Smartround Appoints Naoki Nakao as Executive Officer VP of Revenue, Advancing Towards Next-Generation "AI+Platform"
Smartround has appointed Naoki Nakao as Executive Officer VP of Revenue, aiming to evolve into a next-generation "AI+Platform." Nakao will oversee marketing to BPO/BPaaS, unifying the revenue divisions for both startups and investors.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 1, 2026 at 19:00
- 🔍 Collected: May 1, 2026 at 10:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 1, 2026 at 23:07 (12h 36m after Collected)
Smartround, Inc. (Headquarters: Tokyo / Representative Director CEO: Dai Sunagawa), which provides "smartround," a platform for streamlining operations for startups and investors, announced that Naoki Nakao will assume the position of Executive Officer VP of Revenue, effective May 1, 2026.
Nakao will consistently oversee marketing, sales, and customer success, in addition to the BPO/BPaaS domain, unifying the revenue division that serves both startups and investors.
■ Background of Appointment: Transition from SaaS+Platform to "AI+Platform"
Our company is currently in a period of transformation from a traditional SaaS provision model to an "AI+Platform" company with Vertical AI at its core.
While general-purpose AI is becoming widespread, a "trust gap" still exists in the highly reliable fields of finance and unlisted stocks, where Vertical AI (industry-specific AI) needs to complete all processes.
During this transition period, our company will not merely provide tools but will actively expand BPO/BPaaS to contextualize the "tacit knowledge" dormant in the field, organizing the value that guarantees the "results" and "peace of mind" that customers seek.
Looking ahead, we foresee the possibility of "customers becoming AI (Agents)," necessitating a dramatic transition of our revenue structure that is consistent with our current business model.
Therefore, we determined that a leader capable of managing the entire process from marketing to CS, and even the practical BPO/BPaaS, without fragmentation, and overseeing both sides of the platform—startups and investors—is indispensable. Thus, we appointed Nakao as VP of Revenue.
■ Naoki Nakao's Biography
After graduating, he joined Mizuho Bank and worked at various domestic branches. He joined Smartround in July 2024. He was responsible for investor customer success, leading the introduction support, utilization establishment, and aggregation of product feedback for investor users, primarily VCs and CVCs. As the leader of the investor team, he drove the revenue foundation on the investor side. In May 2026, he was appointed Executive Officer VP of Revenue (current position).
■ Comment from Representative Director CEO Dai Sunagawa
Smartround is now transforming from a "software selling company" to an "AI platform that delivers trust and results."
In this major transition period, the head of revenue is required to possess not only "the ability to sell" but also "the weight of trust" cultivated during his time as a banker and "a deep understanding of practical operations" honed through investor CS. Mr. Nakao understands the complex context flowing between startups and investors more deeply than anyone else.
I am confident that by comprehensively overseeing everything from marketing to BPO/BPaaS, he will build a next-generation business model where customers can enjoy the new value of the AI era with the utmost peace of mind.
Dai Sunagawa, Representative Director CEO
■ Comment from Executive Officer VP of Revenue Naoki Nakao
To resolve all inefficiencies that exist in the growth process of startups, merely providing tools is insufficient. What customers truly seek are "convincing results" and "accountability" beyond process efficiency.
As VP of Revenue, I will redesign all customer touchpoints, including BPO/BPaaS, as a single "cycle of revenue and value," going beyond existing frameworks such as sales and CS. The transition from SaaS to an AI platform is a challenging endeavor, but I will support both startups and investors from a revenue perspective, enabling them to maximize the benefits of AI and focus on their core challenges.
Naoki Nakao, Executive Officer VP of Revenue
■ About "smartround"
smartround is a data creation and sharing platform for streamlining interactions between startups and investors. It is currently used by over 7,500 startups and more than 6,500 investors/companies.
▶︎smartround service website: https://jp.smartround.com
▶︎User voices: https://jp.smartround.com/voc
■ About Smartround, Inc.
"Creating a world where startups can unleash their maximum potential"
Company Name: Smartround, Inc.
Location: Marunouchi 1-6-5, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Nakao will consistently oversee marketing, sales, and customer success, in addition to the BPO/BPaaS domain, unifying the revenue division that serves both startups and investors.
■ Background of Appointment: Transition from SaaS+Platform to "AI+Platform"
Our company is currently in a period of transformation from a traditional SaaS provision model to an "AI+Platform" company with Vertical AI at its core.
While general-purpose AI is becoming widespread, a "trust gap" still exists in the highly reliable fields of finance and unlisted stocks, where Vertical AI (industry-specific AI) needs to complete all processes.
During this transition period, our company will not merely provide tools but will actively expand BPO/BPaaS to contextualize the "tacit knowledge" dormant in the field, organizing the value that guarantees the "results" and "peace of mind" that customers seek.
Looking ahead, we foresee the possibility of "customers becoming AI (Agents)," necessitating a dramatic transition of our revenue structure that is consistent with our current business model.
Therefore, we determined that a leader capable of managing the entire process from marketing to CS, and even the practical BPO/BPaaS, without fragmentation, and overseeing both sides of the platform—startups and investors—is indispensable. Thus, we appointed Nakao as VP of Revenue.
■ Naoki Nakao's Biography
After graduating, he joined Mizuho Bank and worked at various domestic branches. He joined Smartround in July 2024. He was responsible for investor customer success, leading the introduction support, utilization establishment, and aggregation of product feedback for investor users, primarily VCs and CVCs. As the leader of the investor team, he drove the revenue foundation on the investor side. In May 2026, he was appointed Executive Officer VP of Revenue (current position).
■ Comment from Representative Director CEO Dai Sunagawa
Smartround is now transforming from a "software selling company" to an "AI platform that delivers trust and results."
In this major transition period, the head of revenue is required to possess not only "the ability to sell" but also "the weight of trust" cultivated during his time as a banker and "a deep understanding of practical operations" honed through investor CS. Mr. Nakao understands the complex context flowing between startups and investors more deeply than anyone else.
I am confident that by comprehensively overseeing everything from marketing to BPO/BPaaS, he will build a next-generation business model where customers can enjoy the new value of the AI era with the utmost peace of mind.
Dai Sunagawa, Representative Director CEO
■ Comment from Executive Officer VP of Revenue Naoki Nakao
To resolve all inefficiencies that exist in the growth process of startups, merely providing tools is insufficient. What customers truly seek are "convincing results" and "accountability" beyond process efficiency.
As VP of Revenue, I will redesign all customer touchpoints, including BPO/BPaaS, as a single "cycle of revenue and value," going beyond existing frameworks such as sales and CS. The transition from SaaS to an AI platform is a challenging endeavor, but I will support both startups and investors from a revenue perspective, enabling them to maximize the benefits of AI and focus on their core challenges.
Naoki Nakao, Executive Officer VP of Revenue
■ About "smartround"
smartround is a data creation and sharing platform for streamlining interactions between startups and investors. It is currently used by over 7,500 startups and more than 6,500 investors/companies.
▶︎smartround service website: https://jp.smartround.com
▶︎User voices: https://jp.smartround.com/voc
■ About Smartround, Inc.
"Creating a world where startups can unleash their maximum potential"
Company Name: Smartround, Inc.
Location: Marunouchi 1-6-5, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo