Impact Investing is more important than ever before. We aim to back the most innovative ideas combining impact and ground-breaking technologies. By leveraging knowledge and ensuring access to a growing network of like-minded people and organizations, we provide the best support we can to founders, especially in the early stages of their companies.
We know that beginnings can be hard. Especially when you are on a mission to change the world for the better. We invest in superior technologies provided by passionate teams that contribute to saving our planet while building scalable business models.
We are an international team combining investment expertise and operational excellence. As a team, we have the strong belief that it needs an outstanding impact ecosystem consisting of founders, investors, governments, and other organizations to be able to sustainably meet the greatest challenges of our time.
Naoyoshi is the Founder and Managing Director of Strategic Business Innovator Berlin, a 100% subsidiary of SBI Holdings, Inc., and a former Japanese diplomat and economist. He has profound experience in advising technological start-ups, especially when it comes to their internationalization to Asia. Furthermore, Naoyoshi is serving as Board Advisor for SBI’s European portfolio companies such as Solarisbank and Element. Prior to setting up SBI’s European office, he was engaged in several investments in the European and UK market at SBI in Tokyo. Moreover, he established the operations in the German market for SBI with the launch of a fund focusing on Industry 4.0 related technologies in 2020.
Before pursuing his career at SBI, Naoyoshi worked in Vienna where he was in charge of economic and environmental affairs as part of the OSCE Delegation appointed by Japan. In this role he especially contributed to the establishment of sustainable environmental policies.
Naoyoshi graduated from RWTH Aachen University, holding a M.A. in European Studies (Politics/Economics).
After having worked at an early stage start-up company and a M&A consultancy in Japan, Emiko has joined the subsidiary of SBI Holdings, Inc. in Berlin. In her position as Chief Financial Officer, she oversees all financial operations as well as the administrative fund management.
Her prior professional experience equipped her with an entrepreneurial mindset as well as the necessary know-how on the operational side in a highly innovative field. She is extremely passionate about supporting ideas that change our future for the better.
Emiko completed her studies in International Relations and Regional Studies at The University of Oxford and The University of Sheffield in the United Kingdom.
Alena’s passion for entrepreneurship and technologies brought her to the field of venture capital. Prior to her career at Strategic Business Innovator Berlin, she gained vast experience in strategy consulting and executive search. During her studies, she had the opportunity to pilot her own Impact Tech start-up idea and work hand in hand with founders of early-stage start-ups.
Besides working as a Venture Capitalist, she actively supports female founders and investors through diverse mentoring programs.
Alena holds a MSc in Management from ESCP Europe focusing on Deep Tech Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
Together with Naoyoshi, Katja established the company in 2019. She is responsible for the day-to-day operations and long-term strategic planning in the fields of administration, accounting, compliance, risk management, and IT. She is the multilingual bridge between the Berlin office and the Japanese parent company SBI Holdings, Inc. and an expert on Japanese business culture.
Katja completed her M.A. in Japanese Studies at the Freie Universität Berlin and the University of Tokyo, majoring in Literary and Translation Studies.
