（Interviewee）Mr. Niklas Huppmann, Business Development Manager, Kayrros SAS
Please share us what prompted your company to apply for the Tokyo Financial Award.Kayrros wanted to apply for the Tokyo Financial Award because we wanted to find the product market fit between our emissions monitoring system and Tokyo’s financial institutions. We thought that this award is a great opportunity to gain exposure, credibility, and connections in the city of Tokyo.
What do you think makes Tokyo a successful financial hub?For one being a technology company based in Europe and bringing a lot of innovations into the market, Tokyo and Japan at large is a very attractive market given their process to integrate technology, technological solutions, and innovations.
Secondly, the amount of capital and asset managers that you can find in Tokyo is very unparalleled in parts of Asia, but also globally. We see it after London, Hong Kong and New York as one of the key players with some of the biggest companies.
What kind of reaction have you seen both inside and outside your company after being awarded the Tokyo Financial Award?Internally we had a bit of a celebration in one of our town halls where we shared the experience that I had in in Tokyo. We were given the award to by the Governor of Tokyo, and we were all very excited about this award and taking the next step in entering the Japanese market.
Externally we received a lot of great feedback and a lot of connections through that award. Not only Japanese companies but also international companies saw the award on our LinkedIn page and wanted to reach out to see what this is all about.
Is there anything you would like to say to companies that are considering applying for the Tokyo Financial Award?Kayrros can highly recommend applying for the Tokyo Financial Award because of the connections you make and because of the great event.
It comes with an exposure that you get in one of the greatest cities in finance in the world.
TOKYO FINANCIAL AWARD 2023 - Interview of awarded company in ESG Investment Category
Service Overview :
・Kayrros develops and provides service that can measure and monitor methane emissions of oil and gas businesses by analyzing satellite imagery and detect such emissions at the source level
・Data is used for reduction measures by emitters and decision-making by investors engaged in ESG investment
▼Kayrros SAS
HP：https://www.kayrros.com/
Interview Video
（Interviewee）Mr. Masahiro Sameshima, General Partner, ANRI Inc.
Please share us what prompted your company to apply for the Tokyo Financial Award.Currently, we are managing over 10 billion yen in ANRI GREEN FUND, a specialized fund to address climate change, climate-related environmental issues, etc. We set the fund's maximum investment period to 15 years instead of the standard 10 years. The aim is to support the creation of startups, especially in the climate area, such as nuclear fusion, batteries, and new materials, which are time-consuming to deal with. We applied for the Tokyo Financial Award in order to promote our activities in this field.
What do you think makes Tokyo a successful financial hub?Business companies in various fields, with which startups can collaborate, are concentrated in Tokyo. It is also home to venture capitalists and other investors, as well as financial institutions, such as banks, which contribute funds to startups.
The attractiveness of Tokyo is that the foundation is in place for startups to grow their businesses significantly from the initial seed phase through to the growth phase.
What kind of reaction have you seen both inside and outside your company after being awarded the Tokyo Financial Award?We have received a considerable number of responses, of course from the business companies and financial institutions with which we have been in close contact. In addition, the Tokyo Financial Award has made researchers at universities and research institutions aware that climate topics are gaining momentum in Japan. This has enabled us to receive many inquiries about starting up a business.
Is there anything you would like to say to companies that are considering applying for the Tokyo Financial Award?We are conducting investments in startups that are addressing climate change and environmental issues. These issues are challenging and time-consuming issues to deal with. For this reason, we were not sure if we would be able to win the award. Thus, we are fortunate to have received the award.
Since we won the Tokyo Financial Award, we have been receiving a great response, which has been positive for our investment activities.
Companies considering applying for the Tokyo Financial Award should not miss this opportunity.
TOKYO FINANCIAL AWARD 2023 - Interview of awarded company in ESG Investment Category
Service Overview :
・A venture capital specializing in long-term investments for startups in the climate tech (technology focusing on addressing impacts of global warming) sector
・Aims to contribute to decarbonization through supporting the launch and growth of businesses pursuing technology which can take years to realize, including technology for nuclear fusion and battery materials
▼ANRI Inc.
HP：https://anri.vc/
Interview Video
（Interviewee）Mr. Reiji Kobayashi, CEO, HAKKI AFRICA INC
Please share what prompted your company to apply for the Tokyo Financial Award.The trust that third parties place in our company is a vital component of our business, because our ability to procure financing is a major factor in our growth. Governor Koike once said gaining external recognition as a global player enables Japanese companies to more fully demonstrate their growth potential to investors, and this is precisely what we aimed to accomplish.
