Monozukuri Ventures (referred to below as MZV, CEO: Narimasa Makino), a Kyoto & NY-based VC specializing in hard tech startups, is pleased to announce the appointment of Emi Makino, Associate Professor at Hiroshima University, as an outside director.

MZV has invested in hard tech startups in Japan and the United States. In light of the growing interest in ESG in recent years, we have been working to globalize and diversify our entire organization. In this context, we have decided to appoint Ms. Emi Makino, Associate Professor at Hiroshima University, as an outside director of MZV.

Ms. Makino has extensive experience covering US entrepreneurs for the Nihon Keizai Shimbun and Nikkei E-Biz. She was inspired by the speed and influence of US entrepreneurs from 1990 to 2000 and decided to get an MBA and Ph.D. from Claremont Graduate University in the United States.
Since moving back to Japan, she has taught as an entrepreneur educator at Kyushu University, Tokyo University of Science, and now Hiroshima University. She published the book "Innovation Makers" in 2020. In addition, she has been actively making contributions to the startup community, such as inviting Professor Salas Sarasvathy, an advocate of effectuation, a framework that is gaining attention as a helpful framework for surviving in an uncertain world, to hold a conference.

Makino's appointment as an outside director will strengthen our company's governance and enable us to further enhance the manufacturing and entrepreneurship education at the Kyoto Makers Garage in the Umekoji area of Kyoto, as well as our carve-out program (Kyoto Acceleration Program) for large companies. We would like to strengthen our services by utilizing Ms. Makino's extensive knowledge and experience.