I am researching the evolution of biology in the School of Science. One of the factors causing evolution is natural selection, and I am studying methods for detecting natural selection using simulations.

The mechanism of evolution is thought to involve mutations in the genomic information of genes. My research involves simulating and analyzing where mutations occur in the genetic information of current organisms and when evolution happened.

I am part of the QUSIS entrepreneurship club, which is a group of students interested in startups. Since my first year of university, I have participated in an internship at a pharmaceutical venture started by senior members of the club, where I was involved in a wide range of tasks, including patent research, legal affairs, and human resources. I also took over the development of a baby health monitoring pacifier project from another senior, and was involved in preparing for the startup.

It measures stress hormones, called cortisol, in a baby’s saliva to monitor their health. We had obtained a patent for this. While the correlation between stress and hormone levels in adults has been proven in academic papers, this was still in the demonstration stage for babies. We went around nearby childcare facilities to request cooperation for saliva collection. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, progress was slow. It took too long to obtain a sufficient amount of reliable data, so after much deliberation, we decided to pursue other challenges.

I went to the U.S. for work travel and an exchange program. I attended a university in Silicon Valley and experienced the atmosphere of the startup culture firsthand. Later, I took a six-month leave of absence and participated in Reazon's finance internship in Singapore. I learned about Reazon's internship opportunity at a career forum during my time in the U.S., and since I was interested in working in venture capital, I decided to use the scholarship I had received for my studies abroad to go to Singapore and join the internship.

In the Finance Division, I was involved in researching potential investments. This included researching competitors and market size to provide materials for determining whether or not to make an investment. I was able to take on work I was eager to try, and I found it to be very rewarding.

To make my decision to accept the job offer, I listed and articulated the reasons I found Reazon appealing during my internship. The sheer number of reasons I could come up with was a major factor. Reazon is unique compared to independent venture capital firms because it operates a diverse range of businesses, allowing me to learn about a wide variety of industries and take on challenges aligned with my interests. The opportunity to work in English, the company's proactive investment in the Tech sector, and the respect I have for Mr. Kuriga, the CFO of Reazon Singapore, who provides value to others almost instinctively, were all significant factors.

Yes, I had the chance to accompany Mr. Kuriga on a site visit for the opening of Reazon's Malaysia office. The office is surrounded by a green, tranquil environment with few entertainment options. Mr. Kuriga commented, "This is a great environment for raising children." At the time, I thought he was reflecting on his own future, but later I learned that his comment was actually intended with the well-being of the employees working in the Malaysia office in mind. Additionally, during the interview for my job offer, the focus was on what Reazon could offer me in terms of value and experience from my perspective. It was clear that Mr. Kuriga’s ability to naturally consider how to provide value to others is a result of his deep respect and thoughtfulness. This made me want to work with him long-term.

Deep Tech involves high-investment areas like medical technology, biotechnology, and robotics, which require substantial time and resources for research, development, and clinical trials. Despite the high resource requirements, the strong barriers to entry for other companies are a key advantage. I have always admired researchers and was interested in creating new businesses with hard-to-imitate technologies. Being able to engage in investments in this field was particularly appealing to me.

In the Finance Division's investment operations, I handle research tasks to make investment decisions. My main duties include researching new investment areas, developing investment strategies and hypotheses based on that research, and conducting due diligence such as assessing technological advantages, competitive analysis, value estimation, and financial situation reviews.

While venture capital typically comes with various constraints like fund deadlines, Reazon operates with entirely internal funds, allowing us to invest in truly promising opportunities without such constraints. I find it rewarding to promote investments in areas I’m interested in, such as Deep Tech, and to contribute to the social implementation of new services and cutting-edge technologies through investments. Additionally, I’m not great with detailed instructions, but Mr. Kuriga provides guidance while allowing freedom, which makes the work environment very comfortable. He supports my ideas as long as they are reasonable, and getting them approved adds to my motivation.

Unlike working at a mature, globally established large company, Reazon’s goal of becoming the best in the world while expanding globally allows me to feel like I’m actively helping to shape the company’s future. The Finance Division, where I work, has only been around for about three years, and during my internship, the investment areas weren’t clearly defined. When I expressed interest in Deep Tech, it contributed to adding Deep Tech to Reazon's investment areas. When my personal goals align with the company’s objectives, the business accelerates the most, and job satisfaction increases. Feeling that I can contribute to the company while leveraging my own skills is a significant part of what makes working at Reazon enjoyable.

My immediate goal is to pursue a master's degree while working. I initially struggled with the decision to either continue my studies or accept the job offer, but I’ve decided that I can do both. I aim to earn a Ph.D. in my area of expertise in the future. Another major goal of mine is to establish a venture capital firm that primarily invests in female entrepreneurs.

When I was preparing to start a business with a pacifier that monitors baby health, our team leader, who was a woman, had to step back due to pregnancy. Witnessing her struggles and the stress of not being able to work at full capacity, as well as the pressure of feeling that her pregnancy might be a burden, was eye-opening. I feel that Japanese society still has a challenging environment for women balancing childbirth with their career’s. Especially for entrepreneurs, where the early stages often require the founder to work hard personally, the culture might discourage openly discussing pregnancy and childbirth with investors.

While there are more companies promoting women's participation in the workforce, I believe the pace of change is still slow. Therefore, I think the most efficient way to drive progress is through top-down initiatives. If women are in decision-making roles, there is likely to be quicker empathy, understanding, and higher motivation to implement effective measures. To achieve this, establishing a venture capital firm focused on investing in female entrepreneurs, led by female founders, seems crucial.

First, I want to contribute to increasing the pool of women who are interested in entrepreneurship. The primary role of investors is to generate returns, and merely supporting entrepreneurs without achieving business success is not sustainable. To generate returns, it's essential to invest in high-quality opportunities, and a limited pool of candidates narrows the options and raises the bar for success. By helping more women recognize entrepreneurship as a viable option and encouraging them to take the plunge, I hope to create an environment where investments can be mutually beneficial. I am also continuously considering how to leverage Reazon's knowledge to achieve this dream. Reazon provides full support for meaningful initiatives, so I plan to keep pushing forward with my ideas and actions to realize this goal.