CONFERENCE

SPEAKER

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  Keynote Speaker

  Susumu Kitagawa

  Kyoto University Institute for Advanced Study

  Executive Vice-President and Distinguished Professor / iCeMS PI

  Nobel Prize in Chemistry

  Kitagawa's main research field is inorganic and material chemistry, in particular, chemistry of coordination space, and his current research interests are centered on synthesis and properties of porous coordination polymers/metal-organic frameworks. He was the first to discover and to demonstrate "porosity" for metal complexes with gas sorption experiments (1997), whose materials are called porous coordination polymers (PCPs) or metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). To date, MOFs are classified as a new category of porous materials, as opposed to the conventional classifications of inorganic and carbon materials. Kitagawa pioneered the functional chemistry of MOFs, and discovered flexible MOFs, dissimilar to those of conventional porous materials. Today several hundred different MOFs are known, and over 7,000 articles on this class of materials have been published annually worldwide. The research developments built on his discoveries are anticipated to lead to radical innovations in materials science, with wide-ranging implications for both academia and industry. Chemical industry firms are producing MOF materials for use in purification, storage, and transportation of gases, among other applications. Kitagawa's achievement has blazed a trail to a new era for porous materials, vital to addressing energy and environmental issues and contributing to human welfare.
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  Keynote Speaker

  Hidetoshi Nakata

  JAPAN CRAFT SAKE COMPANY CO., LTD.

  CEO

  A former Japanese National Football Player. After retiring from professional football in 2006, he has spent over 15 years traveling across all 47 prefectures of Japan since 2009. Through his "NIHONMONO" project, he champions Japan’s traditional industries, including sake breweries, farmers, and artisans. In 2015, he founded JAPAN CRAFT SAKE COMPANY, where he leverages blockchain and digital technology to elevate the value of sake and tea in the global market. In 2025, he launched a strategic initiative with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries to integrate "Agriculture and Sports." A former Visiting Professor at Rikkyo University and Honorary Director of the National Crafts Museum, he remains a leading figure in the sustainable evolution and promotion of Japanese culture.
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  Koudai Kato

  amu inc.

  CEO

  Born in 1997 in Odawara City, Kanagawa Prefecture, he first visited Kesennuma in Miyagi Prefecture while studying at the Faculty of Literature at Nishogakusha University as part of a university class. The experience introduced him to the realities of Japan’s fishing communities and later became a turning point in his career. After graduating, he joined CyberAgent, Inc., where he worked as a program producer and gained experience in media production and project management. While building his career in Tokyo, his earlier visit to Kesennuma remained influential. In 2019, he decided to relocate to Kesennuma. Living in the region deepened his understanding of the local fishing industry and the environmental challenges facing coastal communities, including the growing issue of discarded fishing gear. Through interactions with fishermen and local stakeholders, he developed a strong interest in the upcycling of abandoned fishing nets. In May 2023, he founded amu Inc., a company dedicated to transforming discarded fishing gear into new materials and products, contributing to resource circulation and sustainable manufacturing. In 2025, he was selected for the Forbes “30 Under 30 Asia” list, which recognizes influential leaders under the age of 30 who are creating impact across the region.
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  Chihiro Kano

  ASTRA FOOD PLAN Co., Ltd.

  CEO

  After graduating from Kagawa Nutrition University, she built a consistent career in the food industry, specializing in product planning and brand development across major ready-to-eat food manufacturers and traditional confectionery makers. In 2020, she founded ASTRA FOOD PLAN. The company developed "JOSEN," a specialized food drying and sterilization system, and produces and sells "Guluriko®"—upcycled food ingredients made from vegetable scraps and other unused resources. She is dedicated to solving the issue of "Hidden Food Waste."
  ASTRA FOOD PLAN was established in 2020. They developed the food drying and sterilization equipment "JOSEN" and sell "Gururiko®," which upcycles unused materials such as vegetable scraps. They are working to solve the problem of "hidden food waste."
  Winner of the ICC KYOTO 2025 "Startup Catapult" competition.
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  Masaki Okamoto, MD, MPH, MSc, PhD

  Boston Medical Sciences, Inc.