What do you think makes Tokyo a successful financial hub?Our group businesses operate within the financial sector, with asset finance as our primary concern. Japan now boasts the lowest market interest rates in the world, something we attribute to stagnation in capital flows despite the degree of surplus funds in the market. Even taken in isolation, these low interest rates act as a major incentive to obtain financing in Tokyo for use in emerging countries, where the demand for capital is the highest in the world. This is one of the city's many competitive advantages. Speaking from first-hand experience operating businesses in other countries, Tokyo provides a world-class environment that facilitates lending to startups in need of financing.
What kind of reaction have you seen both inside and outside your company after being awarded the Tokyo Financial Award?More investors are willing to contact us themselves, and the award also helps us build foundations of trust when conducting investor outreach.
Is there anything you would like to say to companies that are considering applying for the 2023 Tokyo Financial Award?Award recipients gain access to more opportunities, such as investor-initiated discussions. Tokyo boasts a major confluence of people, goods, and money, and ensuring that your company has a presence at the source is crucial. Open your company to a third-party evaluation in this environment, and you gain an objective stronghold from which to further build your business. The benefits offered by the Tokyo Financial Award scale with the size of the recipient's ambitions for global success, and I urge anyone who fits this description to apply.
TOKYO FINANCIAL AWARD 2022 - Interview of awarded company in ESG Investment Category
▼Service Overview :
Financing services for businesses in Africa that are unable to secure vehicle purchase loans due to a lack of credit
Utilizes a unique scoring model based on mobile payment usage history and sales data. Since July 2022, focuses on e-bike financing to reduce CO2 emissions
▼HAKKI AFRICA INC
HP：https://hakki-africa.com/en/
Interview Video
（Interviewee）Dr. Eisuke Shimizu, CEO, OUI Inc
Please share what prompted your company to apply for the Tokyo Financial Award.We came across the Tokyo Financial Award during our search for awards that would help our start-up find its next success story. The primary driver in our decision to apply for the Tokyo Financial Award was the endorsement of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. This fact alone sets it apart from the other awards we considered. Another factor which drew us to the award program was the substantial and long-lasting support offered to recipients. This follow-up interview is but one of many such examples.
What do you think makes Tokyo a successful financial hub?The Greater Tokyo Area plays host to the lives and activities of nearly 40 million people. So much can be accomplished just within its limits. Everything needed to create and provide our services is within easy reach, and this enables us to take action on our knowledge that suitable ophthalmologic care would otherwise be unavailable to a surprising number of people.
What kind of reaction have you seen both inside and outside your company after being awarded the Tokyo Financial Award?Winning a finance award had a direct effect on boosting our employees’ motivation, as winning anything unrelated to healthcare was foreign to our company. Also, our major clients were originally independent medical practitioners and medical institutions. A major benefit of winning the award has been the series of inquiries we received from insurers and other private businesses seeking to leverage our services to provide medical examinations to a greater number of people. With the spotlight of the Tokyo Financial Award focused on healthcare, our business has gained footholds in a wide range of domains that would otherwise have remained inaccessible.
Is there anything you would like to say to companies that are considering applying for the 2023 Tokyo Financial Award?Every company stands to benefit from the prestige offered by the Tokyo Financial Award, particularly given its status as an award sponsored and conferred by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. Award recipients even benefit from increased notability on Facebook, LinkedIn and other social media sites. The Tokyo Financial Award is uniquely positioned to both uplift and spur the development of businesses under its purview, and I highly recommend that every interested company apply.
TOKYO FINANCIAL AWARD 2022 - Interview of awarded company in ESG Investment Category
▼Service Overview :
Provides an ophthalmic medical device (Smart Eye Camera) that can be attached to a smartphone. With the device, ophthalmic diseases can be diagnosed using AI or remote medical examination. Contributes to SDGs (Goal3: Good Health and Well-being) by facilitating the early detection of blindness among patients on remote islands or in developing countries where access to medical facilities is not readily available.
