Company
About us
Company Name
WOTA CORP.
CEO
Yosuke Maeda
Location
1-13-13 Nihonbashi-bakurocho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
Date of Establishment
October 24, 2014
Capital
100 million yen (Excluding Legal capital surplus)
Business overview
Development of the small-scale, decentralized water recycling system
Development of an autonomous control system for water treatmentShareholders
Board member
(in alphabetical order)
Daiki Axis Co., Ltd.
DEEPCORE Inc.
Development Bank of Japan Inc.
Electric Power Development Co.,Ltd.
JICN：Japan Green Investment Corp. for Carbon Neutrality
METAWATER Co., Ltd.
Mistletoe Japan Inc.
Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking Corporation
Real Tech Holdings Co.,Ltd.
SAN-AI OBBLI CO., LTD.
SMBC Nikko Securities Inc.
SoftBank Corp.
Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank, Limited
Swing Corporation
Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.
and othersMain Financing Banks
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, Shinjuku Nishiguchi Branch
MUFG Bank, Ltd., Kasugacho Branch
The Shoko Chukin Bank, Ltd., Ikebukuro Branch
Mizuho Bank, Ltd., Innovative Startups Department
and othersFiscal year end
December
Directors
Representative Director & CEO（Chief Executive Officer）
Yosuke Maeda
Born in Tokushima, Japan. Yosuke graduated from the University of Tokyo, Department of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering. He also complated the Master's Program in Architecture, Graduate School of Engineering, at the University of Tokyo. He began researching biology and chemistry in elementary school, and his interest in water issues in junior high school led him to conduct research on water treatment in high school. He studied urban infrastructure and the living environment of slums in developing countries at university, and housing facilities (water supply, drainage, and sanitation) at graduate school. While in school, he worked on sensor and control development at the world-renowned digital art collective teamLab, among others. He later started his own business and sold the business. He received The University of Tokyo President's Award for Students, the GOOD DESIGN GRAND AWARD from Japan Institute of Design Promotion, and others. As CEO of WOTA, he aims to provide structural solutions to water problems.
External Board Director
Taizo Son
A serial entrepreneur and a start-up investor. He has been a part of the internet business since his university years. In 2009, he started to invest in and support the growth of start-up companies to "create a system for start-ups that can be considered the Asian version of Silicon Valley." In 2013, in addition to the start-up support beyond investment, he established Mistletoe, a community run by volunteers, to solve worldwide problems that humanity will face in the future. His mission is to support the growth of a start-up company that can have a significant impact on society.
External Board Director
Yuki Takemori
After graduating from the University of Tsukuba Third Cluster of Colleges (now known as the School of Science and Engineering), he started working at Japan Development Bank (now known as Development Bank of Japan Inc.) in 1995. After working as the head of the Aerospace Office, he is now the head and the general manager of the Innovation Center. He has invested in and supported the growth of manufacturing start-up companies needing large-scale development funds. He has supported many companies, including SPACE ONE CO., LTD., SkyDrive Inc., Espace Inc., etc. A council member for international space investigation at the International Space Station and a fellow of the Japan Science and Technology Agency Center for Research and Development Strategy.
External Board Director
Yoshihiko Yamada
After graduating from Keio University, Faculty of Economics, Yoshihiko entered Panasonic Corporation in 1974. In June 2004, he became the chair of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. in the U.S. In June 2014, he became the vice president of Panasonic Corporation. Later in 2017, he became the vice president of Tesla, Inc. Gigafactory. He is the outside director of Gogoro Inc., which develops and sells electric motorcycles in Taiwan and supports domestic and international technology companies.
