Find your path to Ren
971 people in our graph share verified history with Ren — schools, employers, funds. One of them is your warm intro.
Paul KwanunlockedRen: together at Stanford University (2004–2005)
×6Ren: together at Stanford University
Ren: together at NYU School of Law
Ren: together at The Trilateral Commission
About
Ren Ito is Co-Founder and COO of Sakana AI, a company backed by Nvidia and various Japanese enterprises. He previously served as CEO of Mercari Europe and spent 15 years as a Japanese diplomat, working on the security alliance with the United States, negotiating a free trade agreement with the EU, and representing Japan at the World Bank board. He is a Senior Fellow at NYU Law School and a member of the Trilateral Commission.
Co-Founder & Chairman at Sakana AI
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In turn, Ren can intro founders to Sakana AI's investors below.
Sakana AI's investors · 18
500 GlobalSan Francisco · $150K checks · since 2023Basis Set VenturesMenlo Park · $1M – $3M checksFujitsu VenturesTokyoFundomoNew York · since 2025Geodesic CapitalFoster City · since 2025Global BrainTokyo · $100K – $184M checksIn-Q-TelTysons · $100K – $2.5M checks · since 2025KDDI Open Innovation FundKhosla VenturesMenlo Park · $5K – $50M checks · since 2025Lux CapitalNew York · $100K – $100M checks · since 2025Macquarie CapitalSydney Nsw · since 2025Miyako CapitalKyotoMouro CapitalLondon · $1M – $15M checksMPowerNew Enterprise Associates (NEA)Menlo Park · $200K – $40M checks · since 2025NTT DOCOMO VenturesTokyoOra GlobalNew York · since 2025TransLink CapitalSilicon Valley · $1M – $5M checks
Co-founders at Sakana AI
DH
David HaCo-Founder & CEO
LJ
Llion JonesCo-Founder & CTO
Experience
- Sakana AICo-Foundercurrent2024 — present
- NYU School of LawSenior Fellowcurrent2016 — present
- The Trilateral CommissionMembercurrent2019 — present
- World Academy of Art and ScienceFellowcurrent2025 — present
- Stability AICOO2022 — 2023Greater London, England, United Kingdom
- Solaris Fund ManagementPartner2020 — 2023
- Mercari, Inc.Senior Advisor2020 — 2022
- Mercari, Inc.CEO, Mercari Europe2015 — 2020London, United Kingdom
- Afiniti.comSenior Advisor2017 — 2020
- Forbes JapanColumnist2015 — 2019
- Sophia UniversityAdjunct Lecturer2016 — 2017Tokyo, Japan
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of JapanPrincipal Deputy Director2014 — 2015
- The World BankAdvisor to the Executive Director2011 — 2014Washington D.C. Metro Area
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of JapanAide/Official Interpreter to Prime and Foreign Ministers of Japan2007 — 2011Tokyo, Japan
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of JapanDeputy Director for International Economy2010 — 2011Tokyo, Japan
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of JapanDeputy Director for Japan-U.S. Security Cooperation (SOFA Office)2007 — 2009Tokyo, Japan
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of JapanSecond Secretary, Political Section, Embassy of Japan in the United States of America2005 — 2007Washington DC-Baltimore Area
Skills & more
International Law14Public Diplomacy12Policy Analysis17Foreign Policy24Political Science7International Development12Economics7Public Policy10Politics18International Relations33Human Rights2Diplomacy25
+8 more
Foreign AffairsInternational EconomicsInternational SecurityInternational OrganizationsPolicyJapaneseCapacity BuildingStrategyLanguages English · Japanese · Spanish
- New York State Bar
From Ren's professional profile.
Frequently asked questions
- Who is Ren Ito?
- Ren Ito is Co-Founder and COO of Sakana AI, a company backed by Nvidia and various Japanese enterprises. He previously served as CEO of Mercari Europe and spent 15 years as a Japanese diplomat, working on the security alliance with the United States, negotiating a free trade agreement with the EU, and representing Japan at the World Bank board. He is a Senior Fellow at NYU Law School and a member of the Trilateral Commission.
- Where does Ren Ito work?
