Mr. Tatsuya Mabe

Representative Director, Kenrobotech Co.

Born in 1976. Born in Kagawa Prefecture, he is a genuine Sanuki native who grew up eating udon as baby food.
After graduating from high school, he entered a culinary school thinking it was a job where he could express himself. After graduation, he trained at several restaurants, but due to a conflict with the chef, he left the company for a while and helped his father's construction company, Miyakojima Kogyo, in his search for his next apprenticeship.
The bank imposed a change of management on the company in the midst of bankruptcy. As the manager, he improved the financial situation and developed the company, and rebuilt it into a company that is now recognized as an excellent company.
EMO Co., Ltd. was established to solve various problems on site, and the name was changed to Kenrobotech Co., Ltd. when Tomorobo was developed.

Mr. Hidemi Uehara

Okura Kogyo Co.
Director, Executive Officer, General Manager of Plastics Division and in charge of R&D Center

Born in Takamatsu City, Kagawa Prefecture, he graduated from Doshisha University in 1980 with a bachelor's degree in engineering. In 2004, he completed a doctoral course at Kanazawa University's Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology (Doctor of Engineering) to pursue the principles of the tubular biaxially oriented stretching method, a film manufacturing technology. He has developed several functional products centered on shrink film, Okura's main product.
Appointed as Director in 2013. Currently, as Director and Executive Officer of the Plastics Business and Development Division, he is driving business expansion and the commercialization of development themes related to the focused fields of "Environment and Energy", "Information Electronics", and "Life Science".
In addition, the center participates in the Kagawa University Center for Social Collaboration and Intellectual Property's Technical Exchange Cooperative Association, and is actively involved in the revitalization of local manufacturing companies and the training of future generations.

Mr. Hiroki Oka

Department of Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University
Tenure-track Assistant Professor

April 2017 Entered Waseda University for an integrated Ph.D. program; 2018 Studied at Uppsala University as a visiting researcher; 2019 Awarded the 46th Liberace Research Fund Energy Ecosystem Award; March 2021 Completed the doctoral program at the same university early; 2021 Awarded the JSPS Ikushi Prize; 2021 Awarded the JSPS Ikushi Prize; 2021 Awarded the JSPS International Competitiveness Award; 2021 Awarded the JSPS International Competitiveness Award; 2021 Awarded the JSPS International Competitiveness Award. After working as a JSPS CPD fellow at Uppsala University and the University of Tokyo, he has been a tenure-track assistant professor at the Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University since December 2021. He is engaged in the creation of polymer materials that contribute to solving energy problems.

Itaru Ozaka

Hiroshima University Graduate School
Professor, Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering

He received his degree in 2002 from the University of Tsukuba for his research on π-conjugated polymers. In 2006, he became a postdoctoral fellow at Carnegie Mellon University in the U.S., where he was engaged in research on semiconductor polymers for organic transistors. Since 2009, he has been an assistant professor at the Graduate School of Engineering, Hiroshima University. In 2013, he became a senior researcher at the RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science.

Moderator.
Hikaru Tsukagoshi

Leave a Nest Co., Ltd.
Research and Development Division

M.S. (Agriculture), Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo. Master of Agriculture. Specialized in microbiology, enzymology, and agrochemistry. After working for a consulting company, he joined RIVANES in 2015. He has worked in the Human Resource Development Division and the Research and Development Division. Since joining the company, he has been involved in a number of "RIVANES Research Grants," a research grant program for young researchers, building partnerships between academia and companies, and at the same time supporting social implementation of research results. Under the theme of "creating opportunities for people to change through research," he is currently making efforts to create a place where knowledge can be fused across fields and organizations and new research can be created, centered on the "Association of Super-Different Fields.

Ms. Yuko Ogata

Representative Director, Melody International, Inc.

After graduating from Kyoto University Graduate School of Engineering with a degree in nuclear engineering, moved to Kagawa. (Worked in IT system development at Amron Corporation and Innovate Corporation. In 2002, he founded Mitra Corporation (headquartered in Kagawa) and became its representative director after participating in the development of electronic medical records for clinics (a project of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry) and the electronic medical record network project in four prefectures in Shikoku (a project of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry). In 2015, he established Melody International Inc. to build a telemedicine platform using an IoT fetal heart rate monitor to solve the problems faced by perinatal care. Appointed as Representative Director.

Mr. Tada, Kanji

Office of the CEO, AMI, Inc.