Auditors
Auditors
Kieko Matsumura
Born in Saitama, Japan. Kieko majored in Spanish at the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies and is a certified Public Accountant. Upon joining Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu LLC in 2012, she engaged in accounting audits of major financial institutions. From 2016, Kieko was involved in establishing the local subsidiary of a Japanese megabank in Mexico; she also engaged in advisory work at Deloitte Mexico on the expansion of Japanese companies into Mexico and the establishment of internal control and governance systems for Japanese subsidiaries in Mexico. Since 2019, Kieko has been involved in the consulting of internal control establishment, internal auditing, and enterprise risk management (ERM) at PwC Japan LLP. With experiences in launching startups in Spain and supporting IPOs both domestically and globally, she now serves as a full-time auditor at WOTA.
Auditors
Toru Mikami
Born in Kyoto, Japan. Toru graduated from University of Tokyo, Faculty of Law, then went on to obtain an LL.M. from Harvard Law School. After joining Sumitomo Bank (now Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation), he has been engaged in financial legal affairs for approximately 30 years, including serving as Head of the Legal Department. Upon serving as the permenant auditor and the Director of the Audit Commitee at Mitsui Sumitomo FInalcal Group, Toru currently holds the position of Chairman of SMBC Debt Collection Corporation. He has been a member of the Legislative Council for amendments to the Civil Execution Act and other laws and additionally has served as Director of the Japan Institute of Business Recovery as well as Director of the Association of Practitioners in Corporate Turnaround.
Auditors
Emiko Obata
Born in Tokyo, Japan. Emiko graduated from the Faculty of Law and completed the Master's Program at the Graduate School of Law, from Waseda Unversity; she also obtained an LL.M. from Queen Mary, University of London. She is a partner attorney at Sparkle Legal. In addition to specializing in financial law and renewable energy law at a firm in Tokyo, Emiko provides legal support for general corporate law and startup companies. She is also engaged in colsulting regarding corporate law and governance as well as business-related regulations and legal matters related to investment contracts for startups.
Leaderships
Representative Director & CEO（Chief Executive Officer）
Yosuke Maeda
Born in Tokushima, Japan. Yosuke graduated from the University of Tokyo, Department of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering. He also complated the Master's Program in Architecture, Graduate School of Engineering, at the University of Tokyo. He began researching biology and chemistry in elementary school, and his interest in water issues in junior high school led him to conduct research on water treatment in high school. He studied urban infrastructure and the living environment of slums in developing countries at university, and housing facilities (water supply, drainage, and sanitation) at graduate school. While in school, he worked on sensor and control development at the world-renowned digital art collective teamLab, among others. He later started his own business and sold the business. He received The University of Tokyo President's Award for Students, the GOOD DESIGN GRAND AWARD from Japan Institute of Design Promotion, and others. As CEO of WOTA, he aims to provide structural solutions to water problems.
Chief Financial Officer and Executive Officer, Human Resources
Masahiro Takagi
Born in Tokyo, Takagi graduated from Meiji University's School of Political Science and Economics. He joined Fuji Bank (now Mizuho Bank) and was responsible for lending to small and medium-sized enterprises at the Shibuya and Toranomon branches. After gaining experience in head office planning operations, he worked at Mizuho Capital Partners, a subsidiary, where he was engaged in corporate acquisitions as an investment manager for an MBO (Management Buyout) fund. Later, he served as CFO and director of a startup company, handling operations related to its IPO. Subsequently, he founded an investment firm to support startups. At WOTA, he is primarily responsible for fundraising, human resources, and information systems.
Executive Officer, External Affairs
Hiroki Ochi
Ochi graduated from Keio University's Faculty of Economics. At Dentsu, he led the launch of multiple pioneering media initiatives in Japan and later managed a beverage brand team. Subsequently, he founded a startup support organization, facilitating IPOs and business alliances with major corporations. After joining WOTA, he spearheaded business development, leading the adoption of solutions in multiple municipalities and establishing disaster relief frameworks. Currently he oversees policy research, mid-to-long-term strategy execution with government agencies, municipalities, and partner companies, as well as domestic and global public affairs.