▼OUI Inc
HP：https://ouiinc.jp/en/top/
Interview Video
（Interviewee）Ms.Anjana Seshadri, Neev Funds Vice President, SBICAP Ventures Limited
Please share what prompted your company to apply for the Tokyo Financial Award.I represent Neev Fund from SBICAP Ventures Limited. The fund has investments from many countries, notably JICA of Japan, and looked to Japan as a major geography for collaboration, especially for the companies we make investments into. We see a high linkage for collaboration, for innovation, and for transfer of climate technology between the two countries.
Once we applied, we also realize that the jury was a stellar one, spanning across business, academia and administration.
What do you think makes Tokyo a successful financial hub?Tokyo is a global financial hub and one of the largest conglomerates of financial institution and is already home to many global citizens. It has a nurturing business environment and a vibrant cultural living environment, making it quite an attraction.
What kind of reaction have you seen both inside and outside your company after being awarded the Tokyo Financial Award?Our stakeholder within our organization, especially from the State Bank of India Group and our investors from Japan, UK and EU were ecstatic. The stakeholders who we work with outside our fund were also equally thrilled and we received a lot of congratulatory messages. Some of our portfolio companies started having a lot of interest in collaboration with Japan, especially on technology, and we were trying to set up some meetings with certain Japanese companies for our portfolio.
Is there anything you would like to say to companies that are considering applying for the Tokyo Financial Award?Tokyo Financial Awards is promoted by Tokyo Metropolitan Government. Tokyo offers many benefits and support, especially with respect to promotion, establishment of new businesses, and global recognition, needless to say. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government encourages global businesses to come to Japan and establish businesses and alliances. This is a major source of motivation for companies seeking to enter Japanese market.
TOKYO FINANCIAL AWARD 2021 - Interview of awarded company in ESG Investment Category
▼Service Overview :
Developed Neev Fund, a private equity fund focusing on investments in SMEs in India that seek solutions to climate change and environmental issues. Balances investment returns while focusing on ESG and impact on climate change solutions with support and investment from global investors such as the European Investment Bank (EIB), the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) of Government of UK, and the State Bank of India (SBI) Group, as well as JICA
▼SBICAP Ventures Limited
HP：https://sbicapventures.com/
Interview Video
（Interviewee）Ms. Natasha Garcha, Senior Director,
Innovative Finance and Gender-Lens Investing Specialist
Mr. Saumya Jain, Senior Vice President, Innovative Finance
Impact Investment Exchange (IIX)
Why did you decide to apply to the Tokyo Financial Award?We applied to the award to bring attention to the power of women in Asia to build COVID-resilient economies and drive climate action, and to be at the forefront of creating a more resilient world for everyone. We are very honored to have applied for and won the Tokyo Financial Award, as it is a great recognition for IIX’s issuance for the world’s first gender bond (Women’s Livelihood Bond or the IIX WLB Series) to be listed on stock exchange and quoted on Bloomberg. This was also the first time a gender bond used an innovative new structure was designed by a women-led firm from Asia. The WLB Series brings investors from across the world participate, enabling us to mobilize US$78 million to date. The proceeds are deployed across a multi-country, multi-sector portfolio to women-focused entities that empower underserved women across South and Southeast Asia to advance the region’s sustainable development agenda.
What is the appeal of Tokyo as a financial city?Tokyo is a leader in many respects. It is one of the major hubs for Asia’s sustainability agenda, with sustainable finance playing a key role. For us, Tokyo is an attractive city because it is at the forefront of building a greener, a more socially inclusive, and a more resilient world. We’re very honored to be part of the Tokyo Financial Award community.
Did you receive any feedback from inside/outside of your company after receiving the Tokyo Financial Award?Receiving the Tokyo Financial Award has been an honor, because it has brought attention to the fact that Asia’s financial landscape is not just a high-growth market area and a wonderful place to create sustainable and stable returns, but is also a place for innovation. A lot of the positive feedback we’ve got after winning the award is for showcasing how ESG can be so much more when we add a gender lens, and when we make sure that women are a part of the ESG equation.
The WLB Series, which won the award, got a lot of positive feedback because it demonstrated the importance and success of women in leadership positions for social impact. The bond was able to reach women at the last mile, using the proceeds to empower women to build back better after COVID, to create greener, more sustainable climate solutions, and to create food security through investments in sustainable agriculture. We’ve got a lot of positive feedback from the broader market with investors and partners from across the world, who’ve come to recognize the fact that we’ve been awarded the Tokyo Financial Award.
