Trevi’s FO process is a disruptive technology which can help meet the world’s rapidly increasing demand for clean water using a small fraction of the energy required by state-of-the-art desalination processes.
Trevi Systems, Inc. is innovating solutions that will enable people to have access to potable water regardless of geographic or socioeconomic barriers.
websiteVitalConnect is a medical device and healthcare solutions company applying advanced biosensor technology and surrounding data management systems to deliver an innovative platform that is accretive to decision-making paradigms of physicians and other health care professionals. VitalConnect's FDA-cleared and CE -marked VitalPatch biosensing platform is available for use in hospitals, homes, research facilities, doctor's offices, and other care facilities.
websiteChris joined the Asahi Kasei CVC team in 2020 and is focused on medtech, digital therapeutics, and biotech. Prior to AK, Chris worked in life sciences strategy consulting and biotech business development. Chris received his BA in biology and economics from Williams College and his MBA in healthcare management from The Wharton School.
Jeff Chen joined Asahi Kasei Corporate VC in 2023. Prior to his current position, Jeff was VP of Product Management and Development at Crystal IS, a ventured-back semiconductor device company Asahi Kasei acquired in 2012. At Crystal IS, Jeff also held a variety of roles managing Product Management, R&D, Engineering, Operations, Quality, Safety and Purchasing. Jeff received his Ph.D. in electrical engineering from Stony Brook University and his MBA from Stern at New York University.
Throughout his 30-year career, John has passionately pursued identifying and commercializing technologies spanning the building eco-system.
John has held several management positions in the building products and homebuilding industry, including Research and Development Manager at NVR Ryan Homes, Vice President of PHI Building Systems, and Vice President of R&D at Rollease Acmeda.
He served on the research faculty at MIT as the Director of the MIT Innovative Housing Technology Program, a multi-national industry supported program focused on advanced materials and systems for residential and light commercial buildings.
John has founded several building material and product companies integrating design, workflow, and material technology to improve the end-to-end production process, customer experience and finished products.
He is a board member of Plant Prefab, Toolbx and Skipp Technologies working with stakeholders to provide healthy, low impact, attainable housing solutions.
He earned a master’s degree in architecture, planning & building technology from MIT. He has authored numerous publications and patents.
Ryoichi Takashima is focusing on IoT technology and creating new business. Before joining the CVC team, he worked as a ASIC designer in Asahi Kasei Microdevices Corporation (AKM) and developed sensor devices to achieve customer solutions incorporating AKM's software technology. He graduated Osaka University with a master's degree of science.
Ken Kitamura joined Asahi Kasei Corporate VC in 2024. Prior to his current role, Ken worked as a senior innovation architect driving the acceleration of multiple new business creation projects in a variety of fields including hydrogen, battery, and semiconductors at Asahi Kasei. Ken also worked at Crystal IS, a venture-backed semiconductor device company Asahi Kasei acquired in 2012. At Crystal IS, he managed product development projects of Japan and US teams. Ken holds a master’s degree in chemistry from Hokkaido University and an MBA from NUCB business school.
Xinran Tao is based in Boston, focusing on healthcare investment. Prior to joining the CVC team, she worked at Asahi Kasei Pharma Corporation, in charge of the in vitro diagnostics (IVD) business, and experienced roles in strategy, clinical trials, regulation, marketing, and medical affairs. She holds a master’s degree in bioengineering from the Tokyo Institute of Technology.
Masatoshi is focusing on Construction & Real Estate.
Before joining the CVC, he worked as a production engineer both in JFE steel and Asahi Kasei for 13 years.
He has a Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Keio University in Japan.
Daisuke Hotta is currently concentrating on Climate Tech as an investment field and is actively seeking new business ventures in the areas of Materials and Sustainability in collaboration with Asahi Kasei's business units and R&D department. Prior to his role in the CVC team, he spent five years in R&D where he was involved in the full spectrum of activities from research to pre-sales for a new membrane technology applicable to the food and pharmaceutical industries. He has filed over ten global patents and possesses extensive experience in research, development, scale-up, factory design, quality control, quality assurance, intellectual property strategy, and marketing. He later joined a strategic team for six months to consider a new business. Before his tenure at Asahi Kasei, he founded a marketing company during his university years. He holds a Master of Science degree in Macromolecular Science from Osaka University.
Naoki Isobe is focusing on battery related technologies and aims to co-create new businesses. Prior to coming to CVC, he was involved in semiconductor product planning and customer support at Asahi Kasei Microdevices(AKM) for twelve years. He holds a Master's degree in Electronic Engineering from the Osaka University.
Takazumi Oshima joined CVC team in July 2025 and is in charge of investment strategy and execution. Before joining the CVC team, he worked in the Corporate Strategy at Asahi Kasei Corporation, where he was responsible for corporate FP&A and overseas planning. His experience includes group-wide financial performance analysis, business portfolio evaluation and compilation of board and executive management reports. Prior to Asahi Kasei Corporation, he spent 12 years at Robert Bosch, serving in various finance and accounting roles. He received a bachelor’s degree in Commerce from Waseda University and is a Certified Public Account (CPA).
Michinori Muraoka is exploring new business opportunities in material and sustainability sector in collaboration with AK business units. Before joining the CVC team, He worked in Asahi Kasei's membrane division in various industrial fields and spent 5 years in India as country manager for business development of membrane technology in water sector. He received Bachelor of Business Administration from Hokkaido University and MBA from Kobe University.
Yiqing Tao is based in Shanghai. She is in charge of all the CVC China activities including investment strategy, execution of both direct investment and VC fund investments and business collaborations with Asahi Kasei business units. Prior to Asahi Kasei, Yiqing worked in venture capital and private equity in China. Tao holds MSc degree in Finance from Cass Business School, London.
Masa Kaneta is exploring new business opportunities in material and sustainability sector in collaboration with business units.
Before joining the CVC team, he worked in Asahi Kasei Corporate Strategy as a manager of business developing and investment control and carbon neutral promotion project for 3 years. He held a variety of roles managing R&D, Engineering, Operations, Quality in Consumable BUS for 18 years. In addition, he had experienced marketing and researching new technologies in polymer engineering in Asahi Kasei America.
Kohei Miyabe is in charge of healthcare investment. He has expertise in pharmaceutical development, especially formulation science and CMC work. His dedicated research work led to one approved pharmaceutical in Japan and more than ten published patents. He also has research experience in nucleotide delivery for gene therapy. He has a master's degree of agricultural science from Nagoya University in Japan.
Yoshiki Miyamoto is now focusing on IIoT and Sustainability. Before joining the CVC team, he worked on R&D in Asahi Kasei E-materials and Asahi Kasei for 10 years and he has been experienced in various applications for high performance polymers like epoxy-resin hardeners, photosensitive polymers, flexible display substrate, electrolyte membrane for fuel cell and drug delivery system. He has a Master of Engineering degree from Osaka University in Japan.
Founded in 1922, Asahi Kasei is a diversified business based in Tokyo focused on three primary sectors: Material, Homes, and Health Care.
Asahi Kasei Corporate Venture Capital was established in 2008 and is focused on investing in innovative global companies in areas of strategic importance to Asahi Kasei. Our primary mission is to create new long-term business opportunities for Asahi Kasei. Our team, based in Menlo Park, the Boston area, Düsseldorf and Shanghai, consists of senior professionals with backgrounds in R&D, start up operations and venture capital.
Asahi Kasei invests across all stages. Our initial investment size can range from several hundred thousand dollars up to several million, depending on the opportunity. Given the right situation, Asahi Kasei can lead investments.