Akira Kurabayashi

Akira has been in the venture business for 20 years in the US and Japan, and backed more than 50 enterprise software start-ups: TeamSpirit (TSE Mothers 4397), Money Foward (TSE Mothers 3994), Sansan (TSE Mothers 4443), Hottolink (TSE Mothers 3680), TerraSky (TSE Mothers 3915), SynergyMarketing (Acquired by Yahoo Japan), 1st Holdings (Acquired by Orix), Shanon (TSE Mothers 3976), Kabuku (Acquired by Futaba Corporation), Beceem Communications (acquired by Broadcom) and Smart Signal (acquired by GE Intelligent Platforms) etc.).

Akira currently serves on the boards of Money Forward (TSE Mothers 3994), FROM SCRATCH, Andpad, XICA, toBe Marketing, UPWARD, Kakehashi, Mazrica, Trend Express, Adacotech, Creadits, and Knowledge Work and is a board observer at Folio, Studist, Spacely, Flect, Alphaus, HERP, Resily, Alp, Techtouch and Tutorial.

Before joining DNX Ventures, Akira was Japan Head at Salesforce Ventures and Globespan Capital Partners. Prior to Globespan, Akira spent 5 years at Mitsui & Co., Ltd and led the company's venture capital activities both in the US and Japan. He was Co-Founder & Director of Mitsui Technology Investment Group in Silicon Valley. Previously, Akira spent 5 years at Fujitsu Limited in various roles including Corporate Development, Corporate Strategy, and Sales.

Akira is a published author of The Corporate Venture Capital Handbook, Chuokeizai-sha, Inc. Akira holds an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, a BA and Ph.D. in Technology Management from Doshisha University and completed Executive Management Program at University of Tokyo (Spring 2017).