In a nutshell:
Munechika joined Kyoto Fusioneering (KF) in April 2024 as a member of the Business Development and Operations Division, and he now works on business development in the Plant Technology Department. Drawing on sales experiences gained through an internship at an IT startup and later at a major global IT company, he is driving collaborations with private companies and research institutions in Japan and abroad, while opening doors to new customers and new fields.
What first set you on the career path you are on today?
I first became aware that I wanted to build a career in sales when I was job-hunting as a university student. Through conversations with alumni and researching companies’ recruitment pages, I realized that by sharpening the communication skills and business literacy required of sales professionals, I could work across a wide range of industries. That led me to set my sights on a career in sales.
At the same time, I had always been drawn to technology—space, AI, things like that—ever since I was a child, so I focused my job search on the IT sector.
One day, I came across a post on social media by the CEO of an IT startup. I was so intrigued by what he shared that I mustered the courage to reach out directly. To my surprise, he kindly agreed to meet, and that encounter eventually led to an opportunity to join his startup as an intern.
What kind of experience did you gain during that internship?
I was given the chance to experience the entire workflow of B2B sales and marketing—selling IT solutions that improve operational efficiency for corporate clients, creating proposals and reports, and everything in between.
At a startup, things move incredibly fast. With only minimal onboarding documents and internal manuals, I learned by doing—quite literally. New deals came one after another, and there were times when I had to figure out how to do the work while simultaneously moving a project forward. The pace was intense. Balancing the internship with my academic studies was also difficult, and I still remember struggling with time management.
Looking back, those were extremely busy days, but the experience I gained was invaluable—things you can only learn through hands-on practice. I deepened my understanding of business and marketing, and the role of sales became far more tangible to me. The speed at which I’m able to work at KF today is unquestionably built on the foundation of that internship.
Where did your career path lead you after graduating from university?
I continued to search within the theme of “technology × sales.” I was determined to work in sales, so rather than applying for generalist roles, I focused only on companies hiring for explicit sales positions. That’s when I happened to find a major global IT company hiring new graduates for sales roles.
After speaking with several alumni of the company, I learned that even first-year employees were encouraged to take initiative and try new things. The idea of working in an environment that embraced challenge was appealing, so I applied—and was accepted.
What kind of work did you do at that company?
I supported the digital transformation of Japanese companies by proposing IT and AI solutions. With quarterly sales targets to hit, I conducted every stage of the sales process for dozens of clients—from relationship building to closing deals.
As I gained experience, the scale and number of clients I managed grew gradually, and I even had the chance to lead the launch of new projects.
To exceed my already ambitious sales targets, I had to pursue additional new deals in parallel with ongoing projects, which came with significant pressure. And with the company being so large, cross-departmental collaboration was often far from simple.
But precisely because it was difficult, achieving our targets as a team was immensely rewarding. I realized how exciting it can be to take on complex challenges.
The company also had a system where employees could devote 20% of their time to work outside their primary department. I spent that time working on initiatives to utilize satellite-derived data for environmental problem-solving, as well as new business development related to logistics traceability.
How did fusion energy first come onto your radar?
Because I had grown up hearing about climate change and resource depletion, I was always interested in clean energy. But the projects I worked on at my previous job—and the company’s own proactive stance on environmental issues—deepened my sense of urgency around climate challenges.
Globally, “climate tech” was gaining attention, tying directly into my existing interest in technology, which sparked an even stronger curiosity in environmental innovation.
Right around that time, I happened to read a newspaper article featuring Kyoto Fusioneering (KF)’s gyrotron system. I was immediately intrigued by the photo of an unfamiliar device described as a “giant microwave,” so I looked into it further. That’s when I learned that gyrotrons are highly specialized devices built with the best of Japanese manufacturing, originally designed for research institutions, and that KF was adapting them for industrial use and deploying them overseas.
As I grew increasingly interested in KF’s work, a university senior introduced me to Kiyoshi Seko, the COO of KF. Through that conversation, I learned about the potential of fusion energy and the projects KF was driving. It gave me a much clearer understanding of fusion, and I also learned that KF is a place where people consistently embraced new challenges with speed and conviction.
What led you to ultimately join KF?
Even after that conversation with Kiyoshi, I continued working at my IT company for another year and a half. But I kept following KF’s activities closely.
As I read updates on KF’s technological progress and profiles of the talented people working there, I began to feel that helping bring Japan’s world-class manufacturing capabilities to the global stage would be incredibly fulfilling. Gradually, I found myself imagining what it would be like to work at KF.
By the time I reached the point of thinking “I want to be at KF,” applying felt completely natural. Moving from a major corporation to a startup was a significant career shift, but my desire to take on new challenges outweighed any concerns.
What is your role at KF today?
I’m a part of the Business Development and Operations Division, focusing primarily on development of the Plant Technology business.
My work involves providing engineering solutions to customers—such as designs, equipment, and systems—leveraging KF’s products, expertise, and accumulated experience for fusion-related research institutions and startups around the world. For contracts, I work closely with our legal team, and when delivering products, I coordinate with our quality management team as well.
I’m also involved in technology development. KF works with partner companies to develop materials and equipment for fusion plants, so close communication with those partners is essential. I often play the role of bridge—connecting our engineers with our partner companies to ensure they can manufacture equipment that meets KF’s specifications. Rather than simply issuing requests, I collaborate alongside our engineers, which helps build strong relationships with partners—relationships that will ultimately form the backbone of a robust supply chain.
What do you find challenging—and rewarding—about your work?
Because I work with so many stakeholders—customers, partner companies, and colleagues across various teams—I’m constantly thinking about who needs what information, and when. Much of this can only be learned through practice, and the answer changes depending on the situation, so it can be challenging. But by iterating and refining my approach, I feel that I’m developing a better instinct for it.
Since joining KF, I’ve become highly conscious of stakeholder alignment. Now, whenever a new project arises, I can naturally map out a roadmap: what steps are needed and who needs to be involved. There is still much to learn, but when I’m able to move a complex, multi-stakeholder project forward smoothly, I feel a real sense of growth.
Another challenge is understanding KF’s technology so that I can explain it clearly to customers and partners.
For example, UNITY-1, an integrated demonstration platform that replicates the extreme high-temperature and high-magnetic-field environment of a fusion power plant, incorporates materials that can withstand temperatures of up to 1,000 °C, piping for liquid metals, and various systems essential for commercializing fusion energy.
We work closely with partner companies on their development, and I need to communicate internal engineering information to them in a clear and accurate way.
Naturally, that means I first need to deeply understand the technology myself. There are times when online searches or AI tools simply can’t give me the answers I need. But at KF, our engineers are incredibly accessible. When I ask questions, they don’t just provide the answer—they also explain what to highlight when communicating with partner companies. I’m genuinely grateful for that.
Seeing our engineers and partner-company members happily examining equipment once it finally takes shape always makes me happy as well.
Finally, what do you hope to achieve at KF?
I want to help lead KF’s growth from the business side.
At our recent company-wide event called “KF’s Annual Townhall”, the leadership team shared our mid-term business strategy. The goals are highly ambitious, but I truly believe we can achieve them. That’s why I want to grow personally, broaden my perspective, and contribute meaningfully to the company’s targets.
And when fusion energy becomes a reality someday, I want people to say: “Without KF, fusion energy might have been delayed by 10 or even 20 years.” That’s the level of impact I hope we can make.