After graduating from the School of Political Science and Economics at Waseda University, he worked for a semiconductor company in charge of domestic and international sales and marketing. While a student at Waseda University Business School, he launched a venture company, and based in Sumida-ku, Tokyo, he has been engaged in consulting for small and medium-sized companies and major pharmaceutical companies, as well as planning and implementing small and medium-sized business policies for the government.
In 2014, he was involved in the strategy of a plant dismantling company to be listed on TSE Mothers, and conducted 3D laser scanning business and robot development; from 2018, he worked on social implementation of robots as a researcher at Kyoto University, where he had a joint research project; joined AMI in April 2020; in April 2011, he was appointed as a member of the board of directors of AMI, and is in charge of recruiting and new business development in the Tokyo office. He joined AMI in April 2020 and is in charge of human resource recruitment and new business development in the Tokyo office. His specialty is in the area of technology marketing, including the formulation of new business strategies that utilize cutting-edge technologies. Master of Business Administration (MBA)

Mr. Kazumi Taguchi

Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medicine
Lecturer, Division of Nephrology and Urology

Born in Okazaki, Aichi, Japan, he graduated from Nagoya City University. After initial clinical training at Aichi Koseiren Kainan Hospital, he joined the Department of Urology at Nagoya City University, where he received his MD in 2014.He studied at the University of California, San Francisco from 2016 to 2017. He is an advisor of the Japanese Urological Association, a councilor of the Japanese Association for Urolithiasis, and a proctor of robot-assisted surgery.
He specializes in research and surgery of urinary tract stones and has received the Japan Urological Association Award (2018), the Best Poster Award of the Urological Association of America (2018) and Europe (2019), and the Japan Medical Association Medical Research Encouragement Award (2021), etc. In 2017, he started international collaboration with NDR Medical Technology, a Singapore-based medical device venture company. In 2017, he started an international collaboration with NDR Medical Technology, a Singapore-based medical device company, and is currently conducting a clinical trial.

Takumi Kando

Strategic Development Division, Liverness Inc.

Ph.D. (Engineering), studied abroad at KU Leuven (Belgium) in 2014-15, completed doctoral studies at Yokohama National University Graduate School of Environment and Information Studies in 2016, and was a researcher at Tokyo Institute of Technology School of Materials Science and Engineering and a part-time faculty member (assistant professor) at Yokohama National University Center for Higher Education and Universitywide Education from 2017 to 2019 before assuming his current position. He is also a member of the board of directors of the Institute for Southeast Asian Studies. At RIVANES, he is involved in the development of prototypes and patents in Japan for a Southeast Asian caretech venture, and from 2021, he will be involved in supporting the overseas expansion of Melody International, a medical device venture from Kagawa, Japan.

Moderator.

Yuko Ueno

Leave a Nest Co., Ltd.
General Manager, Group Development Business Headquarters

D. in Science. During his studies, he has been exploring the origin of life in extreme environmental biology He joined Rivanes Corporation in 2013. After working as the general manager of the Human Resource Development Division, he joined the Foundation Development Division in 2018, where he became the editor-in-chief of the booklet "Foundation Support" before becoming the representative of RIVANES USA. While utilizing his own research experience, he discovers and nurtures deep tech startups in the US, UK, Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines, where the Rivanes Group has offices, and at the same time designs new businesses for Japanese companies in collaboration with the startups. He also has experience in assisting Japanese deep-tech startups to enter Southeast Asia and Southeast Asian startups to enter the Japanese market, and has been in his current position since October 2021.

Mr. Yasumasa Manabe

President and Representative Director, HOXIN Corporation

Born in Takamatsu City, Kagawa Prefecture, he graduated from Hitotsubashi University in 1999 with a degree in economics. After working for a management consulting firm and an investment company, he joined Takamatsu Kotodaira Electric Railway Co. While serving as a representative of the Kotoden Group companies, he also invests in venture companies and provides management support, and is developing various measures to energize the local community with a focus on transportation and mobility. He is also a representative director of Isle Partners Inc. and HOXIN Inc. and an outside director of Kamomeya Inc. and MATCHA.

Mr. Toru Miyake

President and Representative Director, Mirai Kikai Co.

Born August 3, 1980 in Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture
Area of expertise: Robotics and mechatronics, (mechanical design, electrical and electronic circuits, system design)
2004 Established the Company and assumed the position of President and Representative Director (to present)
2008 Withdrawal with Completion of Course Requirements from the Graduate School of Engineering, Kagawa University
2009 Awarded Doctor of Engineering from Kagawa University.

