Fundraising Fox

Ren Ito

Unicorn founder

Co-Founder & Chairman at Sakana AI

United Kingdom

FoundedSakana AI$2.6B

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

Intro paths

β†’

In turn, Ren can intro founders to Sakana AI's investors below.

Sakana AI's investors Β· 18

500 GlobalSan Francisco Β· $150K checks Β· since 2023Basis Set VenturesMenlo Park Β· $1M – $3M checksFujitsu VenturesTokyoFundomoNew York Β· since 2025Geodesic CapitalFoster City Β· since 2025Global BrainTokyo Β· $100K – $184M checksIn-Q-TelTysons Β· $100K – $2.5M checks Β· since 2025KDDI Open Innovation FundKhosla VenturesMenlo Park Β· $5K – $50M checks Β· since 2025Lux CapitalNew York Β· $100K – $100M checks Β· since 2025Macquarie CapitalSydney Nsw Β· since 2025Miyako CapitalKyotoMouro CapitalLondon Β· $1M – $15M checksMPowerNew Enterprise Associates (NEA)Menlo Park Β· $200K – $40M checks Β· since 2025NTT DOCOMO VenturesTokyoOra GlobalNew York Β· since 2025TransLink CapitalSilicon Valley Β· $1M – $5M checks

Co-founders at Sakana AI

DHDavid Ha
David HaCo-Founder & CEO
LJLlion Jones
Llion JonesCo-Founder & CTO

Experience

  1. Sakana AICo-Foundercurrent2024 β€” present
  2. NYU School of LawSenior Fellowcurrent2016 β€” present
  3. The Trilateral CommissionMembercurrent2019 β€” present
  4. World Academy of Art and ScienceFellowcurrent2025 β€” present
  5. Stability AICOO2022 β€” 2023Greater London, England, United Kingdom
  6. Solaris Fund ManagementPartner2020 β€” 2023
  7. Mercari, Inc.Senior Advisor2020 β€” 2022
  8. Mercari, Inc.CEO, Mercari Europe2015 β€” 2020London, United Kingdom
  9. Afiniti.comSenior Advisor2017 β€” 2020
  10. Forbes JapanColumnist2015 β€” 2019
  11. Sophia UniversityAdjunct Lecturer2016 β€” 2017Tokyo, Japan
  12. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of JapanPrincipal Deputy Director2014 β€” 2015
  13. The World BankAdvisor to the Executive Director2011 β€” 2014Washington D.C. Metro Area
  14. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of JapanAide/Official Interpreter to Prime and Foreign Ministers of Japan2007 β€” 2011Tokyo, Japan
  15. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of JapanDeputy Director for International Economy2010 β€” 2011Tokyo, Japan
  16. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of JapanDeputy Director for Japan-U.S. Security Cooperation (SOFA Office)2007 β€” 2009Tokyo, Japan
  17. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of JapanSecond Secretary, Political Section, Embassy of Japan in the United States of America2005 β€” 2007Washington DC-Baltimore Area

Skills & more

International Law14Public Diplomacy12Policy Analysis17Foreign Policy24Political Science7International Development12Economics7Public Policy10Politics18International Relations33Human Rights2Diplomacy25
+8 moreForeign AffairsInternational EconomicsInternational SecurityInternational OrganizationsPolicyJapaneseCapacity BuildingStrategy

Languages English Β· Japanese Β· 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 mafia1,309

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The University of Tokyo mafia25

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Steve AnaviMaster ThesisFounded QontoTakuya HommaBachelor of Science (BSc)Founded QUIPPER LIMITED +1Julian RiebartschMaster of Science - MSFounded Calvin RiskTomoya OgawaBachelor's degreeFounded γ‚―γƒͺをーションHitoshi HokamuraBAFounded EvernoteTaizo SonBachelor of EconomicsFounded Mistletoe

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New York University School of Law mafia13

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Troy WilsonJ.D.Founded Wildcat Discovery Technologies +1Chris HaleyLL.M.Founded LegacyShieldJason FingerJDFounded Salvo HealthSeth SilvermanDoctor of Law (J.D.)Founded Apollo AgricultureDavid TischJ.D.Founded TechstarsAndy AppelbaumDoctor of Law (J.D.)Founded Domino Media Group

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Stability AI mafia10

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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

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Forbes JAPAN mafia2

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Emi TakemuraOfficial ColumnistFounded Peatix

Same school

Also attended Stanford University2,000

Peter ThielCo-founder & Partner at Founders FundReid HoffmanCo-founder of LinkedIn; Partner at GreylockKeith RaboisManaging Director at Khosla VenturesGarry TanPresident & CEO of Y CombinatorAlfred LinPartner at Sequoia CapitalAnn Miura-KoCo-founding Partner at Floodgate

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Also attended New York University School of Law80

Sallie KimInvestor at 8VCSean TraynorPartner, Legal at Lux CapitalEsther DominguezGeneral Counsel at .406 VenturesMichael HsuVenture Partner at Core Venture CapitalSteve SwerdlowSenior Advisor at Navitas CapitalJohn HadlPartner at Archer Capital Group

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Also attended The University of Tokyo125

Steve AnaviCo-founder & President of QontoKazunori YamaguchiPartner at Global BrainShinji AmahaVice President at Acario InnovationTaka KodaPartner at Remiges Ventures, Inc.Masaji MatsuokaManaging Director at E12 Venture Capital, LlcYuki ShiratoSenior Advisor at Pangaea Ventures Us Inc.

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Shared employers

Also worked at NYU School of Law107

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

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Also worked at Mercari, Inc.3

Sae NurukiInvestor at Inception Studio CapitalJunichiro KonoGeneral Partner at ANRIMisato TakahashiFounder at Tailor

Also worked at Afiniti.com8

Archie SoamesCo-Founder & Head of Business Development at Renown Capital PartnersMichel TaridePartner at Next Gear VenturesDustin ZhangPartner at Chaos VenturesMohammad KhaishgiChief Executive Officer at The Resource GroupHasnain AslamChief Investment Officer at The Resource GroupShuja KeenManaging Director at The Resource Group

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Also worked at Forbes Japan2

Emi TakemuraImpact Partner at Fresco CapitalMayu KudoPrincipal at Globis Capital Partners