Noriya Tarutani is the Deputy Director General at the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) Innovation Department, where he supervises and oversees the JETRO startup program. With over 20 years of experience in startups and international business, Noriya has played a pivotal role in assisting more than 500 Japanese companies in expanding their operations globally.

At JETRO, Noriya spearheads the startup program, leveraging his diverse expertise in AI, deep tech, enterprise software, SaaS, environment, and manufacturing. His primary goal is to support Japanese startups by connecting them with mentors, investors, and corporates.

During his five years in San Francisco and Silicon Valley, he collaborated with top-tier accelerators and VCs such as Techstars and Berkeley SkyDeck to establish and operate acceleration programs aimed at validating PMF, supporting fundraising, and discovering partners. He also actively promoted J-Startup internationally, establishing J-Startup and Japan pavilions at events like Disrupt SF and CES.

After returning to Japan, he has played a role in connecting global accelerators, VCs, CVCs, and large corporations to the Japanese ecosystem, aiming to acquire funding, knowledge, and networks by utilizing overseas mentors and investors. He has also led the establishment of Techstars Tokyo and Alchemist Japan. Since April 2023, he has been overseeing JETRO's startup program in his current position.