MENTORS

FINOVATORS Founder & President

Masakazu MASUJIMA

FINOVATORS Founder & President

Masakazu MASUJIMA

Attorney-at-law, Partner at Mori Hamada & Matsumoto
FINOVATORS Founder & President

Mr. Masujima specializes in M&A and corporate governance consulting for financial institutions. He has previously served at the Financial Services Agency of Japan as compliance legal head of insurance division and deputy director at the Bank division. He was ranked as the best lawyer in Japan by Chambers Asia Pacific 2016 for insurance.

FINOVATORS Founder

Mio TAKAOKA

FINOVATORS Founder

Mio TAKAOKA

Partner, DNX Ventures

Ms. Takaoka worked for several investment banks, including Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Lehman Brothers, after graduating from Cambridge University. She then joined Monex Group to launch Corporate Venture Capital arm and to manage the group’s strategic acquisitions and investments. She then became a partner of Arbor Ventures and served as CFO for MedicalNote Inc. before her present position. In addition to her current role at DXN Ventures, she is serving as an Outside Director for Septeni Holdings Inc., and Kayac, Inc.

FINOVATORS Founder

Toshio TAKI

FINOVATORS Founder

Toshio TAKI

Director of Board, Money Forward, Inc.
FINOVATORS Founder

Mr. Taki co-founded Money Forward, a leading FinTech venture with over 3 million users and currently serves as the Director of the Board and as Head of the FinTech Institute. Prior to founding Money Forward, he has worked at Nomura Holdings and Nomura Institute of Capital Markets Research.

FINOVATORS Founder

Hisanori OGAWA

FINOVATORS Founder

Hisanori OGAWA

Mizuho Securities Co., Ltd. Innovative Startups Strategy Dept.
Director

Prior to joining Mizuho Securities in 2016, Mr. Ogawa worked at Nomura Research Advisory engaged in research and support activities for IT start-ups in charge of unlisted companies. He has written over 560 corporate reports and has been involved in dozens of IPOs.

FINOVATORS Founder

Tetsuya ISOZAKI

FINOVATORS Founder

Tetsuya ISOZAKI

General Partner, Femto Growth
FINOVATORS Founder

Mr. Isozaki is a founder and CEO of Tetsuya Isozaki & Associates since 2001, board member at Kabu.com securities company, Corporate Auditor at Mixi, and a part-time faculty at Chuo University Law School.

FINOVATORS Founder

Mitsunobu OKUBO

FINOVATORS Founder

Mitsunobu OKUBO

Senior Digital Strategist, Incubation Project Team, Mizuho Financial Group, Inc.
Manager of Incubation Office, Business Development Department, Mizuho Bank, Ltd.
FINOVATORS Founder

Mr. Okubo is responsible for the planning, development and operation of various financial systems in compliance with regulatory requirements. Prior to joining Mizuho Bank, he was instrumental in implementing the public cloud at Sony Bank which was the first initiative of its kind by a Japanese financial institution.

FINOVATORS Founder

Tetsuo IIDA

FINOVATORS Founder

Tetsuo IIDA

Business Development Manager, Financial Services, Amazon Web Services Japan K.K.
FINOVATORS Vice-President

Prior to his current role, he has been in charge of venture investment and global business development for financial businesses especially in the payment area for ISI Dentsu. He initiated the Financial Innovation Business Conference (FIBC) in 2012 to drive innovation in the financial industry.

FINOVATORS Founder

Chie ITO

FINOVATORS Founder

Chie ITO

Chief Executive Officer

Ms. Ito manages FINOLAB, Japan’s first Fintech hub in Tokyo, building a Fintech business ecosystem with global networks and is responsible for FinTech related business development and partner alliance at ISI-Dentsu. Before her involvement in FinTech, she was engaged with developing a foreign exchange trading system and an overseas accounting system.

FINOVATORS Founder

Tatsuto FUJII

FINOVATORS Founder

Tatsuto FUJII

Senior Industry Executive, Fintech Lead, Enterprise Group,
Microsoft Japan Co., Ltd.
FINOVATORS Founder

Mr. Fujii is responsible for open innovation business involving FinTech implementation. He led the founding of “BTMU FinTech Challenge 2015”, “MUFG FinTech Accelerator” and “BTMU Bank API Hackathon”. Prior to joining the Bank, he worked at a consulting firm as a consultant for financial institutions.

FINOVATORS Founder

Makoto SHIBATA

FINOVATORS Founder

Makoto SHIBATA

Head of FINOLAB, Chief Community Officer
FINOVATORS Founder

Mr. Shibata is currently in charge of FINOLAB community operation. In his former position at The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, he was leading R&D initiatives in emerging technology and online/mobile financial service. He also held positions in corporate planning, accounting, corporate finance and retail customer services at the bank.

FINOVATORS Member

Takahisa OHIRA

FINOVATORS Member

Takahisa OHIRA

FinTech Leader, Advisory Service Division, Deloitte-Tohmatsu Venture Support, Ltd.
FINOVATORS Member

Mr. Ohira supports business activity of startup (in FinTech, media, video, EC sectors) and provides business development consulting service towards large corporations. In the area of FinTech, he is closely linked to a vast network of Japanese domestic startups and frequently presents on this subject to heads of major financial institutions.

