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BOARD OF DIRECTORS

• Managing Partner, CEO and PresidentTOMOTAKA GOJI

  Tomotaka (“Tommy”) Goji is Co-founder, Managing Partner, CEO, President & Representative Director of The University of Tokyo Edge Capital Partners Co. Ltd. (known as “UTEC”). Since the inception of The University of Tokyo Edge Capital Co. Ltd. in April 2004, he has raised and managed five funds totaling approximately JPY 85 billion (USD 800 million), built the team, and guided investments, value-up and exits of UTEC portfolio companies. 20 of which went public and 20 of which achieved other forms of substantial exits, mainly in the form of M&As. These UTEC funds are established on the premise of the Japanese law called "The Limited Partnership Act for Investment" that he authored to enact in 1998 at the then Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI, now known as METI: the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry) and became the foundation for Japanese venture capital funds thereafter. He left the government to initiate UTEC, after engaging in legislation at the Agency for Cultural Affairs and the Financial Services Agency. He has served Japan Venture Capital Association as Managing Director (July 2015 – July 2022) , Vice Chairman (July 2022 - July 2023), and Chairman (July 2023 - present). He has also researched on data science to analyze success factors for scientific startups. He graduated from the University of Tokyo’s Faculty of Law in 1996, earned his MBA at Stanford University in 2003, and received his Ph.D. from the University of Tokyo’s School of Engineering in 2020.

• ChairmanKEIJI MOGI

  Keiji Mogi is the chairman of UTEC. He graduated from Sophia University’s Faculty of Foreign Language in 1964, received a master's degree in University Catholic de Louvain in 1965, sponsored by Belgian government. At Mitsui Bank (currently SMBC), he served as the chairman secretary of the general affairs department , deputy branch manager of New York branch, head of Brussels branch after Foreign department, London branch, Brussels branch, and Head office.
  
  He served as the Public relations manager at Sakura Bank (currently SMBC) Director of Public Relations (assumed to be the director of the same bank in 1992). In 1996, he joined Sakura Card Co., Ltd. as a vice president, in 1997 he served as the Senior Vice President at Sony Life Insurance Co., Ltd., from 2006 to 2016, he was a Bridgepoint Capital Advisor in the UK. From 2007 to 2012, he taught as Professor of Economics at Teikyo University Faculty of Economics. Since 2006 he has served as VenCap International Advisor in the UK.

• Managing Director, COO and Board DirectorNORIAKI SAKAMOTO

  Nori Sakamoto is a Partner/Managing Director COO and Board Director at UTEC, focusing on high growth seed/early stage life science and IT fields. He served as a board member auditor in ACSL (listed in the TSE Mothers in December 2018) and Repertoire Genesis (acquired by Eurofins Scientific SE), and a board member in Neural Pocket (listed in the TSE Mothers in August 2020). JDSC Co., Ltd.(listed in the TSE Mothers in December 2021), Finatext Holdings Ltd.(listed in the TSE Mothers in December 2021), Institution for a Global Society Corporation(listed in the TSE Mothers in December 2021) and ELEMENTS, Inc.(listed in the TSE Mothers in December 2022). Prior to joining UTEC in August 2014, he worked at McKinsey and Company. As an engagement manager, he worked on projects for pharma, medical devices, auto, high-tech, consumer goods and retail companies in Japan, Southeast Asia, and Europe. Prior to McKinsey, he worked in his family business as a president and then for the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). He was engaged in developing the acts for SME finance and home appliance recycling. Nori graduated from the University of Tokyo’s Faculty of Economy in 2003, earned his MBA from Columbia Business School in 2010. He was a co-translator of “Valuation: Measuring and Managing the Value of Companies” at McKinsey. He is currently General Manager of Planning Department of of Japan Venture Capital Association (JVCA).

• Board DirectorATSUSHI USAMI

  Atsushi Usami is a Partner and Board Director at UTEC, focusing on seed/early-stage life science investments. He currently serves on the boards of EditForce Inc., Bugworks Research inc., bitBiome Inc., Celaid Therapeutics Inc., PURMX Therapeutics Co., Ltd., United Immunity, Co., Ltd., RegCell Co., Ltd. and others. He led investments of Repertoire Genesis Inc. (Acquired by Eurofins Scientific SE) and OriCiro Genomics, Inc.(Acquired by Moderna, Inc.). Prior to joining UTEC in October 2013, he worked as a strategy consultant at Mitsubishi Research Institute, serving pharmaceutical, medical device and other manufacturing companies across a range of areas including mid-to-long term management planning and new business development.In 2012, he received a Ph.D. in pharmaceutical sciences from the University of Tokyo. He provides support for Life Science Innovation Network Japan (LINK-J).

• Director (outside company)MASAO HIRANO

  Masao Hirano is currently a Professor at Waseda Business School (Graduate School of Business and Finance), and the president of Japan Business Model Association. He has an extensive professional background in both private equity investment and management consulting. He graduated from Tokyo University’s Faculty of Engineering, Department of Applied Chemistry in 1980 then joined at JGC Corporation as a project engineer. In 1987, he joined McKinsey. He became a partner in 1993, served as a managing partner, Tokyo. From 2007 to 2011, he was a Co-Head of Carlyle Japan, one of buy-out funds of a global asset management firm, in which he led a few private equity investments in Japan. He graduated from Stanford University, M.S. Engineering Economic Systems.

• Director (outside company)CHRISTINA L. AHMADJIAN

  After graduating from Harvard University in 1981, she joined Mitsubishi Electric Corporation in 1982. She earned her MBA from Stanford Business School in 1987 and her Ph.D. from the Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley, in 1995. After serving as Assistant Professor at Columbia Business School, and Professor at Graduate School of Business Administration, Hitotsubashi University, she currently serves as a Professor Emeritus at Hitotsubashi University. Since 2009, she has served as a member of the board (outside director) at Eisai, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, JPX, Sumitomo Electric, Asahi Group Holdings, NEC, and NGK Spark Plug. She is a U.S. citizen and has lived in Japan for over 25 years.

• Corporate Auditor (external)HIROYUKI TAKAHASHI

  Hiroyuki Takahashi is an external corporate auditor of UTEC. He graduated from the University of Tokyo’s Faculty of Nuclear Engineering in 1987 (Master of Engineering). In 1989, he became a research associate. He served as a Lecturer at the international cooperation and education office, Associate Professor of Research into Artifact, Center for Engineering, Associate Professor of High Energy Research Organization, Professor of Department of Nuclear Engineering and Management and Department of Bio-engineering. After that, he is now a Professor at Institute of Engineering Innovation, The University of Tokyo. Since April 2014, he serves as a Special Advisor to the Dean of Engineering, The University of Tokyo. Since November 2017, he also serves as a Vice Director of Division of University Corporate Relations, The University of Tokyo.

• Corporate Auditor (external)KAZUKI NAKAMOTO

  Kazuki Nakamoto is currently a member of Asset management committee of Kindai University and an advisor to Crosspoint Advisors, Japan’s leading independent advisory firm. He graduated from Osaka University’s Faculty of Science Department of Math in 1976 then joined Daido Life Insurance Company. He became a Manager of Operations Planning Department in 1996, served as the Board Director in 1998, the Managing Director in 2001, the Director and Managing Executive Officer in 2006, the Senior Managing Executive Officer, Director in 2007, the Representative Director Senior Managing Executive Officer in 2008, the Senior Managing Executive Officer, Director in 2010, later the Standing Corporate Auditor, and retired the Standing Corporate Auditor in 2014.

FUNDS

As of December 2023

BROCHURE