Taku Inoue is a prominent figure in the Japanese startup scene, with extensive experience in business incubation, venture capital, and R&D investment. As the Executive Vice President and COO at aptpod, Inc., a leading IoT framework provider, Inoue oversees bidirectional data streaming, data measurement, and analysis. He also served as a Senior Vice President at SPARX Asset Management Co., Ltd. and a Senior Director/Business Incubator/Strategist at NTTDOCOMO Ventures.

Inoue has an impressive track record of global business development, having worked on projects such as i-mode global expansion and co-marketing with global mobile carriers. He was involved in the planning and operation of the international i-menu portal site, as well as the development of an authentication and settlement payment platform with IC cards.

Before joining the startup world, Inoue worked at NTT DoCoMo for many years, where he held various positions, including Manager of Business Development & Strategic Investment, Global Business Division, and i-mode Europe France Branch at NTT DoCoMo.

In summary, Taku Inoue is an accomplished business executive and venture capitalist with a passion for growing disruptive startups globally. He brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the table, making him one of Japan’s leading startup ecosystem builders.