Speakers
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Ami Miura
ima Inc.
Ami Miura
ima Inc. CEO
Born in Nagoya, Japan. After founding a business as a student and later transferring its operations, she traveled around the world, experiencing the cultures and arts of various countries. Upon returning to Japan, she engaged in supporting the Japanese market entry of overseas IT companies at a venture capital firm. In 2013, she founded Ima Inc. with the goal of integrating traditional Japanese culture, artisanal skills, and researchers' aspirations into practical applications in society. In addition to implementing Japanese craftsmanship and decision-making processes in primary industries within AI, she is also involved in market implementation projects for research and development at Toyota Motor Corporation. She lectures on "Social Implementation of AI" at Digital Hollywood University and the University of Tsukuba, where she serves as an associate professor. She also serves as an advisor for the AICHI MOBILITY INNOVATION Project.
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Anna Kreshchenko
Flora
Anna Kreshchenko
CEO of Flora
Anna graduated from the Faculty of International Relations, Odessa National University of Ukraine. In 2017, she came to Japan as a MEXT scholar and enrolled in Kyoto University, Faculty of Law. Anna founded Flora in December 2020 to improve women's physical and mental wellbeing with the help of cutting-edge technology.Anna was awarded the Special Award as the EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2023, selected as Forbes Japan “Next 100” and Forbes Asia & Japan 30 under 30 in 2024.
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Antti Sonninen
Takeoff Tokyo
Antti Sonninen
Takeoff Tokyo Co-founder、CEO
Antti is the main organizer of Takeoff Tokyo, the place for internationally ambitious entrepreneurs. Originally from Finland, Antti came to Japan 10+ years ago first bringing the Angry Birds game here as the company’s first country director. Antti has also worked on several projects bridging the tech communities of Japan and the rest of the world, most notably as co-founder and CEO of Slush Tokyo.
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Atsuki Kawano
Aichi Prefectural Government
Atsuki Kawano
Startup Division Innovative Business Creation Department Bureau of Economy and Industry Aichi Prefectural Government
Joined Aichi Prefectural Government as a new graduate in 2016. After working in the Construction Department and the Board of Education, I was seconded to NTT Business Solutions. At my secondment, I was responsible for developing new business areas and received the President's Award for establishing and expanding a new business related to My Number cards. Since April 2023, I have been involved in the Startup Promotion Division, where I am working on the operation of STATION Ai, scheduled to open in October 2024, and the launch of TechGALA, Japan's largest global startup conference, "Technology Festival for a Sustainable Future", scheduled for February 4-6, 2025.
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Atsushi Kitagawa
Marubeni Corporation
Atsushi Kitagawa
Marubeni Corporation Chubu Branch Deputy General Manager
Graduated from Nagoya University School of Law in 1996 and joined Marubeni Corporation. Specialised in fashion business, handling product development, production, SCM, retail, investment, collaboration with start-ups, and launching new D2C ventures, alongside broad experience in accounting, project management, and M&A. Additionally, seconded to an LNG export company in Peru, GU in Japan, and a fast fashion company in the UK, addressing management challenges. Assumed current position in April 2023. Concurrently serves as head of Marubeni Innovation Lab Agora, generating open innovation originating from Chubu region. From November 2024, appointed as a visiting faculty member at Nagoya University's D-Center.
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Atsushi Suzuki
Marubeni Corporation
Atsushi Suzuki
Marubeni Corporation General Manager of the Chubu branch
Joined the Marubeni Corporation in 1987. He specializes in the automotive, finance, and mobility fields. He has been stationed overseas for a total of 18 years in Belgium, Sweden, the United States, and India. In this process, he has a wealth of experience in overseas M&A and new business launches. In 2019, he was appointed General Manager of Southwest Asia and President of Marubeni India Company in New Delhi. Since 2022, he has been the General Manager of the Chubu branch. Influenced by India's start-up ecosystem, Innovation Lab Agora was opened in September 2023 as a base for new business creation and co-creation. Currently, the total number of Agora members exceeds 1,000, and business among members is continuously being born. At the same time, as a visiting professor at Nagoya University, he supports university-launched ventures and advises local start-up Kurofune.
