TEAM

Prof. Satoshi Konishi co-founded Kyoto Fusioneering in 2019. With a Ph.D. in Engineering from the University of Tokyo, Satoshi brings four decades of expertise in R&D, specializing in fusion technology, advanced nuclear system design, and tritium engineering, including significant contributions to the ITER project. He holds dual roles as Chief Fusioneer, overseeing technology development, strategic planning, and execution, and as CEO, a position he has held since 2023.

Prof. Keishi Sakamoto joined Kyoto Fusioneering in April 2021 as an Executive Officer. He has been engaged in R&D for plasma heating technology for several decades, most recently at the National Institute for Quantum Science and Technology in Japan. In particular, he has been extensively involved in the development of gyrotrons, high-power millimeter-wave generators based on the theory of relativity. As a result, Keishi was the first in the world to simultaneously achieve an output energy of 1 MW an energy conversion efficiency of more than 50%, with continuous output. For his work, he has received awards from MEXT in Japan and the European Physical Society Plasma Division (Innovation Prize). He is now a Specially Appointed Professor at Institute of Advanced Energy, Kyoto University, and has a Ph.D. in Science from Kyushu University.

Dr. Christian Day joined Kyoto Fusioneering in May 2024. He has spent decades in R&D for fusion fuel cycle technologies like vacuum pumping, tritium processing, and particle exhaust, most recently at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) in Germany. In particular, he led the systematic development of cryopumps for ITER through all technology readiness levels and pioneered the concept of “Direct Internal Recycling” to reduce tritium inventories, for which he received the first SOFT Innovation Prize in 2014. Christian contributed to more than 170 publications in refereed journals and had 50 invited talks globally at conferences. Before joining KF, he held the teaching position of Vacuum Science and Technology at KIT since 2009. He holds a Ph.D. in Technical Thermodynamics from KIT.

Colin joined Kyoto Fusioneering in Aug 2021. He is a physicist who did his graduate studies at KIT, Germany. His PhD was on heavy-ion cross sections and the link to astroparticle physics at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN (CMS experiment). As co-author of the hadronic interaction tool CRMC, he has deep knowledge in nuclear physics. After several years in the private industry in C-level roles, Colin joined Kyoto Fusioneering. He is the author of the SCYLLA high temperature fusion blanket concept and currently overseeing the technical development of the UNITY programme for fusion thermal cycle and fusion fuel cycle in Japan. He is also a visiting researcher at Kyoto University.

Mr. Kenichi Hayashi joined Kyoto Fusioneering in April 2022. He has been in charge of designing, manufacturring and testing the gyrotron system that KF has received. Prior to joining KF, he worked for CANON ELECTRON TUBES & DEVICES for 21 years. He was involved in research and development of high-power electron tubes such as klystrons and gyrotrons for accelerator facilities and fusion research facilities around the world. He eventually became the manager of the electron tube engineering department and the electron tube business division. He has an M.S in Electronic Engineering from Osaka University.

As Co-Head of Plant Technology, Yoshi leads the development of fusion fuel cycle and fusion thermal cycle technologies. He is involved in plant design projects for clients worldwide, leading the power generation test plant “UNITY-1” and the “UNITY-2” project in collaboration with the Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL), which conducts demonstration tests of the fusion fuel cycle using tritium in a real-world setting. Additionally, he promotes the development of components and technologies required for plant operations alongside reactor design.
Before joining KF, he worked at Mitsubishi Chemical, where he was involved in heat balance and production management, equipment modification, and procurement. In his previous role at Mitsubishi Corporation, he managed financial derivatives and oil trading in Singapore and investments in low-carbon businesses in London.

Mr. Kiyoshi Seko joined Kyoto Fusioneering in April 2021 as an Executive Officer. Kiyoshi is responsible for business development, fundraising, and also PR and marketing. Prior to joining KF, he worked for Mitsubishi Corporation for almost 10 years, where he was involved in business development and strategic investments, including for the establishment of overseas JVs and cross-border M&As. After obtaining his MBA, he worked for Coral Capital, a leading VC firm in Japan, where he made several investments – including one in Kyoto Fusioneering before joining the company – mainly in the deeptech area. Kiyoshi has an M.S in Mechanical Engineering from Kyoto University and an M.S in Applied Physics from University of Tokyo, as well as an MBA from IE Business School, Spain.

