Shotaro Iwano, serving as Managing Director at SBI Ventures Europe GmbH, is a distinguished professional with extensive experience in international finance, venture capital, and cross-border business development. His career spans leadership roles at SBI Investment, the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), and Mizuho Bank.

At SBI Investment in Tokyo, Shotaro served as Deputy General Manager, overseeing the full venture capital cycle from deal sourcing and due diligence to execution and investor relations. Notably, he invested in high-profile Japanese startups, including an AI company that became the country’s fastest unicorn. Additionally, he supported fundraising efforts with global family offices and institutional investors, broadening SBI’s international LP base and strengthening ties between Japanese innovation and global capital.

Prior to joining SBI Investment, Shotaro gained a wealth of experience in banking industry: He held senior positions at Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) in Japan and Mizuho Bank in Hong Kong, where he contributed to multi-billion-dollar project financings in Taiwan, Australia, and Vietnam.

Shotaro holds an MBA from INSEAD and a Bachelor of Economics from Hitotsubashi University.

Andrea Böhmert is the Managing Partner of SBI Ventures Europe. She is a seasoned investor, fund manager, and entrepreneur with a rich background in venture capital. Andrea has successfully raised four funds from a diverse range of investors, including Ultra-high net worth individuals, development finance institutions, and Institutional Investors and invested in over30 early growth stage technology companies throughout her career, witnessing their evolution from local players to international leaders. She provides hands-on involvement, leveraging her knowledge, experience, and extensive network to drive success.

Before joining SBI Ventures Europe, Andrea served as a Partner at Knife Capital, a South African-based Venture Capital Fund, where she was actively engaged in the entire investment lifecycle, from deal origination to negotiation, due diligence, post-investment management, and exit positioning.

Prior to Knife Capital, Andrea founded and co-managed Hasso Plattner Ventures Africa, securing initial funding from Professor Hasso Plattner, co-founder of SAP. Her diverse background also includes senior management positions at Dimension Data and Siemens Southern Africa.

Andrea has a master's degree in Commerce from RWTH Aachen, Germany, and an MBA from Henley Business School, UK.

Ken is the CFO of SBI Ventures Europe and the Fund Controller of Future Industry Ventures Fund.

Prior to his career at Strategic Business Innovator Berlin, he has gathered 7+ years of experience in accounting in the various industries as well as 2+ years of experience in project finance management, corporate planning and asset management in the renewable energy industry. In his previous job, He has contributed to developing and managing renewable energy development projects that constructed solar and wind power plants, being involved not only in national projects in Japan, but also in overseas projects in Mongolia and Saudi Arabia at SoftBank Group.

Ken completed his MBA specializing in finance and accounting at the IU International University of Applied Sciences in Berlin. CFA Charterholder.

Moritz is responsible for venture capital investments for Future Industry Ventures and business development at SBI Ventures Europe.

He is an expert in the field of sustainability and fintech. After spending 5+ years in several roles in the banking industry, Moritz joined the corporate venturing unit of Commerzbank for 4+ years where he was responsible for a portfolio of 6 companies.

Besides his VC activities, he founded the IMPACT FESTIVAL, Europe's leading event for sustainable B2B technologies. He also has a strong personal interest in regenerative agriculture and co-founded a non-profit Startup called Food roots.

Moritz holds a Master of Science in Finance from Frankfurt School of Finance and Management.

Renxiu Zhao is the Senior Investment Associate at SBI Ventures Europe.

With five years of entrepreneurial experience in China, she co-founded a media tech startup in 2015, contributing to raising a €4 million Series A round in 2017. In 2020, she joined a leading Chinese culture and consumer tech startup as a Growth Manager, playing a pivotal role in the company's impressive growth, resulting in a $3 million Series A+ investment in 2021. Before her entrepreneurial journey, she worked as an Associate Creative Director and Social Media Strategist at a top Chinese advertising agency, serving renowned brands such as Coca-Cola, Lenovo, and Durex.

She possesses a diverse range of interests and expertise in the fields of technology and venture capital investments, with a particular focus on Applied AI, Industrial Tech, and Climate Tech.

She has earned a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Engineering, a Master's degree in Digital Media Technology and Art from the Communication University of China, and an MBA from HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management.

Our office manager, Izumi, is responsible for the overall administration of SBI Ventures Europe GmbH and support to the front office team.

After gaining extensive experience in international business with a trading companies in Tokyo, Izumi spent six years as an office administrator in Berlin working for Japanese technology companies in their European headquarter. She also contributed to the Berlin office of the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) as Project & Administration Manager for two years.

Izumi holds a BA in English and American Literature and has spent a year in Shanghai to learn Chinese.

Shuntaro Tsutahara is a Visiting Analyst in the Investment Team at SBI Ventures Europe, joining in May 2025. He is currently completing his Master’s degree in International Finance at The Berlin School of Economics and Law.

At SBI VE, Shuntaro focuses on identifying potential investment opportunities, supporting deal sourcing and execution, and contributing to the firm’s mission of strengthening SBI Group’s cross-border investment capabilities.

His background spans several sectors and countries. He began in Japan’s hospitality industry before gaining financial-accounting and M&A transaction experience in Berlin. He also supported with founding and scaling a power-bank rental startup in Berlin, deepening his interest in the city’s vibrant VC and startup scene.

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