Toyota's Strategic Investment Subsidiary, Toyota Invention Partners, Appoints Michiko Kato as New Representative Director and CEO
Toyota Invention Partners (TIP) announced that Michiko Kato has been appointed as the new Representative Director and CEO, succeeding Kenta Kon, effective April 1st.
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- 📰 Published: April 1, 2026 at 19:00
Toyota Invention Partners (TIP), a strategic investment subsidiary of Toyota Motor Corporation, announces that Kenta Kon has stepped down as Representative Director and CEO, and Michiko Kato has been appointed as his successor, effective today, April 1st.
Kato, the newly appointed Representative Director and CEO, will lead TIP into its next phase of development by enhancing investment functions and expanding business collaborations.
[Biography of Michiko Kato]
In 2020, she joined TRI-AD, the predecessor of Woven by Toyota, and was deeply involved in the launch of Woven Capital, leading global strategic investments. Previously, she handled investments and M&A at Morgan Stanley, the International Finance Corporation, and Unison Capital, and also served as CFO of the startup ABEJA, where she managed strategy formulation and fundraising. She holds an MBA from Harvard Business School.
[Comment from Michiko Kato]
Under the group vision of 'Let's Invent the Next Path,' the 18 companies of the Toyota Group are returning to our origin of 'invention' and challenging ourselves to explore the future of 'Mobility for All.' I believe that by collaborating with external partners who possess cutting-edge technologies and business models, and Toyota, which holds a mobility platform, we can create new value that cannot be achieved alone.
Based on 'partnerships through investment,' TIP aims to promote long-term business collaborations with like-minded companies and act as a 'catalyst' to generate new collaborations and challenges within the group.
Furthermore, we will strengthen our cooperation with Toyota Ventures and Woven Capital, Toyota's corporate venture capital arms, to realize value creation through the diversification of investment stages and business domains in the next phase.
[About Toyota Invention Partners]
Established last October, this strategic investment firm aims to accelerate Toyota's transformation into a mobility company. By focusing on long-term business collaborations with domestic early-stage startups, inventors, and companies already in growth or mature stages, we promote cooperation between Toyota, the Toyota Group, affiliated companies, and external firms.
Kato, the newly appointed Representative Director and CEO, will lead TIP into its next phase of development by enhancing investment functions and expanding business collaborations.
[Biography of Michiko Kato]
In 2020, she joined TRI-AD, the predecessor of Woven by Toyota, and was deeply involved in the launch of Woven Capital, leading global strategic investments. Previously, she handled investments and M&A at Morgan Stanley, the International Finance Corporation, and Unison Capital, and also served as CFO of the startup ABEJA, where she managed strategy formulation and fundraising. She holds an MBA from Harvard Business School.
[Comment from Michiko Kato]
Under the group vision of 'Let's Invent the Next Path,' the 18 companies of the Toyota Group are returning to our origin of 'invention' and challenging ourselves to explore the future of 'Mobility for All.' I believe that by collaborating with external partners who possess cutting-edge technologies and business models, and Toyota, which holds a mobility platform, we can create new value that cannot be achieved alone.
Based on 'partnerships through investment,' TIP aims to promote long-term business collaborations with like-minded companies and act as a 'catalyst' to generate new collaborations and challenges within the group.
Furthermore, we will strengthen our cooperation with Toyota Ventures and Woven Capital, Toyota's corporate venture capital arms, to realize value creation through the diversification of investment stages and business domains in the next phase.
[About Toyota Invention Partners]
Established last October, this strategic investment firm aims to accelerate Toyota's transformation into a mobility company. By focusing on long-term business collaborations with domestic early-stage startups, inventors, and companies already in growth or mature stages, we promote cooperation between Toyota, the Toyota Group, affiliated companies, and external firms.
FAQ
What is TIP?
TIP is a strategic investment firm established to accelerate Toyota's transformation into a mobility company, focusing on long-term business partnerships with startups.
What is Michiko Kato's background?
She is an expert with experience in launching Woven Capital and holding investment and management roles at Morgan Stanley and ABEJA.
What is the purpose of this appointment?
The goal is to advance TIP's activities to the next phase by enhancing investment functions and expanding business collaborations.