Can you share a message to companies considering applying to the Tokyo Financial Award?It’s important to remember three things. Firstly, that Asia is showing great leadership in the sustainability space. It’s very important to have awards like this that recognize that leadership in financial innovation. The second is that innovation should have a strong focus on sustainable development. We believe in today’s day and age that women empowerment has to be a part of that equation. And finally, it’s important for all of us from Asia to come together to create these securities that balance risk, return, and impact through innovative techniques, but also that bring in the rest of the world to recognize the importance of investing in Asia.
We are at the forefront of tackling a number of challenges across the world. Women as a part of the economy can build back $13 trillion in global GDP, and on the peace building side, we see women and gender equality is one of the greatest indicators of peace and security of a nation. Investing with that frame and applying for these awards will give you that edge to create catalytic impact and bring Asia to the forefront of the sustainability movement.
The Tokyo Financial Award has brought greater visibility to IIX’s WLB Series and by extension to the broader gender-lens investment movement. On this front, IIX has launched the Orange Bond Initiative, the world’s first asset class built by and for the Global South and the 99% as a solution to financing gender equality. The Initiative’s mission is to empower 100 million women and girls worldwide through unlocking US$10 billion by 2030. We encourage other applicants of the Tokyo Finance Award and past awardees who believe in Asia’s role in building gender equal financial markets to join the movement by signing the pledge here.
TOKYO FINANCIAL AWARD 2020 - Interview of awarded company in the ESG investment Category
▼Main ESG Promotional Activities (based on information available at time of award)：
Issued social bonds that focused on promoting the social and economic advancement of women in Asia
▼Impact Investment Exchange (IIX)
HP：https://iixglobal.com/
Interview Video
（Interviewee）Ms. Lisa Inoue, Product Manager, Nuveen Japan Co. Ltd,
Please share us what prompted your company to apply for the Tokyo Financial Award.Nuveen has a more than 50-year history of responsible investment. As a signatory to the UN Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), we are committed to adhering to the Principles across our entire $1.2 trillion in assets. Nuveen has a long investment period due to our nature of managing the pension funds of our parent company, Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America (TIAA), one of the largest pension insurance associations in the world. Therefore, ESG initiatives are important to us, as we need to focus on social and economic sustainability in addition to generating direct returns. Farmland investment was not yet a familiar investment strategy in Japan then, and we were still in the process of providing our know-how to many investors. We applied for the Tokyo Financial Award because we wanted to promote "Global Financial City: Tokyo" Vision and to help practice and spread ESG investment, especially farmland investment.
What do you think makes Tokyo a successful financial hub?Tokyo, the center of business in Japan, is highly attractive as a financial city due to the large amount of personal financial assets in Japan and the recent initiatives for next-generation finance. In Japan, the trend "from savings to investment" will accelerate, and asset management will be the focus of increasing attention. In addition, Tokyo's presence as a global financial city will be further enhanced by the diversity-oriented initiatives of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the Government of Japan.
What kind of reaction have you seen both inside and outside your company after being awarded the Tokyo Financial Award?We received many responses from both inside and outside the company. As for outside the company, we received responses from institutional investors, pension funds, and various other types of clients. After receiving the Tokyo Financial Award, we began to receive more inquiries and requests for detailed introductions about our farmland investment initiatives. Moreover, some of our clients provided us with opportunities to discuss the overall ESG investment we are making. Winning the Tokyo Financial Award gave us a great opportunity to think deeply about ESG investment together with our clients, and to recognize the high profile and future importance of this area of investment.
There was a great deal of response also within the company, with many praising Nuveen Japan for receiving such a prestigious award only a few years after establishment. Additionally, the entire company, both in Japan and overseas bases, expressed delight at the opportunity allowing us to promote farmland investment in Japan.
Is there anything you would like to say to companies that are considering applying for the Tokyo Financial Award?By applying for the Tokyo Financial Award, you will have a wonderful opportunity to be involved in the advancement of “Global Financial City: Tokyo” Vision. We are very grateful for this valuable opportunity to reflect on our ESG and impact investment initiatives from a variety of perspectives through this program. As a company doing business in Tokyo, we strongly encourage you to apply for the Tokyo Financial Award.
TOKYO FINANCIAL AWARD 2020 - Interview of awarded company in ESG Investment Category
Service Overview :
・Improving the natural environment, etc. through investment in agricultural land around the world. Conducting activities to promote ESG and impact investing in Japan
▼Nuveen Japan Co. Ltd,
HP：https://www.nuveen.com/ja-jp/about-us/nuveen-in-japan
Interview Video
（Interviewee）Mr. Shiro Tsubota,
President & Representative Director Japan, Robeco Japan Company LTD.
