Senior Associate

Deal Sourcing & Ecosystem Development

• Identify and source high-potential Seed-stage investment opportunities across Japan and select Asian markets.
• Build and maintain relationships with founders, angel investors, seed funds, incubators, accelerators, universities, institutional LPs, and other ecosystem participants across Japan and the region.
• Work closely with sourcing partners including universities, other venture capital firms, and LP networks to generate high-quality deal flow.
• Leverage AI-powered research and intelligence tools to identify emerging founders, track ecosystem signals, surface thematic trends, and enhance both the quality and speed of deal sourcing.
• Maintain a disciplined and organized investment pipeline.
• Represent Alumni Ventures at industry events, conferences, pitch competitions, and ecosystem gatherings across Japan and the region.
• Work with the local team to plan and execute Alumni Ventures sponsored events in Tokyo and regionally.
• Contribute to the continued development and visibility of Alumni Ventures’ presence in Japan and Asia.

Initial Screening & Investment Evaluation

• Conduct first-round screening of potential investments, including founder interviews, product review, market assessment, and competitive analysis.
• Utilize AI tools to accelerate market research, competitive landscape mapping, and preliminary company assessment, enabling faster and more thorough first-pass evaluation.
• Develop structured investment summaries and preliminary analysis for discussion with US-based investment professionals.

Diligence & Investment Process

• Work closely with US-based investment professionals to coordinate full diligence processes, including financial review, legal considerations, and market validation.
• Apply AI-assisted workflows to improve the efficiency and depth of diligence—including market sizing, comparable analysis, and investment memo drafting.
• Assist in preparation of investment memos and materials for internal review and investment decision-making.
• Aid in structuring and executing investment transactions in coordination with Alumni Ventures legal and back-office teams.

Portfolio Support, Follow-On Evaluation & Global Connectivity

• Maintain relationships with portfolio companies and support founders post-investment.
• Evaluate potential follow-on investments as Seed-stage portfolio companies mature and progress through subsequent financing rounds.
• Contribute to monitoring portfolio performance and tracking key metrics to inform follow-on decisions.
• Support Japanese and Asian founders in exploring options to access international capital and growth opportunities, including connections to US-based investors, partners, and market expansion resources.
• Develop and maintain market intelligence on the Japanese and Asian Seed-stage ecosystem, including sector trends, emerging themes, and competitive dynamics.