Kazuya Minami

Current

• Senior Operating Officer, Office of the Group CEO at Digital Garage, Inc.
• Board Member at Technorati Japan, Inc.
• President at DG Incubation, Inc

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Past

• VP, Div. GM, Strategic Investment & Business Development Div. at DG Incubation, Inc.
• Strategic Partner Development Manager at Google Japan Inc.
• Strategic Partner Development Manager at Google

• Executive at Tokio Marine Capital Co., Ltd.
• Business Development Manager at Neoteny Co., Ltd.
• Manager, Business Development at Mitsubishi Corporation
• Associate in Japan at Regis McKenna Inc.

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Industry

Venture Capital & Private Equity

Kazuya Minami’s Summary

I am investment and business development professional at Japanese boutique style venture capital and incubator company called DG Incubation, Inc. (http://www.dgincubation.co.jp/index.html) We focus on venture investment mainly in early stage Internet service companies. We recently invested in Twitter (San Francisco, CA), and now helping LinkedIn US to expand presence in Japan.

We support our portfolio companies with hands-on manner, supporting to build product/service roadmap, providing market intelligence and helping key management position hiring.

At the beggining of my carrier, I worked at Mitsubishi Corporation, one of the largest Japanese general trading firms, for over 13 years, and was assigned as representative for business development in Silicon Valley (Palo Alto) and Silicon Alley (New York), investing in various leading edge Internet technology companies who wanted to develop new businesses in Japan, such as SportsLine USA.

I then worked at Neoteny, Joi Ito's incubator company in Japan for 4 years, and invested in Six Apart (San Francisco based blog software developer) as a first outside investor. I also invested in IP Infusion (Cisco compatible router software company) who was recently bought by Access.

After Neoteny, I worked at Tokio Marine Capital, Co., Ltd (http://www.tmcap.co.jp/) to operate co-VC fund with Silicon Valley based VC, Ignite Venture Capital for a year.

Then, I entered Google Japan Inc, as Strategic Partner Development Manager, to manage and develop new businesses with Japanese large ISPs and large content portal providers.

From April 2006, I resumed to work with Joi Ito, who was my former boss at Neoteny. He is now one of board members at Digital Garage, Inc. (DG) DG also does from angel round to middle-late stage investment with DG Incubation (DGI), 100% subsidiary company and investment arm of DG. Recently, I was assigned as President of the company.

Kazuya Minami’s Specialties:

- Technical, marketing and financial due diligence to invest in IT venture companies
- Investment deal sourcing
- International business development support (transplanting of IT projects to Japan)
- Technology marketing consulting service
- Large corporation's division spin-off support

Kazuya Minami’s Experience

• Senior Operating Officer, Office of the Group CEO

  Digital Garage, Inc.

  (Information Technology and Services industry)

  April 2007 — Present (2 years 4 months)

  In charge for overseas net company investment and business development. Invested in Technorati (US), Etology (US), FON (England) and etc. My title is "上級執行役員グループＣＥＯ室/インキュベーション担当" (Jokyuu Shikko Yakuin) in Japanese.

• Board Member

  Technorati Japan, Inc.

  (Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Internet industry)

  April 2006 — Present (3 years 4 months)

• President

  DG Incubation, Inc

  (Internet industry)

  April 2006 — Present (3 years 4 months)

  From August 2008, I was assigned as President of DGI. Will focus more on business development of early stage Bay Area companies to enter into Japan market. Also helping LinkedIn to expand their presence in Japan.

• VP, Div. GM, Strategic Investment & Business Development Div.

  DG Incubation, Inc.

  (Venture Capital & Private Equity industry)

  April 2006 — September 2008 (2 years 6 months)

  To find online service type venture business in US, to develop a new business in Japan. Digital Garage group does both investment and business development. DG Incubation is a 100% subsidiary of Digital Garage, Inc, who is conducting both VC and incubator business.
  
  I am in charge for strategic investment, primary focused on US venture companies.

• Strategic Partner Development Manager

  Google Japan Inc.

  (Public Company; 5001-10,000 employees; GOOG; Internet industry)

  January 2005 — April 2006 (1 year 4 months)

  New business development for Japanese large ISPs and Portal companies. Sold new Google services for these companies, and build strategic relatioships. Most of Japanese large ISPs except Yahoo! Japan were my clients.

• Strategic Partner Development Manager

  Google

  (Public Company; 10,001 or more employees; GOOG; Internet industry)

  January 2005 — April 2006 (1 year 4 months)

• Executive

  Tokio Marine Capital Co., Ltd.

  (Public Company; 11-50 employees; Venture Capital & Private Equity industry)

  January 2004 — December 2004 (1 year)

  Japanese venture investment professional. Conducting deal sourcing, due diligence, investment and incubation support after investment.
  
  Co-managed IT2000 VC fund with Ignite Japan, partner company of Silicon Valley based VC, Ignite Group.

• Business Development Manager

  Neoteny Co., Ltd.

  (Public Company; 11-50 employees; Venture Capital & Private Equity industry)

  April 2000 — December 2003 (3 years 9 months)

  I was Business Development Manager at this one of the first net-business centric incubator companies created by Joichi Ito (Joi). My primary focus was early stage start-ups located in Bay Area.
  
  Invested in Six Apart (San Francisco based Blog software and service company) and IP Infusion (San Jose based routing software development company, who was recently bought by Access). I also incubated various other Japanese start-ups, such as Waag Technology (IT products user community portal company, who was bought by CNET US and became basis for CNET Japan).

• Manager, Business Development

  Mitsubishi Corporation

  (Public Company; 10,001 or more employees; Computer Software industry)

  April 1987 — April 2000 (13 years 1 month)

  I started my carrier at one of the largest trading firm in Japan, Mitsubishi Corporation. I was assigned as branch manager in Malaysia, when I was 25 years old, and managed the Malaysia office for 2 years.
  
  After returning to Tokyo head quarter in 1990, I joined Information Systems and Services Group, and supported Japan market entrance of Regis McKenna Inc., famous Palo Alto based high-tech products marketing consultant who helped early days of Intel and Apple.
  
  After Regis McKenna business incubation, I was assigned as business incubation and investment professional. I was assigned to MC's Palo Alto (CA) office and New York office, to find promising Internet start-up companies who would like to expand business in Japan. I invested and support incubation of General Magic, CBS SportsLine, InterTrust and Wit Capital in their early days.

• Associate in Japan

  Regis McKenna Inc.

  (Venture Capital & Private Equity industry)

  1992 — 1994 (2 years)