  CEO

  Dr. Masaki Okamoto received his MD from Shinshu University and completed his PhD at The University of Tokyo Graduate School of Medicine. He earned his MSc with distinction from University College London (UCL). Following appointments as a Visiting Researcher at UCL, a JSPS Research Fellow, and a Project Researcher at The University of Tokyo, he founded Boston Medical Sciences. In addition to his executive role, he serves as Instructor in Radiology at Harvard Medical School and as a Researcher at the 3D Imaging Research Laboratory at Massachusetts General Hospital. He also holds appointments as Visiting Professor at SBI Graduate School and as Special Advisor to the President of the University of Occupational and Environmental Health (Research & Industry–Academia–Government Collaboration).
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  Maoko Kotani

  Business News Anchor

  Former NHK and TV Asahi anchor, she led TV Tokyo’s World Business Satellite (WBS) for 16 years. A corporate board director across multiple companies and a UN WFP representative, she launched the YouTube channel "Timeless Voices" in 2025.
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  Yuto Doya

  CEO of DOYA Inc. / Representative Director, NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION CLOUDY

  Born in Tokyo in 1985. After graduating from Keio University, I joined Goldman Sachs Japan. Drawing on my experience in the financial sector, I founded the nonprofit organization CLOUDY in 2010 and began building schools in Africa. In 2015, I established DOYA Inc. and launched the apparel brand “CLOUDY,” later setting up the company’s own factory in Ghana. To date, the initiative has created employment for more than 700 people. With the guiding principle of shifting from “providing aid” to “enabling self-sustainability,” we have developed a circular model that simultaneously generates both education and employment. In 2025, we launched a new brand, “The University.” Through a system that transforms clothing sales into educational opportunities, I aim to build a “real university” in Ghana by 2035.
  In 2015, he founded DOYA Co., Ltd., launched the apparel brand "CLOUDY," and established his own factory in Ghana. To date, he has created employment for over 700 people.
  With the theme of "self-sustaining" rather than "supporting," we are building a circular model that simultaneously generates education and employment.
  In 2025, they launched a new brand called "The University." Their goal is to create a system that generates education from clothing sales, and to build a "real university" in Ghana by 2035.
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  Hasen Kuniyama

  FOX UNION

  CEO

  Upon graduating from university, Hasen joined TBS Television, where he served as lead MC across a wide range of programs.  In August 2021, he was appointed anchor of the flagship news program News23.  After departing the network in January 2023, he joined PIVOT, a business-focused video media platform, as lead MC, playing a central role in the outlet's remarkable growth.  In February 2025, Hasen founded FOX UNION Inc. in the United States, with a mission to deliver primary-source intelligence and cutting-edge insights from America to audiences across multiple media platforms.
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  Yusuke Shimada

  Gekidan iino LLC

  CEO

  After working in corporate management and planning at The Kansai Electric Power Company, established a dedicated innovation division within the firm. In 2020, founded Gekidan iino LLC. Through iino — an autonomous mobility vehicle traveling at 5 km/h — designs urban travel experiences that reveal the unique character and charm of each place it travels through.
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  Jiro Kumakura

  Global Brain Corporation

  Investment Group  General Partner

  Jiro joined GB in 2006. As General Partner, he is in charge of forming CVC funds and developing their operation strategies, as well as supporting portfolio startups in co-creating businesses. He also focuses on examining whether to invest in IT startups by leveraging his IPO experience. Jiro joined GB in 2006. As General Partner, he is in charge of forming CVC funds and developing their operation strategies, as well as supporting portfolio startups in co-creating businesses. He also focuses on examining whether to invest in IT startups by leveraging his IPO experience.
  
  At Digital Design, Jiro researched the company's original compressed data transfer technology and obtained an international patent. He led planning, development, sales, and maintenance of the communications middleware product that leveraged the technology. As the person in charge of this business area, he contributed to IPO of the company on NASDAQ Japan. After the IPO, he drove alliance with Japanese and overseas companies while expanding the licensing business through successively commercializing database application and security software.
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  Takeru Shigemura

  Global Brain Corporation

  Investment Group  Director

  Takeru joined GB in 2023 after building his career at Fujifilm and Softbank. He focuses on investing in and supporting medical/healthcare startups.
  
  At Fujifilm, Takeru pursued product development of in-vitro diagnostics and other medical devices, working on R&D, process building, pharmaceutical affairs, planning, etc. At Softbank, he focused on digital health business development, strategy planning, investment operations, etc.
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  Kengo Suzuki

  Gobi Partners

  Venture Partner

  Leading Japan expansion at Gobi Partners, where he builds strategic partnerships with corporate and financial LPs and drives Japan–SEA collaboration. He focuses on enabling Southeast Asian startups to enter Japan and supporting Japanese corporates in engaging with the region’s rapidly evolving innovation ecosystem, with experience in cross-border M&A and exit transactions.
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  Shigeki Sugii

  ImpacFat Pte. Ltd.