Executive Officer, Technology and Technology Department Manager
Hodaka Mukohara
Born in Kanagawa Prefecture, Mukohara graduated from Nihon University’s College of Engineering with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. At Honda Motor Co., Ltd., he served as a project leader in the design of both mass-production large motorcycle engines and high-performance racing engines. His contributions played a key role in securing multiple world championship titles across various racing categories, from motocross to MotoGP. Over his career, he has designed a diverse range of engines—including single-cylinder, V2, L4, and V4—amassing more than 50 patents. In addition to his engineering achievements, he pioneered the “Bodaco” rent-to-own rental service in Kenya, successfully commercializing it within Honda’s business planning division. Later, as a new business development lead, he drove EV-related collaborations and initiatives. At WOTA, Mukohara oversees technology development, software development, and related operations, advancing innovation in water technology.
Executive Officer, Development and Product Planning Department Manager and Water Treatment Department Manager
Kanta Yamamoto
Born in Tokyo, Yamamoto graduated from Waseda University’s School of Science and Engineering with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and went on to earn a master’s degree in Environmental and Energy Engineering from the university’s Graduate School of Creative Science and Engineering. After graduation, he joined Honda R&D Co., Ltd. and Honda Motor Co., Ltd., where he dedicated his career to motorcycle development. He was responsible for designing complete vehicles, including scooters and Cub-series models for global markets, and served as the project leader for advanced EV prototype development. In 2016, he became the youngest chief engineer for mid-to-large displacement global motorcycle models at the time. He later led the launch of India’s first mid-sized motorcycle, the H’ness CB350, followed by the GB350 in Japan. At WOTA, he oversees product planning and development, as well as production and supply chain management.
Executive Officer, Head of Planning
Won Lee
Born in South Korea, Lee graduated from Keio University’s Faculty of Business and Commerce. Growing up in a remote mountainous region without modern water infrastructure, he initially pursued a degree in Computer Engineering at a university in South Korea. After relocating to Japan, he built a career as a marketing and data science specialist, spending nearly a decade at consulting firms and advertising agencies, where he helped clients navigate complex business challenges. At WOTA, he first served as Head of Marketing before transitioning to his current role, where he leads corporate planning and strategic initiatives focused on solving water-related challenges.
Executive Officer, Japan Business and Corporate Planning Department Manager
Hiroomi Nishikawa
Born in Saitama Prefecture, Nishikawa graduated from Waseda University’s School of Political Science and Economics, majoring in Political Science. After working at Marubeni Corporation, where he was engaged in carbon credit trading and market development, he was stationed in Indonesia, where he helped establish joint ventures with state-owned enterprises. He also spearheaded infrastructure development and investment projects, such as the acquisition of a city gas company in Chile. He has been actively involved in improving the financial performance of investment targets, structuring financing, developing new businesses, and formulating DX (Digital Transformation) strategies to enhance corporate value. Later, he invested in and supported the growth of a startup providing decentralized energy services to low-income communities in Kenya and Tanzania. At WOTA, he oversees domestic business operations.
Executive Officer, Overseas Business and Overseas Business Department Manager
Junko Tashiro
Born in Tokyo, Tashiro graduated from the University of Tokyo’s College of Arts and Sciences and earned a Master of Public Administration (MPA) from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs. She began her career at McKinsey & Company, where she was involved in corporate strategy development, planning new infrastructure projects, and improving ROIC (Return on Invested Capital) for manufacturing companies, both domestically and internationally. After moving to the U.S., she worked at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) of the World Bank Group, advising on Base of the Pyramid (BoP) business initiatives. She was selected as a fellow at Acumen, a U.S.-based venture capital firm, where she helped launch a new business for smallholder farmers at a startup in Ghana. Most recently, she led international new business development and global marketing at Cookpad. At WOTA, she oversees international business operations.
Executive Officer, Brand, Brand Deveolpment & Incubation Department Manager and Circular Lifestyle Business Department Manager
Takashi Urakawa
Born in Tokyo, Urakawa graduated from the Department of Economics at Komazawa University. He joined ReBITA, a renovation venture company, where he led the renovation sales business, consulting business, and brand development as a business manager. Since the early days of the renovation industry, he has contributed to revitalizing the existing housing market and the industry's growth through various project initiatives. Since 2019, he has served as the Tokyo Area Director of the Renovation Council, a general incorporated association, working with board member companies nationwide to improve industry infrastructure and foster talent. At WOTA, he oversees brand development and design.
