Daiki Kumamoto is Director of UntroD Capital Asia, where he leads deep-tech investments across Southeast Asia and the firm’s second Global Fund. Since joining UntroD in 2019, he has played a key role in building the firm’s regional investment platform and expanding its presence across Southeast Asia. He has been involved in approximately 20 deep-tech investments across Japan and Southeast Asia, primarily in healthcare, energy, and advanced materials. In addition to investment execution, he supports portfolio companies through strategic partnerships, research collaborations, and market expansion initiatives connecting Southeast Asia and Japan.

Patrick has been the CEO of ACE.SG since Oct 2023. Patrick has more than 20 years of track record in public service, managing a diverse portfolio, from industry & ecosystem development, policy formulation, stakeholder management, to venture building. He was also part of the pioneer secretariat team that drove the national movement for entrepreneurship through ACE.SG, where he managed notable projects such as the corporatisation of ACE.SG and the development of LaunchPad@one-north.

Junichi Eto is the Managing Director of JRE Ventures, the corporate venture capital arm of East Japan Railway Company (JR East), one of the world’s largest mobility and infrastructure platforms. Based in Singapore, he leads global investment and strategic partnerships with high-growth startups, with a focus on supporting their expansion into the Japanese market. Leveraging JR East’s extensive station network and real-world assets, he works to create scalable business opportunities that bridge physical infrastructure with digital innovation. His investment and collaboration scope spans multiple sectors including retail, logistics, mobility, and smart city solutions, with an emphasis on enabling global startups to localize and succeed in Japan through strategic partnerships and real-world deployment. With over two decades at JR East, Junichi has led business development across urban development, hospitality, and international expansion, including cross-border M&A and the establishment of JRE Ventures. He is passionate about connecting global innovation ecosystems and unlocking new growth opportunities between Japan and the rest of the world.

Keiichiro Irie joined The 77 Bank in 1994. He played a leading role in establishing the Bank’s representative offices in Shanghai and Singapore and later served as General Manager of the International Division, overseeing the Bank’s international business and global operations. He currently serves as an Executive Officer of The 77 Bank and Managing Director of 77 NEXT CONSULTING PTE. LTD., the Bank’s first overseas subsidiary based in Singapore. In this role, he promotes collaboration between Japan’s Tohoku region and international partners. Since April 2026, he has also served as a Visiting Professor at Tohoku University, where he helps connect overseas companies with the University’s research and intellectual property to foster innovation and international collaboration.

Yosuke comes from Chigasaki in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. He lives and works in London. Yosuke joined Dentsu Inc. in 2008, after graduating from the State University of New York. In 2015, he joined the Uhuru Corporation and became the Representative Director of the Overseas Headquarters based in London. He was engaged in capital and business partnerships with sensing-related businesses and the development and implementation of IoT, DX and other data enterprises for private companies and government agencies. In 2020, he co-founded ARK Inc. and was appointed as Chief Sustainability Officer. His hobbies include bushcraft camping and Muay Thai. His favourite fish is the Japanese char.

Dr. Ram is the Lead for Ag-Biotech Innovations at GRAIN International, with over 30 years of experience in agricultural biotechnology, plant genetic engineering, controlled-environment agriculture, research, education, and industry-driven innovation. His expertise spans plant genetics, functional genomics, molecular biology, and urban farming systems, including hydroponics, aeroponics, and aquaponics. Dr Ram specialises in translating scientific research into practical technologies for crop improvement, commercial farming, sustainability, and farm biosecurity. Combining traditional farming knowledge with modern biotechnology, he develops innovative solutions for resilient and efficient food systems. He also leads training and capacity-building programmes for students, researchers, farmers, and industry professionals.

Adam Lyle co-founded Padang & Co in 2012 to pioneer corporate innovation for sustainability in  Southeast Asia. As Executive Chair, he's built an open innovation ecosystem approach that brings together startups, SMES, researchers, MNCs, investors, and policymakers around shared challenges in agrifood production, renewable energy, the built environment, and climate mitigation, adaptation, and resilience. Through accelerators, challenge programs, and innovation hubs for MNCs like Unilever and DSM, he's helped surface and scale solutions that create real impact. Now, through partnerships with innovators across Asia, Europe, North America, and South America, he's expanding Padang’s model to unlock more resilient and climate-positive food systems at a global scale.

Li Yong leads Business Development at Vidacity, where she drives strategic partnerships that connect startups, corporates, investors, and public sector stakeholders to accelerate sustainability innovation. Her work spans agrifood, climate, and urban technologies, with a focus on bridging the gap between breakthrough innovation and market adoption. She is passionate about building innovation ecosystems that enable startups to scale through collaboration, commercialization, and international partnerships.

Kennard is the co-founder of Veg-An, a Singapore-based vegan food venture specialising in authentic Japanese home cooking. He focuses on advancing plant-based food innovation and enabling its transition from niche alternative to mainstream consumption, bridging Japanese culinary culture with Southeast Asia’s evolving food ecosystem.