#Japan #Tokyo #Funds Startups #Yoshihiro Sasaki #DTSU

Funds Startups Welcomes New Principal Yoshihiro Sasaki

Funds Startups, based in Shibuya, Tokyo, is excited to announce the appointment of Yoshihiro Sasaki as Principal, effective August 1, 2026. This strategic move is expected to bolster the firm’s capabilities in supporting deep-tech startups, especially in financing and management.

About Yoshihiro Sasaki

Yoshihiro Sasaki hails from Toyama Prefecture and has an impressive academic background. He graduated from Osaka University with a degree in Economics and holds a Master’s in Carbon Finance from The University of Edinburgh. Sasaki’s professional journey has seen him traverse prestigious financial institutions such as Daiwa Securities SMBC and the Japan Bank for International Cooperation. His most recent role was in finance at DTSU, a Japanese unicorn, where he was deeply involved in fiscal management and fund procurement efforts.

Sasaki’s extensive experience uniquely positions him to contribute to Funds Startups, especially with their second fund, the 'All-Stage Deep-Tech Debt Fund,' which addresses the significant financial and temporal investments required for commercialization in deep-tech sectors.

Insights from Yoshihiro Sasaki

Upon joining Funds Startups, Sasaki commented on the challenges and opportunities within financing for deep-tech startups. He emphasizes that establishing optimal capital policies for these startups is still an uncharted territory in Japan. Despite the evolving landscape, there remains a notable lack of established playbooks to guide financing strategies.

Sasaki brings to the table extensive experience not only from a finance institution’s perspective but also from direct involvement in businesses. His record includes successfully navigating the procurement of hundreds of billions of yen through various funding methods, highlighting his dedication to combining equity, grants, and various forms of debt to foster sustainable growth.

Comments from Hiroshi Maekawa

Hiroshi Maekawa, CEO and Co-Founder of Funds Startups, expressed his enthusiasm about Sasaki’s appointment: “It’s a pleasure to welcome Sasaki to our team as Principal. His impressive background and profound insights embody the essence of our fund’s concept, and he is already making significant contributions by driving investment evaluations.”

The market for capital strategies in deep-tech startups is intricate, necessitating both diversity in choices and expert management to develop optimal capital structures. There’s an evident gap in the market regarding expertise in this area, and as a rare professional with firsthand experience from investment banking to project finance, Sasaki’s addition is set to enhance Funds Startups’ capacity to provide risk capital and financial support.

Team Structure

With Sasaki's addition, Funds Startups has now strengthened its team with members from various backgrounds including finance institutions, businesses, and startups. This diverse composition is expected to accelerate the actualization of their second fund, the 'All-Stage Deep-Tech Debt Fund.'

About Funds Startups

Founded in December 2023 as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Funds Inc., Funds Startups is committed to developing systems that enable impactful startups to achieve optimal growth. Not only does the firm operate as the General Partner for the Funds Venture Debt Fund, providing support in venture debt and fund management, but it also aims to evolve into a specialized investment banking division for startups, facilitating diversified funding methods and improving the ecosystem for emerging companies.

For more information, visit Funds Startups.