Space Shift Appoints Kazushi Motomura as New CTO to Accelerate Growth

Space Shift Welcomes Kazushi Motomura as New CTO

Space Shift, a company based in Chiyoda, Tokyo, has announced the appointment of Kazushi Motomura as Chief Technology Officer (CTO), effective June 1, 2025. Motomura's leadership aims to strengthen the company’s commitment to meet the growing demand for satellite data applications by enhancing both technological development and practical implementations within the industry.

Background of Space Shift

Space Shift specializes in developing and selling technologies that automatically analyze data obtained from Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellites using artificial intelligence (AI). Unlike optical satellites that utilize visible light for imaging, SAR satellites employ microwave reflections to observe the Earth's surface. This allows for stable observations under conditions such as cloudy weather or night-time. However, interpreting the distinctive images produced by SAR requires specialized knowledge.

The company is driven by its vision of “Connecting Perspectives from Space to Everyday Life”, wherein it works on issues such as detecting new and demolished buildings, flood area identification, and agricultural monitoring through the use of satellite data and AI technology. As demand for satellite data from non-space industries like disaster prevention, agriculture, and infrastructure management has surged, bridging the gap between end-users and development teams has become increasingly crucial. To accelerate the development of technologies essential for society, Motomura's appointment as CTO is viewed as a strategic move that combines technical expertise with hands-on experience in applying satellite data and AI in real-world scenarios.

Kazushi Motomura's Vision as CTO

In a statement regarding his new role, Motomura expressed, “As the number of artificial satellites continues to rise, we expect the volume of satellite data to grow significantly. I have come to realize the increasing importance of our AI technologies in this context. I plan to leverage my experience in research, development, and practical applications of AI and satellite data to lead our technology strategy while driving the company’s growth.”

Kazushi Motomura's Background

Motomura holds a specialization in aerospace engineering from his undergraduate studies and pursued satellite oceanography for his graduate degree at Kyushu University. After graduating, he worked at the Remote Sensing Technology Center of Japan (RESTEC), managing various projects utilizing a wide range of satellite sensors. He later joined Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, focusing on ICT strategy development and implementation, especially regarding AI system integration for business divisions. Further experience at the Mitsubishi Research Institute involved applying AI technologies to satellite data projects and researching related technology and policy trends. Most recently, he joined Space Shift in 2023 as a Lead Sales Engineer, promoting AI algorithm development with SAR satellites, before being promoted to Head of Technology and now CTO.

About Space Shift

Founded in December 2009, Space Shift, Inc. embraces the theme “Sense the Unseen from Orbit”, developing software that employs AI to analyze data from Earth observation satellites. The company is committed to leveraging satellite data across various fields such as infrastructure management, disaster mitigation, agricultural monitoring, and environmental conservation, working towards the realization of a sustainable society.

Contact Information

For inquiries regarding this announcement, please contact:
Space Shift, Inc. (Attn: Tsudaya)
Website: https://share.hsforms.com/1-fFRnQR2QwW3c-zOTCAanQ5m0z8
Email: [email protected]