Ignite Conference 2019 Guest Speakers

TETSUYA MIZUGUCHI

ENHANCE.INC
JAPAN

Tetsuya Mizuguchi is a Japanese video game designer, producer, and businessman. Having formerly worked for Sega as a producer and subsequently the head of Sega's United Game Artists division (responsible for games such as Sega Rally Championship, Rez and Space Channel 5) Mizuguchi is known for creating video games that incorporate an emphasis on interactive sound design. One of the co-founders of the video game development firm Q Entertainment, he is currently the CEO of self-founded company Enhance, Inc. (est. 2014). A keynote speaker at Ignite Conference 2019, Mizuguchi will present on the future of virtual reality.

Greg Lane

Fast Train / Tokyo Cheapo
Tokyo, Japan

Since co-founding Tokyo Cheapo as a hobby blog in 2012, Greg has grown the company to a fully-fledged international business with 20 employees and a portfolio of sites reaching up to 1 million visitors a month. Growing at 60% year on year, the company continues to succeed in the highly competitive, well-funded inbound tourism market. Greg will talk about managing a 100% remote company with employees in 8 or more countries as well as his various experiences on his path to entrepreneurship.

SPONSORED BY:

MICHAEL PERRY-CLEMONS

YOUMEWE NPO
TOKYO, JAPAN

Michael has over 22 years of investment banking experience in Asia, having worked in Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia and Japan and having held various Chief Operating Officer roles in both the financial and philanthropic sectors. Having lived and worked in Japan over the last 26 years, Michael has dedicated the last 6 years working in philanthropy groups, coordinating funding relationships between Investors, NPOs and Social Enterprises.

SPONSORED BY:

Akiyoshi KIKUCHI

Sendai Multicultural Center (SenTIA)
SENDAI, JAPAN

The Sendai Multicultural Center provides multi-lingual information to benefit daily-lives of non-Japanese residents. The center also accommodates daily-life consultation by professionals for non-Japanese residents and advice for residents on the multicultural community building. Akiyoshi will talk about SenTIA’s services for non-Japanese residents in Sendai.

Kenji Shimosato

MAKOTO K.K.
SENDAI, JAPAN

Kenji is a Director at MAKOTO, Sendai's venture capital fund and start-up accelerator. His current focus is on supporting start-ups in Tohoku region but he also has experience working in investment banking and with IT start-ups. He will speak about raising equity funding from Japanese venture capital firms.

Jared Campion

DREAM DRIVE
TOKYO, JAPAN

Dream Drive is building tiny homes inside vans in Tokyo which they rent to tourists. Along with the home on wheels customers are given access to sleeping spots and recommended routes around Japan to see a whole different side of Nihon. Its a new style of travel, a better way to experience Japan and can drive tourism traffic all over Japan. We look forward to hearing more about Dream Drive and what makes it successful at Ignite Sendai Conference 2019.

SPONSORED BY:

DOMINIC JONES

Sendai Seiyo Gakuin College
SENDAI, JAPAN

Dominic is a university professor and TEDx Speaker. He was a Chartered Geologist before moving to Sendai in 1999. In the following ten years he worked as an English teacher and started the education and entertainment business Shaft International LLC. He sold his business to become a tenured university lecturer. He will share his business experiences, highlighting why Sendai is an exciting place to do business.

SPONSORED BY:

TIA HAYGOOD

TOPTIA PHOTOGRAPHY
TOKYO, JAPAN

Tia Haygood is a photographic entrepreneur living in Tokyo, Japan, where she helps businesses and artists enhance their brand visually via Portrait, Event and Product photography. She has been featured by numerous publications, including Saavy Tokyo, Run for the Cure's PiNK Magazine, and For Empowering Women Japan. She will talk about turning a hobby into a business and how independent entrepreneurs can find their niche in a large, existing market.

SPONSORED BY:

Mitsuhiro Gotou

JAPAN FINANCE CORPORATION
SENDAI, JAPAN

Mitsuhiro is a member of Japan Finance Corporation's Micro Business and Individual Unit. He works to support people who want to start a business in the Tohoku region. He will discuss the view of financial institutions with regard to startup loans, as well as the application procedures for loans to the Japan Finance Corporation.

Masateru Sakamoto

Enspace
SENDAI, JAPAN

Masateru is currently a fourth-year student studying business at Tohoku Gakuin University in Sendai. He is working as a student intern at Enspace focusing on marketing, and has participated in numerous international exchanges, most recently in the Gold Coast in Australia. He will speak with Hiroshi Sasaki about co-working spaces in Sendai.