FINOVATORS Founder

Toshiaki HASUMURA

FINOVATORS Founder

Toshiaki HASUMURA

Manager Innovation & Investment Dept, Sumitomo corporation / Visiting Associate Professor Graduate School of Information Sciences, Tohoku University
FINOVATORS Founder

From 2019, he has been engaged in the establishment and operation of HAX Tokyo at Sumitomo Corporation.
From 2020, he promotes the establishment of an business ecosystem for new business development originating from various business sites in general trading companies. From 2021, he launches the Quantum Transformation Project to promote social transformation through quantum technology and promotes its activities.
Previously, at Dentsu, he was engaged in various new business development projects for the company and its clients. As a example, he conceived the project of the FinTech Center of Tokyo “FINOLAB”, the first and largest FinTech industrial base in Japan, and established it jointly with Mitsubishi Estate and ISID.

FINOVATORS Member

Yusuke MANABE

FINOVATORS Member

Yusuke MANABE

Senior Investment Manager, Mizuho Capital Co., Ltd

Born in 1977. After Mizuho Bank (Lending, Corporate Bond, Security Alliance) and Mizuho Corporate Bank (Corporate Banking), joined Mizuho Capital from 2012. In charge of investment mainly in online venture firms, and conducting research of emerging areas such as FinTech and Sharing Economy as an analyst. Since 2016, managing Mizuho FinTech fund with Mizuho Bank.

FINOVATORS Member

Junichi KANDA

FINOVATORS Member

Junichi KANDA

Executive Officer, Money Forward, Inc.

Born in Aomori in 1970. Graduated from University of Tokyo (Economics) in 1994. Worked in Bank of Japan from 1994 to 2017. Temporally transferred to Nippon Life Insurance Company from 2011 to 2012 and to Financial Services Agency from 2015 to 2017., where he was involved in FinTech policy planning. Joined Money Forward, Inc. in 2017. MA on Yale University. Director of Fintech Association of Japan.

FINOVATORS Mentor

Takafumi OCHIAI

FINOVATORS Mentor

Takafumi OCHIAI

Attorney-at-law, Partner at Atsumi & Sakai

Graduate of Keio University (BSc, 2004), was admitted as an attorney in 2006, and worked in the Beijing office of another leading Japanese law firm in 2013. He has extensive experience in Japanese and international transactions ranging from financial and information technology, to dispute resolution and regulatory matters. He is a member of the administrative board of the Fintech Association Japan, a member of the dispute-settlement committee of the Trust Companies Association of Japan and an adviser to the Incubation & Innovation Initiative.

FINOVATORS Mentor

Tadaaki KIMURA

FINOVATORS Mentor

Tadaaki KIMURA

CEO founder, addlight Inc.

After graduating from graduate school of the University of Tokyo, started to work for major accounting firm and engaged in various areas such as IPO support service and legal issue auditing. In 2008, founded addlight Inc. and providing advisory services for corporate planning, business administration and finance. Director of some Japanese Startups and have helped two of them to be listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange market. Certified Public Accountant (JAPAN).

FINOVATORS Mentor

Noboru MIZUTA

FINOVATORS Mentor

Noboru MIZUTA

Attorney-at-law, Katayama Law Office

After graduating from graduate school of the University of Tokyo, worked for Nomura, Goldman Sachs, Deutsche Bank as derivative trader. During Deutsche days, he was in charge of Yen bond trading and involved in the establishment of online JGB trainding house, Ensai.com and became executive member. After leaving Deutsche, he went to Waseda graduate school and became Attorney-at-law after passing BAR Examination. With his rich experiences in financial institutions and online trading firm, he is providing advise to corporates from legal and business point of view.

FINOVATORS Mentor

Takane HORI

FINOVATORS Mentor

Takane HORI

Attorney-at-law, Partner at Mori Hamada & Matsumoto

She is specializing in financial regulations/compliance and dispute resolution. Involved in the enactment of Payment Services Act, while being seconded to the Financial Services Agency’s Planning and Coordination Bureau (2008-2010). A specialist member of the Financial System Council (Working Group on Payments and Transaction Banking) (2014-2015). Currently a Director of Fintech Association Japan. Graduated from Keio University (LL.B., 2001).

FINOVATORS Mentor

Hiroshi AZUMA

FINOVATORS Mentor

Hiroshi AZUMA

Attorney-at-law, Partner at Tanabe & Partners

Mr. Azuma is a Partner at Tanabe & Partners, a Tokyo-based law firm, where he is focusing on corporate legal issue especially in the financial sector. Previous to this, he spent almost 30 years at The Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi-UFJ including 8 years at its New York branch and he has extensive experience in cross-border financing transactions and structured finance area. He is a CPA in Japan and US, and a Certified Fraud Examiner.

FINOVATORS Mentor

Atsushi KITAGAWA

FINOVATORS Mentor

Atsushi KITAGAWA

Senior Investment Director of Sony Ventures Corporation

Mr.Kitagawa has been leading venture investment activities in Japan and globally focusing on Fintech, Logistics, as a founding member of Sony Innovation Fund since 2016. He is also in charge of supporting business development activities between startups and not only Sony Group but also outside Sony. He worked in Sony Network Communication from 2005 to 2016, with leading corporate/business strategy development, M&A, subsidiary listing support, and venture investment.