About the Japan FinTech Festival
Japan FinTech Festival - Let's Rise Together!
Brought to you by Elevandi, the Japan FinTech Festival aims to bring together Japanese and global communities to engage, connect, and collaborate on technology-led innovation in financial services. Policymakers, technologists, business leaders, and investors will participate in comprehensive dialogues on various aspects of the future growth of financial services.
The Festival forms a part of the Japan Financial Services Agency's Japan FinTech Week, this new initiative will see a number of parallel events hosted throughout the week, creating a larger, inclusive platform with a broader appeal.
Why Japan, Why Now and What?
Japan is a DeepTech powerhouse
AI, blockchain, quantum computing, digital assets, semiconductors, internet infrastructure and green tech, are rapidly transforming financial services while Japan is a key innovator and investor in these areas.
Strategic investment opportunities
Japan is keen to invest in FinTech, DeepTech and Infrastructure ventures, driving domestic growth and establishing itself as a global leader in financial and sustainable innovation.
Changing demographics key driver for innovation
Structural issues like an aging population and slow economic growth are drivers to accelerate fintech innovation.
Strong Government commitment to remove hurdles
The Japanese government is committed to digital transformation and stimulation of Foreign Asset Management and Foreign Direct Investment, creating an ideal time to align public and private sector efforts.
National drive to grow startups and unicorns
National program to increase to number of startups to 100,000 while nurturing 100 unicorns are a strong drivers for innovation and new investment opportunities in a nation known for its DeepTech and excellence in execution.
JFF 2024 in Numbers
Curated by Global FinTech Pioneers
Sopnendu Mohanty
Chief FinTech Officer, Monetary Authority of Singapore
Chairman, Elevandi
Sopnendu Mohanty
Chief FinTech Officer, Monetary Authority of Singapore
Mohanty extensively engages with global technology and financial services ecosystems and has championed notable collaborative public goods like API Exchange (APIX), Singapore Fintech Festival, Payment Rails, Data exchange platforms, and experimental programs like Project Ubin. In addition, Mohanty advises many international global advisory bodies on Fintech, Innovation and Inclusion. Within five years of his leadership, Singapore has become a leading global Fintech hub producing unicorns and home to many vibrant fintech companies.
He has co-authored several patented works in the application of digital technology in Finance and won many industry recognitions.
Takeshi Kito
Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer
Japan FinTech Festival
Takeshi Kito
Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer
Additionally, he serves on the committee for the Government of Japan's Regulatory Sandbox and is a member of the experts group at the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry for cross-border data transfers.
Before starting his own startup, Takeshi worked as an investment banker at Merrill Lynch, gaining expertise in capital markets. Prior to joining Merrill Lynch, he worked at Boston Consulting Group.
He also held the position of Vice-chair at Fintech Association of Japan, where he played a pivotal role in navigating international collaborations for 6 years.
Pieter Franken
Co-founder, Safecast
Co-founder, Japan FinTech Festival
Pieter Franken
Co-founder, Safecast
Advisory Board
Amit Ranjan
Japan & Korea Banking Transformation Leader
Microsoft Japan
Amit Ranjan
Japan & Korea Banking Transformation Leader
Jesper Koll
Global Embassador
Monex Group, Inc
Jesper Koll
Global Embassador
Jesper Koll has been researching and investing in Japan since becoming a resident in 1986. Over the past decades, Jesper has been consistently recognized as one of the top Japan strategists/economists, having worked as Chief Strategist and Head of Research for U.S. investment banks J.P. Morgan and Merrill Lynch. He currently serves as Expert Director for the Monex Group and the Japan Catalyst Fund (Japan’s 1st retail investor based corporate engagement/activist fund). His analysis and insights have earned him a position on several Japanese government and corporate advisory committees. In 2022, he was appointed Global Ambassador for Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike’s Tokyo Financial Center initiative. Jesper serves as Board Director of OIST, the Okinawa Institute for Science and Technology and is a Founder and Board Director of the Asia Society Japan and heads their Policy Committee. He is one of the few non-Japanese members of the Keizai Doyukai, the Japan Association of Corporate Executives; and serves on the board of several Japan-based start-ups. He has written three books in Japanese and, in 2021, created the acclaimed video/pod-cast series “Japan - Capitalism that works”.
