Company

Former CEO of ED-CONTRIVE (※)
Former Director of The Association of Copyright for Computer Software

LinkedIn： https://www.linkedin.com/in/MasahiroYamaguchi/

Profile
After leading a successful and publicly traded company listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange as Chief Executive Officer in his late 20s, Masahiro Yamaguchi returned to school to study engineering at MIT in his early 30s. After finishing his advanced studies at MIT, Yamaguchi returned to Tokyo from the United States, to start Psychic VR Lab in 2014. He incorporated the business to form STYLY, Inc. (formerly Psychic VR Lab Co., Ltd.) in 2016. Yamaguchi continues to lead and grow STYLY in his current role as Co-Founder and CEO.

(※) Companies are (were) listed in Tokyo Stock Exchange

Founder of One+nation
Former Operating Officer at Information Services International-Dentsu, Ltd. (ISID). (※)
Founder and Former Chief of Open Innovation Lab
Professor at The Graduate School of Project Design
Board Member at the National Institute for Regional Development
Partner of Advanced Technology Open Lab SpiralMind

Profile
Nobuhiko Watanabe played a key role in Japan's Second Life boom. He was the founder of Open Innovation Lab, which he started while leading the Department for Digital Strategy at a financial institution at a major system integrator, ISID, as a board member. Currently, Watanabe is in charge of business development at STYLY with his experience in Metaverse and XR technology.

(※) Companies are (were) listed in Tokyo Stock Exchange

With a career spanning 30 years, Shiraogawa has worked in 7 countries, including the area of North America, Europe, Southeast Asia and China, for global IT and communications companies such as IBM, NOKIA, and Microsoft, as well as Integrated Resort development and operation companies based in Asia. Her diverse experience covers User Interface Design, Product Management, Marketing, Business Development, and Management. She is also engaged in supporting corporations and individuals as a professional coach and also a Japanese teacher with her international certification. Born in Fukuoka Prefecture, she graduated from the Faculty of Agriculture at Kyushu University and holds a Master's degree in Business Administration from Helsinki School of Economics (now Aalto University).

I am always creating something.
https://twitter.com/afjk01/media

Ryohei Watanabe was the founder and editor-in-chief of a VR/AR/MR focused online media site called VRInside which launched in 2016. He joined Psychic VR Lab as Chief Media Officer in 2018, where he organizes media, marketing, public relation events, and other educational projects for XR artists. He is also in charge of the XR experimental project / community called NEWVIEW. The NEWVIEW project / community is helping to pioneer new forms of creative expression and ways of designing experiences in three-dimensional space using the STYLY platform. In 2018, under Watanabe’s leadership, the 1st Annual NEWVIEW AWARDS gathered 219 VR artworks. Currently, Watanabe is developing new international business with STYLY XR artists and other partner companies as a board member of Psychic VR Lab.

After working for Sony Corporation as a lithium-ion battery protection circuit designer and AR-related technology developer, Nomura started A440/ABAL, where he was involved in frontend/backend system development and AR/VR direction. His most notable works include collaborative pieces with artists – the Media Arts Festival Grand Prize-winning “Prometheus Bound / Akiro Koizumi” and TheaterCommons’21 “Suspended / Yuko Nakamura” have both received recognition in Japan and abroad. In these works, he provided extensive support from equipment operation to AR/VR direction.

In 2021, he joined the STYLY platform development team as Production Manager, and in 2022, he was appointed as Executive Officer. While working across departments, he will act as the engine to build the STYLY service platform.

Leveraging extensive experience in digital transformation consulting with major Japanese firms and management of AI technology startups, I have been involved in the management reform and value enhancement of portfolio companies for VC/PE funds and listed equity investments. I have long supported the representative, Mr. Yamaguchi, since our university days and from the inception of his entrepreneurial journey.
After graduating from university, I worked at IBM (formerly PwC Consulting) and served as an executive at a Mothers-listed startup. I then spent 10 years with Accenture's Strategy Group, where I held the position of Managing Director, leading advanced DX projects such as Smart City and Circular Economy initiatives. Subsequently, I began supporting startups independently and joined the AI startup PKSHA Technology in 2018, serving as a Director and Executive Officer of the group companies. Through formulating and executing inorganic strategies such as business carve-outs of listed companies and acquisitions and integrations of unlisted ventures, I contributed to the growth of the SaaS business. Additionally, I have acted as an advisor for PE funds on due diligence and digital turnarounds, and I currently serve as a director of a PE fund's portfolio company. Since 2023, I have transitioned to an active fund for listed stocks, where I, as Managing Director, drive engagements to enhance corporate value of growth companies aiming to create future trillion-yen enterprises.

