SPEAKERS
A more connected future, Embarking from Osaka towards the next generation
Takehiro Sato
SkyDrive / Chief Operating Officer
With a bachelor’s and master’s degree from the University of Tokyo, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences. He joined a general consulting firm and worked on projects involving a wide range of fields, including business strategy, new business development, and business reform in industries such as manufacturing, retail, and construction.
In October of 2018, he joined SkyDrive Inc. as its first employee, developing company-wide strategies, the business strategy for flying cars and engaging in project leadership for the launch of the cargo drone business.
As Chief of Operations, he heads and oversees global business development and partner negotiations for both businesses. As the person in charge of global recruitment, he is also engaged in organizational development. He has been in his current position since September 2021.
Established in 2018 with the mission of "Driving this Century’s Mobility Revolution". We endeavor to commercialize flying cars and contribute to the future of mobility. We have developed flying cars and logistics drones led by aircraft, drone, and automobile engineers.
Logistics drones are available as subscriptions.
The "Flying Car" business project is scheduled to commence in 2025.
Daisuke Tanaka
Tier IV, Inc. / Chief Operating Officer
Daisuke is responsible for business strategy development, project management, marketing, sales, and external communications. He also serves on the board of The Autoware Foundation, an industry group that promotes global standards for Autoware.
He was a Business Solution Adviser at IBM Japan from 2003-2010. He built and managed global supply chain systems for leading global automotive companies. From 2-12-2018, he was an Associate Partner at McKinsey & Company Tokyo Office. He served global clients in Energy and Manufacturing industry.
He received MBA at Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon University and LLB at the University of Tokyo.
A deep-tech company with the mission of "creation and destruction.". Tier IV leads the development of “Autoware”, the world's first open-source autonomous operating system, with the aim of creating an ecosystem in which organizations and individuals can contribute to the development of autonomous driving technology. Recognizing this as the "democratization of autonomous driving technology," we have created a society where people around the world can enjoy the novel concept of time and space. Specifically, Tier IV is engaged in business related to the development of autonomous driving systems, the provision and utilization of autonomous driving EVs using subscription models, and unmanned logistics and passenger services.
Kohei Teshima
Osaka Business Development Agency / Manager, IoT & RT Business Promotion Division
After graduating from university, Kohei worked in PR/marketing at a creative agency and was mainly in charge of corporate communication design. Since 2013, he has been supporting companies and creating projects at the Osaka Innovation Hub, a support network for startups. In 2017, he moved to the Software Industry Plaza TEQS and launched the 5G Open Lab "5G X LAB OSAKA". He now engages in various tech business projects, including robotics related grand challenges.
An organization responsible for the economic policies of Osaka city and Osaka prefecture.
Osaka Business Development Agency provides various support services for SMEs and startups, from business consulting to new business development and market development.
Among them, "Software Industry Plaza TEQS" is a support base specializing in tech business. In addition to contributing to co-creation through the operation of the 5G Open Lab, the organization supports startups' challenges in conceiving new products and services through demonstration experiments.
Yusuke Inagaki
Uzabase,Inc. Representative Director and Group Co-CEO /
NewsPicks,Inc. Co-Chief Executive Officer
After graduating from university, Yusuke Inagaki joined ABeam Consulting where, as project manager, he engaged in the formulation of strategies and architecture of company-wide IT systems, as well as large-scale databases for financial institutions. He subsequently co-founded Uzabase with Ryosuke Niino and Yusuke Umeda in 2008, assuming his current position in 2021.
Setting our sights on Osaka, Kansai, the hybrid Mecca of Academy and Industry.
Kenzo Ibano
Osaka Heat Cool Inc. / CEO
Smartphones and PCs are the ultimate form of information transmission, but the information that machines can give to humans is limited to sight and sound. By approaching the senses of taste, smell, and touch, we can see innovation beyond the smartphone.
Here, the sense of touch is pressure and temperature from the skin. Pressure can be reproduced by piezoelectric devices, but temperature is difficult to reproduce. By establishing a temperature reproducing interface, we can realize the perfect reproduction of the sense of touch.
We, Osaka Heat Cool Inc., will create innovation in ICT devices by presenting the hot and cold temperature reproducing interface using Peltier elements. We aim to improve the quality of life for everyone through the new value of temperature.
Kansai Innovation Initiative [KSII]
To promote innovation activities that make the most of the distinctive universities and companies of the Kinki region. Specifically, the project aims to establish a ecosystem of innovation in Osaka, Kyoto and Kobe metropolitan area by (1) creating a variety of exchange opportunities among university-originated research seeds, ventures , and the industries, (2) creating opportunities for the implementation of these collaborative ideas generated through industry-university exchanges, (3) developing an advanced human resources network for supporting the industry-university co-creation, (4) nurturing human resources to act as a bridge between industry and academia, and (5) disseminating outcomes to interested domestic and overseas parties.
Keihanshin Startup Academia Coalition [KSAC]
A platform that supports the formation of university-originated startups through collaboration between major universities, industries, financial industry, and local governments in Osaka, Kyoto and Kobe.
By actively developing 4 functions, (1) entrepreneurial activities support, (2) education for entrepreneurship, (3) development of entrepreneurial environments, and (4) creation of an entrepreneurial ecosystem; and focusing on popularization activities, the aim is to create a system in which startups can be sustainably formed by maximizing the synergy of participating institutions.
