Yuri Namikawa

Yuri Namikawa is a Partner at Expa, a startup studio and venture fund based in the San Francisco Bay Area. She has a diverse professional background, having held various roles in finance, business operations, and venture investment.

Education and Early Career

Namikawa graduated from Stanford University with a B.S. in Management Science and Engineering. Her early career includes significant positions such as an Investment Banking Analyst at Morgan Stanley and a Venture Investor at Norwest Venture Partners, where she worked from 2017 to 2020. She also gained experience in business operations and strategy at Udemy and served as a research analyst at Stanford's Graduate School of Business.1

Current Role at Expa

At Expa, which was founded by Garrett Camp (co-founder of Uber), Namikawa has been instrumental in managing investments from a $200 million fund aimed at supporting early-stage startups. The portfolio includes notable companies like Convoy and Metabase. Her role involves not just investment decisions but also assisting in the development of new ventures.1

Skills and Interests

Yuri Namikawa is proficient in both English and Japanese and holds a U.S. Sailing Certified Instructor certification. Her interests span across customer development and business strategy, showcasing her multifaceted expertise in the startup ecosystem.1