members
CEO
Founded an education media company in his first year at Kyoto University. He then worked in sales consulting for manufacturing, as a PM in a trading company's new business division, and in customer success at a staffing company.
CEO
Yuto Ogata
Founded an education media company in his first year at Kyoto University. He then worked in sales consulting for manufacturing, as a PM in a trading company's new business division, and in customer success at a staffing company.
Director
Worked on non-financial disclosure and back-office improvement at a data science venture. Also led projects such as creating university environmental reports and disclosing GHG emissions for restaurants.
Director
Takehiro Kikkawa
Worked on non-financial disclosure and back-office improvement at a data science venture. Also led projects such as creating university environmental reports and disclosing GHG emissions for restaurants.
Executive Officer, CTO / Head of Technology Division
After working as a PM and lead engineer at several companies including major IT firms, he handled dozens of projects as a freelance engineer. He has launched new businesses using generative AI, improved operations, and built systems.
Executive Officer, CTO / Head of Technology Division
Yuki Tanaka
After working as a PM and lead engineer at several companies including major IT firms, he handled dozens of projects as a freelance engineer. He has launched new businesses using generative AI, improved operations, and built systems.
Executive Officer, Head of Corporate Division
Graduate of Kyoto University's Faculty of Economics. After doing business development at a Kyoto startup, he handled sourcing and investment/partnership review in the M&A and alliance division of a listed company. At STARUP he leads accounting and finance, including two rounds of bank financing.
Executive Officer, Head of Corporate Division
Daigo Fujii
Graduate of Kyoto University's Faculty of Economics. After doing business development at a Kyoto startup, he handled sourcing and investment/partnership review in the M&A and alliance division of a listed company. At STARUP he leads accounting and finance, including two rounds of bank financing.
Head of AI Solutions Division
Graduate of Kyoto University's Graduate School of Informatics. After founding an engineering club at Kyoto University, he joined STAR UP as an early member. He honed his data analysis skills as a data specialist at Recruit before returning to STAR UP. He now leads the AI Solutions Division, driving the real-world deployment of diverse field data from manufacturing to government.
Head of AI Solutions Division
Naoki Kadokura
Graduate of Kyoto University's Graduate School of Informatics. After founding an engineering club at Kyoto University, he joined STAR UP as an early member. He honed his data analysis skills as a data specialist at Recruit before returning to STAR UP. He now leads the AI Solutions Division, driving the real-world deployment of diverse field data from manufacturing to government.
Executive Officer, Head of ARCHAIVE Division
Graduate of Kyoto University's Faculty of Engineering. During his studies he experienced new business development and sales/CS in the staffing business. At STARUP he launched the SaaS business and now leads sales, including building the sales organization and devising sales strategy.
Executive Officer, Head of ARCHAIVE Division
Haruki Kimura
Graduate of Kyoto University's Faculty of Engineering. During his studies he experienced new business development and sales/CS in the staffing business. At STARUP he launched the SaaS business and now leads sales, including building the sales organization and devising sales strategy.
Manager, Product Development Group
Graduate of the Department of Informatics, Faculty of Engineering, Kyoto University. As ARCHAIVE development lead, he drives everything from product-wide requirements definition and task allocation to engineers, to highly complex implementation.
Manager, Product Development Group
Jiho Ryu
Graduate of the Department of Informatics, Faculty of Engineering, Kyoto University. As ARCHAIVE development lead, he drives everything from product-wide requirements definition and task allocation to engineers, to highly complex implementation.
Manager, Product Planning Group
Graduate of the Department of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering, Kyoto University. He switched from architecture to engineering and joined STARUP after training in India. His strength is the speed of completing both design and implementation single-handedly.
Manager, Product Planning Group
Shota Yamashita
Graduate of the Department of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering, Kyoto University. He switched from architecture to engineering and joined STARUP after training in India. His strength is the speed of completing both design and implementation single-handedly.
Manager, Implementation Group
Graduate of the Department of Informatics, Faculty of Engineering, Kyoto University. Joined as a new graduate in April 2026. As manager of the Implementation Group, he leads the deployment and implementation of AI solutions at customer sites.
Manager, Implementation Group
Shunsuke Kimura
Graduate of the Department of Informatics, Faculty of Engineering, Kyoto University. Joined as a new graduate in April 2026. As manager of the Implementation Group, he leads the deployment and implementation of AI solutions at customer sites.
Manager, Architect Group
Graduate of the Department of Informatics, Faculty of Engineering, Kyoto University. Joined as a new graduate in April 2026. As manager of the Architect Group, he handles system architecture design and AI implementation.
Manager, Architect Group
Namiki Chikusa
Graduate of the Department of Informatics, Faculty of Engineering, Kyoto University. Joined as a new graduate in April 2026. As manager of the Architect Group, he handles system architecture design and AI implementation.
Account Executive, Sales Group
Graduate of Kokugakuin University. Joined STAR UP after reconnecting with Haruki Kimura, and handles sales for ARCHAIVE (an AI platform for manufacturing). Persistently visiting sites mainly across the Kansai region, he is expanding the Kanto market from the Tokyo office scheduled to open in fiscal 2026. His nickname is "Kevin."
