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As an expert in setting up new businesses, Alex Odajima has engaged in the incubation of numerous start-ups and the business division of large companies. Currently, as Co-CEO of EDGEof Inc, Alex strives to nurture future innovators such as young start-ups and students. Additionally, he is actively working on building bridges between Japanese innovation ecosystems and innovation ecosystems of other countries through the embassies. EDGEof Inc, is expanding its relationships with countries in Europe, South America, Southeast Asia, as well as North America, and currently support various government initiatives on innovation. The number of countries he is currently in discussion with exceed 20 countries. He has a particularly strong pipeline with France, being of French background and a cornerstone of the core members of the French Tech community in Japan, he meets with government officials including the ministerial-levels to promote exchange between the two countries.

Also in Japan, as a partner of the Shibuya municipality, where the company is based, he was involved in various projects including Future Design Shibuya. EDGEof Inc, has received several notable
foreign dignitaries including their Majesties the King and Queen of Sweden, and His Royal Highness Prince Constantijn of the Netherlands and has successfully raised the international recognition of Shibuya as an innovation city. In addition, EDGEof Inc, is the official supporter of the J-Startup Program, an initiative started by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan. He has contributed as a producer of the J-Startup booth at CES Eureka Park, the world’s largest start-up trade fair, to set Japanese startups up for success to start businesses abroad.

Satoshi Amanuma is CEO and co-founder of airCloset, Inc. airCloset is a fashion box start-up, providing subscription fashion rental service specialised in ladies fashion. Satoshi is also one of the Directors of the Sharing Economy Association, Japan.

Before starting up airCloset, Inc. Satoshi worked at the leading Japanese e-commerce company, Rakuten Inc, as a global UI/UX group manager. He was a manager responsible for assisting and guiding global group companies' UI and UX enhancement. Prior to joining Rakuten, Satoshi was working for a consulting firm for about 9 years as IT/Strategic consultant. He also used to conduct programming by Java, PLSQL, korn-shell and so forth, based on the knowledge learnt at the University of London.

An experienced digital marketer and serial entrepreneur, Amee joined Anytimes in Oct 2019 with the mission to revolutionize work-styles, advocate skill sharing, and empower women in Japan. She is responsible for developing and executing integrated, long-term digital strategy for Anytimes. Concurrently, she is also the founder and vice-president of Startup Lady Japan, an organisation and community dedicated to the education, and support of female entrepreneurs in Japan.

Andrew is the global Editorial Director of The Economist Corporate Network (ECN), the Economist Intelligence Unit’s briefing and advisory service for senior business leaders. He leads and supports a team of Network Directors (NDs) across Africa, the Middle East and Asia, and ensures that editorial consistency and quality are maintained to the highest level.

As editorial director, Andrew ensures that the values and standards of The Economist brand are upheld across all the networks and drives ECN editorial strategy through the innovation of new services and products.

Andrew joined the Economist Group in 2013 and prior to his current role, ran ECN in Tokyo (later North Asia) and South-east Asia.

Andrew provides members with insight and analysis on a range of topics related to ASEAN and the broader East Asian economy. He regularly chairs and moderates major Economist events, delivers custom briefings to senior executives (including Fortune 500 C-suite) and public figures (including heads of states) in his areas of expertise in the international media (BBC, CNN, CNBC, Channel NewsAsia, Al Jazeera).

Prior to joining The Economist Group, Andrew was an associate professor of international business at business schools and leading universities in the UK (University of Sheffield) and Japan (Keio University, Doshisha Business School and Globis University Graduate School of Management).

Andrew has published widely in his areas of expertise and his major publications include Responses to Regionalism in East Asia: Japanese Production Networks in the Automotive Sector published as part of the Palgrave Macmillan Asian Business Series and chapters in edited volumes including Asian Inward and Outward FDI: New Challenges in the Global Economy and popular textbooks including Asian Business and Management. He was also a Senior Editor for the internationally peer reviewed journal Asian Business and Management.

Andrew has an MSc in East Asian Business and a PhD in International Political Economy from the University of Sheffield, U.K., and was a Ministry of Education research scholar at Hitotsubashi University in Tokyo (2001-2003).