Team

Moriyoshi Matsumoto

President & CEO
Moriyoshi Matsmoto brings an extensive background of investment and operational knowledge to JAIC America. Mr. Matsumoto, a CMA (Chartered Member of the Security Analysts Association of Japan) joined JAIC at the corporate headquarters in Tokyo, Japan in 1989 and has been a member of the Board of Directors and Investment Committee since 2000. Additionally, Mr. Matsumoto serves as the CEO of the JAIC Group, Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer of the fund for Private Equity Secondaries. He has vast experience in both Accounting and International Business and received a B.A. in Law from Keio University in Tokyo, Japan.

Mitch Kitamura

Investment Partner
Mitch Kitamura joined JAIC America in 2000. Mr. Kitamura brings a comprehensive background in combining operational, technical, and international business experience between Asia and US, having invested $30M across 30 startups. His investments have yielded 3 successful M&As - Solidcore (Symantec), W.I.S Technologies (Micronas), Cerberian (Blue Coat Systems) and 2 IPOs - Mediaplex and Fortinet. He leads JAIC America's investments in Consumer Electronics, Software, Mobile and Digital media sectors in the US. Prior to joining JAIC, he held various positions at JETRO New York, including working closely with local/state government in expanding US companies into Japan. He has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Curtin University of Technology in Australia and an MA in Economics from Boston University. Mr. Kitamura serves as a Board Observer/Director at MobilePeak Systems, Analogix Semiconductor and GCT Semiconductor.

Tetsujiro (Tetsu) Nakagaki

Investment Partner
Tetsu Nakagaki joined JAIC in 1996 and has led the creation and investment activities of several funds at JAIC, including JAIC's flagship venture capital funds -JAIC-Incubation No.1 and JAIC Incubation No.2. He brings a comprehensive background of investment experience in Japan, having invested more than $20M across 36 startups, achieving 10 IPO and 2 M&A exits for his portfolio. He sources, evaluates and invests in new opportunities, in Japan consumer internet, retail and e-commerce sectors in Japan. He graduated with Bachelors in Law from Waseda University in Japan. Tetsu serves as Board Observer at C-Top Mobile, HeadLock, and Partner Agent.

Quaeed ‘Q’ Motiwala

Investment Partner
Q joined JAIC America in 2008 and brings 14 years of product and business development experience, working extensively across US, Japan, South Korea and India. Q is responsible for investments in the mobile and cleantech sectors in the US. Prior to JAIC, Q spent 11 years at Qualcomm in various ASIC product development and leadership roles that included deploying EV-DO in Korea, Japan and U.S, leading the initiative to embed wireless in notebooks and automobiles and leading business efforts at the Indian wireless carriers. He was also part of two mobile software startups - SKY MobileMedia and Azteq Mobile. Q holds 5 patents in wireless telecom, has an MBA from Anderson School of Management, UCLA, an M.S.E.E from Virginia Tech and a B.E. (Electronics) from University of Bombay. Q serves as a Board of Director at Innopath Software and as a Board Observer at Ecrio.

Kazuhiro Umeda

Investment Manager and Business Development
Kazuhiro joined JAIC in 2005 and started at JAIC America in 2008. He served as Manager, Biotechnology and Healthcare team for JAIC, Japan. He focuses on investments in consumer medicine, biotech, and diagnostics and specializes in the development of life science companies. He is currently a board member of US and Japan-based antibody drug companies.

Prior to JAIC, he was in charge of marketing efforts at Daiichi Pharmaceutical, one of the top 3 pharmaceutical companies in Japan, where he promoted Cetirizine , meloxicam and CPT11.He also wrote feature columns in several journals. Kazuhiro received his B.S. and M.S in Life Science from Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences in Japan. He is a member of Japanese Association of Science & Technology Journalists.