Representative Lawyer of HCA Law Office
Director of Locondo (※)
Auditor of Casa (※)
Outside Director of Willplus Holdings (※)

Profile
Satoshi Hirota worked for a major legal office specializing in corporate affairs, where he was responsible for making arrangements, contract negotiations, and providing legal advice on M&A projects including mergers, buyouts, business transfers, stock transfers, stock swaps, and policies to prevent hostile acquisition as well as financing projects including project financing, asset liquidation and securitization, and issuing corporate bonds. He then began working for a US-based law office where he was involved in establishing a credit facility for a private equity fund. After returning to Japan, he joined a private equity fund where he was responsible for examining potential investments, providing business management advice, and overseeing exit processes, a role which saw him successfully complete two exit projects. He then took up the post as an executive officer responsible for service at an IT company that the fund had invested in. In order to leverage his business experience to provide a new corporate legal support service, he then launched HCA Law.

(※) Companies are (were) listed in Tokyo Stock Exchange

He holds a BA from Yale University and an MBA from Harvard Business School. After working at McKinsey & Company, Amazon (U.S.), and Bridgewater Associates (U.S.), he co-founded Great Wave Ventures (formerly known as Agya Ventures), a venture capital fund based in New York, where he invests mainly in U.S. venture companies.

Upon graduating from Keio university in 1974, I worked for NEC Corporation and gained experience in R&D engineering and networking system integration for space communications. (“HIMAWARI”: Geostationary Meteorological Satellite Project, “HAYABUSA” Space Probe Project etc.) In 1984 I joined Ungermann-Bass Inc., a California-based pioneer in computer networking, as its Far East engineering director of product development and manufacturing. I founded and became CEO of Allied Telesis in 1987. Allied Telesis (from start-up to leader in the LAN product market in Japan) listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (Second Section) in 2001 in a successful IPO.
In 1994, I also founded Lancept (which developed and sold enterprise-class workflow and process management software) as my 2nd Start up.
I did support some young Venture businesses, including ED-Contrive Inc., AVIX Inc. to go public in 2003 and 2005, served as the board Director　and did play a role Partner of Global Venture Capital (Japan) to support many start-up companies including US, Asian venture business.
After 9 years of serving as the President of Intercom, I became an advisor for YIS Corporation to succeed M&A January in 2024

I have held various posts in Internet-related organizations and public committees and is well known as a pioneer in the LAN and Internet industries in Japan, like as NetWorld + Interop Tokyo exhibition Executive Committee Chairman. In 2013, I was recognized as one of the 20 individuals who have made the most significant contributions to the development of the Internet industry at Interop Tokyo20th.

After graduating from high school, I established an editorial production company, serving as editor-in-chief, publishing various mini-communication magazines, and producing idols. Following my graduation from Waseda University, I joined Kuraray Co., Ltd., where I worked in human resources and general affairs, before joining Transcosmos Inc. in 2000. There, I oversaw group company management, internal control, and compliance promotion as the head of the general affairs department and the management division.

In 2005, I became involved in the management of Zappallas, leading to its listing on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Mothers and subsequent transition to the First Section. I held various positions including Director of Management, Managing Executive Officer, Full-Time Corporate Auditor, and Corporate Auditor.

Later, I became involved in the management of Baroque Japan Limited, where I worked on management planning and IPO support. In 2014, I served as the company's Executive Officer and Head of the Management Division, and then as the Managing Executive Officer and Head of the Management Division, leading to the company's listing on the Tokyo Stock Exchange First Section in November 2016. Since 2017, I have been serving as the Managing Executive Officer and Chief Strategy Officer, responsible for formulating and promoting management plans as well as overseeing IR and public relations.

In 2018, I was appointed as the Chief Financial Officer and Director of Innovation, overseeing the entire management department and group company management. Since 2023, I have been serving as the Chairman, engaged in the formulation and promotion of business strategies.