About
Startup Division
The Startup Division provides a variety of support measures that entrepreneurs and startups need, as well as on-campus awareness-raising about entrepreneurship, institutional development, and support for entrepreneurial educational activities. The purpose is to support entrepreneurship among faculty and students based on the results of Keio’s education and research, as well as to grow their startups. In collaboration with stakeholders both on and off campus, we will promote a startup ecosystem centered on Keio University.
Member
Nobuaki Shindo
Director of Startup Division,Project Professor
Nobuaki Shindo
Director of Startup Division,Project Professor
Nobuaki Shindo is the Director of Startup Division at Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Keio University since March 2022. Prior to joining Keio University, he had engaged in discovery of several clinical stage compounds including gilteritinib/XOSPATA®, leading research collaborations with US and EU-based academic institutions, investing biotech companies and establishing a joint venture at the departments of drug discovery research, open innovation and corporate venture capital at Astellas Pharma Inc.. After the above role, he was responsible for all of research alliances of discovery and preclinical stages at the company. He received Ph.D. of Health Science from Kyorin University and MS of Medical Sciences from Keio University. NEDO SSA Fellow.
Completed coursework at the Keio University Graduate School of Medicine.
Ryosuke Munakata
Project Associate Professor
Ryosuke Munakata
Project Associate Professor
Ryosuke Munakata joined the Startup Division in June 2022 to contribute to translation of university research into innovations for society. He started his professional career as a research scientist in Drug Discovery Research at Astellas Pharma Inc., contributing to generation of multiple candidate molecules. Then, he worked in the area of business development, corporate venture capital, portfolio management, and corporate strategy, contributing to key initiatives such as mid-term corporate plan and global R&D strategy with leading roles. In May 2022, he moved to the startup-side, from the pharma company, for the next step in his career.
Ph.D., Keio University.
Takuya Nojima
Project Associate Professor
Takuya Nojima
Project Associate Professor
Takuya Nojima joined the Startup Division in June 2024 to help accelerate the development of promising startup companies based on cutting-edge science from academic research. He started his career as an assistant professor at Tokyo University of Science and worked as a postdoctoral fellow at the Duke University School of Medicine where he developed original experimental methodologies that have been widely used in both industry and basic research. After that, he joined Astellas Pharma and worked as a researcher in the drug discovery research division and as a new business planner in the corporate planning division. He also served as a venture partner at digiTx Partners in California, where he was responsible for sourcing and evaluating US startup companies. Upon returning to the Japan headquarters, he held various roles, including designing organizational structures, fostering cross-industry collaboration outside of Astellas, and coaching entrepreneurship in academia. He holds a Ph.D. from Tokyo University of Science.
Hironori Harada
Project Associate Professor
Hironori Harada
Project Associate Professor
Hironori Harada has extensive experience working as a researcher/manager at a major Japanese pharmaceutical company, having held positions as Senior Research Fellow and Senior Director. He is also a specialist in small molecule drug discovery. He was a visiting researcher at the University of Pennsylvania, and served as the Chemistry Head at a U.S. research institute in Illinois for approximately 5 years. In addition, he has developed two clinical candidate compounds, with extensive experience in joint and contract research with Bio-ventures and CROs in Europe, the U.S., and Asia. To date, he has filed 17 patent applications and published 10 research papers.
Subsequently, he joined a university-originated startup from its early stages, served as COO, and currently works as an advisor. He holds a Ph.D. in Agricultural Science from the University of Tokyo Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences.
Chikashi Saito
Project Associate Professor
Chikashi Saito
Project Associate Professor
Chikashi Saito joined the Keio University Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship Startup Division in January 2025. Saito obtained his graduate degree at Osaka University, after which he worked for Astellas Pharma Inc. for almost 30 years in pharmacological research and new business development. He has contributed to various new drug applications and consistently led drug discovery research for several compounds. He also studied at the University of Pittsburgh Urology Laboratory. In new business development, he was a Science Principal responsible for the ideation and incubation of new products, primarily under the digital therapeutics project. He also holds a Certified Pharmacist qualification.
