Speakers
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Fara Taraie
NewNormDesign / Matinno
Fara Taraie
NewNormDesign CEO / Matinno founder
Fara is recognized for her work in sustainable design in construction. She earned her Master's in Architectural Engineering from Tokyo University and holds several certifications in sustainability and smart city design. Fluent in four languages, Fara has extensive experience in both large and small-scale projects in Japan and internationally. She founded NewNormDesign to transform modern unsustainable practices into environmentally friendly initiatives, aiming to enhance social impact by reducing waste and developing Japan's first material passport and sustainability assessment system. Fara also serves as a judge for JAFMA, is a board member of the Global Entrepreneurs Network Japan, and holds positions as Director and board member of Impactech Japan. Additionally, she is a member of the Royal Society of Arts (RSA) and conducts multiple corporate workshops focused on sustainability, while serving on the board of Bscale Japan.
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Fumiaki Ikeno
Stanford University / Medical Officer of MedVenture Partners
Fumiaki Ikeno
Stanford University Principal Investigator/Physician, Director and Chief Medical Officer of MedVenture Partners
A graduate of Jichi Medical University, he began his research career at the Department of Cardiology,Stanford University, in 2001, where he was involved in research and development, animal testing,and clinical trials for a U.S. medical device venture. He has extensive advisory experience in themedical device field and is familiar with the medical situation in Japan and the United States. He hasalso participated in projects involving Japanese and U.S. regulatory authorities in medical devices andis working to establish a cross-border medical device ecosystem.In addition to his research, he has been teaching at Stanford University since 2002 as a member of the Stanford Biodesign Advisory Faculty, where he is training entrepreneurs in the medical devicefield. He is also deeply involved in the establishment of the Japanese version of Biodesign.In addition,he is actively working to establish a Silicon Valley-style medical device ecosystem in Japan.
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Fumiko Kato
WAmazing Inc.
Fumiko Kato
WAmazing Inc. CEO
After graduating from Keio SFC, she gained experience in launching new internet businesses at Recruit and worked as a chief researcher in tourism industry research and business development.In July 2016, she founded WAmazing Inc. to establish a platform aimed at spreading consumption by inbound tourists throughout regional areas and contributing to local revitalization.Having overcome the COVID-19 pandemic period, she is now working to create a platform service that aims to revitalize Japan's economy and regional areas through the inbound tourism market, which has the potential to become Japan's number one foreign currency earning industry.
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Fumito Matsuda
HERALBONY Co., Ltd.
Fumito Matsuda
Co-CEO,HERALBONY Co., Ltd.
After working in a general contractor company on the reconstruction of disaster-affected areas, Fumito established HERALBONY with his twin, Takaya Matsuda. He is the twin's older brother and a recipient of the 'Forbes 30 UNDER 30 JAPAN' award.
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Gary Yoshiki
ABeam Consulting Ltd.
Gary Yoshiki
ABeam Consulting Ltd. Consultant
Originally from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Gary Yoshiki moved to Japan at the age of 16 and graduated from both Bunka Fashion College and Waseda University. In the apparel industry, he led the adoption of 3D simulation technology developed by a Korean startup, enabling cross-border collaborations among designers in Japan, the US, Australia, and Italy. After gaining experience as an on-site engineer for manufacturing execution systems at a major IT company, he joined ABeam Consulting.Fluent in five languages, Gary manages startup growth and innovation-related programs. He supports international startups entering the Japanese market and facilitates collaborations with corporations, driving new business development and open innovation.
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Go Fujita
MTG Ventures Co., Ltd.
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.
