What is Honda Xcelerator Ventures?
Honda Xcelerator Ventures is the global Honda program for open innovation and corporate venturing, across North America, Europe, Israel, Japan and Southeast Asia. It is designed for innovators across all stages seeking to transform technology and business. Honda created this program to engage innovators in the global startup community in an open dialogue to build the carbon-neutral future of mobility. Its focus areas are intentionally broad, supporting the Honda goal to realize carbon neutrality and zero fatalities involving Honda vehicles by 2050, with capabilities that include support for direct investment, strategic partnership, co-development and prototyping.
What we offer
Partnership
We offer the opportunity for startups to connect with the right people and resources within Honda. We welcome all likeminded forward-thinkers to work with Honda to accelerate innovation.
Investment
Strategic investment opportunities start here. Honda is ready to invest in promising startups. We are the open door for innovators with unique and differentiated ideas to make the world a better place, together.
Our Focus Areas
Carbon Neutrality
Electrification
New Fuels
Resource Circulation
Mobility
Air
Sea
Space
Robotics
Telepresence
Automation
A.I.
Manufacturing
Quality
Optimization
Safety
Who We Are
At Honda Xcelerator Ventures, I lead Honda Innovations Silicon Valley Inc., the startup-sourcing arm for North America. I began my career in human resources, gaining expertise in organizational development and talent management at Honda’s North American headquarters in Ohio. Following this experience, I transitioned to the corporate planning department, where I was responsible for branding and corporate strategy planning. In my current role, I see my mission as bridging Honda’s business strategy with cutting-edge startup technologies, fostering synergies through open innovation.
Atsushi (Ash) Tsukigata
Before joining Honda, I spent over 7 years as an investment banker in New York and Silicon Valley, specializing in the middle market and covering the TMT (Technology, Media, and Telecommunications) sectors. During this time, I was involved in several transactions, including a $500 million fundraise for an electric vehicle company and the acquisition of Global Sources (NASDAQ: GSOL) by Blackstone. I was also a co-founder of Meixin Finance, a cross-border online investment platform aimed at democratizing access to primary and private market opportunities. In 2019, I joined Honda Innovations as a Senior Corporate Strategist, where I lead financial due diligence and valuation efforts for investment opportunities. I hold a Master of Arts in Applied Economics from the University of Michigan and a Bachelor of Arts in Finance from Peking University. I am also a CFA charterholder.
Mio Harimoto
I am responsible for sourcing startups, conducting due diligence, and connecting with founders/investors at Honda Xcelerator Ventures.
Prior to joining Honda, I was an analyst at Tech Square Ventures and director at gener8tor focused on future mobility and smart manufacturing.
My previous experience in the innovation ecosystem has helped me to better serve startups in multiple verticals including mobility, manufacturing, robotics, and sustainability.
I am a proud double badger from Madison, Wisconsin with a Master of Science degree in Supply Chain Management and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics.
Hyundo Kwon
Before joining the Honda Xcelerator Ventures team, I was co-founder and chief operating officer of LearningPal, a computer vision startup which was acquired by Ripcord in April 2022. Prior to that, I was the Director of Strategic Partnership of MoBagel, an AutoML startup backed by 500 Global and other top VCs, where I was responsible for global business development and fundraising in U.S., Europe and Japan. I enjoy being deeply embedded in the innovation ecosystem and contribute time to early-stage investment entities, including Oxford Angel Fund and Taiwan Global Angels and mentor at different accelerators including Techstars and Alchemist. I have a Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering degree from Oxford and two years of doctoral study at UC Berkeley-UCSF.
Austin Hwang
I strive to find ways to bring strategic investment and partnership opportunities systematically and creatively to Honda. I had previously worked on projects related to autonomous and assisted driving, and robotics. I am excited about the industry transition to a cleaner and safer future. Prior to joining Honda, I led the business and technologies development of joint solutions with startups in the areas of IoT, security, and networking for Cisco. M&A and investment were also part of my Cisco career. I began my career as an engineer and an architect who developed hardware boards and solutions. I enjoy working with the talented professionals at Honda and the dynamic and impactful nature of the job.
Raymond Zheng
I love investigating all types of new and unique technologies. With over 20 years of diverse automotive experience in the areas of wireless communications, vehicle automation, active safety, infotainment, and HMI, I have seen almost everything! I have witnessed the car evolve from the cassette player with cruise control to Android Auto with automated driving and everything in between! I hold a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from Michigan State University.
