Senior Associate

About the Role

This position will be relocating to Tokyo, Japan

Alumni Ventures is seeking an Investment Professional to join the Japan-based investment team, with an initial focus on the Japan US Bridge Fund. The title and level will be aligned with the candidate’s experience.

This role focuses on sourcing and evaluating Seed-stage investment opportunities in Japanese and Asian startups, partnering closely with US-based investment professionals to conduct diligence and support final investment decisions, and contributing to the broader development of Alumni Ventures’ activities in Japan and the region.

Alumni Ventures operates with the energy and pace of a high-growth startup. The Japan office represents a startup within Alumni Ventures and is building the firm’s presence locally. This role will be part of growing Alumni Ventures Asia and shaping how the firm operates in the region. Success will require flexibility, comfort with ambiguity, substantial self-direction, and the ability to operate autonomously while remaining aligned with a global investment platform.

Critically, success in this role also demands fluency with modern AI tools. Alumni Ventures expects its investment professionals to actively leverage AI—for market research, deal screening, diligence analysis, and memo preparation—as a core part of how they work. The ability to harness AI to move faster, go deeper, and produce higher-quality work is not optional; it is a baseline expectation and a meaningful competitive advantage.

Over time, this role is expected to become part of a larger local investment team as Alumni Ventures expands its presence in Japan. Alumni Ventures is open to applicants globally who bring strong context, networks, and insight into the Japanese and broader Asian startup ecosystems.

Reporting & Collaboration

The substantial collaboration will be with US-based investment professionals across Alumni Ventures.

In Tokyo, this role will support the Regional Executive Managing Director for APAC, the Chairman of Alumni Ventures Japan, and the General Manager of Japan in advancing Alumni Ventures’ regional investment activities.

The position requires strong cross-cultural communication and the ability to operate effectively within a distributed, global investment platform.

What You’ll Do:

Deal Sourcing & Ecosystem Development

• Identify and source high-potential Seed-stage investment opportunities across Japan and select Asian markets.
• Build and maintain relationships with founders, angel investors, seed funds, incubators, accelerators, universities, institutional LPs, and other ecosystem participants across Japan and the region.
• Work closely with sourcing partners including universities, other venture capital firms, and LP networks to generate high-quality deal flow.
• Leverage AI-powered research and intelligence tools to identify emerging founders, track ecosystem signals, surface thematic trends, and enhance both the quality and speed of deal sourcing.
• Maintain a disciplined and organized investment pipeline.
• Represent Alumni Ventures at industry events, conferences, pitch competitions, and ecosystem gatherings across Japan and the region.
• Work with the local team to plan and execute Alumni Ventures sponsored events in Tokyo and regionally.
• Contribute to the continued development and visibility of Alumni Ventures’ presence in Japan and Asia.

Initial Screening & Investment Evaluation

• Conduct first-round screening of potential investments, including founder interviews, product review, market assessment, and competitive analysis.
• Evaluate team quality, traction, market size, business model, and technology differentiation.
• Utilize AI tools to accelerate market research, competitive landscape mapping, and preliminary company assessment, enabling faster and more thorough first-pass evaluation.
• Develop structured investment summaries and preliminary analysis for discussion with US-based investment professionals.

Diligence & Investment Process

• Work closely with US-based investment professionals to coordinate full diligence processes, including financial review, legal considerations, and market validation.
• Apply AI-assisted workflows to improve the efficiency and depth of diligence—including market sizing, comparable analysis, and investment memo drafting.
• Support preparation of investment memos and materials for internal review and investment decision-making.
• Assist in structuring and executing investment transactions in coordination with Alumni Ventures legal and back-office teams.

Portfolio Support, Follow-On Evaluation & Global Connectivity

• Maintain relationships with portfolio companies and support founders post-investment.
• Evaluate potential follow-on investments as Seed-stage portfolio companies mature and progress through subsequent financing rounds.
• Contribute to monitoring portfolio performance and tracking key metrics to inform follow-on decisions.
• Support Japanese and Asian founders in exploring options to access international capital and growth opportunities, including connections to US-based investors, partners, and market expansion resources.
• Develop and maintain market intelligence on the Japanese and Asian Seed-stage ecosystem, including sector trends, emerging themes, and competitive dynamics.

Who You Are

• 3–8+ years of experience in venture capital, investment banking, consulting, corporate strategy, or an early-stage startup environment.
• Knowledge of the Japanese startup ecosystem is preferred; familiarity with broader Asian startup markets is a plus.
• Experience in or exposure to the US venture capital ecosystem is preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree required; MBA or advanced degree preferred.
• Demonstrated analytical rigor and ability to evaluate early-stage business models and technologies.
• Strong communication skills in both Japanese and English, with the ability to collaborate effectively across geographies.
• High level of professionalism and judgment when representing Alumni Ventures externally.
• Entrepreneurial mindset and comfort operating independently in a fast-paced, evolving investment environment.
• Genuine fluency with AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity) and a demonstrated ability to integrate AI into daily workflows—including deal research, sourcing, screening, and memo preparation. This is not a “nice to have”: Alumni Ventures expects its professionals to use AI to work smarter, move faster, and deliver higher-quality output.

What Success Looks Like

• A consistently strong pipeline of high-quality Seed-stage opportunities across Japan and select Asian markets.
• Strong sourcing partnerships with universities, venture firms, institutional LPs, and ecosystem stakeholders that generate differentiated deal flow.
• Clear, rigorous first-level screening that enables efficient collaboration with US-based investment professionals.
• Thoughtful evaluation of follow-on opportunities as portfolio companies mature.
• A visible and respected presence for Alumni Ventures in the Japanese and broader Asian startup ecosystem, with founders viewing Alumni Ventures as a bridge to global capital and growth opportunities.
• Demonstrated leverage of AI tools to enhance personal productivity—producing faster, deeper research and higher-quality investment analysis than traditional workflows alone would permit.

Location & Work Authorization

• This role is based in Tokyo, Japan. Travel is expected within Japan and across Asia for ecosystem development and portfolio support. Periodic international travel, including to the United States, is expected for investment collaboration, portfolio engagement, and firm-wide meetings.
• Candidates must be authorized to work in Japan at the time of application and throughout employment. Alumni Ventures is not able to provide visa sponsorship for this position.
• Professional fluency in both Japanese and English is required.
• Deep knowledge of the Japanese startup ecosystem, including local networks and market dynamics, is essential for success in this role.

Our Culture & How We Work at AV
Regardless of title, this is what great looks like at AV.

• Put team and stakeholders first. We win together and measure success by the value we create for our investors, founders, and each other.
• Take extreme ownership and bias toward action. We act like owners, move with urgency, and follow through.
• Debate rigorously and commit fully. We welcome diverse views, use data and sound judgment, and once aligned, execute as one team.
• Focus on what matters most. We prioritize impact, simplify where possible, and channel energy where we have a real advantage.
• Be AI-forward and tech-optimistic. We actively use AI and emerging technologies to work smarter, make better decisions, and amplify human judgment — not replace it.
• Stay curious and think big. We are continuous learners, aim high and build for long-term impact.

Benefits & Perks
We offer a flexible, employee-first benefits program designed to support your health, financial well-being, and life outside of work.

Compensation

The anticipated annual base salary range for this position is ¥10–15 million ($61,200 - $91,800). This range represents the base salary Alumni Ventures reasonably and in good faith expects to pay for this position at the time of posting. Individual compensation will be determined based on factors such as experience, skills, qualifications, and other job-related factors. In addition to base salary, a corporate bonus, carry potential and a comprehensive benefits package, subject to the terms of the applicable plans and programs.