Masazumi Ishii

After working for IBM Japan and McKinsey & Company, established AZCA, Inc., a management consulting company in Silicon Valley, California, USA in 1985 and assumed the position of CEO. He supports Japanese and American companies in developing new businesses in the high-tech field and develops global human resources.

While presiding over AZCA, Inc., he has also been active as a venture capitalist since 1987. Currently, he is especially focusing on supporting the establishment and operation of corporate venture capital for the creation of new businesses by Japanese companies.

Until March 2019, he was a visiting professor at the Graduate School of Engineering, Shizuoka University and the Graduate School of Business, Waseda University, and is currently a visiting professor at Chubu University and an academic advisor at Toyo University.

He has served on the boards of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Northern California (President since 2007) and the Japan Society of Northern California. He is a member of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology University New Industry Creation Base Project (START) Promotion Committee and participates in NEDO's research and development venture support project (STS) as a certified VC.

He has published papers in newspapers and magazines, and given many lectures at conferences and universities in Japan and the United States. He graduated from the Department of Mathematical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Tokyo, and holds a Master's Degree in Computer Science from Stanford University.