- Ren Ito is Co-Founder & Chairman of Sakana AI.
- What companies did Ren Ito found?
- Ren Ito founded Sakana AI.
- Where did Ren Ito go to school?
- Ren Ito studied at Stanford University (Master of Arts - MA); New York University School of Law (LL.M., Law); The University of Tokyo (LL.B., Law).
Founder mafias
Stanford University mafia1,934
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Peter ThielB.A.Founded PayPalReid HoffmanB.S.Founded LinkedIn +2David SacksB.A.Founded YammerKeith RaboisB.A.Founded OpendoorGarry TanBSFounded Y Combinator +1Joe LonsdaleBSFounded Opto +5
+ 1,927 more
The University of Tokyo mafia56
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Steve AnaviMaster ThesisFounded QontoTakuya HommaBachelor of Science (BSc)Founded QUIPPER LIMITED +1Hiroshi FukudaArchitectureFounded meleap USA +1Kenny SongGovernment ScholarFounded 株式会社Citadel AI +1Tasuku KitadaB.S.Founded Strandtx +1Issei YamamotoMaster's degreeFounded Turing株式会社 +1
+ 49 more
New York University School of Law mafia30
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Amy NelsonJuris DoctorateFounded Riveter +1Troy WilsonJ.D.Founded Wildcat Discovery Technologies +1Stefano PellegrinoPost-doctoral researchFounded Aquila +1Patrick RennerMaster of Science - MSFounded Citruslabs +1Ajay RajaniJ.D.Founded Core Labs +1Chris HaleyLL.M.Founded LegacyShield
+ 23 more
Stability AI mafia12
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Dana SettleBoard DirectorFounded GreycroftAfraj GillInterim Go-to-Market ExecutiveFounded Drop MobilityCyril DiagneVP of Innovation, ClipdropFounded ClipDropJonathan BlanchetVP of Engineering, ClipDropFounded ClipDropDamien HenrySenior Vice President of Product - ClipdropFounded ClipDropMark BucklerOpen Source ResearcherFounded Soundry AI
+ 5 more
Afiniti mafia3
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Same school
Also attended Stanford University2,000
Peter ThielCo-founder & Partner at Founders FundReid HoffmanCo-founder of LinkedIn; Partner at GreylockDavid SacksCo-founder & General Partner at Craft Ventures; former White House AI & Crypto CzarKeith RaboisManaging Director at Khosla VenturesGarry TanPresident & CEO of Y CombinatorAlfred LinPartner at Sequoia Capital
+ 1,994 more
Also attended New York University School of Law137
Sallie KimInvestor at 8VCSean TraynorPartner, Legal at Lux CapitalEsther DominguezGeneral Counsel at .406 VenturesLindsay MontiGeneral Counsel and CCO at JMI EquityMichael HsuVenture Partner at Core Venture CapitalSteve SwerdlowSenior Advisor at Navitas Capital
+ 131 more
Also attended The University of Tokyo221
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
+ 215 more
Shared employers
Also worked at NYU School of Law171
Ankita TiwariPrograms Manager at StartXUri LopatinInvestor at Khosla VenturesDoug BandVenture Partner at AlleyCorpNour ObeidallahHead of Community at AlleyCorpAnisha MustiInvestor at Dorm RoomAnne DordaiHead of Portfolio and Platform at Wavemaker Three-Sixty Health
+ 165 more
Also worked at Mercari, Inc.9
Sae NurukiInvestor at Inception Studio CapitalShinichi TakamiyaManaging Partner at Globis Capital PartnersJunichiro KonoGeneral Partner at ANRIMisato TakahashiFounder at TailorGasper KolencFounder at TinglesShingo FushimiFounder at 株式会社レンズ
+ 3 more
Also worked at Afiniti.com14
Archie SoamesCo-Founder & Head of Business Development at Renown Capital PartnersMichel TaridePartner at Next Gear VenturesDustin ZhangPartner at Chaos VenturesMomina BabarFull-stack Software Developer at UNICEF Innovation FundMohammad KhaishgiChief Executive Officer at The Resource GroupHasnain AslamChief Investment Officer at The Resource Group
+ 8 more
