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).
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Ken is the Finance Director of Strategic Business Innovator Berlin and the Fund Controller of Future Industry Ventures Fund.
Prior to his career at Strategic Business Innovator Berlin, he has gathered 7+ years of experience in accounting in the various industries as well as 2+ years of experience in project finance management, corporate planning and asset management in the renewable energy industry. In his previous job, He has contributed to developing and managing renewable energy development projects that constructed solar and wind power plants, being involved not only in national projects in Japan, but also in overseas projects in Mongolia and Saudi Arabia at SoftBank Group.
Ken completed his MBA specialising in finance and accounting at the IU International University of Applied Sciences in Berlin. Currently, he enhances his financial profession further through the CFA program.
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Marina is Office Manager at Strategic Business Innovator Berlin. She is responsible for the day-to-day operations, as well as for the communication between the Berlin office and the Japanese parent company SBI Holdings, Inc.
Before she worked as Sales Assistant at a Japanese company in an international environment for around 2 years.
Marina completed her M.A. in Japanese studies at the Freie Universität Berlin, and specialized in literature and translation.
Prior to this, she completed her B.A. in Japanese studies and German studies at the Martin-Luther Universität Halle-Wittenberg. She also successfully completed a study year abroad at the Dokkyo University, Japan.