Aiming for social implementation of exciting and useful robots, he started his own business at the age of 24 while still a student at Kagawa University. Developed a solar panel cleaning robot for deserts since 2008 with support from NEDO, JETRO, and others, and raised about 700 million yen in 2018. So far, the robot has been introduced in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, and India.

Mr. Kei Moriyama

Representative Director, Wisley Inc.

Born in Soja City, Okayama Prefecture, Japan. 2002 Completed the Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University. D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences. He is currently an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shijitsu University, and in 2019, he founded the university-launched venture company Withray Co. He specializes in spectroanalysis and organic chemistry. Pharmacist.
In 2018, he won two company awards, the Chugoku Bank Award and the Nihon Unisys Award, at the first Okayama Tech Plan Grand Prix. He then won the grand prize in the business category startup category at the Okayama Innovation Contest 2019 and the best challenge prize at the Photonics Challenge 2021 (Hamamatsu, Japan) In 2020, he received the Okayama City Cultural Encouragement Award. His marathon personal best is 2 hours, 50 minutes and 9 seconds.

Moderator.

Yukihiro Maru

Group CEO and Representative Director, Liverness, Inc.

D. in Agriculture, founded LIVERNESS Co., Ltd. in 2002 while still in graduate school. Ltd. in 2002. He has developed Japan's first "delivery laboratory class of cutting-edge science" into a business. He operates a "knowledge manufacturing business" that creates new knowledge by combining management resources and technologies that lie dormant in universities and local communities, and has facilitated more than 200 projects through his "knowledge platform. As the instigator of one of Asia's largest venture ecosystems in collaboration with local factories and major companies, etc., he works to solve global-scale social issues by discovering deep tech from around the world. Since February 2020, he has also served as Representative Director of Real Tech Holdings Corporation, which invests in R&D-oriented innovative technologies that contribute to solving global and human issues.

Moderator.

Mr. Shogo Sakashita

Executive Officer, Office of the President, KOBASHI HOLDINGS Co.
COO, KOBASHI ROBOTICS Co.

Born in Chiba, Japan in 1984.
After graduating from university, he joined Mikimoto Co., Ltd. and worked as a diamond buyer, procuring diamonds for royalty and the royal family.
Later, he experienced setting up a reconstruction project after the Great East Japan Earthquake.In 2015, he joined MISUMI Corporation. Experienced in development, production, and sales, and also familiar with marketing and promotion in e-commerce. He is also engaged in business strategy planning.
Current position since 2020. He is in charge of planning and executing business strategies for the entire group. In order to embody the management philosophy "Cultivate the Earth," in addition to the core agricultural machinery business, he is also involved in the manufacturing support business for startups and the creation of new regional industries.

Mr. Toshimasa Yamamoto

Department of Biotechnology and Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering, Okayama University of Science
Adjunct Researcher, Center for Bioproduction Education and Research Associate Professor

1980 Worked at the Research Institute of Metallurgy, engaged in the development of rare metals and other materials research divisions
1989 Founded an aquarium equipment and manufacturing company and assumed the position of Representative Director
2002 Head of Department of Aquarium, Okayama University of Science College of Science
2008 Director of K2 Life Lab, a subsidiary related to Kakei Gakuen
2009 Associate Professor, Department of Biotechnology and Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering, Okayama University of Science
(up to) the present position

<Recent Research Areas and Activities
Participated in the design and production of many domestic aquariums, including the Churaumi Aquarium in Okinawa, Japan (1989-2002)
Successful development of mass production technology and commercialization of bear clams (2004-2008)
Development of closed-loop fish aquaculture technology using water from favorable environments (2005-present)
The Blue-and-white Cockatoo in Okayama Prefecture (2013).
Research on starfish extermination method by acetic acid chemical injection (2013)
Designated as a "starfish extermination manual" by the Ministry of the Environment for domestic and international dissemination (2014).
Identification and habitat survey of Sawtooth Thistle species found in Okayama Prefecture, Japan (2013).
Research on the production of shrimp seedlings using water with favorable environmental conditions: Japan International Cooperation Agency project (Takeo Province, Cambodia): in charge of project manager (2013-2015)
Black Tiger in-land aquaculture collaboration with Royal University of Warai Lak, Thailand, using water from a favorable environment (2016-)
In the same year, JICA Grassroots Project (Bangladesh: Saw-toothed turban shell aquaculture)
・Established a demonstration test plant in Okayama University of Science and Satellite Office in Mongolia. First test shipment of marine fish in Mongolia is underway in the city of Ulaanbaatar (2019-)

