Tell your viewers about how the club got started.
Our team is guided by a unique blend of visionary technologists, accomplished entrepreneurs, and cross-cultural leaders with deep roots in the global AI ecosystem:
Amil Khanzada, Founder:
A Computer Science graduate from UC Berkeley with a background in the Berkeley/Stanford MBA/AI program. Amil has over a decade of experience building and scaling software ventures, including a medical AI startup with 250 staff across 8 countries. His deep connections in Silicon Valley, Japan, and the Gulf, along with his role as a startup advisor at KAUST, bridge the worlds of technology, business, and international policy.
Soki Fukuda, Japan Strategy Advisor:
Founder of Organic AI and an alumnus of the prestigious Matsuo Institute at the University of Tokyo, where he conducted joint research. Currently pursuing advanced degrees in Engineering and Public Policy at UTokyo, Soki is at the forefront of Japan’s new wave of AI entrepreneurship. His company specializes in GenAI implementation (LLMOps, RAG), providing a direct and current link to Japan's top AI academic and startup ecosystems.
Chris Tar, Technical Advisor:
A product and innovation-focused engineering leader at Google DeepMind, specializing in fundamental neural language understanding, including LLMs and neural retrieval. With nearly two decades at Google and prior experience managing engineering teams in Tokyo for Bloomberg, Chris brings an expert blend of deep technical knowledge in AI and a practical understanding of Japan's work environment, making him an invaluable advisor for building world-class engineering teams.
Ilya Kulyatin, Strategic Advisor:
A Fintech and AI entrepreneur with deep work and academic experience across the US, Netherlands, Singapore, UK, and Japan, holding an MSc in Machine Learning from UCL. As a co-founder of multiple tech startups and a passionate Tokyo-based ecosystem builder, Ilya provides a crucial global perspective on scaling technology ventures and unlocking Japan's potential for commercial and international outreach.
Ankit Virmani, Cloud & GenAI Advisor:
A Senior Cloud Data Architect at Google and an advocate for ethical AI. With experience consulting for Fortune 500 companies at Deloitte and a Master's in Information Systems, Ankit specializes in Generative AI for healthcare and large-scale data engineering. His expertise is vital for designing the robust, secure, and scalable cloud infrastructure required to power MatchaSamurai’s development hubs.