YUTO KONO

He joined Genesia Ventures in 2017 as a founding member. After spearheading the launch of the Indonesia office in 2019 and subsequently serving as the head of the Vietnam office, he has been based in Tokyo since 2023. His current investment focus spans Vertical AI / AI-Native Services, Entertainment & Content, and Lifestyle & Wellness, while he also leads internal initiatives to implement AI into VC fund operations.
Prior to joining Genesia Ventures, he was engaged in business development and investment activities in India starting in 2013, gaining extensive experience at CyberAgent Capital, YourStory (an Indian technology media company), and local startups. In Japan, he also worked at Quipper, an EdTech startup acquired by Recruit in 2015. He is a graduate of Waseda University.

Key Investments: MOSH, Conocel, Docquity, KAMEREO, Manabie, ailead, Connect Afya, Kasagi Labo, microverse, RemitAid, AI Mage, StoryHub, and RePlayce.

Place of birth/residence

Chiba/Tokyo

Hobbies, Favorite Things, Holidays

Content (anime, manga, games, puzzle/mystery games), activities (soccer/futsal, scuba diving, trail running, sauna), and domestic and international travel.

Episodes from your school days (club activities, majors, etc.)

I played on the soccer team throughout elementary, junior high, and high school. In university, I joined a futsal club and a Latin American studies seminar. In my third year of university, I took a leave of absence to work in India — that's where my life in Asia began.

Favorite country/episode

I've lived in India (3 years), Indonesia (2 years), Vietnam (2 years), and the Philippines and Brazil (3 months each). The most memorable are Spain, where I watched El Clásico on my very first overseas trip, and Brazil, where I experienced the frenzy of the FIFA World Cup firsthand.

Why did you become a VC?

Because I deeply respect entrepreneurs who hold lofty ambitions and strive to create the future they envision with their own hands — and I wanted to stand alongside them, as close as possible to that challenge.

Favorite motto

"Follow your heart and intuition." — Steve Jobs

The worldview you want to achieve, the problems you want to solve, and the areas you want to make better

At a moment when AI and robotics are evolving at an unprecedented pace in human history, the real question is: for whom, and for what, is this technology? Technology is a means for humanity, not an end in itself. By envisioning the future as it ought to be and implementing technology into society in the right way, I want to create a world where people can live as their true selves — freely, and in accordance with their own hearts and passions.