Create the Future!
Foodtech Business Contest

Since joining The Norinchukin Bank in 1990, Koki has been engaged in system development for securities and data warehouses, and IT risk management.
He studied Internet Business at the University of California, Berkeley, in 2000. After serving as Executive Officer and General Manager of Digital Innovation Division, he has served as CEO of AgVenture Lab since 2019 and Special Counselor of The Norinchukin Bank since 2021.

As co-founder and co-CEO of SDG Impact Japan, Mari is involved in the realization of the SDGs through the Impact Venture Fund and ESG Engagement Fund. She has held senior positions at the World Bank and has served as the Representative of Dalberg Japan, head of diversity and human rights at Fast Retailing. In addition to serving on the board of directors of Mitsubishi Corporation and Terumo Corporation, she has also served as an advisor or trustee of many corporations and NPOs, as well as serving on several government committees.

Rocky was born in Obihiro City, Hokkaido, and joined Tokyo Tatemono after graduating from the Faculty of Environment and Information Studies at Keio University. After starting in their residential housing business, he spent time in Tokyo Tatemono’s U.S. office, and handles cross-border transactions for domestic and international real estate. Since 2021, he has supported the collaborative creation of innovation through food in order to realize a “regenerative” society from Tokyo that goes beyond sustainability.

After working at Panasonic and McKinsey, Hirotaka joined Sigmaxyz in 2017 and launched the global foodtech summit “SKS JAPAN”. In October 2023, he founded UnlocX with the aim of creating a food ecosystem while working on food-related business development and community building.
He is a co-author of “Foodtech Revolution” (2020/Nikkei BP). Board member of the SPACE FOODSPHERE Association, and outside director of BASE FOOD Inc. and TechMagic Inc.

Kyoji was born in Tokyo and graduated from the Faculty of Law at Waseda University. He joined The Norinchukin Bank in 1997. After serving as Deputy General Manager of the Sales Planning Department, a secondment to the head office of SBI Holdings, Inc., and serving as an executive officer and General Manager of Investment Development at The Agribusiness Investment & Consultation Co., he was appointed to his current position in April 2024.

As an original member of the Food & Beverage team, Miri has facilitated the entry of numerous startups into the Japanese market by leveraging her strong network of domestic and international foodtech-related companies and organizations. She has also planned and managed foodtech-specific events and successfully led the Demo Day organized by Plug and Play Japan.

Yasuo is the fund manager of the CVC Future Food Fund, a startup investment fund at Oisix ra daichi Inc. He formed the Future Food Fund No. 1 Fund in 2019 and the No.2 Fund in 2024.
Prior to moving to CVC, he worked as a produce MD manager at Oisix and in the business management of brick-and-mortar stores. He specialized in plant physiology and received a master’s degree from the Graduate School of Science, Osaka City University.

Yasunori is an entrepreneur and investor who is active in a diverse range of fields. After working for a telecommunications company, he set up his own consulting firm. He has built a strong track record of providing support for business strategy, M&A, and fundraising to more than 20 major companies. His in-depth knowledge in the technology field has led him to serve as an IT advisor for the Olympic Games, and a visiting lecturer at Reitaku University, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and Meiji University. He is also a main presenter for Nikkei and numerous other FM radio programs. In particular, he is a creator of new business opportunities through partnerships between large companies and local businesses, and contributor to solving issues in local communities.

Akiko joined NTT Communications (NTTCom) as a graduate engineer.
After being posted in Singapore, she returned to Japan to promote co-creation with startups, and is mainly in charge of finding overseas (U.S.) startups and supporting PoC for business unit collaboration.
She joined NTT DOCOMO Ventures in July 2022 and is in charge of supporting co-creation between startups and NTT’s operating companies. She is also responsible for research in the foodtech sector.