Mr. Imai joined Kyoto Fusioneering in April 2021 as a Director, responsible for finance, corporate governance, human resources, corporate planning, IT, etc. Prior to joining KF, he spent about 10 years as Representative Director and CEO of Ace Insurance Japan (now Chubb Insurance Japan).
After graduating from university, he worked as an engineer at Mitsubishi Research Institute, where he was engaged in engineering simulations, including those related to nuclear power. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree from the University of Tokyo, a Master of Science degree from Yale University, and an MBA (financial engineering) from Hitotsubashi University. He is a U.S. Certified Public Accountant (Delaware).

Mr. Yuto Yoshioka joined Kyoto Fusioneering in November 2021. He has been expanding the Gyrotron business, focusing on its start-up and project management, and the development of UK-related business. In his previous position at a Japanese investment and trading company, after studying at the University of Indonesia, he was stationed in Jakarta, where he was engaged in the development of a natural gas project, the first operatorship (in which the company was responsible for business operations as the main shareholder) for a Japanese company at the time. Later, he worked as a trader of crude oil and derivatives in Singapore, where he expanded his business and profit. He was also in charge of power projects in Asia and the Americas. He graduated from Kyoto University with a bachelor’s degree in economics.

Since April 2022, Mr. Nakahara has served as the corporate strategy leader at Kyoto Fusioneering, overseeing business policy, organizational development, technology strategy including IP. He directs corporate affairs, business development, and joint development with overseas fusion energy organizations, including public institutions and start-ups, primarily in the JP, US and UK.
Previously, he worked at Arthur D. Little on technology management and new business projects for heavy machinery and chemical companies. He also spent five years at Industrial Growth Platform Inc, contributing to the management reform of an electric power company and university-originated start-up foundation.
He holds a B.A. in Mechanical Engineering and a Master’s degree from the Graduate School of Frontier Sciences at the University of Tokyo, where he researched thermofluid dynamics.

Taka Nagao co-founded Kyoto Fusioneering (KF) in 2019. As KF’S CEO and Chairperson, he played a central role in launching the company’s fusion energy business, starting from lab scale R&D, while also overseeing strategic planning, fundraising, and talent acquisition. Leveraging the expertise gained at KF, Taka Nagao has shifted his work to supporting startups and developing entrepreneurial talent.
Prior to co-founding KF, he worked at Arthur D. Little Japan, specializing in strategic consulting for new business development, and at the energy startup Eneres, where he led strategic partnerships, R&D initiatives and the company’s listing on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Growth Market. He holds a Master’s of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering and Science from Kyoto University.

Dr. Richard Pearson co-founded Kyoto Fusioneering in 2019. He serves as the company’s Chief Innovator, sitting between the technology and business functions, and is responsible for supporting the company’s growth into global markets. He is also appointed as the company’s UK Director. Richard’s previous work focused on fusion technology innovation, strategy and policy, including for tritium breeding blanket technology. He is widely involved in activities relating to fusion energy, with a strong focus on commercialization. This includes a position as Guest Editor for a Special Issue of the Journal of Fusion Energy on the subject of private fusion enterprises (appointed 2021). Richard has a PhD in Engineering and Innovation from The Open University, UK, an MSc in Nuclear Engineering from from Imperial College London, UK, and is a Visiting Researcher at Kyoto University. His hobbies include cycling, craft beer and football (he is a fan of Arsenal FC).

Prof. Shutaro Takeda co-founded Kyoto Fusioneering in 2019. He is responsible for international relations and technological strategic planning. He became the youngest-ever appointed associate professor at Kyoto University Graduate School at the age of 31, and currently serves as an associate professor at the Kyushu University Urban Research Center. He has received many prizes, including NIG Early Career Award 2021 from the Institute of Physics and the Director General’s Recognition Award. He formerly worked at the IAEA, and was the first Japanese citizen to work for the UN as an Associate Officer in the fusion division. He has also served as a member of IAEA International Program Advisory Committee Member for Fusion Enterprises Workshop, and as an Expert to the Fusion Energy Sciences Advisory Committee: Japanese MEXT. Shutaro has a PhD in Energy Science from Kyoto University, and M.S. in Sustainability from Harvard University.