Account Executive, Sales Group
Sota Nagai
Graduate of Kokugakuin University. Joined STAR UP after reconnecting with Haruki Kimura, and handles sales for ARCHAIVE (an AI platform for manufacturing). Persistently visiting sites mainly across the Kansai region, he is expanding the Kanto market from the Tokyo office scheduled to open in fiscal 2026. His nickname is "Kevin."
Manager, Business Development Group
Graduate of Kyoto University's Faculty of Education. Drawn to a culture that turns "Wouldn't that be fun?" into reality, he joined STAR UP. After helping launch a demand-forecasting SaaS business for the retail industry, he now covers a broad range of business development for ARCHAIVE, from sales to alliances.
Manager, Business Development Group
Sho Takada
Graduate of Kyoto University's Faculty of Education. Drawn to a culture that turns "Wouldn't that be fun?" into reality, he joined STAR UP. After helping launch a demand-forecasting SaaS business for the retail industry, he now covers a broad range of business development for ARCHAIVE, from sales to alliances.
Manager, Customer Success Group
Joined as a mid-career hire in 2026, drawn to STAR UP's mission of rebuilding the structures of people, industry, and culture. He started his career at NTT East, moved to CyberAgent, and then went independent. Working on cross-group projects across the NTT Group, he was active in everything from development support to organizational standardization and partner building. He now tackles the challenges of the manufacturing industry in customer success.
Manager, Customer Success Group
Hisashi Netsu
Joined as a mid-career hire in 2026, drawn to STAR UP's mission of rebuilding the structures of people, industry, and culture. He started his career at NTT East, moved to CyberAgent, and then went independent. Working on cross-group projects across the NTT Group, he was active in everything from development support to organizational standardization and partner building. He now tackles the challenges of the manufacturing industry in customer success.
Account Executive, Sales Group
Joined as a mid-career hire in 2026, inspired by STAR UP's vision of raising the presence of manufacturing and rebuilding the industry itself. Having visited more than 450 manufacturing sites, he worked at a general consulting firm and then on DX in the construction industry. Determined to lead manufacturing, a core industry where DX still lags, and make a lasting impact, he now takes on the challenge in sales.
Account Executive, Sales Group
Goki Tokumoto
Joined as a mid-career hire in 2026, inspired by STAR UP's vision of raising the presence of manufacturing and rebuilding the industry itself. Having visited more than 450 manufacturing sites, he worked at a general consulting firm and then on DX in the construction industry. Determined to lead manufacturing, a core industry where DX still lags, and make a lasting impact, he now takes on the challenge in sales.
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advisors
Advisor
Tokutaro Nakai
After graduating from the University of Tokyo, Faculty of Law in 1985, he joined the Ministry of Finance. He served in roles including Director of the Public Relations Office, Professor at the Institute of Medical Science at the University of Tokyo, and Budget Examiner in the Budget Bureau, before moving to the Ministry of the Environment in 2011. There he held posts such as Director of the General Affairs Division of the Environmental Policy Bureau, Director of the Accounting and Personnel Divisions of the Minister's Secretariat, Director-General of the Waste Management and Recycling Department, and Vice-Minister for Global Environmental Affairs, and was appointed Administrative Vice-Minister of the Environment in July 2020. After retiring in July 2022, he has served as an advisor to Nippon Steel, Representative Director of the Millennium Future Council Foundation, and Specially Appointed Professor at Japan University of Economics. He brings deep expertise in environmental policy, decarbonization, the Regional Circular and Ecological Sphere, and social implementation across industry and government. At STARUP, he supports DX in the industrial and public sectors leveraging AI and data infrastructure, GHG emissions visualization, sustainability initiatives including Scope 3, and business development aimed at solving regional and social challenges.
Advisor
Tokutaro Nakai
After graduating from the University of Tokyo, Faculty of Law in 1985, he joined the Ministry of Finance. He served in roles including Director of the Public Relations Office, Professor at the Institute of Medical Science at the University of Tokyo, and Budget Examiner in the Budget Bureau, before moving to the Ministry of the Environment in 2011. There he held posts such as Director of the General Affairs Division of the Environmental Policy Bureau, Director of the Accounting and Personnel Divisions of the Minister's Secretariat, Director-General of the Waste Management and Recycling Department, and Vice-Minister for Global Environmental Affairs, and was appointed Administrative Vice-Minister of the Environment in July 2020. After retiring in July 2022, he has served as an advisor to Nippon Steel, Representative Director of the Millennium Future Council Foundation, and Specially Appointed Professor at Japan University of Economics. He brings deep expertise in environmental policy, decarbonization, the Regional Circular and Ecological Sphere, and social implementation across industry and government. At STARUP, he supports DX in the industrial and public sectors leveraging AI and data infrastructure, GHG emissions visualization, sustainability initiatives including Scope 3, and business development aimed at solving regional and social challenges.
