Find your path to Akira
5,271 people in our graph share verified history with Akira — schools, employers, funds. One of them is your warm intro.
Rebecca JamesunlockedAkira: together at The Wharton School (2008–2009)
×4Akira: together at The Wharton School
×7Akira: together at Harvard Business School
About
Kurabayashi leads DNX Ventures' Japan investments, focusing on B2B/SaaS startups where he invests as a lead investor from the early stage and serves as an outside director. Before joining DNX in 2015, he was Japan head at Salesforce Ventures and Globespan Capital Partners, and earlier worked at Mitsui & Co. and Fujitsu. He holds an MBA from Wharton and a doctorate from Doshisha University.
Contact· self-published, not guessed
Invests in
Enterprise SoftwareSaaS
Experience
- HERP, Inc.Board Observercurrent2026 — present
- HERP, Inc.Board Member2022 — 2026Tokyo, Japan
- HERP, Inc.Board Observer2019 — 2022Greater Tokyo Area
- ROMS, IncBoard Observercurrent2026 — present
- ROMS, IncBoard Member2020 — 2026Tokyo, Japan
- AdacotechBoard Observercurrent2026 — present
- AdacotechBoard Member2019 — 2026Greater Tokyo Area
- EmiumBoard Membercurrent2026 — presentTokyo, Japan
- EmiumInvestor2022 — 2025Tokyo, Japan
- CommuneBoard Membercurrent2025 — present
- CommuneBoard Observer2020 — 2024Tokyo, Japan
- 株式会社NOVARCABoard Observercurrent2025 — present
- 株式会社NOVARCABoard Member2017 — 2025Tokyo, Japan
- TableCheckInvestorcurrent2024 — present
- TableCheckBoard Member2020 — 2024Tokyo, Japan
- TableCheckInvestor2019 — 2020
- TableCheckBoard Member2019
- ZeroboardBoard Membercurrent2023 — present
- ZeroboardBoard Observer2021 — 2023Tokyo, Japan
- アルファス株式会社Board Membercurrent2023 — present
- アルファス株式会社Board Observer2017 — 2023Tokyo, Japan
- ShippioBoard Membercurrent2022 — presentTokyo, Japan
- Alp, Inc.Board Membercurrent2022 — presentTokyo, Japan
- KKR & Co. Inc.Industry Advisorcurrent2021 — present
- MagicMomentInvestorcurrent2021 — presentTokyo, Japan
- Techtouch, IncBoard Membercurrent2021 — presentTokyo, Japan
- Techtouch, IncBoard Observer2019 — 2021Tokyo, Japan
- FLUX Inc.Board Membercurrent2020 — presentTokyo, Japan
- FLUX Inc.Board Observer2019 — 2020Greater Tokyo Area
- 株式会社ナレッジワークBoard Membercurrent2020 — presentTokyo, Japan
- YESOD Inc.Investorcurrent2020 — present
- Studist CorporationInvestorcurrent2019 — presentTokyo
- Spacely, Inc.Board Observercurrent2018 — presentTokyo
Skills & more
Venture Capital25Mergers & Acquisitions8Corporate Development22Start-ups15Strategic Partnerships15Entrepreneurship6Due Diligence11Business Strategy13Mobile Devices4Private Equity4Competitive Analysis3Go-to-market Strategy3
+5 more
Business DevelopmentProduct ManagementSaaSSoftware as a Service (SaaS)Strategy- General Management Program (GMP36) — Harvard Business School Executive Education
- FinTech — Harvard University
- Pricing: Using Data to Improve Pricing Performance — MIT Sloan School of Management
- Business and Climate Change: Towards Net Zero Emissions — Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL)
- Corporate Governance: Maximize Your Effectiveness in the Boardroom — The Wharton School
From Akira's professional profile.
Investments
Board seats
FLUXROMSScalebaseShippioUPWARDデータX
Investor
1st HoldingsBeceem CommunicationsSansanSmart SignaltoBeマーケティングUPSIDER
Per the firm's website.
Colleagues at Dnx Ventures
Frequently asked questions
- Who is Akira Kurabayashi?
- Kurabayashi leads DNX Ventures' Japan investments, focusing on B2B/SaaS startups where he invests as a lead investor from the early stage and serves as an outside director. Before joining DNX in 2015, he was Japan head at Salesforce Ventures and Globespan Capital Partners, and earlier worked at Mitsui & Co. and Fujitsu. He holds an MBA from Wharton and a doctorate from Doshisha University.
- Where does Akira Kurabayashi work?
- Akira Kurabayashi is Managing Partner / Head of Japan at Dnx Ventures.
- What does Akira Kurabayashi invest in?
- Akira Kurabayashi invests in Enterprise Software, SaaS.
- What boards does Akira Kurabayashi sit on?
- Akira Kurabayashi holds tracked board seats at FLUX, ROMS, Scalebase, Shippio, UPWARD, データX.
- What companies has Akira Kurabayashi invested in?
- Investments tracked here include 1st Holdings, Beceem Communications, Sansan, Smart Signal, toBeマーケティング, UPSIDER.
- Where did Akira Kurabayashi go to school?
- Akira Kurabayashi studied at Harvard Business School (General Management Program); Hitotsubashi University (Master of law, Corporate Governance); The University of Tokyo (Executive Management Program).
Same school
Also attended Harvard Business School2,000
Brad GerstnerFounder & CEO of Altimeter CapitalAileen LeeFounder & Managing Partner of Cowboy VenturesJim BreyerFounder & CEO of Breyer CapitalTim DraperFounder of Draper AssociatesMike Maples JrCo-founding Partner at FloodgateMamoon HamidPartner at Kleiner Perkins
+ 1,994 more
Also attended Hitotsubashi University19
Keita Yazakiシニア・アソシエイト (Senior Associate) at CyberAgent CapitalMilano FurutaDirector – Chief Financial Officer at Takeda VenturesNoemi HipperInvestment Managerin at YabeoAurél PásztorPartner at PortfoLion Capital PartnersOsuke HondaGeneral Partner at Coreline VenturesYuta ShimoharaAssociate at Incubate Fund
+ 13 more
Also attended The University of Tokyo196
Steve AnaviCo-founder & President of QontoKazunori YamaguchiPartner at Global BrainShinji AmahaVice President at Acario InnovationTaka KodaPartner at Remiges Ventures, Inc.Taro HizumeGeneral Partner at Ff Venture CapitalMasaji MatsuokaManaging Director at E12 Venture Capital, Llc
+ 190 more
Also attended Doshisha University12
Yuki NakamuraDirector of Investor Relations - Japan at Type One VenturesTodd SatoPrincipal at Presidio VenturesFawzi ItaniPrincipal at Forerunner VenturesNarimasa MakinoCEO at Monozukuri VenturesTak IkushimaSr. Manager, Portfolio Success at Woven CapitalMotoi KawabataImpact Catalyst, Impact Economy Lab (contract) at Japan Social Innovation and Investment Foundation
+ 6 more
Shared employers
Also worked at アルファス株式会社2
Also worked at KKR & Co. Inc.145
Evan SpiegelCo-founder & CEO of SnapDavid PhuController at Felicis VenturesMasoud AdinaHead of Compliance at GreycroftChloe LinAssociate at Sapphire VenturesRalph DeBernardoPartner, Investor Relations at Sapphire VenturesLacy BalsamaSenior Executive Assistant at Sapphire Ventures
+ 139 more