Mr. Tsuyoshi Kohama

Chiba University of Science
Fish Factory Systems Research Center

Born in 1972 in Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture
Specialty: Biological Oceanography, Aquaculture
1996 Graduated from Fisheries University, Department of Aquaculture
1998 Completed Master's program, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kagawa University
2001 Completed Doctoral program, United Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences, Ehime University
2016 Director of Research Center for Fish Factory System, Chiba University of Science

In order to realize sustainable coexistence between aquatic animals and humans, he researches the ecology of aquatic animals and the technology to cultivate them as resources. At Chiba University of Science, he was involved in the development of the "Fish Factory" system and the development of land-based aquaculture technology for the mokuzu crab, a "university-branded aquatic species.

Mr. Masataka Yahagi

President, Yoriehara Agricultural Cooperative

Born in 1953. Lives and works in Maniwa City, Okayama Prefecture.
He is the president of Yoriebara, an agricultural cooperative.
In 1970, he joined Gunze Limited.
He worked in China for five years starting in 2003.
In 2009, he experienced the Great East Japan Earthquake when he was transferred to Tohoku Gunze Co.
2013 Retired and made a U-turn to Maniwa City.
Since 2017, he has been the president of Yoriebara, an agricultural cooperative.
Since 2028, the company has been implementing a two-year Smart Agriculture Demonstration Project sponsored by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan. Together with its members, the company grows safe, high-quality agricultural products for their own consumption and operates in a way that contributes to the sustainable development of the local community.

Tsubasa Nishifuji

Soilook Corporation
Representative Director

Graduated from the Department of Intelligent Mechanical Systems Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kagawa University. While a student, he has been consistently engaged in research on remote sensing technology using spectral analysis. In March 2020, he founded Soilook Inc. In March 2020, he founded Soilook, Inc. As president, he focuses on business activities to create the next generation of high-tech equipment/technology and to maximize its value of being useful to people.

Mr. Koichi Mori

Maurice Corporation
President and Representative Director

While studying abroad in the U.S. at Waseda University, he suffered a cervical cord injury in a sea accident. The doctor told him that he would never be able to breathe on his own again and that he would be bedridden for the rest of his life, but after determined rehabilitation, he was discharged from the hospital. After graduating from university, he established the NPO Rahm in March 2008, which became a social welfare corporation in 2015, and in 2020, he established Morris Inc. and started a manufacturing business for people with disabilities and a welfare business consultancy. He won the Chugoku Bank Prize at the 2nd Kagawa Tech Plan Grand Prix with the theme "AI and people with disabilities deliver the best sleeping environment. He is vigorously engaged in research and development of products that deliver a restful sleep environment in collaboration with local researchers and companies.

Mr. Hiroshi Kajiyama

Agri Blue Corporation
President and Representative Director

After 10 years of research, he established light control technology for growth and secondary metabolism. A cumulative total of more than 20 farms have conducted demonstration tests. Plans to participate in a project to regenerate eelgrass through undersea photosynthesis and in a project to regenerate abandoned farmland through farm power generation. After working at Hitachi, Ltd., the University of Tokyo, and Hiroshima University, he has been a professor at the Faculty of Science and Technology, Tokushima Bunri University since 2012. D. in Science. He also serves as Vice President, Dean of the Faculty of Science and Engineering, and Dean of the Graduate School of Engineering. Specializes in surface physics and photophysics. During his time at Hitachi, he was exposed to Japan's first plant factory research, an experience that is useful today.

Mr. Ikuhide Harada

The Chugoku Bank, Ltd.
Senior Managing Director and Representative Director

Born in Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture, he graduated from Okayama University's Faculty of Economics in 1985 and joined Chukoku Bank (now The Chugoku Bank, Ltd.) From 2007, he served as branch manager of Hirai Branch, Fuchu Branch, Osaka Branch, and Fukuyama Branch; in 2015, he became Executive Officer and General Manager of Human Resources Department; in 2017, he became Managing Director; in 2019, he assumed his current position. Aiming to create a vibrant community, he is scheduled to be appointed as the chairman of the Okayama Innovation Project Executive Committee in March 2022, with the aim of fostering momentum for business startups in Okayama. He is at the forefront of essential regional development and SDGs, working closely with local businesses.

