Our mission is to build strong connections between the SF Bay Area and Japan and to serve as the go-to resource about Japan for people living in the Bay Area. We offer a range of high-quality programs on US-Japan entrepreneurship, innovation, healthcare, international relations, travel, culture and the arts, as well as many others.

Teach course on entrepreneurship to Japanese and international graduate students at Waseda. Course material covers basic elements of starting and running an entrepreneurial company and features guest lectures from a variety of entrepreneurs and investors.

Exploring new opportunities in digital health and digital therapeutics on behalf of Sysmex, a global leader in diagnostic devices and medical technology.

Founder of boutique strategic consulting practice that supports companies doing business between the US and Japan. Clients range from venture-backed startups, to small and medium businesses and enterprise clients in both the US and Japan.Expertise: strategy, market entry, business development, sales, channel and partner strategy, market research, and local in-person representation. Representative engagements include:• Served as Japan country manager for US-based software and analytics firm, managed strategic partners, and established multiple enterprise account relationships in Japan• Conducted multi-stage Japanese market research project for major US electronics manufacturer• Negotiated Japan channel partnership for leading HR software company• Developed strategic growth plan for global internship and work program provider, and developed pilot programs to assess new business offerings• Assisted Japanese sporting equipment maker with US market entry strategy• Conducted preliminary market diligence for Japanese software company that led to the successful launch of a new global social media management software product and establishment of US entity• Built online marketing strategy and global website for Japanese equipment vendor targeting US market

Member of senior executive team, VP of Customer Success, VP Japan business, with responsibility for post-sale delivery of all custom software projects. Led Gigster’s most significant and successful business partnership with Dentsu of Japan. Accomplishments:• Built team and led highly successful partnership with Dentsu to launch a new custom software development business in Japan (GNUS, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Dentsu) modeled on Gigster platform and processes• Oversaw development and deployment of Gigster’s global network of more than 500 top-level engineers, designers, architects • Recruited, screened and curated a network of >100 freelance engineers in Japan in 9 months• Oversaw team of 15 people (and nearly 100 contract engineers) who led simultaneous delivery of more than 20 complex software projects worth millions of dollars in revenue• Led internal initiative to develop new staffing management tools that became a core component of Gigster’s SaaS Team Intelligence platform

Co-founded, grew and sold pioneering firm in recruitment software and content services. Led firm from bootstrapped start-up through venture-backed high growth and acquisition by Universum, a global leader in employer branding and recruitment research headquartered in Europe.

Summer internship - developed new marketing strategies to generate tourist and business community support for conservation of native Hawaiian rain forests.

* Served in Coordination Division, responsible for strategic business development projects related to growth of trade relationships with Latin America and Caribbean countries and foreign aid business.* Served as executive staff to top management of the company in New York on various projects including recruitment and retention of high-caliber American staff.* Served in Heavy Machinery Division, responsible for negotiation and implementation of large-scale projects for financing and construction of steel plants worth hundreds of millions of dollars in the U.S. and Latin America.