Munehiko Eto

Managing Director, DIAI India Private Limited

Since 2015, Eto has led India operation and conducted investments in Indian Startups and supported Japanese companies looking to expand into India.

DI as a whole, Eto has provided support in a wide variety of areas such as new business strategy, international business development strategy, corporate strategy and implementation support for clients in energy, healthcare, electronics, financial, chemical and so on.

Prior to DI, Eto worked for the Japan Bank for International Cooperation, dealing with energy projects in Asia and being in charge of sovereign, corporate and project risk analysis. At PWC, he delivered financial advisory in infrastructure and healthcare spaces. He has entrepreneurial experience as a founder of a health care startup.

Eto holds a bachelor’s degree from the Faculty of Economics, The Keio University. He is fluent in English and Japanese.

Shashank Rawat

Associate Manager, DIAI India Private Limited

Shashank comes with experience in Mass-mobility sector including Inter-city and intra-city bus business, First and Last Mile and E-Mobility Solutions. He was leading strategic projects in Chalo Mobility as part of CEO’s team for strategizing, liaising and execution of multi-million dollar projects across India.

Shashank has completed his B-Tech from IIT Roorkee along with MBA (Finance and Operations) in a 5 year dual degree course.

After graduation he started working for Hikari Tsushin in Tokyo, Japan; with responsibilities of growing company’s Joint Ventures, international market expansion, research, planning and improving supply chain efficiency.

Shashank can speak Hindi, English, Garhwali and Japanese.

Pawan Lakhwani

Principal, DIAI India Private Limited

At DI, Pawan supports DI’s Venture Capital business across various sectors. He brings along his expertise in originating and consummating investment transactions across various sectors such as consumer, healthcare, financial services, chemicals, media & entertainment and technology including new-age start-up ecosystem.

Before joining DI, Pawan worked with a Rainshine Entertainment (Mumbai) as a part of the Chairman's office leading their fundraising, corporate development & new business initiatives division. Prior to that, he held positions as an Investment Banking Professional at Edelweiss, Systematix Capital, and Elara Capital, successfully leading and executing transactions totalling $200 million+ spanning late-stage & early-stage companies.

Pawan holds MBA-Finance and Bachelors of Commerce from University of Mumbai.

Apurva Khirwal

At DI, Apurva supports the Venture Capital business across sectors. She brings rich deal origination, analysis and portfolio management experience across consumer, agriculture, education, financial services, healthcare & pharma and technology-enabled businesses.​

Before joining DI, Apurva was a part of Hero Enterprise Investment Office for their Venture Capital, Fund of Funds and private equity transactions. Apart from deal experience, she was also actively involved in portfolio management and exit processes for the fund. Prior to that, she worked with the Corporate Venture Capital arm of Times Group, a leading media conglomerate in India. She also did a summer internship program with Goldman Sachs’ investment banking team.

Apurva holds an MBA in Business Management from XLRI, Jamshedpur and Bachelors of Commerce (Hons) from St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata.

Kyohei Hosono

Executive officer, Dream Incubator Inc

Kyohei (Kay)　Hosono graduated from the Faculty of Letters of The University of Tokyo. He studied abroad at St. Petersburg State University in Russia, and holds a Masters of Public Administration from the University of Michigan in the United States.

Prior to joining DI, he worked for the Japan Bank for International Cooperation.

• Kyohei joined DI with the goal of “creating companies that are able to compete out in the world.”
  • He felt that DI was the only place where he could do battle from the dual fronts of consulting and venture investment.
• Promoting DI’s Global Business
  • While working in Vietnam, Kyohei worked as a strategic consultant, as well as managing a ¥5 billion investment fund.
  • He is highly knowledgeable about business in the various Asian countries.
  • He also experienced to lead the turnaround of a listed Vietnamese company in which DI had invested.
• Changing the world by “incubation”
  • Kyohei is currently in charge of investments across the whole of DI, and has expanded its global venture investments in Japan, the United States, and India.
  • He is leveraging investment to connect the cutting-edge technology of United States and Japan with the last frontier of India.

Hidetaka Murata

Executive officer, Dream Incubator Inc

Joining DI in 2002, Hidetaka has been working as a strategic consultant in the areas of finance, healthcare and cosmetic while supporting startup companies which he took many of them to public. After accelerating the launches of investment fund business in Asia and M&A advisory service, he took initiative in reestablishing DI’s incubation business and its investment portfolio which he is currently responsible of.

Prior to joining DI, he worked for the Bank of Tokyo (now MUFG Bank, Ltd), Tokyo-Mitsubishi Securities (now Mitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley Securities) and Morgan Stanley Securities (now Morgan Stanley MUFG Securities) where he built up his skills and experiences in project financing, M&A advisory and equity offering.

A graduate of the Faculty of Economics of The University of Tokyo, Hidetaka holds an MBA from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He is also a CFA Chartered Analyst and an Illinois State USCPA.

Hidetaka believes that success comes not only from strategy and persuasion but from respect and consideration.