Our Team
We’re prone to ask questions and prod the boundaries we see.
We look at the world with curiosity first, and choose to see possibility in the problems.
We dig our heels in and always pull each other up.
We’re human first, and together, we aim to build the future, one step at a time.
The WAY Team
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Head of People & Culture“Life is short. I aim to spend it building something I care about and supporting those who are doing the same. I am driven to live fully, so I never have to look back and regret what I didn’t accomplish.”
Aki brings more than 10 years of experience scaling the Japan operations of global tech companies, while nurturing cultures that resonate with both international stakeholders and local teams.
As a founding member of Miro and WeWork's Japan offices, Aki played a crucial role in setting up their local operations and building teams from the ground up.
Prior to this he led APAC recruitment for Autodesk and founded his own companies in the LATAM region.
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Entrepreneur-in-Residence“We’re in an era of technological pace and development that might be the most exciting we’ve ever seen. I want to use this as a tool to create value for people and businesses.”
Alex has 10+ years of engineering leadership experience, from shipping product at Gilt Group to leading the engineering team at Japan’s largest exited startup to date, Paidy, to most recently as CTO at Panalyt. Alex is passionate about enabling people, teams and businesses with technology.
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Founder & CEO“I am on a journey to partner with the next generation of leaders, enabling them to build industry-defining companies and chart their path to significant, lasting and positive impact.”
Chris has dedicated the past 11 years to founding and scaling Schmatz, a beer and restaurant company, alongside his lifelong friend and business partner Marc Lütten.
Schmatz has grown to 40+ locations and 800+ team members in Japan, with nationwide distribution and a thriving subscription business.
Drawing from his early company building experience at Rocket Internet, Chris brings a hands-on approach to his role as investor and CEO at WAY.
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Founding Partner | CEO | Renga Partners“I want to build something people not only want, but genuinely need. The philosophy that drives me is best explained by the quote, ‘If your life's work can be accomplished in your lifetime, you're not thinking big enough.’”
Daisuke brings 10 years of experience in operational roles at global companies ranging from large enterprises exceeding $60 billion in revenue to pre-seed startups.
Daisuke has worked as Chief of Staff and Country Manager for Japan at Peeba (YC W23), and played key roles building Wolt and Uber in Japan, leading expansion efforts in both organisations and establishing operations in over 10 new markets nationwide.
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Growth Operations Manager“I’m a big-picture thinker who loves discussing ideas and connecting dots. Once we align in direction, I move fast and go deep to make sure things truly work, not just look good.”
Yuma’s career began as an Investor in large scale infra projects both in Japan and abroad at Sumitomo Corporation. She later joined DG Daiwa Ventures as a venture capitalist expanding and overseeing a portfolio of emerging technology companies around the world.
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Head of Platform“A company is an augmentation of the individual, and the world is in need of exceptionally brave, empathetic, and ambitious individuals to shape the future for good. My goal is to help find them and equip them to succeed.”
Maya has had a diverse career spanning East Africa, the United States, and Japan – driven by a commitment to value creation through design-led product and service development.
Maya's work includes redesigning educational opportunities for pan-African scholars at Ashinaga, and enabling innovation strategy for clients at Fabric, with a focus on unlocking human needs and organizational agility.
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Founding PartnerI Co-Founder & CRO | DynaMeet“My passion lies in transforming Japan's business landscape. By challenging the status quo with creative solutions, we can empower sales and marketing professionals to focus on more human, productive, and fulfilling work.”
As Co-Founder & CRO at DynaMeet, Takumi not only drives revenue growth but also takes full responsibility for building the company's sales organization from the ground up.
Takumi combines a wealth of experience from world-class technology companies. He began his career as a Sales Development Representative at Salesforce, building a strong foundation in sales. At Darktrace, he excelled in sales enablement, progressively expanding his responsibility from Japan to the entire JAPAC region, where he strategically enhanced team performance. Most recently, as Sales Director at Meltwater, he demonstrated exceptional leadership in guiding high-performing sales teams.
His unique strength lies in his rapid career progression through every critical facet of sales—from execution (SDR) and strategy (Enablement) to top-level leadership (Director & CRO). This comprehensive experience allows him to architect scalable growth strategies and build passionate teams poised to deliver significant new value to the Japanese market.
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Founding Partner | CEO | monoya“Japan is at a turning point and has so much potential to offer to the world. I believe it is my job, and opportunity, to create the bridge to realise that.”
Yu's career is defined by a commitment to connecting Japan with the world, with 15 years of growth strategy expertise in the retail and CPG sectors, including leading roles at McKinsey, Dentsu, P&G, and adidas.
Born in Tokyo, raised in New York, with a Columbia MBA – Yu's cross-cultural background uniquely positions him to unlock value for both Japanese and global enterprises, reflecting his passion for building international business opportunities.