Daishi Goto

Tohoku University, Center for Innovation and Business
SENDAI, JAPAN

Daishi currently manages the Tohoku University Innovation Center and Tohoku University Startup Garage (TUSG), which were created to foster the Startup ecosystem at Tohoku University. He will speak about the startup activities of Tohoku University's students and faculty.

HIROSHI SASAKI

INTILAQ TOHOKU INNOVATION CENTER
SENDAI, JAPAN

Hiroshi Sasaki is an education and career consultant, as well as the Center Director for the INTILAQ Tohoku Innovation Center. Hiroshi is passionate about seeing entrepreneurs rise in Tohoku (Northern Japan) and brings a wealth of experience to the conference. Sasaki will speak about co-working spaces and community in Sendai.

SPONSORED BY:

RYOJI IMAMATSU

SENDAI CITY INDUSTRY PROMOTION AND ECONOMIC AFFAIRS BUREAU
SENDAI, JAPAN

Working for Sendai City itself, Ryoji Imamatsu brings experience in industry promotion and economic affairs, as well as a wealth of experience with the businesses procedures and the economic climate in Sendai City. He is passionate to create a pathway for more foreign entrepreneurs to call Sendai their home.

Franz Lawrence

HOLAX
SENDAI, JAPAN

Franz was inspired to start his company, HOLAX, when his wife was pregnant and couldn’t get food delivered easily. That insight led to what is now one of Sendai’s fastest growing restaurant and grocery delivery businesses. Franz will share about his experiences starting his company, why he loves living in Sendai, and the strong sense of community being formed within the expat community in Sendai.

SPONSORED BY:

Rob LoBreglio

The Great Dane Pub & Brewing Company
Madison, Wisconsin, USA

Rob LoBreglio is the co-founder and Brewmaster for The Great Dane Pub & Brewing Company, which operates 5 brewery-restaurants in the state of Wisconsin. In addition to numerous awards for his beers, Mr. LoBreglio was named America's Best Brewpub Brewer at The Great American Beer Festival in 2012. He is currently in the process of opening a production brewery, and pubs, in the city of Sendai.

Phil Dawson

The Great Dane Pub & Brewing Company
SENDAI, JAPAN

Phil Dawson is former sports media professional who previously hosted top rated talk shows based out of Madison/Milwaukee WI USA, as well as guest spots co-hosting the nationally syndicated Dan Patrick Show. He's covered major sporting events for Turner Sports, CBS, ESPN, Fox Sports, WWE and UFC and done commercial voice work for local and national brands. His focus shifted towards beer in Japan while visiting numerous times with his wife. Now a Sendai resident, he is currently in the process of opening a production brewing facility and pubs, in Sendai.

Nicholas Schirmer

TOHOKU INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
SENDAI, JAPAN

Nicholas Schirmer is the Head of School of Tohoku International School, Sendai's only internationally accredited International School. TIS has supported the community for more than 30 years. Born in the United States, Nicholas has spent the last 15 years educating children in Japan. He started as a part-time staff member and challenged himself to take on greater leadership roles, which led to his promotion to Head of School in 2019. Nicholas will speak about how International Schools are an important support structure for globally-minded families.

PATRICK MCGRATH

Mechatronics.asia
TAIWAN

Patrick is an inventor with nineteen patents. He's a part-time resident of Hokkaido and permanent resident of Taiwan where he was head of engineering for a small Taiwanese ODM until 2015 when he left to pursue his twin passions for agriculture and robotics. He will speak on the exciting prospects for agricultural robotics, particularly in Japan where the rapidly declining farm population creates a compelling need for visionary technology.

KYLE NAPIER

ZOOM ZOOM ENGLISH
SENDAI,JAPAN

Kyle is the co-founder of Zoom Zoom English, founded in 2017 in the heart of Sendai. Since its founding, the school has continued to grow every month since its inception, and now teaches 60 students at its main building in Sendai as well as weekly kids classes in Higashimatsushima. Kyle has lived and taught in Sendai for 7 years and will speak about starting an English school from scratch in Sendai.

SPONSORED BY:

Laura Cronell

American Time Inc.
SENDAI, JAPAN

Laura opened Innocence Plus English School in 2012 and later, Homestyle English School and Innocence Plus Academy. She is now working on growing her online school, NeWorld English, as well as her social media presence. She will speak about running an English school in Sendai, teaching methods and curriculum, and use of technology and the Internet for education.

SPONSORED BY:

Ryan Hagglund

MY English School
YAMAGATA, JAPAN

Ryan acquired MY English School in Higashine City, Yamagata Prefecture in 2008. Since that time he’s expanded from 1 to 8 locations covering 6 of the largest cities in Yamagata Prefecture, as well as 2 locations in Kansai, Japan. Ryan will share his experiences growing a business in the Tohoku region.

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