Atsushi Kuroiwa
Project Associate Professor
Atsushi Kuroiwa
Project Associate Professor
Atsushi Kuroiwa graduated from the Keio University Faculty of Business and Commerce. After working at a tax accountant office, he joined Starbucks Coffee Japan. He later earned a degree from the Keio University Graduate School of Business Administration and served as an Executive Officer in charge of corporate administration at the English conversation school, GABA. Subsequently, he took on responsibilities in finance, accounting, legal affairs, general affairs, and corporate planning at emerging companies such as KidZania and DoCLASSE. In August 2016, he joined SmartNews. Currently, he serves as Head of Corporate Administration, overseeing accounting, legal affairs, compliance, and general affairs at SmartNews. With extensive experience working in startups, he developed a strong interest in building startup ecosystems. In January 2025, he joined the Keio University Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship as an Incubation Manager at CRIK Shinanomachi.
Nobuhiko Kamagata
Project Senior Assistant Professor
Nobuhiko Kamagata
Project Senior Assistant Professor
As an engineer at Honda R&D Co., Ltd., engaged in research and development of autonomous vehicles and fuel cell vehicles. He led new business development in the Business Development department. Experienced in collaboration with startups, investment/M&A reviews, and planning and management of startup incubation programs.
Joined the Startup Division, Keio Univ. in December 2022 willing to “create world-class startups from a wide range of academic research seeds.”
Master of Engineering, Keio University.
Akiko Tanaka
Project Senior Assistant Professor
Akiko Tanaka
Project Senior Assistant Professor
Akiko Tanaka joined the Startup Divison in January 2023 to support the growth of university startups by leveraging global business insights. Prior to joining Keio University, as a Director of Asahi Broadcasting’s local subsidiary in Singapore, she led the startup consultancy business from sourcing, investment execution, monitoring and business development support for Southeast Asian startups, partnering with the group’s corporate venture capital. She also engaged in market entry and investment consultancy as a Commercial Officer at the Embassy of Sweden in Japan. MA in International Studies, The University of Tokyo. BA in Business and Commerce, Keio University.
Akiko Yamazaki
Project Senior Assistant Professor
Akiko Yamazaki
Project Senior Assistant Professor
Akiko Yamazaki joined the Startup Division in November 2022 to get deeply involved with entrepreneurship and create a more entrepreneurial-friendly environment. With her experience of headquater and branch operations at the Bank of Japan,she expanded her career at IT startup, working as a director, public relations,HR, and corporate operation matters. She moved her career to the medical industry due to a relative’s illness,engaged in research and sales at hospitals for a medical startups, and played a key role in streamline corporate operation at a medical device development startup. BA in Business and Commerce, Keio University.
Takamitsu Ikeda
Project Senior Assistant Professor
Takamitsu Ikeda
Project Senior Assistant Professor
Takamitsu Ikeda completed his doctoral program at the University of Tokyo Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Science. He then joined the drug discovery research division of Astellas Pharma Inc. He was responsible for target molecule discovery, pharmacological studies, and advancement of drug discovery programs focused on oncology and muscle diseases, contributing to the progression of multiple compounds to the clinical stage. Subsequently, he was transferred to the United States, where he was in charge of business development activities, contributing to partnerships with research institutes and biotechnology companies. After returning to Japan, he contributed to the development of therapeutic area strategies, and led the evaluation of company acquisition and licensing. He joined the team to help accelerate the social implementation of academic research, leveraging his broad experience ranging from drug discovery research to business development and strategy planning.
Yusuke Ikeda
Project Senior Assistant Professor
Yusuke Ikeda
Project Senior Assistant Professor
Yusuke Ikeda joined the Startup Division in July 2024 to help create deep tech startups with significant global growth potential. He began his career as a strategic consultant at A.T. Kearney K.K., where he worked on operational reforms for a venture capital firm and new business development projects for a major telecommunications company. Later, he became a founding member and director at Alue Co., Ltd., where he led the launch and oversaw the growth of its education and training business. After the company’s listing on the TSE Mothers market in 2018, he assumed the role of Director of New Business Development and M&A. Ikeda holds a BA in Law from Keio University.
Satoko Ikuta
Project Assistant Professor
Satoko Ikuta
Project Assistant Professor
Satoko Ikuta has extensive experience in experimental development and technical support at automobile manufacturers and CAE software vendors. Switching lines of work, she became a community manager at DMM.make AKIBA, the largest manufacturing incubation facility in Japan, where she was responsible for solving challenges and providing personalized support for hardware startups and businesses. She also managed event planning and operations.
In April 2024, she started as an incubation manager assistant for the startup division at CRIK Shinanomachi.
Ikuta graduated from the Faculty of Engineering at Chiba University and completed her master’s degree at Hiroshima University’s Graduate School of Engineering.