Announcing the Second Round of Speakers: Global VCs Discuss "Expectations for the Japanese Market" and "Investment Strategy Trends"
SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026 Announces Second Round of Speakers
Global VCs Share Views on the Japanese Market and Investment Strategy Trends
On January 16, 2026, the second round of session speakers was announced for SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026, Asia's largest global innovation conference. This announcement adds five new leaders from the global venture capital industry. Each speaker will discuss their expectations for the Japanese market and trends in investment strategy, with networking opportunities available after each session.
Spotlight Speakers
Rob Freelen | Sozo Ventures Managing Director
Rob Freelen joined Sozo Ventures as Managing Director in 2022. He brings experience as a senior executive at Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) and as co-founder of fintech company Turbine Finance, and is a Kauffman Fellow. He also teaches venture capital courses at Stanford University and UCLA.
Simon Hirtzel | IQ Capital GP & COO
Simon Hirtzel serves as General Partner and COO of IQ Capital, leading the firm's management strategy and growth. He previously held a similar role at Kreos Capital, a pioneer in European growth debt investing, where he helped scale the firm to over £1 billion in AUM. He holds a Master's degree in Natural Sciences from the University of Cambridge and has more than 30 years of management and finance experience.
Michael Phillips | Alumni Ventures COO & CLO
Michael Phillips serves as both Chief Operating Officer and Chief Legal Officer at Alumni Ventures. With over 25 years of experience at major US law firms and financial services companies, he co-founded Parker Infrastructure Partners and led the development and launch of an innovative private equity investment platform.
Chris Wade | Isomer Capital Co-Founder & Partner
Chris Wade co-founded Isomer Capital, where he leads investments in promising early-stage VC managers in Europe. As founding head of the UK Government's venture capital unit, he secured over $1 billion in investment from the US and Asia, and also leads LP relationship building in Japan and corporate investor programs.
Mehran Zaker | Emerald Technology Ventures Partner
Mehran Zaker is a Partner at Emerald Technology Ventures, focusing on mobility, automation, construction, and smart cities. He brings experience as a development leader for EV and autonomous driving technologies at Renault Technology and as a Global Product Manager at Hilti AG, and focuses his investments on energy tech and logistics.
A Place to Connect with Global VCs
With the second round of speakers, SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026 is becoming an even more defined forum for exploring the potential of the Japanese market through the lens of global venture capital. Networking opportunities will be available after each speaker's session, making this a must-attend event for entrepreneurs and investors seeking connections with global VCs. Stay tuned for additional speaker and session announcements.
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