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Gouhei Tanaka
Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya Institute of Technology
Gouhei Tanaka
Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya Institute of Technology ,Professor
He received the Ph.D. degree in complexity science from The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan 2005. After working as an Assistant Professor at the Institute of Industrial Science, a Project Associate Professor at the Graduate School of Engineering, and a Project Associate Professor at the International Research Center for Neurointelligence (IRCN), Institute for Advanced Studies, he assumed his current position in 2023. He is a project manager of the MITOU Target Program of the Information-technology Promotion Agency (IPA), Japan. He is also an Affiliated Principal Investigator at the IRCN, the University of Tokyo. His research interests include complex systems dynamics, machine learning, and time series data science with a foundation in mathematical engineering. He is co-author of “Reservoir Computing” (Morikita Publishing Co., Ltd.).
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Haruna Shiga
BeLiebe K.K.
Haruna Shiga
BeLiebe K.K. CEO
Engaged in medical life science research at the University of Tokyo. I became aware of the problem that excellent research and technologies were being stopped at the publication stage, and decided to study business in order to realize “social implementation of research”. After graduating, I joined P&G and worked as the Asia-Japan leader of a project related to gender equality. Feeling a challenge in realizing career advancement for women as their life stage changes, I developed a service that enables life career planning from a biological perspective through “social implementation of research” and started BeLiebe, K.K. as a parallel career in 2021.
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Hayato Hosoyamada
Nippon Paint Automotive Coatings Co., Ltd.
Hayato Hosoyamada
Nippon Paint Automotive Coatings Co., Ltd. Generative AI Project manager / EFE Community Project manager / Member of IKIGAI lab.
I am leading the implementation of generative AI across the Nippon Paint Group, focusing on integrating generative AI into business processes to enhance performance and efficiency. Additionally, I spearhead the official Nippon Paint Group community, EFE (Engagement for Employee), leveraging the dynamics of ""Community,"" ""Technology,"" and ""Organization"" to unlock the potential of our employees. My efforts extend beyond internal initiatives, aiming to expand these activities externally to create a world where everyone can work vibrantly and with excitement, while living with a clear sense of purpose.
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Hideaki Ohmura
Aichi prefecture
Hideaki Ohmura
Governor of Aichi Prefecture
Hideaki Ohmura is the Governor of Aichi Prefecture.He joined the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in 1982, where he built his career in national administration over more than 14 years. He was elected as a member of the House of Representatives for the first time in 1996, and served five consecutive terms until 2010. During these terms in the Diet, Ohmura assumed a series of important offices including Parliamentary Secretary of Economy, Trade and Industry; Parliamentary Secretary of Cabinet Office; Senior Vice Minister of Cabinet Office; and Senior Vice Minister of Health, Labor and Welfare. In 2010 he was appointed as the Chairman of the Standing Committee on Audit and Oversight of Administration, House of Representatives.Ohmura left the Diet and started a new career in regional politics as the Governor of Aichi Prefecture in 2011. He has so far been re-elected third for this position, bringing his time in office as the Governor to more than 10 years.
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Hirayama Yuta
Nagoya University Visiting Associate Professor
Hirayama Yuta
Visiting Associate Professor
Yuta Hirayama is the founder of IDEAPOST Inc., established in May 2016 with a mission to revitalize local regions and support overseas startups. Since 2018, he has served as a Visiting Associate Professor at Nagoya University, focusing on innovation and building startup ecosystem.In February 2019, Hirayama joined the World Economic Forum's Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Japan, where he played a key role in launching the G20 Global Smart Cities Alliance. Following the dissolution of the organization in June 2023, he returned to IDEAPOST Inc. in July 2023 and now leads the company's efforts in supporting startups and fostering open innovation.
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Hiroki Naitou
MUFG Bank,Ltd.
Hiroki Naitou
MUFG Bank,Ltd. Managing Director, Head of Industry Research and Creation Division
After joining a bank, I was engaged in industrial research in the electronics and materials sectors. After working in the materials sector, I worked as an executive officer and general manager of the Corporate Planning Department at a consulting firm. Currently, as the general manager of the Industrial Research and Creation Division, I am working to co-create value with customers by utilizing the knowledge gained through industrial research. In particular, we have positioned food as an area of focus, and have established the Food-X Project, a cross-organizational organization within the Bank, to address social issues in the food domain.
