Kyoko Watanabe
InvestorManaging Director at DEFTA Partners
San Francisco, California
Writes $500K – $3M checks · typically $1.8M
About
Kyoko Watanabe is Managing Director at DEFTA Partners, a venture capital firm investing in early-stage technology and healthcare companies across the US, Japan, and Israel. With over 20 years of venture capital experience, she oversees fund operations and has worked with more than 50 portfolio companies, leveraging prior experience at Go Corporation and in Silicon Valley to advise portfolio companies on expansion into Japan. Watanabe serves on the boards of the San Francisco-Osaka sister city association and the Alliance Forum Foundation, a nonprofit focused on technology innovation in developing countries.
Experience
- Actuate Therapeutics, Inc.Board Observercurrent2022 — present
- AcepodiaBoard Observercurrent2022 — present
- InformAIBoard Membercurrent2019 — presentHouston, Texas Area
- iMedrixBoard Membercurrent2019 — presentSilicon Valley/India
- 1World OnlineBoard Membercurrent2015 — presentSan Jose, CA
- Condor ValleyOwnercurrent2008 — presentSalta, Argentina
- San Francisco-Osaka sister city AssociationBoard Membercurrent2002 — present
- DEFTA PartnersManaging Directorcurrent1997 — presentSan Francisco Bay Area
- DEFTA PartnersManaging Directorcurrent1996 — presentSan Francisco Bay Area
- Alliance Forum FoundationBoard of Directorcurrent1994 — present
- DiA Imaging AnalysisBoard Member2019 — 2023Israel
- Savonix, Inc.Board Member2018 — 2022San Francisco Bay Area
- XVD Technology HoldingsBoard Member2007 — 2018Ireland
- Universal Health Systems Inc.Board of Director2012 — 2016
- BRACNet LimitedBoard of Director2012 — 2015Dhaka, Bangladesh
- Nihonmachi Littel FriendBoard of Director2006 — 2009
Education
- University of San Francisco School of ManagementMBA
- Seishin UniversityBA
Skills & more
+12 more
Mergers & AcquisitionsBusiness PlanningInternational BusinessProduct ManagementMergersPrivate EquityStrategic ConsultingExecutive ManagementCompetitive AnalysisStrategyEmerging MarketsProduct MarketingFrom Kyoko's professional profile.
Same school
Also attended University of San Francisco School of Management14
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+ 8 more
Shared employers
Also worked at Actuate Therapeutics, Inc.1
Also worked at InformAI1
Also worked at San Francisco-Osaka sister city Association263
+ 257 more
Colleagues at DEFTA Partners
Network1
Investors connected to Kyoko in public investor directories — a warm-intro map.