In 2023, Junji Takaoka, Kevin, joined UTokyo IPC as an Incubation Partner. He established Deep Tech Founders and assumed responsibility for various key aspects, including the Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR) program, EIR community design, entrepreneurship development, and the commercialization of technology seeds from researchers, ultimately fostering the creation of startups from the ground up.
In 2005, immediately following his university graduation, he embarked on a startup journey in Shanghai. By 2007, he had returned to Japan and commenced work at the strategic consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton (now Strategy&). In 2009, he became a part of Alibaba Japan's President's Office, actively contributing to the development of numerous new ventures as Alibaba experienced rapid growth, transforming into a global IT giant.
In 2016, he served as an Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR) at Draper Nexus in Silicon Valley (now DNX USA). Then, in 2017, he founded UsideU, focusing on remote customer engagement and AI as the business domain. In 2020, he achieved a successful exit through the sale of the company.
Currently, he holds positions as a board member at Komehyo Co., Ltd. and an advisor at UsideU Co., Ltd.
Kevin holds degrees from the University of Tokyo Faculty of Law, an MBA from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management, and a Master's in Design Innovation from Northwestern University's McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science.
Apart from his professional pursuits, Kevin is a jazz enthusiast and considers playing the double bass a lifelong passion.