  Founder

  Shigeki Sugii is a founder of ImpacFat, a Singapore-based startup company that develops cultivated fish fat as a novel nutrition. ImpacFat started its business at Takanawa Gateway LiSH in Japan in October 2025. Shigeki is also a Principal Scientist and Platform Leader of Cultivated Technologies Platform at Singapore Institute of Food and Biotechnology Innovation (SIFBI), A*STAR. Prior to the current position, Shigeki was Principal Investigator / Group Leader at different institutes of A*STAR (2011-2023), before joining SIFBI. Shigeki graduated with B.S. in Agricultural Chemistry from Kyoto University, Japan and received his Ph.D. in Biochemistry at Dartmouth School of Medicine, USA. He then conducted his postdoctoral research at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, USA. His current research interests are novel antimicrobial peptides secreted by differentiating fat cells and cultivated fat from novel edible fish species. He is also a co-founder of HealBac in Singapore.
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  Shuhei Okazumi

  Ine to Agave Co., Ltd.

  CEO

  Born in Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture. After graduating from university, studied sake brewing in Akita Prefecture. In 2021, opened "Ine to Agave Brewery" in Oga City, Akita Prefecture. Produces a new genre of alcohol called "Craft Sake" while also managing the restaurant "Tsuchi to Kaze" (Earth and Wind). In spring 2023, launched "SANABURI FACTORY," a food processing facility, and began producing mayonnaise made from sake lees. In August of the same year, opened "Ogaya," a ramen shop featuring recipes supervised by Ippudo. Serving as the first chairman of the Craft Sake Brewery Association. Named in Forbes JAPAN CULTURE-PRENEURS 30. Winner of ICC Crafted Catapult Grand Prix.
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  Hiyoku Motomura

  JR East Business Development SEA Pte. Ltd.

  General Manager

  Joined East Japan Railway Company (JR East) in 2006. Experienced in retail operations, tenant leasing, and real estate management. In 2016, engaged in the Shinagawa Development Project. From 2022 to 2023, assigned to Silicon Valley for 18 months. After returning to Japan, led the development of a startup ecosystem and the launch of the Takanawa Gateway Global Co-Benefits Fund at TAKANAWA GATEWAY CITY. Also contributed to the establishment of JRE Ventures. Since November 2025, based in Singapore, leading global ecosystem development between Japan and Southeast Asia.
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  SATOSHI TSURUTA

  KDDI CORPORATION

  General Manager Growth Business Development Division, Growth Business Planning Department 1 Business Solution Growth Secter 

  2003: Engaged in the maintenance and operation of mobile switching systems and mobile internet services.  / 2011: Transferred to the Public Relations Department; served as the media spokesperson for engineering, operations, and product-related topics.  / 2017: Joined the Corporate Strategy Division, IoT Business Promotion Office; led company-wide IoT strategy and oversaw the Takanawa Gateway redevelopment project in collaboration with East Japan Railway Company (JR East).  / 2021: Joined the Business Creation Division to drive new business initiatives (Starlink business, Real Tech Lawson, and drones).  / April 2026–Present: Appointed General Manager, Growth Business Development Division, and currently serving in this role.
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  Tomoko Kamiya

  Logipeace Pte Ltd

  CEO

  Tomoko Kamiya graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. After gaining diverse experience at Dentsu, as the head of a nursing care facility, and as a digital development executive, she launched her own business in Singapore. In 2022, she founded Logipeace and became its CEO. Through its maritime and logistics apps, “Shipeace” and “Docupeace,” she is driving innovation in logistics operations through streamlined document management, cargo tracking, efficient information sharing, and the use of AI. In 2024, the company raised approximately SGD 1million in seed funding, and in 2025, it won the top prize at a pitch award. She is also a mother of two.
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  HIROMASA NAGASUGI

  MIRAI Brain Link Regional Consulting & Incubation Co., Ltd

  CEO

  Joined East Japan Railway Company in 1999. Since joining the company, he has been involved in development projects such as station buildings, offices, and hotels, as well as domestic PFI projects. In 2015, he conceived the Northern Station Gate Akita project and promoted it locally in Akita. Since 2018, he has been in charge of regional development outside the Tokyo metropolitan area and regional revitalization urban development in general at the head office. He will assume his current position in October 2025. He will utilize his experience in regional urban development at JR East to tackle new areas of regional revitalization.
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  Jing Shi

