Hikaru Saito
InvestorInvestor at Astellas Venture Management LLC
Palo Alto, California
Writes $100K – $5M checks · typically $1.5M
About
Hikaru Saito is a Partner at Saisei Ventures with a background spanning academic research and pharmaceutical development. He earned a Ph.D. focusing on multidrug resistance in anti-tumor agents, collaborated on patented compound screening with Nihon Chemiphar, and spent six years as a scientist at Astellas developing small molecule formulations and biologics. He subsequently transitioned to business development and venture capital, serving at Astellas Venture Management in Silicon Valley where he evaluated opportunities across RNA, cell, and gene therapy, led deal processes globally, and established partnerships with venture capital funds and research institutions.
Experience
- Saisei VenturesPartnercurrent2023 — presentTokyo, Japan
- Surzen BiotherapeuticsFounding team and directorcurrent2025 — presentTokyo, Japan
- Akatsuki Therapeutics Inc.Founding team and directorcurrent2025 — presentTokyo, Japan
- Senno Therapeutics Inc.Co-founder and Board of Directorscurrent2024 — presentTokyo, Japan
- United Immunity, Co., Ltd.Board of Directorscurrent2023 — presentTokyo, Japan
- ProcellCure, IncMember Board of Directorscurrent2023 — presentKobe, Japan
- eNK Therapeutics, Inc.Member Board of Directors2023 — 2025Tokyo, Japan
- Astellas PharmaSenior Manager, Transaction, Business Development2022Tokyo, Japan
- Catamaran BioBoard Observer2020 — 2022
- Twentyeight-Seven TherapeuticsBoard Observer2020 — 2022Watertown, Massachusetts, United States
- Astellas Venture Management LLCSenior Investment Manager2017 — 2022Menlo Park, California, United States
- Cleave Therapeutics, Inc.Board Observer2019 — 2021San Francisco, California
- TScan TherapeuticsBoard Observer2019 — 2021Waltham, Massachusetts
- Pykus TherapeuticsBoard Observer2018 — 2021Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States
- Astellas PharmaSenior Manager, Innovation & Incubation Research Labs.,Drug Discovery Research2017Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki
- Astellas PharmaSenior Manager, Innovation Management2015 — 2017Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Astellas PharmaResearcher at Pharmaceutical Research and Technology Labs2013 — 2015Shizuoka, Shizuoka, Japan
- Astellas PharmaResearcher at Pharmaceutical Research and Technology Labs2010 — 2013Shizuoka, Shizuoka, Japan
- Japan Society for the Promotion of ScienceResearch Fellow2008 — 2010Tokyo Institute of Technology
Education
- Tokyo Institute of TechnologyDoctor of Philosophy (PhD), Biomolecular Engineering2007 — 2010
- The University of TokyoBiochemistry and Sructural Biology2009 — 2010
- The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer CenterBiochemistry and Molecular Biology2007
- Tokyo Institute of TechnologyMaster of Engineering (M.Eng.), Biomolecular Engineering2005 — 2007
- Tokyo Institute of TechnologyBachelor of Engineering (BEng), Biotechnology2001 — 2005
Skills & more
Bioengineering3Cell engineering1Biomanufacturing2Molecular BiologyBiotechnologyManufacturing Process DevelopmentFormulation Development製剤学2Viral vector developmantPharmaceutical Research
Languages 日本語 · 英語
- 第1種放射線取扱主任者（License for Type-I radiation protection supervisor) — 文部科学省
From Hikaru's professional profile.
Colleagues at Astellas Venture Management LLC
Amy Skarr
Board of Managers (President) at Astellas Venture Management LLC
Hiromichi Kimura
Investor at Astellas Venture Management LLC
Hiroyuki Usuda
Investment Lead at Astellas Venture Management LLC
James Zuercher
Investor at Astellas Venture Management
Kazunori Maruyama
President at Astellas Venture Management LLC
Matt Vogt
Board of Managers at Astellas Venture Management LLC
Nagisa Sakurai
Investment Lead at Astellas Venture Management LLC
Satoshi Konagai
Investment Lead at Astellas Venture Management LLC
Frequently asked questions
- Where does Hikaru Saito work?
- Hikaru Saito is Investor at Astellas Venture Management LLC.
- What check size does Hikaru Saito write?
- Hikaru Saito typically writes checks of $100K – $5M.
Same school
Also attended Tokyo Institute of Technology13
Shinji AmahaVice President at Acario InnovationSae NurukiInvestor at Inception Studio CapitalCarlos DomingoFounder & General Partner at SPiCE VCTsuyoshi ItoFounder CEO / Managing Partner at Beyond Next VenturesAnis UzzamanFounder and CEO at Pegasus Tech VenturesYoko KojimaAssociate / Head of ESG at Mundi Ventures
+ 7 more
Also attended The University of Tokyo79
Kazunori YamaguchiPartner at Global BrainShinji AmahaVice President at Acario InnovationMasaji MatsuokaManaging Director at E12 Venture Capital, LlcYuki ShiratoSenior Advisor at Pangaea Ventures Us Inc.Taka KodaPartner, Director at RDiscoveryShinichi NikkuniManaging Partner at NordicNinja
+ 73 more
Shared employers
Also worked at Akatsuki Therapeutics Inc.1
Also worked at Astellas Pharma8
Kush M ParmarManaging Partner at 5AM VenturesSatoshi KonagaiInvestment Lead at Astellas Venture Management LLCTadayoshi HirataInvestment Lead at Astellas Venture Management LLCChihiro HosoyaVenture Partner, MSc, MBA at DigiTx Partners LLCSoyoung ParkGeneral Partner at 1004 Venture PartnersJames ZuercherInvestor at Astellas Venture Management
+ 2 more