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Atsushi Tanimoto
Deloitte Tohmatsu Venture Support Co., Ltd.
Atsushi Tanimoto
Deloitte Tohmatsu Venture Support Co., Ltd. Startup Division Manager
From 2017 to 2021, he supported the overseas expansion of startups at the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO). He contributed to local experimental projects in EdTech, Healthcare, and Israeli business. In 2021, he joined Deloitte in the Aichi region, where he supports overseas expansion strategies for startups and facilitates collaboration with local governments.
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Aya Ito
Chrome Vision Co., Ltd.
Aya Ito
Chrome Vision Co., Ltd.
Aya Ito started her own company in 2022, drawing on her 3 decades of experience in TV production at Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK). In 2023, she launched "V-IC (Video for Informed Consent)," which uses actual treatment footage to clearly explain complex medical issues essential for informed consent, such as procedures, other options, benefits and risks. This has had a major impact on deepening patients' understanding and reducing the burden on medical professionals.
Conferences
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Aya Ozasa
Association for Promotion of Community Marketing / Colorful LLC
Aya Ozasa
Director, Association for Promotion of Community Marketing CEO / Colorful LLC
Following roles at Recruit and Google, she co-founded EventRegist in 2011. As COO, she built and led sales, marketing, and administration divisions for the event industry SaaS. Following the company's acquisition by Nikkei Inc. in 2019, she founded Colorful LLC and in 2024, established the Association for Promotion of Community Marketing. She currently serves as an independent director for multiple public companies, an adjunct lecturer at Nippon Institute of Technology, and holds a Management of Technology and a Master of Business Administration.
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Ayako Sumiya
SUMIYA BUNJIRO BREWERY CO.,LTD.
Ayako Sumiya
SUMIYA BUNJIRO BREWERY CO.,LTD.
Originally from Hekinan City, Aichi Prefecture. Our company was founded in 1910. After graduating from university, I worked for a company and an NPO before joining my family's SUMIYA BUNJIRO BREWERY Co.,LTD. in 2011.Currently, as a manager, I leads indirect departments. In order to convey the charm of Mikawa mirin and Aichi's brewing culture, various collaborations are planned and managed. In addition, along with the export of mirin, I traveled to Asia and Europe, and conveys the wonders of traditional mirin overseas with members involved in Aichi food.
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Ayano Masui
MARUI GROUP Co., LTD.
Ayano Masui
MARUI GROUP Co., LTD. Co-creation investment department Senior Manager
Senior Manager of the Co-Creation Investment Department, Marui Group. Born in Chicago and raised in Osaka, graduated from Kansai University. After joining the company in 2012, worked in store operations and was responsible for the opening of Apple Stores within the Store Business Division. Since 2019, has been involved in startup investments and co-creation activities in the Co-Creation Investment Department. Areas of interest include sustainability and social impact, aiming to balance these with economic rationality. Key investments include Gojo & Company, Regional Fish, and COTEN. Took a one-and-a-half-year leave starting in 2020 to work as a staff member in the International Bureau of the Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
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Ayumi Fujimoto
Startup Ecosystem Association Japan / A.T.Kearney K.K.
Ayumi Fujimoto
Startup Ecosystem Association Japan / A.T.Kearney K.K.
After graduating university, worked in corporate sales at Career Design Center and Google. After working in money design, became CMO at Plug and Play Japan. Founded Startup Ecosystem Association in 2022 and became President. started double work with A.T. Kearney from Nov. 2024. Currently, she is a Startup Strategy Fellow at Tokyo Metropolitan Government and an expert member of the Startup, DX, and GX Working Group of the Cabinet Office's Council for Regulatory Reform.
