From Trading and Tech to Transforming a 40-Year-Old Funeral Software Company: Meet Daisuke Namba

From coal trading at Marubeni Corporation to launching cities for Uber and Wolt in Japan, Daisuke Namba left behind stable careers in trading and tech— to do something only a few would imagine…Taking over a 40-year-old funeral software company in rural Kyoto.

That acquisition was the first step for Renga Partners, where Dais is CEO. Renga acquires and scales mission-critical vertical software companies in Japan, preserving their legacy while building the infrastructure to help them become industry defining leaders.

Dais first joined WAY Equity Partners as an EIR (Entrepreneur in Residence). He later became the firm’s third Founding Partner and helped inspire the creation of the CEO in Development program this year.

What are you most proud of in the last 12 months?

“In just six months, we went from the ideation of a business to acquiring a company that aligns with our thesis. Turning an idea into something real is something I’m very proud of.”

What has surprised you about being a founder at WAY?

“It truly feels like a team effort. The WAY team has been hands-on in every part of the journey from investor and advisor intros to support across back-office functions like accounting, tax, legal, and recruiting. Without WAY, I wouldn’t be able to focus on the things that really move the needle.”

What’s your working style like?

“I’m an optimistic realist. I see the upside, but I ground my decisions in reality. I like to weigh both sides before moving forward. At heart, I’m an operator. I learn best by being on the ground, observing how things actually work and then learning to do it first-hand."

What energizes you about building your company?

“Japan is full of incredible software companies that have been quietly serving their industries for decades. Helping them grow and be more efficient is deeply motivating as I see first hand the passion that these businesses have been built with.”

Why WAY?

“I think WAY gives us an unfair advantage through the shared knowledge of entrepreneurship and network of investors that have domain expertise in the businesses that we are trying to build.”

Words of Advice?

“Doubt is a part of the process. Every decision holds more weight than being an employee, and there is usually no definitive answer. But at the end of the day, you have to make the best decision you can with the information at hand, and the conviction you have on a decision cannot be outsourced.”

Beyond Work?

“I enjoy tennis and golf. But when it comes to pickleball, my coworkers know better than to challenge me.”

We’re inspired by Dais’s operator mindset, grounded optimism, and commitment to building the future of Japan’s software backbone.