The 2025 MIT Japan Conference will explore future research trends at MIT, highlighting breakthroughs in key areas such as Soft Materials and Mechanics, Biomedical Innovation, and the impact of Generative AI (GAI) on the Work of the Future. Additional sessions will focus on Quantum and Silicon Photonics, Nanotechnology in materials and additive manufacturing, and the latest Machine Learning and AI tools for chemical discovery. Advances in semiconductor technology, hydrogen innovation, and electrochemistry, as well as thermofluidic interfaces, will also be featured.
Attendees will have the opportunity to engage in in-depth discussions with MIT faculty speakers and MIT Startup Exchange companies during both lunch and an evening networking reception.
The MIT Startup Exchange Lightning Talks and Startup Exhibit listed below are part of the full agenda for 2025 MIT Japan Conference.
Co-Founder & CEO, Noya
Josh Santos is co-founder and CEO of Noya, an Oakland-based startup that is reversing climate change by removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Josh holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from MIT and has experience building B2B products and services from scratch, scaling technology as a Project Manager on the Tesla Model 3 program, and leading R&D teams as the first ever Program Manager for Harley Davidson’s electric vehicle division. In his free time, Josh enjoys reading and sailing in the San Francisco Bay.
Co-Founder & CEO, Helix Carbon
Evan Haas is CEO & Co-Founder of Helix Carbon, an industrial decarbonization company that turns CO2 into carbon-negative industrial chemicals. Prior to Helix, he was the Senior Fellow at E14 Fund, the MIT-affiliated venture fund that invests in deep technology startups, and a consultant at BCG where he focused on military aerospace and climate technology commercialization & policy with Breakthrough Energy and the Biden Administration.Evan holds a B.S. in Chemistry from Yale University and an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering and MBA from MIT.
Co-Founder & CEO, Infinite Cooling
Maher Damak is the Co-Founder and CEO of Infinite Cooling, a start-up disrupting the way power plants and industrial processes use water. Damak has a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from MIT where he developed a novel patented technology to efficiently capture water from fog and cooling tower plumes using electric fields. This technology is the basis of Infinite Cooling, which has won numerous awards including the MassChallenge Diamond Award and the US Department of Energy national competition. Before MIT, Damak graduated from École Polytechnique, France's top engineering school, with a concentration in mathematics, physics and mechanical engineering. Damak got several awards for his work including Forbes 30 Under 30 in Energy, a World Technology Award, the Lemelson-MIT student prize and the first prize at the Collegiate Inventors Competition.
Co-Founder and CEO, iCustomer
Abhi Yadav is a serial entrepreneur and AI innovator at the forefront of customer experience, identity, and AI. He is the Founder & CEO of iCustomer, a pioneering decision intelligence company, focused on GTM optimization to start with.
With a proven track record of building and successfully exiting enterprise AI software startups in Customer Data Platform (CDP) and consumer identity spaces, Abhi has transformed digital innovations for global leaders like GM, Nike, Google, Travellers, Amex and Cisco to name a few. His expertise spans Financial, consumer goods, and high-tech sectors.
Abhi co-founded the AI Innovators Community (AIC), a prestigious network of over 1,000 corporate, academic, and startup executives driving applied AI innovation. His actionable insights on overcoming AI adoption challenges and maximizing its marketing potential stem from extensive collaborations with Fortune 500 companies and cutting-edge AI startups.
An alumnus of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with both engineering and MBA degrees. His is on a mission for AI-driven, privacy-compliant personalization and decision science driven modern enterprise.
Co-Founder & COO, General Prognostics Inc.
Sean (Shunsuke) Matsuoka brings a wealth of experience in business development across diverse sectors, including notable companies like Mitsubishi Corporation, Takeda Pharmaceutical, and Fujifilm. His ability to foster collaborations, especially within pharmaceuticals andmedical devices, is highlighted by his track record of managing deals with industry leaders. With expertise in marketing, consulting, and business development, Sean is well-positioned to lead fundraising efforts and optimize operations post-seed round closure. Holding degrees from Keio University and Harvard Business School, he is a versatile leader poised to drive impactful growth and innovation.
Disclaimer: MIT Startup Exchange can make introductions that ideally provide open ended discussions in order to share mutual interests and potentially create common ground that incite the parties to collaborate. MIT Startup Exchange introductions may eventually lead to mutual partnerships, but that is not in any way guaranteed by MIT, MIT Corporate Relations, MIT Industrial Liaison Program (ILP) or MIT Startup Exchange, which takes no responsibility for these outcomes and no formal part in such discussions following our introduction. MIT Startup Exchange and its activities and events are not for purposes of soliciting investment or offering securities.