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Growth Operations Manager“Build with empathy. What we create for others reflects who we are, the values we hold, and the way we choose to show up in the world. What we build is an extension of how we treat people — with care, intention, and respect.”
Hirosei brings a diverse cultural background from Japan, China, and the United States, and most recently the United Kingdom. Hirosei played a key role in the growth and scale of Uber Eats in Japan, leading pricing strategies for both consumers and couriers and establishing standard pricing practices for markets across North Asia.
Hirosei holds an MBA from Oxford University, as well as a M.S. and a B.S. from Tufts University.
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Chief Financial Officer“At WAY, I see the unique potential to harness capital to create outsized societal impact. Partnering with best-in-class talent in an environment where vision and culture align so strongly is what excites me the most.”
Kent’s professional journey has spanned across investment banking, global tech and growth-stage ventures. He began his career at Morgan Stanley advising clients in the Technology, Media & Telecommunications sector, before heading the JAPAC Finance function at Twitter (X).
Prior to joining WAY, he served as the CFO of Tsukuruba (TSE:2978), a real estate × tech innovator, where he led the Finance and PR functions, driving topline growth, restoring profitability and strengthening the company’s financial foundation.
Kent holds an M.S. from Stanford University and a B.E. from Dartmouth College.
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Growth Operations Manager“Building something meaningful starts small — with curiosity, care, and a belief that ideas can grow into lasting impact when purpose meets execution.”
Monaka brings a unique blend of entrepreneurial and tech experience to WAY. Before joining, she spent nearly a decade in the SaaS industry, leading client success and growth initiatives for global technology companies. In parallel, she founded GoDoggy, a premium natural dog-treat brand focused on health, sustainability, and local craftsmanship. Having built a consumer brand from the ground up, she brings an operator’s perspective and a passion for turning vision into structure.
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Growth Operations Manager“True value to society emerges at the intersection of dreams and reality — through the living pulse of genuine human connection, time brings them into harmony and carries creation across generations.”
Mitsuhiko began his career at Mitsui & Co., Ltd., where he spent five years in AgriTech and BioTech, leading the establishment and operations of a vertical farming joint venture in Saudi Arabia and spearheading post-investment value creation for a European startup. Combining a tech-driven mindset with strategic thinking and hands-on execution, he helped deliver fresh vegetables to over 100 retail stores across Saudi Arabia. He now channels his experience in new business development to WAY, to build and scale enduring companies.
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Executive Assistant
“Impact begins in the quiet moments — where trust is built and momentum takes shape.”Hinano’s career bridges executive operations and cultural fluency. Before joining WAY, she supported senior leaders across Japan, Taiwan, and the U.S., managing cross-border projects, executive logistics, and strategic communication with precision and empathy. Raised between cultures, she brings a global mindset and a thoughtful, detail-driven approach to every task. At WAY, she ensures that people, priorities, and processes align seamlessly — creating the structure that allows leaders to move with clarity, balance, and purpose. Hinano completed her B.A at Keio University.
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Founding Partner I Co-Founder | monoya“By solving business challenges, I am committed to enrich people’s lives and grow talents that can together make a distinctive and sustainable positive impact on our world.”
Kazuma combines world-class strategy expertise from McKinsey with the entrepreneurial vision to scale Monoya into a category-defining company. Quickly identifying the issues and solutions, he is the fuel for growth for monoya and its customers.
One customer said “the executive was astounded to see you understand our business in half a day by just reading the documents, which always takes more than a month with a tutor.”
At McKinsey, Kazuma specialized in growth strategy, portfolio management, M&A, and new business development, leading projects across Japan, Australia, Singapore, and the U.S. He is bringing his skillset to unlock new growth opportunities and building sustainable value for partners and investors.
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Growth Operations Manager“I believe the strength of Japan’s economy is in its rich tradition of small and medium size businesses. I’m passionate about preserving these and enabling them to thrive for many generations to come.”
From managing large scale investments at both Nomura and Mitsui & Co., to executing mid-cap private equity deals at CLSA, Yuki’s investment experience spans multiple asset classes and verticals.
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Founding Partner | CTO | DynaMeet“As a techie at heart, I'm passionate about building innovative solutions that address real-world challenges.”
Ayan brings more than 15 years of experience in software management, AI, and data engineering, leading impactful programs at companies including Indeed, Cogent Labs, and Yahoo!.
Ayan's educational background that includes an MSc in Software Engineering from Oxford University and an MBA from Quantic School of Business and Technology.
Ayan's achievements encompass interactive installations, top-grossing games, deep learning projects at Flickr, and AI SaaS and consulting for some of Japan's largest companies, all driven by his unwavering passion for tech innovation, problem-solving, and delivering value to customers and stakeholders.