Shinya Yamazaki

The Chugoku Bank, Ltd.
Executive Officer, General Manager of Shikoku Regional Headquarters and General Manager of Hanshin Regional Headquarters

Born in Tamashima, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture, he graduated from the Yokohama National University's Faculty of Business Administration in 1990 and joined Chugoku Bank. From 2011, he served as Branch Manager of the Sennen Branch, Hiroshima Nishi Branch, Kurashiki Ekimae Branch, and Saidaiji Branch. From 2021 to present, under the motto of "Quick Response - Quickly turn PDCA cycles," he strives daily to discover the true needs of local customers and to bring satisfaction and excitement that exceeds their expectations. He is always looking forward to taking on new challenges, and hopes to bring "enthusiasm" from Shikoku to the world.

Ms. Noriko Hosoha

The Chugoku Bank, Ltd.
Director, SDGs Promotion Department for Local Development

Born in Okayama Prefecture. Graduated from Keio University, Faculty of Law, and joined The Chugoku Bank, Ltd. While working in the Sales Division, he pioneered the implementation of regional development initiatives as a researcher in the Regional Development Team. In 2019, she was appointed Manager of Tamashima North Branch, and will assume her current position in 2021. He aims to build a structure within the bank to accelerate activities for regional development and SDGs, and to achieve sustainable development of the region.

Moderator.

Shuhei Tsukada

Executive Officer, LIVERNESS Co.

D. in Applied Biotechnology, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo. D. in Agriculture. Participated in the management of RIVERNESS since 2003, when the company was in its early stages of establishment. After accumulating practical experience in experimental classes and various types of writing, developed and introduced advanced technologies in the agri-field and launched a project to build an ecosystem for regional startups. Committed to technology and business development in collaboration with large and medium-sized companies, venture companies, researchers, etc. on a field-oriented basis.

Mr. Kengo Suzuki

Euglena Co.
Executive Officer, Research and Development

D. (Agriculture)/Ph.D. (Medicine), he helped establish Euglena Co. in 2005 while a student at the University of Tokyo, where he succeeded in the world's first outdoor mass cultivation of Euglena, a type of microalgae, for food use. As one of the co-founders, he has been in charge of research and development up to the present. he received his PhD (Agriculture) from the University of Tokyo in 2016 and his PhD (Medicine) from Kitasato University in 2019. Currently, he is a research director of the microalgae production control technology research team at RIKEN, a visiting professor at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, and a specially appointed professor at Tohoku University. He is the author of the book "Dr. Green Beetle's Super-Entrepreneurial Thinking" (Nikkei BP).

Hideki Koide

I-Compology Corporation
board member

Born in Takahashi City, Okayama Prefecture, he received his Master's degree in 1987 from the Graduate School of Science, Ehime University, majoring in organic chemistry. In the same year, he joined Idemitsu Kosan Co. In 2017, he left the company and joined the management of the newly established I-Compology Co. Currently, he is engaged in the development and market deployment of biomass composite plastic materials that aim to reduce the burden on the global environment, such as plastic materials that can reduce the use of fossil resource-derived plastics by compositing biomass powder, and plastic materials that are biodegradable in the ocean.

Mr. Takashi Ikuno

Tokyo University of Science
Associate Professor, Department of Electronic Systems Engineering, School of Advanced Engineering

D. in Electronic Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University. D. in Engineering.
He specializes in thin film surfaces, electronic devices, and applied physics. He is particularly interested in low-dimensional materials. After working at U.S. National Laboratories and state universities, he was engaged in research and development of solar cells and quantum semiconductors at Toyota Central R&D Labs, Inc. Currently, he is engaged in research and development of sustainable functional materials and soft electronic devices at Tokyo University of Science. He entered the field of plastic waste research through the Nippon Foundation, JASTO, and Rivanes' Project Ikkaku.

Moderator.

Kazuhiro Hasegawa

Leave a Nest Co., Ltd.
Executive Officer CKO

M.S. (Engineering), Tokyo Metropolitan University. Joined RIVANES as its first new employee. He launched the Human Resources Development Division and became an executive officer in 2012. Since 2020, he has focused on promoting collaboration between medium-sized companies and startups, and has created numerous examples of such collaboration.