Executive Officer, Portable Water Business and Portable Water Business Department Manager
Toshifumi Matsuda
Born in Osaka Prefecture, Matsuda completed his MBA at Kobe University Graduate School of Business Administration and also graduated from the Graduate School of Career Design at Hosei University. At Honda Motor Co., Ltd., he was primarily involved in the four-wheel business, leading initiatives such as revamping the mid-to-long-term vision, designing management indicators, formulating global lineups, launching the EV business organization, and overseeing Acura product planning. Additionally, he promoted digital transformation (DX) of design data and supply chain management (SCM), as well as customer relationship management (CRM), wholesale, and dealer sales, all with the goal of maximizing customer value through cross-organizational reforms. At Suntory Holdings, he spearheaded the renewal of the company’s purpose and was engaged in corporate branding. His expertise lies in the servitization of manufacturing industries and brand marketing strategies. At WOTA, he oversees the Portable Water Business and Customer Experience.
Executive Officer, Administration and Finance & Administration Department Manager
Akihisa Nagasaka
Born in Yamanashi Prefecture, Nagasaka graduated from the Faculty of Commerce at Yokohama City University. After obtaining his Certified Public Accountant (CPA) qualification, he joined PwC Aarata LLC, where he was engaged in auditing major foreign system companies. He later transferred to PwC Consulting, gaining experience in governance framework development and mid-term business planning support. Subsequently, at SMBC Nikko Securities’ IPO Underwriting Department, he was involved in IPO consulting, contributing to the public listing of seven companies across various industries, including human resources, IT, real estate, and entertainment. He then gained experience overseeing the entire administrative division at venture companies and growth-stage listed companies. At WOTA, he oversees finance, accounting, legal affairs, intellectual property, and compliance.
Professional Officer for Business Development
Ryo Kawamoto
Born in Chiba Prefecture, Kawamoto graduated from the Faculty of Law at Seijo University. He joined Japan Telecom (now SoftBank) in 2003, where he spent many years in corporate sales, focusing on major corporations and municipalities. In 2017, he was appointed General Manager of the Digital Transformation Division. Focusing on solving Japan's social challenges, he was responsible for co-developing next-generation core businesses beyond telecommunications in collaboration with partner companies and led investments in multiple startups, contributing to their management. At WOTA, he provides specialized support in business development on a part-time basis.
Managers
Custom Business Department Manager and Professional Officer for Disaster Prevention and Off-Grid
Ken Kasai
Born in Iwate Prefecture, Kasai graduated from the Third Cluster of Colleges at the University of Tsukuba (now the College of Informatics) and joined Sun Microsystems, where he was involved in designing large-scale systems based on UNIX. He later worked at Hokuryo, engaging in the gas business across industrial, consumer, and medical sectors. During the Great East Japan Earthquake, he led support efforts for affected medical institutions and home healthcare patients, focusing on disaster relief vehicles, power supplies, and system development. At WOTA, he provides specialized support in the disaster preparedness and off-grid sectors on a part-time basis while leading initiatives in the special equipment field.
Human Resources & Information Systems Department Manager and Chief Researcher
Shohei Okudera
Born in Chiba Prefecture, Okudera graduated from the Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Science at the Tokyo Institute of Technology, and completed a master's degree in Electronic Information Engineering at the Graduate School of Information Science and Technology, the University of Tokyo. During his university studies, he researched distributed data management systems, and in graduate school, he focused on building infrastructure for big data distributed processing. He also worked at Hitachi Solutions, where he was involved in large-scale system design. At WOTA, after serving as Chief Technology Officer (CTO), he now leads the Human Resources and Information Systems divisions.
