UNERI CEO Kawai Appointed as Yamanashi Prefecture's "New Business Challenge Advisor"
Masaki Kawai, CEO of UNERI Inc., which builds ecosystems for social problem-solving startups, has been appointed as a "New Business Challenge Advisor" for Yamanashi Prefecture, leveraging his expertise in impact investing and public-private ecosystem building to contribute to regional revitalization.
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- 📰 Published: May 12, 2026 at 19:00
- 🔍 Collected: May 12, 2026 at 10:31
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UNERI Inc. (Headquarters: Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture; Representative Director: Masaki Kawai; hereinafter "UNERI"), which builds ecosystems for social problem-solving startups, announces that its representative, Masaki Kawai, has been appointed as Yamanashi Prefecture's "New Business Challenge Advisor."
As an expert in startup support and impact investing, he will contribute to supporting startups and challengers within the prefecture in Yamanashi Prefecture's new business creation support initiatives.
■ Background of Appointment as "New Business Challenge Advisor"
Yamanashi Prefecture is currently focusing on creating new businesses in collaboration with diverse players from inside and outside the prefecture and supporting demonstration experiments, anticipating the opening of the Chuo Shinkansen Linear. As part of this, to incorporate advanced knowledge and networks that cannot be covered solely within the prefecture, experts active at the forefront of various fields are commissioned as "New Business Challenge Advisors."
This time, Kawai's achievements in "impact investing expertise" and "ecosystem building involving both public and private sectors" were recognized, leading to his selection as an advisor.
For details, please see the link below.
View details
■ Main Activities
As an advisor, he will support challengers in Yamanashi Prefecture through the following activities:
Strategic advice: Providing expert feedback on Yamanashi Prefecture's new business support policies.
On-site accompaniment: Mentoring and advising on business planning for companies selected for demonstration experiment support projects.
Network collaboration: Bridging local players with investors and entrepreneur communities outside the prefecture.
■ Comment from Masaki Kawai, Representative Director & CEO, UNERI Inc.
"I am deeply honored to be appointed as Yamanashi Prefecture's New Business Challenge Advisor. Our company's mission has been 'to realize a society where all entrepreneurs can walk their own path,' focusing especially on social problem-solving startups with high priority. Yamanashi Prefecture has abundant regional resources and many passionate players who seek to create new value by leveraging them. In particular, the provision of opportunities for demonstration experiments and social implementation through 'TRY!YAMANASHI!', the promotion of connections and co-creation among diverse players, and the nurturing of challengers addressing social issues through 'YAMANASHI Impact Challenge' are being advanced in an integrated manner, steadily creating an environment for new value creation driven by on-site initiatives. Furthermore, to support these challenges, the prefecture is developing multifaceted support, such as direct investment in startups (= 'Funding Support Program'), making it a municipality where new challenges are easy to realize. Moving forward, I and our company will leverage our trusted relationships and knowledge with domestic and international impact investors, and our know-how in public-private co-creation, to provide humble yet on-site-oriented advice and support so that businesses that pioneer a sustainable future can emerge from Yamanashi."
【UNERI Inc.】
UNERI Inc. was established in 2020 with the mission of "restoring the dignity of entrepreneurs and creating a society where all innovators can walk their own path." In particular, it develops human resource development, corporate/government collaboration, and investment businesses for social problem-solving startups. The investment business started in April 2025, and investments are made through the fund UNERI Capital.
Name: UNERI Inc.
Website: https://uneri.co.jp/capital, https://uneri.co.jp/
Representative: Masaki Kawai
■ Contact for inquiries regarding this matter
UNERI Inc. Public Relations
Email: info@uneri.co.jp
As an expert in startup support and impact investing, he will contribute to supporting startups and challengers within the prefecture in Yamanashi Prefecture's new business creation support initiatives.
■ Background of Appointment as "New Business Challenge Advisor"
Yamanashi Prefecture is currently focusing on creating new businesses in collaboration with diverse players from inside and outside the prefecture and supporting demonstration experiments, anticipating the opening of the Chuo Shinkansen Linear. As part of this, to incorporate advanced knowledge and networks that cannot be covered solely within the prefecture, experts active at the forefront of various fields are commissioned as "New Business Challenge Advisors."
This time, Kawai's achievements in "impact investing expertise" and "ecosystem building involving both public and private sectors" were recognized, leading to his selection as an advisor.
For details, please see the link below.
View details
■ Main Activities
As an advisor, he will support challengers in Yamanashi Prefecture through the following activities:
Strategic advice: Providing expert feedback on Yamanashi Prefecture's new business support policies.
On-site accompaniment: Mentoring and advising on business planning for companies selected for demonstration experiment support projects.
Network collaboration: Bridging local players with investors and entrepreneur communities outside the prefecture.
■ Comment from Masaki Kawai, Representative Director & CEO, UNERI Inc.
"I am deeply honored to be appointed as Yamanashi Prefecture's New Business Challenge Advisor. Our company's mission has been 'to realize a society where all entrepreneurs can walk their own path,' focusing especially on social problem-solving startups with high priority. Yamanashi Prefecture has abundant regional resources and many passionate players who seek to create new value by leveraging them. In particular, the provision of opportunities for demonstration experiments and social implementation through 'TRY!YAMANASHI!', the promotion of connections and co-creation among diverse players, and the nurturing of challengers addressing social issues through 'YAMANASHI Impact Challenge' are being advanced in an integrated manner, steadily creating an environment for new value creation driven by on-site initiatives. Furthermore, to support these challenges, the prefecture is developing multifaceted support, such as direct investment in startups (= 'Funding Support Program'), making it a municipality where new challenges are easy to realize. Moving forward, I and our company will leverage our trusted relationships and knowledge with domestic and international impact investors, and our know-how in public-private co-creation, to provide humble yet on-site-oriented advice and support so that businesses that pioneer a sustainable future can emerge from Yamanashi."
【UNERI Inc.】
UNERI Inc. was established in 2020 with the mission of "restoring the dignity of entrepreneurs and creating a society where all innovators can walk their own path." In particular, it develops human resource development, corporate/government collaboration, and investment businesses for social problem-solving startups. The investment business started in April 2025, and investments are made through the fund UNERI Capital.
Name: UNERI Inc.
Website: https://uneri.co.jp/capital, https://uneri.co.jp/
Representative: Masaki Kawai
■ Contact for inquiries regarding this matter
UNERI Inc. Public Relations
Email: info@uneri.co.jp