  MTR Lab Company Limited

  Head of Investment

  Jing Shi has over 20 years of experience in venture capital and private equity buyout, with a focus on investment execution and portfolio management. In his earlier career, he worked as a strategic consultant and was an entrepreneur who created a number of startups. He specializes in deep tech, technology, media and telecommunications (TMT), consumer, and industrials in the APAC region, especially in Greater China, SEA and Japan.
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  Benjamin Tee

  NUS Enterprise, National University of Singapore

  Vice President (Innovation & Enterprise)

  Professor Benjamin Tee is the Vice President (Ecosystem Building) of NUS Enterprise. A serial innovator working at the cutting edge of materials science, mechanics, electronics and biology, he has co-founded two successful medical technology companies – Privi Medical (acquired) and Hannah Life Technologies. He has also started Tacniq.AI to commercialize sensors for AI and robotics. At NUS Enterprise, Prof Tee leads the strategic development of the innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem, including BLOCK71, the University's flagship technology-focused ecosystem builder and global connector. Prof Tee earned his doctoral degree in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University in 2014 and was awarded the Stanford Biodesign Global Innovation Fellowship.
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  Kengo Suzuki

  Regenesome Inc.

  CEO

  In 2005, while enrolled in the Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences at the University of Tokyo, he co-founded Euglena Co., Ltd. and successfully achieved outdoor mass cultivation of the microalgae Euglena for food use. He earned his Ph.D. in Agriculture in 2016 and his Ph.D. in Medicine in 2019. He subsequently founded Regenesome Inc. with the ambition of commercializing aging science and nanoparticle technologies, and is currently advancing technology development aimed at solving social challenges posed by aging.
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  Hiroyuki Murai

  SkyDrive Inc.

  Executive Officer and Director of the Business Development Division

  Hiroyuki MURAI is the Executive Officer and Director of the Business Development Division at SkyDrive. Since joining the company in 2022, he has spearheaded domestic and international business development, overseeing customer touchpoints and business model strategies. He also serves as the CEO of AlterSky, a subsidiary focused on drone operations. SkyDrive Inc. is a Toyota-based company developing eVTOLs and heavy-lift cargo drones. The company has advanced the development of the two products while working in partnership with other companies around the world to promote the shared vision of a future in which people use air mobility as a means of transportation in their daily lives.
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  Satoshi Hidaka

  Teraform, Inc.

  CEO

  After graduating from the Tokyo Institute of Technology and its graduate school, he engaged in new business development in the DeepTech domain at Hitachi, Ltd.. He later co-founded a healthcare startup utilizing hydrogels, where he led both material development and commercialization. After witnessing firsthand the severe challenge of water scarcity limiting crop growth in drought-prone regions of the United States, he founded Teraform Inc. to address this issue. He developed “SuperSponge,” a soil water retention material based on hydrogel technology, and is working toward enabling sustainable agriculture in arid regions.
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  Ko Miyoshi

  TIER IV, Inc.

  COO

  As COO, Ko Miyoshi leads business and product development for autonomous driving solutions domestically and internationally. He joined TIER IV in 2020, bringing expertise in infrastructure projects and private equity. He holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and an LLB from Keio University.
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  MASAYO FURUTA

  Umios Corporation

  executive officer

  Joined Umios's systems subsidiary, transferred to Umios in 2018, became an executive officer in 2025, and continues in that position to this day (executive officer in charge of Umios Promotion Department, Human Resources Department, and General Affairs Department). Promoting cultural reform and human capital management, driving reform with the power of people and digital technology, upholding the principles of challenge and co-creation.
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  Hirotaka Tanaka

  UnlocX  Co.