Quality Design & Operations Department Manager
Takenobu Kawai
Born in Gifu Prefecture, Kawai worked at Sony as a manufacturing engineer for CRT televisions, mobile phones, and smartphones. He led the launch of numerous new models, improved manufacturing quality, and oversaw technical organizations in customer support. At WOTA, he leads the standardization of design quality and the production and manufacturing operations sector.
Software, Quality Assurance & Water Safety Department Manager
Takashi Kawakami
Born in Kanagawa Prefecture, Kawakami graduated from the Department of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, at the University of Tokyo, and completed a master's degree in Mechanical Engineering at the Graduate School of Engineering at the same university. At Sony, he was the lead developer of key devices for the MD Walkman (which won the 1996 Nikkei Superior Products and Services Award Grand Prize), the head of application software development for Xperia, and the lead developer for key devices such as cameras. He was also involved in the development of smart products and AIBO and served as the chair of a company-wide AI working group. At WOTA, he leads software development and the water safety sector.
Global External Affairs Department Manager
Ryo Yamada
Born in Osaka Prefecture, Yamada completed a master's degree in Sustainability Science at the Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, the University of Tokyo. He spent his elementary school years in Silicon Valley and developed an interest in water issues from middle school. At university and graduate school, he specialized in environmental engineering (water treatment) and sustainability science, conducting research trips to Southeast Asian and African countries. After graduating, he worked at the NPO ETIC., supporting social entrepreneurs both in Japan and abroad. At WOTA, after serving as Chief Development Officer (CDO), he now leads the global public affairs sector.
Chief Quality Director
Noboru Yamashita
Born in Tokyo, Yamashita graduated from the Department of Precision Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, at the University of Tokyo. At Honda Motor Co., Ltd., he was involved in the development of racing motorcycles, focusing on engine design, technology development management, and vehicle dynamics analysis and simulation. During the development of Honda's first MotoGP-class racing machine, he proposed the adoption of a V5 engine and led its design. At WOTA, he leads the quality assurance sector.
Product Design Department Manager
Masahiro Kuroki
Born in Shizuoka Prefecture, Kuroki graduated from the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering at Ibaraki University and completed a master's degree in Creative Energy at the Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology. At Yamaha Motor, he was involved in motorcycle development, focusing on chassis design for moped models targeted at Southeast Asia and next-generation EV models. For the PG-1, launched in 2023 for the Southeast Asian market, he was responsible for vehicle specifications and frame design in the early stages and later led the project as chief, overseeing the entire process through to production launch. At WOTA, he leads the product design sector.
Service Department Manager
Norikazu Minemura
Born in Fukushima Prefecture, Minemura graduated from the Faculty of Law at the University of Tokyo and completed a master's degree at Waseda University Graduate School of Finance. He developed an interest in water issues during middle school through water quality analysis of the Abukuma River. After joining Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries (now IHI), he worked in general human resources and labor management, as well as occupational health and safety management at factories and construction sites. At GLOBIS, he supported organizations in solving various HR-related challenges. Later, he led business development in multiple startups, including those focused on fraud detection for e-commerce transactions. At WOTA, after serving as Operations Manager, he now leads the maintenance and installation sector.
Customer Experience Planning Department Manager
Tokiyori Ito
Born in Gifu Prefecture, Ito completed a master's degree in Electronic Engineering at the Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University. In the early stages of his career, he was involved in designing digital circuits for next-generation LCD televisions. He then advanced customer experience (CX) initiatives at the forefront of the electronics and healthcare industries. At Anker and Align Technology, he played a key role in innovating customer experiences and developing organizations. Combining his expertise in engineering and customer experience, he now leads the Customer Experience Planning sector at WOTA.
Japan Business Department Manager
Taizo Uzawa
Born in Tokyo, Uzawa graduated from the Faculty of Economics at Rikkyo University and joined SoftBank. After working in account sales for major corporations, he held various roles in the new business development division, including leading investments in startups and serving as the representative of business subsidiaries. At WOTA, he leads domestic sales, overseeing business development and project execution with municipalities and private companies.