As Leave a Nest’s founder and current CEO, Yukihiko is the innovator behind one of the largest startup ecosystems in Asia.

During his Master’s studies in the University of Tokyo in 2002, he founded Leave a Nest – at the time a small student group comprising of undergraduate and graduate students majoring in science and technology. In creating Leave a Nests’ “Knowledge-based Platform”, Yukihiro pioneered “Cutting-Edge-Science Delivery Lab Classes”, a scientific education platform for kids, and the “Knowledge Manufacturing Business”, an ecosystem that aims to generate commercial value to technologies that lie dormant in universities and local communities. More than 200 projects have taken place to date based on the collaboration of various entities including universities, startups and mature companies. Yukihiro endeavors to uncover deep techs worldwide and resolve global social issues. He has been involved in the launch of Euglena Co., Ltd. and numerous other startups.

Yukihiko has a PhD in Agriculture from University of Tokyo.
In 2015, Yukihiro co-founded Real Tech Fund with Akihiko Nagata to promote deep tech investment to tackle societal and environmental challenges. He Currently serves as Managing Director, of UntroD, Inc. and Managing Director of UntroD Capital Asia.
He is also an established author, where his major publications are “Deep Tech: The ‘Dormant Technology’ that Will Shape the World’s Future” (Nikkei Business Publications) and “World-Changing Business starts from the “Passion” of just one person” (NIPPON JITSUGYO PUBLISHING)