Tech Open Air CEO

Dedicated to developing Berlin's technology and startup ecosystem and connecting it with the world. Niko founded TechBerlin, the city's first English-language blog on technology and startups, as a side project while working in venture capital, sparking his interest in serving the tech ecosystem and enhancing entrepreneurship. He later founded Ahoy! Berlin, which was recently acquired by Knotel. Additionally, he founded Tech Open Air (TOA), a technology festival, and Openers, a communications agency for technology companies.

Motoko Imada

CEO and Co-Founder of

After working in editing, publishing, and overseas copyright negotiations for books and magazines in the publishing industry, Motoko helped launch the Japanese edition of WIRED in 1994 and served as its business manager. She then established her own business and founded the online media company Mediagene Inc. (formerly INFOBAHN Group Inc.) in 1998 and founded the digital agency INFOBAHN Inc. in 2015 through an incorporation-type company split. She has been a facilitator at the Keizai Doyukai's (Japan Association of Corporate Executives) social gatherings since 2022. In 2023, she co-founded TNL Mediagene and became COO and president. In 2024, she was appointed as an external director of NOK Corporation.

Makoto Ao

CEO, LEO Co., Ltd. | Planning and Operations Producer, Nagono Campus | Professor, School of Entrepreneurship, Musashino University

After working as a software development engineer, she became the first female executive at a tech company in 2012, where she established an internal venture and engaged in business spin-offs and startup support through industry-government-academia collaboration. In 2016, she co-founded ExaIntelligence (now ExaWizards Inc.), an AI venture originating from Kansai, and served as Director and COO before founding LEO Co., Ltd. as her second entrepreneurial venture. She is the producer of "Nagono Campus," an incubation facility in a former elementary school near Nagoya Station designed to create the next 100 years. Alongside being the navigator for ZIP-FM's "Startup [N]," she serves as a professor at the School of Entrepreneurship at Musashino University, a visiting associate professor for industry-academia-government collaboration at Nagoya University, and a member of the Nagoya City Board of Education. Since 2022, she has also been a mentor for the Central Japan Seed Fund.

Takahiro Makino

CEO,Miraiproject Corporation

Born and raised in Nagoya, and a graduate of Nagoya University. After working at Dentsu International Information Services and Microsoft, he gained experience in managing investment funds and business consulting at Inspire. As a director at Ateam, he witnessed several startups grow into companies listed on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Currently, through Mirai Project, he contributes to his local community by engaging in nursing and caregiving businesses and supporting startups. He also serves as a director of Eye Crystal, a startup from Nagoya University, and as a visiting professor at Nagoya University.

Go Fujita

CEO, MTG Ventures Co., Ltd.

Born in 1974 in Akita Prefecture. Graduated from Meiji University with a degree in Business Administration. Joined Japan Joint Finance Co., Ltd. (now JAFCO Group Co., Ltd.) in 1997, where he engaged in investments from seed to later stages, served as a director at various portfolio companies, and managed fund raising, focusing on fields such as autonomous driving and AI.In 2018, he became the CEO of MTG Ventures Co., Ltd. As the corporate venture capital arm of the MTG Group, he invests in startups that aim to realize "VITAL LIFE," leveraging insights gained from interactions with over 6,000 entrepreneurs. In 2022, he established the "Central Japan Seed Fund," a seed-focused fund aimed at solving regional issues.

Ayumi Fujimoto

President, Startup Ecosystem Association Japan

After graduating from university, engaged in corporate sales at Career Design Center and Google. Founded at Will Work in 2016. Made a career change to PR/Marketing at Money Design and served as CMO at Plug and Play Japan, overseeing marketing and PR. In 2022, established the Startup Ecosystem Association and became its Representative Director. Also serves as a Tokyo Startup Strategy Fellow, Entrepreneurship Promotion Ambassador for the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, and an expert member of the Startup and Investment Working Group for the Cabinet Office's Regulatory Reform Promotion Council.

Naotaka Nishiyama

CEO, Tech Japan Co., Ltd.

After obtaining his U.S. Certified Public Accountant qualification, he worked at Deloitte Tohmatsu Group, supporting the growth of venture companies. As the General Producer of Morning Pitch, he planned and managed numerous startup events both domestically and internationally. Subsequently, as the Asia Regional Director, he established an Indian team and facilitated many Japan-India business collaborations. In 2019, he founded Tech Japan and independently partnered with the Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT), India's premier science and technology educational institutions, to develop and operate the only recruiting platform used within the campus. He promotes human resource exchange between Japan and India, serving as the chair of the "Working Group on Hiring Indian Talent in Japan," operated with the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Indian Embassy.

Yuki Aoyama

CEO of Splink Co., Ltd

CEO of Splink Co., Ltd. He joined Keyence Corporation as a new graduate, becoming the youngest and most awarded top salesperson in the company's history. He was involved in business development in North America and the establishment of local subsidiaries in Latin America. Inspired by his family's battle with a neurological disease, he decided to start his own company. After moving to Silicon Valley and serving as an Entrepreneur in Residence (EiR) at a venture capital firm, he founded Splink, a medical AI startup focusing on the neuro-neurological field, in 2017. He holds an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College. He also serves as a director of the Japan Intellectual Property Association and the AI Medical Device Council.