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Sayama Ventures is now an official ambassador for SusHi Tech Tokyo Japan 2026 and co-organiser of The Ventures Japan - Global Startup Awards 2026.
The People Behind Sayama
The People Behind Sayama
A diverse team united by passion for community-driven innovation
Maki Ozer
Maki Ozer
CCO
Maki Özer is the Co-Founder and CCO of Sayama Ventures. She is a strategic ecosystem builder working at the intersection of startups, global innovation, and community development in Japan. Based in Tokyo, she currently supports early-stage startups, founders, and ecosystem partners by connecting local regions, Tokyo, and global markets.
Maki’s career spans sales, marketing, product development, and brand strategy across international and domestic environments. She began her professional journey in a multinational company as a sales professional, working closely with clients on the front lines of business. Through this experience, she developed a strong interest in upstream service and business design, which led her to transition into marketing. As a marketing consultant, she worked on business growth and problem-solving projects for clients while simultaneously launching a skincare brand from scratch as a new business initiative, overseeing the process from concept development to market launch.
To deepen her expertise in product creation, Maki later moved into product planning and development roles, managing manufacturing processes in collaboration with both domestic and overseas factories. She further expanded her scope by working in luxury and high-end branding, where she gained hands-on experience in premium brand strategy and product manufacturing management for affluent markets.
Today, Maki focuses on building practical, human-centered ecosystems that help startups move forward. She is actively involved in organizing pitch events, community-driven initiatives, and cross-border programs that create trusted access between founders, investors, corporates, and public-sector stakeholders. In parallel, she has begun rebuilding and activating the APU alumni network in Tokyo, aiming to create meaningful connections that extend beyond traditional networking.
Driven by a strong belief in circulation of people, ideas, and opportunities. Maki is committed to fostering ecosystems where local innovation can scale globally, and global perspectives can meaningfully contribute to Japan’s evolving startup landscape.
Lee Jean
Lee Jean
CEO
Lee Jean is the Co- Founder and CEO of Sayama Ventures, and an entrepreneur, educator, and ecosystem builder focused on helping founders in Japan build with confidence and global ambition.
After living and working across the U.S., Australia, Vietnam, and Japan, Lee observed a recurring challenge: talented founders often struggle not because their ideas lack potential, but because they lack the clarity, communication skills, support systems, and international perspective needed to execute at a higher level.
With Sayama Ventures, Lee is building a founder-first platform that bridges Japan’s startup ecosystem with the global stage. Through curated events, workshops, and community-driven initiatives such as Pitch & Connect and Co-Lab, he creates environments where founders can sharpen their thinking, improve their storytelling, and connect with peers, mentors, and collaborators who help them move forward.
Before launching Sayama Ventures, Lee spent years coaching business communication and pitch delivery, supporting founders, professionals, and teams to communicate with clarity, confidence, and conviction. This background continues to shape Sayama’s practical, execution-focused approach.
Lee believes Japan is entering a pivotal moment for entrepreneurship—and that with the right mindset, guidance, and community, the next generation of globally relevant companies can be built here.
Victor Chow
Victor Chow
CFO/CIO/COO
Victor Chow is the Co-Founder and CFIO of Sayama Ventures. who conceptualised and founded Sayama Ventures after 30 years navigating the worlds of entrepreneurship, investment banking, and business operations across Asia Pacific, Europe and the Silicon Valley USA. His journey began scaling IT and telecom operations, where he learned the discipline of building companies that endure rather than merely grow fast. Those early corporate roles taught him what separates sustainable enterprises from fleeting experiments, a lesson that would shape his approach to venture building.
In investment banking, Victor honed his ability to structure complex deals and guide founders through capital markets. As Founding & Managing Partner of an asian based family office and a venture capital fund, he deployed capital across A.I., FinTech, DeepTech, MedTech, and blockchain companies achieving multiple exits. Later, as Venture Partner at Fatfish Group (ASX:FFG) and CXO roles at various companies, he co-led cross-border project deployments, country operations and investments. These experiences gave him a rare operator’s perspective on what makes founders succeed.
Yet Victor’s greatest satisfaction comes not from personal wins, but from mentoring young entrepreneurs through their toughest early stages. He has coached dozens of first-time founders, helping transform whiteboard ideas into investor-ready businesses. His passion shines through Sayama Ventures’ hands-on programs, where he will personally leads some workshops with his team.
Sayama Ventures embodies Victor’s vision: blending Silicon Valley rigor with Japanese wisdom to solve real ecosystem gaps. From SEED’s idea validation to LEGACY Succession’s matchmaking for retiring SME owners, the programs address Japan’s $10T succession crisis while surfacing global-ready startups. Today, he mentors startup founders / business owners and curates investor dinners, ensuring founders never build alone.
As CXO in Sayama Ventures and his portfolio companies, he balances hands-on coaching with strategic ecosystem building. From investment banking boardrooms to Sayama Ventures' nature inspired retreats, Victor remains committed to one goal equipping Japan’s next generation with tools for sustainable success.
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