PROSPER

Founder of the PROSPER Japan Enterprise Growth Support Fund. Previously served for about ten years (from 2012) as Representative Director and President of Rakuten Baseball / Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles, stepping down in December 2021 to pursue work supporting regional revitalization.

Founder and CEO of PROSPER. Began his career at Salomon Brothers, then held managing director and executive roles at Goldman Sachs and Merrill Lynch Japan. Later served as president of the Rakuten baseball team and Vissel Kobe, and founded PROSPER in April 2022 to support regional revitalization.

Partner and director for value-up, concurrently affiliated with Plan・Do・See, which he joined in 1998 and where he served as a director from 2012 to 2025. Served as PROSPER's liaison from the fund's inception and formally joined as a director in November 2025.

Partner and director in charge of investment. Worked at Fuji Bank, Ernst & Young, Citigroup Principal Investments, Goldman Sachs, Kizuna Capital Partners, and Japan Industrial Solutions over more than 20 years in corporate investment. Joined PROSPER at its founding in October 2022 as head of investment.

Partner and director for administration and IR. Started at Goldman Sachs in 2002 in investment banking capital markets serving public-sector clients, then joined the Rakuten baseball team in 2009 to support regional revitalization through sports. Joined PROSPER at its founding in June 2022, leading IR, fund administration, and new business.

Investment team member. Joined Juhachi-Shinwa Bank in 2020 working in retail and corporate lending, then seconded to Bank of Fukuoka on corporate restructuring. Joined PROSPER on secondment in April 2026 to contribute to Kyushu's regional development.

Value-up team member. Joined Japan Post Bank in 2018, working in branch operations and headquarters planning for regional revitalization. Joined PROSPER on secondment from Japan Post Bank in April 2026.

Administration and IR team member. Began at Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank in retail and trust operations, then worked at ThreeSun on new store launches and management support for Shiogamako. Joined PROSPER in March 2024.

Investment team member. Joined Marubeni in 2015, working on overseas power business investment, M&A, PMI, and asset management, driving projects across Southeast Asia. Joined PROSPER in April 2025.

Administration and IR team member. Worked in HR at a specialty trading company, in consultant staffing management at a consulting firm's planning division, and most recently in HR BPO and consulting at RSM Shiodome Partners. Joined PROSPER in February 2026.

Investment team member. Worked in M&A advisory at Daiwa Securities SMBC and EY, then spent about 11 years in investment roles at Japan Industrial Solutions and a listed-equity investment fund, focused mainly on manufacturing. Joined PROSPER in March 2026.

Administration and IR team member. Worked in foreign-exchange operations at SMBC and at trading companies, then in fund administration in the IR group at Polaris Capital Group from 2016. Joined PROSPER in February 2024.

Corporate auditor. A lawyer at Anshin Partners Law Firm who joined PROSPER as an outside auditor in November 2025.

Value-up team member. Joined Japan Post Bank in 2017, working in branch operations, asset-management consulting, and headquarters planning for regional revitalization. Joined PROSPER on secondment from Japan Post Bank in April 2026.

Administration and IR team member. Handled board and shareholder-meeting operations and IR at a listed IT company, then joined Incubate Fund in 2018 managing fundraising, fund structuring, and governance. Joined PROSPER in October 2025.

Investment team member and certified public accountant. Worked in fund audits at PwC Arata, then M&A financial modeling and valuation at EY, and most recently investment and portfolio support at a venture capital firm. Joined PROSPER in December 2025.

Fund advisor and specially appointed professor at Hitotsubashi Business School specializing in competitive strategy. Joined as a fund advisor in support of the founders' vision.

Investment team member. Spent about 12 years at JICA on infrastructure development in South Asia, holds a PhD in applied microeconomics from the US, and worked at McKinsey on corporate transformation and value-up. Joined PROSPER in November 2024.

Fund advisor and CEO of Moroto Holdings. After leaving Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi, he founded Saver Inc. and later became CEO of Moroto Holdings, engaging in regional revitalization activities centered on Kuwana, Mie. Joined as a fund advisor.

Administration and IR team member with about 20 years of fund administration, IR, and fundraising experience across VC, PE, and turnaround funds. Previously a partner and head of fund administration at Ant Capital Partners. Joined PROSPER in June 2026.

Fund advisor and president of Suzuyo Co. A graduate of Waseda University, he joined NYK Line before becoming president of Suzuyo in 2015; he also chairs the company operating the Shimizu S-Pulse J-League club. Joined as a fund advisor.

Investment team member. Worked in corporate finance at SMBC and investment banking at SMBC Nikko, then in private equity from 2018 handling sourcing, diligence, PMI, and exits across succession and carve-out deals. Joined PROSPER in July 2024.

Investment team member. Began at Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank, then worked on global alliances and M&A at an operating company, and led business due diligence and corporate strategy engagements at KPMG FAS. Joined PROSPER in July 2026.

Investment team member. Started at Mizuho Bank in 2011, joined Basic Capital Management in 2016 for sourcing and value-up work, and later worked on M&A and capital alliances at Money Forward. Joined PROSPER in September 2023.