  CEO & Founder/ SKS JAPAN Founder

  With experience at Panasonic and McKinsey & Company, Hiro has dedicated 8 years to growth strategy formulation and execution, M&A, business development, and venture collaboration primarily in the high-tech and telecommunications industries. In 2017, he joined SIGMAXYZ and launched the global food tech summit “SKS Japan”. Through his involvement in business development and community building in food innovation Hiro established UnlocX in October 2023 with the aspiration to create a food ecosystem. Co-authored “Food Tech Revolution” (2020/Nikkei BP) and "Future of Food created through FoodTech" (2025/PHP). Director of the General Incorporated Association Space Foodsphere / External Board Member of Basefood Co., Ltd. / External Board Member of TechMagic, Inc./ Representative director of the General Incorporated Association Next Prime Food.
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  Tomotsugu Ohashi

  National University of Singapore (NUS) Enterprise BLOCK71 JAPAN

  Manager

  After earning a Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering, he began his career at a Japanese engineering company, where he worked on development projects in water treatment, environmental technologies, and semiconductor-related fields. Through collaborations with leading researchers in Japan and abroad, he developed a strong interest in bridging the gap between research innovation and real-world implementation. In 2010, he transitioned into the consumer goods and healthcare sectors, spending 15 years at global companies including Procter & Gamble and Johnson & Johnson. During this time, he led marketing, strategic planning, and execution across both domestic and international markets, working on growth initiatives and cross-regional business strategies. Since 2022, he has been a member of the leadership team at Johnson & Johnson APAC in Singapore, where he has driven digital strategy across the Asia-Pacific region. Alongside his corporate role, he has actively supported startup ecosystems through mentorship and collaboration with J&J Innovation and universities in Japan and internationally. He is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP®) and completed the NUS Medicine “AI for Healthcare” program. Since April 2025, he has served as Centre Manager of BLOCK71 Japan, where he works to strengthen connections between startups, industry, and global innovation ecosystems.
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  Fukushima Kazuyuki

  Deloitte Tohmatsu Venture Support Co., Ltd.

  Partner

  After leading new business incubation and portfolio value creation at a large tech company, and founding a digital marketing venture, joined DTVS. At DTVS, focuses on consulting for enterprise new business creation and open innovation—supporting the development of new services and ventures through capital and strategic partnerships with startups; establishing and operating corporate venture capital (CVC) programs (startup scouting, investment evaluation/due diligence, and portfolio monitoring); and designing incentive schemes and providing carve-out support for corporate spin-outs.
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  Koichi Takagi

  East Japan Railway Company

  Senior Executive Officer, Deputy General Director of Marketing Headquarters

  April 2004 Joined East Japan Railway Company
  July  2004 Seconded to Metropolitan Hotels Co., Ltd.
  April 2005 Seconded to Nippon Hotel Co., Ltd.
  June 2013 New Business Creation Division, Hotel & Sports Business Promotion Department – Deputy Director
  June 2017 Seconded to Akita Station Building Co., Ltd. – President & CEO
  June 2020 New Business Creation Division, Shinagawa Area Development Department – Department Direcor
  June 2023 Marketing Headquarters, Community Development Department – Department Director
  June 2024 Executive Officer, Marketing Headquarters, Community Development Department Director
  June 2025 Senior Executive Officer, Marketing Headquarters – Deputy General Director (Current)
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  Yoshiya Amanai

  East Japan Railway Company

  Manager

  Joined East Japan Railway Company in 2001. After working in commercial facility management, marketing, and renovation planning, studied in the United States and earned an MBA from Washington University in St. Louis. Upon returning to Japan, has been engaged in station-area development projects in the Tokyo metropolitan area since 2010.Played a key role from the conceptual planning stage for more than 15 years in the TAKANAWA GATEWAY CITY project, including the concept and planning for Takanawa Gateway Station, which opened in March 2025. Responsible for preparations for the grand opening in March 2026, including digital services, space promotion, and TAKANAWA GATEWAY Global Co-Benefits Fund L.P.
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  Yamato Fukuta

  East Japan Railway Company

  Manager

  Yamato Fukuta joined East Japan Railway Company (JR East) in 1996, where he worked in maintenance and construction of railway transport operation control system, signaling system, as well as research and development. After contributing to the operation of the Mobility Innovation Consortium, he currently serves as Secretary General of the WaaS (Well-being as a Service) Co-Creation Consortium.
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  Yuki Nakashima

  East Japan Railway Company

  Deputy Manager

  Joined the company as a new graduate and gained experience in the real estate business. Led a value-up project for office properties worth approximately JPY 6 billion. Proposed and launched the in-station shared office service “STATION WORK” as an internal initiative. Handled the entire process from proof of concept and launch to scaling and business sale. Expanded the service into one of Japan’s largest shared office networks, with around 1,400 locations nationwide. Since 2025, in charge of launching and operating “LiSH,” a business creation office in TAKANAWA GATEWAY CITY. Currently promoting co-creation among 170 member companies.