Kazuo Wakamiya

Kazuo Wakamiya began his career as an architect and later became an art researcher at the University of Tokyo. In 2006, inspired by the potential of mobile internet, he transitioned into the IT industry, where he launched several new businesses at NTT Docomo and DeNA. In 2017, Wakamiya founded uni'que, a startup to create women-centric, women-led businesses. The company grew under a new model where all employees belong to multiple organizations, gaining recognition as one of the "Amazing Ventures 100" by Toyo Keizai Magazine and being selected by the Bandai Namco Accelerator. He also launched the female-focused incubation program ‘Your,’ which nurtures women entrepreneurs and earned the Innovation Award at the Work Story Awards.

In April 2023, Wakamiya founded Metaverse Creators, a metaverse startup focused on developing global creators, which has produced several globally successful content pieces. Leveraging his extensive experience in corporate new business development, he serves as an external advisor for numerous companies, including Shiseido. In addition, Wakamiya is a key opinion leader for Nikkei COMEMO and a personality on Voicy, where he shares insights beyond business, including art and education. As a leading figure in art thinking, he has authored books such as How to Art Thinking and The Art Thinking Workbook, and actively promotes the integration of art into society through lectures and workshops. He is frequently interviewed on diversity and community-related topics and serves as a visiting professor at Fukuoka Women’s University and a visiting associate professor at Nagano Prefectural University.