Masaaki Yoshikawa
Human Hub Japan Corp. Founder and CEO / Hankyu Hanshin Properties Corp. Advisor
(Former Director of Osaka City Economic Strategy Bureau)
Massaki was selected by the public to oversee the promotion of “Osaka Innovation Hub”, which was established by Osaka City. This means that he is involved in all facets of Osaka city's innovation administration. During his stint in the private sector, he managed companies, developed new businesses, and formed partnerships with overseas ventures and research institutes. Based on his experience, he campaigned that "in times of rapid change, people find employment in industries and streets, not in companies." During his time in Osaka, he promoted “Hack Osaka: envisioning the streets themselves as a place of employment”, and encouraged the establishment of a co-creation environment that transcends titles, organizations, and nationalities.
Forbes (Japan) named him as one of the “88 Local Innovators” in 2017.
He is currently a member on the recommendation committee of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry "J-STARTUP", and serves as Deputy General Manager at Kansai Innovation Initiative (KSII) and as a consultant for SMEs.
What are the needs for co-creation among companies representing Osaka and Kansai, and what are the areas the Expo 2025, Osaka, Kansai will focus on?
Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd.
Established in 1896, the company manufactures and sells ships, railcars, aircraft, motorcycles, gas turbines, industrial plants, robots, and hydraulic equipment. Under "Group Vision 2030", established as a vision for the future, the Group has designated "Safe and Secure Remote Society," "Near Future Mobility," and "Energy and Environmental Solutions" as areas of focus, and is actively working to solve social issues by developing and testing automated PCR testing robot systems, automated delivery robots, hydrogen carriers, and hydrogen power generation facilities.
Kodai Yoshizawa
Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. /
Corporate Planning Division, Innovation Department, Assistant General Manager.
In 2014, Kodai joined Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. He has experience in overseas sales of small gasoline general-purpose engines and in project management between overseas sales companies and domestic plants, in charge of marketing and sales promotion. Since June last year, he has been engaged in company-wide open innovation promotion. He is engaged in the search for external collaboration with startups, promotion and support of collaboration with Kawasaki’s other business units, and the operation and management of intrapreneurship.
Daikin Industries, Ltd.
A leading global air-conditioning company with more than 70% of its sales and more than 80% of its 85,000 employees based overseas. Since its founding in 1924, Daikin has continued to grow its business, primarily in air conditioning and fluorochemicals, and now has more than 100 production sites worldwide, operating in more than 160 countries and regions. The company provides products and services that meet the needs of diverse cultures and values around the world. We endeavor to make people and spaces healthy and comfortable through the power of "air".
Mitsumasa Okada
Daikin Industries, Ltd. / Technology and Innovation Center, CVC Office
In 2015, he graduated from the Faculty of Law of Kyoto University and joined Daikin Industries, Ltd. After joining the company, he was transferred to a sales subsidiary, where he was in charge of sales routes to air conditioning stores. After returning to Daikin in 2018, he was in charge of the management and marketing of subsidiaries in Brazil and Mexico. Since 2019, he has been involved in the corporate planning office, providing strategic planning and service solutions for the U.S. subsidiary "Goodman", and the formulation of a medium-term strategic management plan. Since 2020, he has been in charge of startup exploration, investment, and collaboration promotion in the CVC Office.
Nankai Electric Railway Co., Ltd.
Based in Namba Railway Station, and with locations in southern Osaka and Wakayama, it is the oldest railway company in Japan pure private capital and has diversified its business operations to include real estate and distribution. The corporate group consists of 75 subsidiaries and groups, aiming to support customers' lives from various points of contact as a "comprehensive lifestyle company". There is a wide scope of areas along the line such as Mt. Koya, Mozu/Furuichi burial grounds and Kansai International Airport. In 2031, the Naniwasuji Line, which connects Shin-Osaka, Umeda and Nakanoshima, is scheduled to open.
Maho Tomishige
Nankai Electric Railway Co., Ltd. / Innovation Creation Unit, New Business Development
Maho was born in Kumamoto Prefecture. After joining Nankai Electric Railway in 2019, she was in charge of company-wide education as part of her role in the personnel department. She was engaged in formulating policies and implementing measures for human resource development. Since being assigned to the current department in 2021, she has been engaged in new business development in the digital field with the DX division. She herself has been focusing on the creation of new businesses through the in-house "New Business Development Program".
Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition
The Expo 2025, Osaka, Kansai will serve as an opportunity for the world to gather in one place under the theme of "Life". The Expo endeavors to show the world hope for the future through exchanging diverse values, promoting new connections and creations, overcoming global crises, protecting individual lives, and reexamining life and the way it is lived.
Rikka Sakamoto
Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition /
Management Strategy Office, Deputy Director
In 2005, after graduating from the Faculty of Law at Kyoto University, she joined the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry. She has been working with University researchers and companies, facilitating industry to university collaboration. In April 2016, she was transferred to the Bureau of Industry and Tourism at Kyoto City, supporting bio startups. Since May 2018, in the Trade Department of the Kinki Regional Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry and the 2025 NEXT Kansai Planning Office, she has been promoting the spread of SDGs to SMEs and supporting efforts to utilize the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai. In July 2020, she was transferred to the Japan Association for the 2025 World Exhibitions and assumed her present position in April 2021.
Let us welcome the food tech startup from Singapore that has landed in Osaka after they presented in Hack Award 2021!
CRUST JAPAN
At CRUST Group, we're passionate food waste fighters driving a more circular food movement. We upcycle food waste and loss into unique beverages and products for our food service and retail partners. We leave no CRUST behind!
Our mission: To empower businesses in food service and retail to repurpose their food waste and loss into high-value products, reducing global food loss by 1% by 2030.
Josh Grengs
CRUST JAPAN / Operations Manager