About
Masa Isono is a Principal at DEFTA PARTNERS with 16 years of experience in early-stage venture capital investment across information and communication technology and biotech startups in Silicon Valley, Israel, Japan, and Bangladesh. His work has spanned deal evaluation, structuring, negotiation, and business development, and he has served as interim CEO for portfolio companies, leading business planning, fundraising, and management recruiting in the US and Japan. He has also been involved in cross-border business development across the Pacific Rim, including projects in Hong Kong, Singapore, the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, and Bangladesh.
Experience
- DEFTA PARTNERSPrincipalcurrent2000 — presentSan Francisco Bay Area
Education
- Questrom School of Business, Boston UniversityMaster of Business Administration (MBA), Business1990 — 1992
- Boston UniversityMaster of Arts (M.A.), Economics1990 — 1992
Skills & more
Venture Capital6Private Equity2Venture Financing1Angel Investing2Growth Capital1Impact InvestingDeal Sourcing1Deal StructuringStart-ups6ValuationStrategy2Strategic Planning1
+10 more
Business StrategyDisruptive TechnologiesEntrepreneurshipInnovation ManagementBusiness DevelopmentCorporate DevelopmentStrategic PartnershipsBuyoutsM&A experienceRecapitalizationsLanguages English · Japanese
- Chartered Member of The Security Analysts Association of Japan — The Security Analysts Association of Japan
- CPA (Inactive)
- CFA
From Masa's professional profile.
Same school
Also attended Questrom School of Business, Boston University76
Sujata BhatiaInvestor at Index VenturesTroy PhoaAssociate at Marlin Equity PartnersRony Patishi-ChillimInvestor at Israel Cleantech VenturesKelvin LeungDirector, Growth at Openspace VenturesJason RobartCo-founder and General Partner at Seae VenturesLisa DutotFinance Administration Manager at Red Cell Incubation
+ 70 more
Also attended Boston University204
Aydin SenkutFounder & Managing Partner at FelicisVinnie LauriaFounding Partner at Golden Gate VenturesGil GorenPartner at 83NorthJames LindenbaumCo-founder at HeavybitDave BiscegliaVenture Partner at Founder CollectiveKatherine OgnibeneOperations Associate at Founder Collective
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Colleagues at DEFTA Partners
Elona Baum
Managing Director at DEFTA Partners
George Hara
Founder at DEFTA Partners
Jingfei (Jennifer) Yu
Analyst at DEFTA Partners
Kyoko Watanabe
Managing Director at DEFTA Partners
Masahide (Masa) Isono
Principal at DEFTA Partners
Satoshi Tsubotani
General Manager of Business Development, DEFTA Capital at DEFTA Partners
Takeo Sako
Deputy General Manager of Business Development, DEFTA Capital at DEFTA Partners