Eric Blumbergs
I am in charge of sourcing the most innovative and unique European startups serving Honda strategy and development. Born in Paris and based in Berlin, I have a technical background in aerospace engineering, a strong interest for entrepreneurship and its learnings. I’m particularly passionate about climate startups with deep tech approaches in the field of sustainable material sourcing, carbon capture, green manufacturing among other topics.
Aurianne Legris
As the program lead for Europe and Africa, I help the team building connections with the most outstanding startups for Honda Xcelerator Ventures in the region.
Born in Paris and based in Berlin, I have a founder and innovation consulting background and I have built a deep knowledge of the startup ecosystem. I’m particularly passionate about deep tech startups in the fields of energy transition, decarbonization, robotics, and AI.
I believe that entrepreneurs can change the World and I am happy to support visionary founders as part of my everyday job.
Julien Fredonie
As the leader of Honda Xcelerator Ventures activity in Israel I connect Israeli startups with our corporate and aim to facilitate technological collaborations between Honda’s experts and Israeli technologies.
Prior to joining Honda Innovations, I served as a technology scout for an automotive tier 1 focusing on the Israeli innovation ecosystem and held past innovation sourcing positions in the renewable energy, agriculture, and chemical spaces. I hold an MBA in entrepreneurship and innovation from Ben-Gurion University. I like Honda’s technological openness – our Honda Xcelerator Ventures program is aiming for diversified, corporate-wide impact leveraging its global outreach – a truly unique open innovation approach in a traditional automotive industry.
Ben Reuveni
At Honda Xcelerator Ventures, I lead the global Alliance Development team, responsible for sourcing startups and managing strategic partnerships worldwide.
Before joining Honda, I spent 10 years at KPMG FAS in Tokyo, specializing in strategy consulting with a focus on M&A strategy, commercial due diligence, and innovation management.
I led numerous projects related to the design and implementation of corporate venture capital (CVC) programs and advised major Japanese companies on open innovation strategies.
I also worked at KPMG Israel for three years, supporting the Tel Aviv office across audit, tax, and advisory services, while contributing to Japanese corporate clients’ technology scouting and investment activities.
My publications include Jisso CVC and contributions to NIKKEI Tech Foresight on Israel’s technology landscape.
I hold a B.A. in Political Science and Economics from Waseda University and an M.A. in Political Science from the University of Chicago, where I also pursued Ph.D. studies in international politics, applied game theory, and statistical modeling.
Kazuhide “Kaz” Kimura
As my duties at Honda Xcelerator Ventures, I focus on discovering emerging startups in Asia and Oceania and fostering connections within founders and Honda for strategic collaboration. Prior to joining here, I was involved in strategic alliance development at SoftBank, including due diligence for startup investments, management accouonting, and consideration of deal structures. Before that, I worked at a governmental financial institution, where I was responsible for LP investments in PE and VC across Europe, Asia, and the United States. My enthusiasm lies in cutting-edge technology ventures, particularly those focusing on decarbonization, resource circulation, among others and I’m happy to accelerate Honda’s open innovation initiatives onto the global stage.
Yuri Asahina
I joined Honda R&D as an electrical engineer and was responsible for research and development in the power products area, including the robotic lawnmower Miimo, as well as strategic planning in the planning office for over 10 years. After completing an MBA in graduate school, I launched the open innovation program “Honda Xcelerator Japan” in 2018 as a member of Honda Innovations to accelerate collaboration with Japanese tech startups.
In 2020, we created the “IGNITION” program to launch spin-off startups from within Honda. The first statup is Ashirase Inc, which provides a walking navigation system for the visually impaired using foot vibration. The second company Striemo Inc, provides three-wheeled micromobility with innovative balance-assist technology. I’ve supported launch, fundraising and value-up with VCs to incubate their business.
In 2023, I returned to this team again. Also we have transformed as Honda Xcelerator Ventures with not only collaboration but also investment activity from Honda headquarters in Tokyo.
Satoshi “Phoenix” Haneda
I work as a liaison between startups and Honda in Japan and the Southeast Asia region. As part of the Honda Xcelerator Ventures program, I scout for future technologies and business models which, and develop partnerships for co-creation and collaboration.
I began my career as an engineer developing mass production power products and performing research and development of new areas such as energy, fuel cell and battery products. I continued in that pursuit for over 10 years.
