We want to thank our investor advisory founding committee

Porter Wong is a Silicon Valley entrepreneur, investor, and climate technology leader with extensive experience building, scaling, and supporting technology companies. He is the Founder and Executive Director of CleanLeap, a climate-focused innovation and acceleration platform connecting startups with investors, corporations, mentors, and international partners. He also leads ClimateLaunchpad USA, helping emerging climate-tech ventures access global commercialization opportunities, mentorship, and investment networks.

Before focusing on climate innovation and startup development, Porter held C-level and senior management roles with four technology startups, two of which completed IPOs and two of which were acquired by Fortune 500 companies. Today, he is an active angel investor and startup mentor, working with organizations and programs including Plug and Play Tech Center, the U.S. National Laboratory Entrepreneurship Academy, university entrepreneurship programs, Cleantech Open, and Google's Startups for Sustainable Development initiative. He currently serves as Mentor Program Co-Chair for the Western Region of Cleantech Open and has participated in investment networks including Network VC and DraperX.

Throughout his career, Wong has worked at the intersection of entrepreneurship, technology commercialization, sustainability, and international economic development. His experience includes advising startups, supporting government and economic-development initiatives, and contributing to policy and industry organizations, including previously serving as Chairman of the IEEE Computer Society Santa Clara Valley Chapter and participating in Ontario's solar photovoltaic industry policy community. Through CleanLeap and his broader ecosystem activities, he continues to connect entrepreneurs with the capital, expertise, corporate relationships, and international networks needed to bring sustainable technologies to market.

Aaron Rose is a Silicon Valley–based entrepreneur, international business strategist, investor, and trusted advisor to corporate, government, and nonprofit leaders worldwide. He is the Founder and Managing Director of Global Tactics, a strategic advisory firm he established in 1999 that helps organizations navigate international expansion, market entry, innovation, risk mitigation, business resilience, and organizational transformation. His work spans both the private and public sectors, including advising governments on foreign direct investment, private-sector development, and the creation of public-private partnerships. 

Over more than three decades as an entrepreneur, Rose has helped launch and lead ventures across technology, media, health and wellness, and professional development. Among them, he served as co-founder, President and CEO of ROI3, Inc., which developed localized SaaS platforms for users in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, and co-founded ventures including Yeeko Inc., Get Fit With Heath, and CareerLight. He also participates in the startup and investment ecosystem as an advisor, mentor, investor, and judge, including through PitchForce, where he has evaluated emerging companies and founders. 

Rose is also Co-Founder and Board Chair of Silicon Valley Forum, a nonprofit organization connecting entrepreneurs, investors, corporations, and innovation ecosystems in Silicon Valley and internationally. In parallel, he serves as Chair of the STAR-TIDES Advisory Board, a global knowledge-sharing initiative associated with George Mason University focused on sustainable resilience and human security. A longtime advocate for international collaboration and entrepreneurship, Rose regularly moderates and contributes to programs addressing innovation, technology, global trade, economic development, resilience, and the role of the private sector in addressing complex global challenges.

Rose currently serves as Chief Executive Officer of Lyman Communications, a provider of rapidly deployable and mission-critical wireless communication solutions. 

Sen Tan is an experienced advisor to investors, founders and growth companies, with public LinkedIn material describing more than twenty-five years of work with venture capital and emerging company ecosystems. His work sits at the intersection of capital formation, founder readiness, investor relations and innovation community building. 

Sen has been active in climate-tech and startup ecosystem programming, including “VC Talks: Fundraising for Green Startups,” an event organized by Cleantech Open and ClimateLaunchpad, bringing together entrepreneurs, investors, advisors and mentors in the climate-tech space. He has also supported programming around AI for climate innovators, linking founders with legal, investment and market experts. 

As a member of Venture & Capital International’s Advisory Committee, Sen brings a practical investor-facing perspective on how founders build trust, communicate value and prepare for fundraising conversations. His experience is especially relevant for early-stage and growth companies working across climate innovation, cross-border partnerships and venture-backed commercialization.

Akira Sugihara is a corporate venture and business development leader associated with Kanematsu Ventures Inc., where public LinkedIn data lists him among the company’s employees and identifies Kanematsu Ventures as a San Jose-based corporate venture capital and technology sourcing platform. Kanematsu Ventures describes its role as connecting startup technologies with Kanematsu Corporation’s assets, sales channels, operating experience and business resources. 

His work is positioned around open innovation, startup partnership development and the bridge between large corporations and emerging technologies. Kanematsu Ventures focuses across sectors including electronics, systems integration, telecom, cybersecurity, automotive, mobility, aerospace, agri-tech, food-tech, health, energy and green energy. 

