Takaaki Umada is a renowned startup ecosystem expert from Japan who has made a name for himself in the industry through his books and thought-provoking slides. Currently serving as director at The University of Tokyo, Takaaki boasts an impressive background and field of expertise. He has a Bachelor's degree in Cognitive Science, Computer Science, Psychology, Neuroscience, Philosophy, and Linguistics from the University of Toronto. Takaaki has also spent several years working as a Technical Evangelist, Evangelist, Product Manager for Microsoft Azure and Visual Studio at Microsoft, among others.

Takaaki's books, "Paradoxical Startup Thinking" (2017) and "Environment Design for Successful Entrepreneurs" (2019), impart valuable knowledge on starting and growing startups, respectively. His slides on startups attract about 1 million page views per year while his articles on Medium offer insights into the startup world. With his impressive background and expertise, Takaaki is a valuable asset to the startup ecosystem in Japan.