In addition to my role in Xcelerator, I also belong to the Honda Motor corporate planning department where I engage in business strategy and development. I’m involved in the Honda new business spin-out program called IGNITION. Honda employees’ dreams and ideas that actively create new value for customers are brought to life through this program. Through this combination of roles, I’m able to strongly promote collaboration.
Akihito Yuzuriha
USA
At Honda Xcelerator Ventures, I lead Honda Innovations Silicon Valley Inc., the startup-sourcing arm for North America. I began my career in human resources, gaining expertise in organizational development and talent management at Honda’s North American headquarters in Ohio. Following this experience, I transitioned to the corporate planning department, where I was responsible for branding and corporate strategy planning. In my current role, I see my mission as bridging Honda’s business strategy with cutting-edge startup technologies, fostering synergies through open innovation.
Atsushi (Ash) Tsukigata
Before joining Honda, I spent over 7 years as an investment banker in New York and Silicon Valley, specializing in the middle market and covering the TMT (Technology, Media, and Telecommunications) sectors. During this time, I was involved in several transactions, including a $500 million fundraise for an electric vehicle company and the acquisition of Global Sources (NASDAQ: GSOL) by Blackstone. I was also a co-founder of Meixin Finance, a cross-border online investment platform aimed at democratizing access to primary and private market opportunities. In 2019, I joined Honda Innovations as a Senior Corporate Strategist, where I lead financial due diligence and valuation efforts for investment opportunities. I hold a Master of Arts in Applied Economics from the University of Michigan and a Bachelor of Arts in Finance from Peking University. I am also a CFA charterholder.
Mio Harimoto
I am responsible for sourcing startups, conducting due diligence, and connecting with founders/investors at Honda Xcelerator Ventures.
Prior to joining Honda, I was an analyst at Tech Square Ventures and director at gener8tor focused on future mobility and smart manufacturing.
My previous experience in the innovation ecosystem has helped me to better serve startups in multiple verticals including mobility, manufacturing, robotics, and sustainability.
I am a proud double badger from Madison, Wisconsin with a Master of Science degree in Supply Chain Management and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics.
Hyundo Kwon
Before joining the Honda Xcelerator Ventures team, I was co-founder and chief operating officer of LearningPal, a computer vision startup which was acquired by Ripcord in April 2022. Prior to that, I was the Director of Strategic Partnership of MoBagel, an AutoML startup backed by 500 Global and other top VCs, where I was responsible for global business development and fundraising in U.S., Europe and Japan. I enjoy being deeply embedded in the innovation ecosystem and contribute time to early-stage investment entities, including Oxford Angel Fund and Taiwan Global Angels and mentor at different accelerators including Techstars and Alchemist. I have a Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering degree from Oxford and two years of doctoral study at UC Berkeley-UCSF.
Austin Hwang
I strive to find ways to bring strategic investment and partnership opportunities systematically and creatively to Honda. I had previously worked on projects related to autonomous and assisted driving, and robotics. I am excited about the industry transition to a cleaner and safer future. Prior to joining Honda, I led the business and technologies development of joint solutions with startups in the areas of IoT, security, and networking for Cisco. M&A and investment were also part of my Cisco career. I began my career as an engineer and an architect who developed hardware boards and solutions. I enjoy working with the talented professionals at Honda and the dynamic and impactful nature of the job.
Raymond Zheng
I love investigating all types of new and unique technologies. With over 20 years of diverse automotive experience in the areas of wireless communications, vehicle automation, active safety, infotainment, and HMI, I have seen almost everything! I have witnessed the car evolve from the cassette player with cruise control to Android Auto with automated driving and everything in between! I hold a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from Michigan State University.
Eric Blumbergs
Europe
I am in charge of sourcing the most innovative and unique European startups serving Honda strategy and development. Born in Paris and based in Berlin, I have a technical background in aerospace engineering, a strong interest for entrepreneurship and its learnings. I’m particularly passionate about climate startups with deep tech approaches in the field of sustainable material sourcing, carbon capture, green manufacturing among other topics.
Aurianne Legris
As the program lead for Europe and Africa, I help the team building connections with the most outstanding startups for Honda Xcelerator Ventures in the region.
Born in Paris and based in Berlin, I have a founder and innovation consulting background and I have built a deep knowledge of the startup ecosystem. I’m particularly passionate about deep tech startups in the fields of energy transition, decarbonization, robotics, and AI.
