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The Next Marketplace Innovation
Talks about Startup, Marketplaces and online marketplace innovations
HM
Hiro Maeda
Managing Partner at BEENEXT PTE. LTD
Tokyo, Tokyo
Overview
Hiro Maeda is currently the Managing Partner at BEENEXT, where he oversees investments in a variety of successful startups. With a background in venture capital and entrepreneurship, he has made significant contributions to the growth and success of companies like Ivry, Micoworks, and Ascend through strategic investments and guidance.
Maeda's career highlights include managing partner roles at BEENEXT PTE. LTD and BEENOS Inc., where he led investments in various stages and sectors, including SaaS, demonstrating a strong track record in supporting diverse founders and fostering innovation in the startup ecosystem.
Work Experience
Managing Partner - ALL STAR SAAS FUND
2015 - Current
Managing Partner of ALL STAR SAAS FUND, a BEENEXT affiliate fund focused on investing in Japanese SaaS Startups. Founder & Managing Partner of BEENEXT, a venture capital firm focused on investing early stage technology startups in India, Southeast Asia, Japan, and USA.
Managing Partner | Executive Officer
2009 - 2015
Managing Partner of BEENOS, a startup studio and venture capital company (renamed from netprice.com, Ltd.) based in Tokyo, Japan. I focus on early stage investments in US and Japan. Notable investments are Instacart, Kamcord, Everlane, Fril, Qiita, and Anyperk.
Managing Partner
2010 - 2013
Open Network Lab is a seed stage investment program. The program is jointly operated by Digital Garage, Netprice.com, and Kakaku.com. The Onlab philosophy focuses on bringing products to market fit through data and design, and also to engage with members of the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Japan and in Silicon Valley. http://onlab.jp
Teaching Assistant for Introductory Java Programming Courses
2007 - 2008
• Provided assistance to students during lab sessions. • Graded projects and assignments.
Flash Programmer
2006 - 2007
• Developed two Flash programs that demonstrate Einstein’s theories in length contraction and time dilation. • Recreated and improved Dr. Edwin Taylor’s (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) relativistic collision program.
Network Engineering Intern
2007 - 2007
• Assisted the development of an online directory of faculty and students using PHP/MySQL technology. • Coded an AppleScript that retrieves local hardware information and stores it into a central database. • Installed Ubuntu Linux on a server machine and enabled it to host MySQL, courseForum, and Apache. • Reconfigured an off-site Red Hat Linux machine to run courseForum. • Migrated MySQL databases and PHP-based web pages from a local host to an off-site server. • Replaced malfunctioning computer hardware, such as motherboards, RAM, hard drives, and internal batteries.
Web and System Application Developer
2007 - 2007
• Created a data processing system that reduced CPU usage of the main server by over 50% and increased worker productivity. • Utilized Perl, HTML, and JavaScript to develop dynamic web interfaces that retrieve and display the server's CPU process. • Assembled Perl scripts that process and record tasks submitted through the web interface. • Programmed a Perl executable that synchronizes information between two servers. • Oversaw the software through all stages of production, including planning, design specification, testing, and maintenance. • Maintained close communication with the testers, server administrators, and software developers.
Education
BA
2005 - 2009