As a member of Venture & Capital International’s Advisory Committee, Akira brings a strong Japan-U.S. corporate innovation lens. His contribution is particularly valuable for startups seeking strategic partners, corporate venture relationships, market-entry pathways and commercial collaborations with multinational groups.

Amine Benssy is Energy Markets and Open Innovation Team Manager at EDF Innovation Lab, a role he joined in June 2025. He brings deep expertise in energy markets, asset optimization, electric systems, decarbonization technologies and new business opportunities. 

Before joining EDF Innovation Lab, Amine held several roles within EDF after joining the group in 2014. He began in R&D, contributing to innovation in nuclear power plant performance and safety, then moved into EDF’s optimization and trading division as Power Generation Asset Manager, where he worked on nuclear fleet maintenance and production strategy. He later served as Chief of Staff to senior leadership in EDF’s Customers and Markets Department and Gas Assets Department. 

As a member of Venture & Capital International’s Advisory Committee, Amine brings a rigorous energy, infrastructure and decarbonization perspective. He can help evaluate how emerging technologies fit into real energy-market needs, utility constraints, asset optimization models and the broader transition toward resilient, low-carbon systems.

Pedro Blas La Rosa is a venture capital fund investment professional focused on early-stage VC funds, especially in Latin America and the Caribbean. Public LinkedIn search results state that at IDB Lab he evaluates and underwrites commitments to early-stage VC funds, including review of investment theses, portfolio strategies, governance and historical performance. 

Pedro is also listed as an author of IDB Lab’s 2024 report, Fundraising for Venture Capital Funds in Latin America and the Caribbean, where he is identified as Investment Associate at IDB Lab. The report describes IDB Lab as the innovation and venture capital arm of the Inter-American Development Bank Group, with more than 110 VC fund investments as a limited partner since 1996 and indirect exposure to more than 900 active companies through its fund portfolio. 

As a member of Venture & Capital International’s Advisory Committee, Pedro brings a limited-partner perspective that is highly valuable for fund managers, emerging managers and startups seeking to understand how institutional capital evaluates opportunity. His expertise supports better thinking around fund strategy, impact, governance, portfolio construction and venture ecosystem development

Evelyn Y. K. Lee is Founder and Managing Partner of Vine Ventures. Vine Ventures describes her as an international entrepreneur, investor, board advisor and philanthropist, with experience in capital raising, corporate development, deal structuring and transactions. 

Her public profile positions her as a global VC and private equity investor, venture builder and strategic architect. She has also been featured in discussions around the funding gap for women entrepreneurs, where she is described as an international investor, mentor and private equity expert focused on backing founders with consistency, integrity and strong mission commitment. 

As a member of Venture & Capital International’s Advisory Committee, Evelyn brings a global capital-markets and founder-building perspective. Her experience across fundraising, corporate development, deal structuring and international investment makes her especially valuable for founders preparing for investor conversations, cross-border expansion and strategic financing.

Mr. Tomoki Sato currently serves as Vice President at Casio America, Inc., a role he has held since 2022. In this capacity, he contributes to the company’s strategic direction and growth initiatives, drawing on extensive expertise in marketing, management, accounting and knowledge development. Over his three-decade career with Casio, he has held senior leadership positions in the United States, Japan and the United Kingdom.

Before his current appointment, Mr. Sato served as Head of the Future Development Hub at Casio Computer Co., Ltd. from 2020 to 2022, where he played a pivotal role in shaping the company’s innovation agenda and fostering a culture that embraced new challenges. His previous roles include Senior General Manager and Assistant General Manager at Casio America, as well as several strategic planning and corporate strategy positions at Casio Electronics Co. Ltd. in London.

Mr. Sato is particularly committed to innovation, entrepreneurship and collaboration between established corporations and emerging ventures. He has served as a mentor and advisor to startups, participated in industry events including the Plug and Play Winter Summit, and continues to explore opportunities to integrate startup-driven innovation into Casio. 

He holds a bachelor’s degree from Kyorin University and has completed additional studies in management, marketing and corporate accounting.

SUNNYVALE, CA, June 05, 2026 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Tomoki Sato has been selected for inclusion in Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.

Jean-Pierre “JP” Millon is a seasoned healthcare executive, corporate director, advisor, and investor with more than 35 years of industry experience, including 23 years at Eli Lilly and service as President and CEO of PCS Health Systems. He has held board and advisory roles with major healthcare organizations and innovative ventures, including CVS Health, Caremark, Alume Biosciences, and Averin Capital. JP brings extensive expertise in healthcare strategy, corporate governance, investment, and venture development, supporting emerging companies in the United States and Europe.