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Chief Executive Officer
Ryota KANAI
Founder and CEO of Araya Inc. Graduated from Kyoto University (Faculty of Science) in 2000. Received a Ph.D. (Cum Laude) from Utrecht University in 2005 for his research on human visual processing. Previously worked as a researcher at Caltech and University College London.Held roles as JST PRESTO researcher and Associate Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Sussex. Founded Araya in 2013.
He researches the principles of consciousness in the brain and its implementation in AI by integrating neuroscience and information theory. Actively promotes the practical application of neuroscience and AI in industry. Honors include the MEXT Young Scientist Award, JEITA Venture Award (2020), and ET/IoT Technology Award (2019). Since 2020, he has served as a Project Manager in the Moonshot R&D Program by the Japanese Cabinet Office, advancing brain-machine interface technologies.
Chief Engineering Officer
Shigeki HASUI
Received a master’s degree in semiconductor engineering from Tokyo Institute of Technology.
Worked at a major precision equipment manufacturer, engaging in embedded systems, ASIC, and FPGA development.
Joined Araya in October 2018.
Leads client projects in deep learning and edge AI, including participation in NEDO’s project on advanced AI edge computing.
Appointed to current role in October 2020.
Chief Research Officer
Shuntaro SASAI
Ph.D. from the University of Tokyo Graduate School of Education in 2013 (early completion). Served as a researcher at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine, studying the neural mechanisms of consciousness. Collaborated with the founder of Integrated Information Theory to refine and validate the model. His work contributed to identifying neural correlates of consciousness. Joined Araya in November 2020 and assumed current position in October 2021. Leads foundational research and the development of neurotech products applying consciousness theory toward socially impactful Brain-Machine Interfaces.
Chief Financial Officer
Mika KATSUMATA
Founded a nail salon in 2009 and later established an apparel manufacturing and retail business in 2018. Joined Araya in December 2021. Worked in accounting and IPO preparation, strengthening internal operations. Appointed as Head of Administration in June 2023, and as CFO in July 2023.
Research Advisor
Shun-ichi AMARI
Mathematical neuroscientist. Professor Emeritus at the University of Tokyo and Honorary Researcher at RIKEN.
Recipient of the 2019 Order of Culture from the Japanese government. Pioneer of information geometry, with applications across statistics, signal processing, information theory, and machine learning. Also a leading figure in the mathematical theory of neural networks. Currently researching Integrated Information Theory and Wasserstein geometry.