Jesper is an economist, angel-investor, patron; and yes, a Japan Optimist.
Joyce Phillips
Founder & Chief Executive Officer
EqualFuture Corp
Joyce Phillips
Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Joyce Phillips is an accomplished CEO and transformative leader. Ms. Phillips is Founder & CEO of EqualFuture Corp., a FinTech startup based in San Francisco, building an Ai enabled analytics based financial technology Super Ap platform that delivers affordable personal financial wellness and education to individuals and businesses.
Ms. Phillips previously held senior executive roles for Citigroup including CEO of International Retail Banking, Country Manager for Citibank Japan, and CEO of DinersClub and Citi Cards Japan.
Prior executive roles include Group Managing Director M&A, Group Chief Marketing and Innovation Officer, of Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ) and CEO of the Global Wealth Division.
Prior to joining ANZ, Ms.Phillips was President and Chief Operating Officer at American Life Insurance Company (ALICO), then a subsidiary of AIG.
Ms. Phillips serves as director on several boards including the Smithsonian National Board, and First Interstate Bank Holdings (NASDAQ FIBK) where she Chairs the Technology, Innovation and Operations Committee.
Ms. Phillips was included in the U.S. Banker "25 Most Powerful Women in Banking and Finance" list multiple years and named one of the Top 100 Fintech leaders in Asia. Ms. Phillips’ innovation in marketing has also been recognized at the prestigious Cannes Lion marketing festival.
Joyce Phillips
Founder & Chief Executive Officer
EqualFuture Corp
Joyce Phillips is an accomplished CEO and transformative leader. Ms. Phillips is Founder & CEO of EqualFuture Corp., a FinTech startup based in San Francisco, building an Ai enabled analytics based financial technology Super Ap platform that delivers affordable personal financial wellness and education to individuals and businesses.
Ms. Phillips previously held senior executive roles for Citigroup including CEO of International Retail Banking, Country Manager for Citibank Japan, and CEO of DinersClub and Citi Cards Japan.
Prior executive roles include Group Managing Director M&A, Group Chief Marketing and Innovation Officer, of Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ) and CEO of the Global Wealth Division.
Prior to joining ANZ, Ms.Phillips was President and Chief Operating Officer at American Life Insurance Company (ALICO), then a subsidiary of AIG.
Ms. Phillips serves as director on several boards including the Smithsonian National Board, and First Interstate Bank Holdings (NASDAQ FIBK) where she Chairs the Technology, Innovation and Operations Committee.
Ms. Phillips was included in the U.S. Banker "25 Most Powerful Women in Banking and Finance" list multiple years and named one of the Top 100 Fintech leaders in Asia. Ms. Phillips’ innovation in marketing has also been recognized at the prestigious Cannes Lion marketing festival.
Jung Seok Kang
Chief Executive Officer
AIZEN Global
Jung Seok Kang
Chief Executive Officer
Jung Seok Kang
Chief Executive Officer
AIZEN Global
Elevandi Japan
Elevandi Japan, the Japanese subsidiary of the not-for-profit global FinTech ecosystem builder Elevandi, is playing a strategic role in developing and accelerating the Japanese and North East Asian FinTech ecosystem; promoting Japan's advancement in critical technologies, and connecting Japan with Elevandi's fast-developing global network of initiatives.
Makoto Shibata
Founder & Head
FINOLAB
Makoto Shibata
Founder & Head
Mukund Tatipamula
COO & Head of Hybrid Markets Japan
TP ICAP Japan
Mukund Tatipamula
COO & Head of Hybrid Markets Japan
He is an ardent fan of the Bollywood genre of music and loves to teach about capital markets and math.
Currently, as Chief Operating Officer of TP ICAP Japan, he is part of the leadership team to expand TP ICAP's Japan footprint. TP ICAP Group is the leading interdealer broker in OTC Secondary Capital Markets. The group operates 5 brands across 25 countries and specializes in OTC price discovery and trade facilitation across Fixed Income, Rates, Currencies, Equities, Energy, and Commodities.
Rei Murakami
Venture Partner
Kazea Capital
Rei Murakami
Venture Partner
Rei Murakami is an investor in Venture Capital and Public Equity. She is also the President of the Murakami Family Foundation.
Tram Anh Nguyen
Co-founder
CFTE
Tram Anh Nguyen
Co-founder