I believe that entrepreneurs can change the World and I am happy to support visionary founders as part of my everyday job.
Julien Fredonie
Israel
As the leader of Honda Xcelerator Ventures activity in Israel I connect Israeli startups with our corporate and aim to facilitate technological collaborations between Honda’s experts and Israeli technologies.
Prior to joining Honda Innovations, I served as a technology scout for an automotive tier 1 focusing on the Israeli innovation ecosystem and held past innovation sourcing positions in the renewable energy, agriculture, and chemical spaces. I hold an MBA in entrepreneurship and innovation from Ben-Gurion University. I like Honda’s technological openness – our Honda Xcelerator Ventures program is aiming for diversified, corporate-wide impact leveraging its global outreach – a truly unique open innovation approach in a traditional automotive industry.
Ben Reuveni
Asia and Oceania
At Honda Xcelerator Ventures, I lead the global Alliance Development team, responsible for sourcing startups and managing strategic partnerships worldwide.
Before joining Honda, I spent 10 years at KPMG FAS in Tokyo, specializing in strategy consulting with a focus on M&A strategy, commercial due diligence, and innovation management.
I led numerous projects related to the design and implementation of corporate venture capital (CVC) programs and advised major Japanese companies on open innovation strategies.
I also worked at KPMG Israel for three years, supporting the Tel Aviv office across audit, tax, and advisory services, while contributing to Japanese corporate clients’ technology scouting and investment activities.
My publications include Jisso CVC and contributions to NIKKEI Tech Foresight on Israel’s technology landscape.
I hold a B.A. in Political Science and Economics from Waseda University and an M.A. in Political Science from the University of Chicago, where I also pursued Ph.D. studies in international politics, applied game theory, and statistical modeling.
Kazuhide “Kaz” Kimura
As my duties at Honda Xcelerator Ventures, I focus on discovering emerging startups in Asia and Oceania and fostering connections within founders and Honda for strategic collaboration. Prior to joining here, I was involved in strategic alliance development at SoftBank, including due diligence for startup investments, management accouonting, and consideration of deal structures. Before that, I worked at a governmental financial institution, where I was responsible for LP investments in PE and VC across Europe, Asia, and the United States. My enthusiasm lies in cutting-edge technology ventures, particularly those focusing on decarbonization, resource circulation, among others and I’m happy to accelerate Honda’s open innovation initiatives onto the global stage.
Yuri Asahina
I joined Honda R&D as an electrical engineer and was responsible for research and development in the power products area, including the robotic lawnmower Miimo, as well as strategic planning in the planning office for over 10 years. After completing an MBA in graduate school, I launched the open innovation program “Honda Xcelerator Japan” in 2018 as a member of Honda Innovations to accelerate collaboration with Japanese tech startups.
In 2020, we created the “IGNITION” program to launch spin-off startups from within Honda. The first statup is Ashirase Inc, which provides a walking navigation system for the visually impaired using foot vibration. The second company Striemo Inc, provides three-wheeled micromobility with innovative balance-assist technology. I’ve supported launch, fundraising and value-up with VCs to incubate their business.
In 2023, I returned to this team again. Also we have transformed as Honda Xcelerator Ventures with not only collaboration but also investment activity from Honda headquarters in Tokyo.
Satoshi “Phoenix” Haneda
I work as a liaison between startups and Honda in Japan and the Southeast Asia region. As part of the Honda Xcelerator Ventures program, I scout for future technologies and business models which, and develop partnerships for co-creation and collaboration.
I began my career as an engineer developing mass production power products and performing research and development of new areas such as energy, fuel cell and battery products. I continued in that pursuit for over 10 years.
In addition to my role in Xcelerator, I also belong to the Honda Motor corporate planning department where I engage in business strategy and development. I’m involved in the Honda new business spin-out program called IGNITION. Honda employees’ dreams and ideas that actively create new value for customers are brought to life through this program. Through this combination of roles, I’m able to strongly promote collaboration.
Akihito Yuzuriha
News & Events
HONDA INNOVATIONS
Located in Japan, Silicon Valley and operating globally, Honda Innovations drives corporate transformation within all areas of Honda. Its strategic investment and open innovation program, Honda Xcelerator Ventures, is a catalyst to accelerate new businesses by backing innovative startups. From direct investments and co-development to strategic partnerships, Honda Innovations is focused on building a better world by supporting the Honda goal to realize carbon neutrality and zero fatalities involving Honda vehicles by 2050.