Why did you decide to apply to the Tokyo Financial Award?As a group, Robeco has been involved in the fields of ESG investment and sustainable investment for over 20 years. In Japan, we established a base in 2005, but initially, awareness of ESG investment and sustainable investment was not widespread. However, with the sharp increase in interest in the last few years, I wondered how our social contribution through ESG investment and sustainable investment would be evaluated, and decided to apply for the Tokyo Financial Award.
What is the appeal of Tokyo as a financial city?Japan, including Tokyo is an attractive market, with world-class personal financial assets of just under 2,000 trillion yen. In addition, since the effects of climate change are often felt these days, we believe that there are many opportunities for ESG investment and sustainable investment to contribute. Therefore, I think it is very meaningful to carry out ESG investment and sustainable investment in Tokyo and Japan.
Did you receive any feedback from inside/outside of your company after receiving the Tokyo Financial Award?The response from inside and outside the company for receiving the award was beyond our imagination. For example, by receiving the Tokyo Financial Award, our customers have reaffirmed the business we are working on. Internally, our Dutch head office reaffirmed our high level of recognition in Japan. Overall, there was a very good response.
Can you share a message to companies considering applying to the Tokyo Financial Award?In the midst of major changes not only in financial markets but also in society and the economy, I think it is very important for companies that are steadily working on ESG investment and sustainable investment to have their efforts evaluated at the Tokyo Financial Awards. I hope that those companies will actively apply.
TOKYO FINANCIAL AWARD 2018 - Interview of awarded company in ESG Investment Category
▼Main ESG Promotional Activities（based on information available at time of award）：
Robeco is an asset management company with a group headquarters in Netherlands. Then-Group company RobecoSAM conducts the annual ESG evaluation for over 4,600 companies throughout the world* and issues the Dow Jones Sustainability Index partnering with S&P Dow Jones Index in the U.S. Also, our Active Ownership Team works with the investment team and RobecoSAM to exercise proxy and engagement activities. We received the Tokyo Financial Award for the ESG Investment Category in recognition of these activities.
▼Robeco Japan Company LTD.
HP：https://www.robeco.com/en/
* RobecoSAM was renamed Robeco Switzerland in 2020. In addition, the company’s ESG rating business was transferred to S&P Global at the beginning of 2020.
Interview Video
（Interviewee）Mr. Ryo Ohira, CEO, Neuberger Berman East Asia LTD.
It’s been four years since you received the “Tokyo Financial Award” in 2018. How do you feel when you look back on it?Receiving the Tokyo Financial Award raised awareness of our distinctive ESG initiatives, and as a result, we have received more requests from institutional investors to speak at seminars, hold study sessions, and share knowledge through our trainee system. Although the international situation is currently undergoing drastic changes, we believe that the trend of expansion of ESG investment will continue in the future.
What is the appeal of Tokyo as a financial city?In Japan, individual financial assets totaling 2,000 trillion yen are stagnating in the form of cash and savings accounts and are not being used for investment. This demonstrates that there is significant room for growth for asset management. In addition, after the revision of the Corporate Governance Code, we’re seeing a movement to address sustainability issues on the ground, such as gender diversity and climate change, and we believe that there are many attractive investment opportunities.
Are there new initiatives and future prospects for the promotion of ESG investment that you currently anticipate?As more and more Japanese institutional investors commit to “net zero investment,” we are often consulted on how to build a net zero portfolio. We have been entrusted by major institutional investors in Japan and overseas with the management of climate change-friendly multi-credit strategies and private equity impact strategies, and we would like to work closely with institutional investors who are working to combat climate change and create a positive impact on the environment and society and provide solutions for them. In addition, the advance disclosure of voting rights initiative, “NB Votes,” is the first initiative of its kind by a major global asset management company. Since it has taken root in the Japanese market and we are receiving positive feedback, we will continue to strive to deepen our engagement.
Can you share a message to companies considering applying to the Tokyo Financial Award?When we applied for the Tokyo Financial Award, we held in-depth ESG discussions with various departments, such as the customer department, investment team, and human resources department. I feel that this was a valuable opportunity for all our employees to understand our advantage points that differentiate us from competitor companies. I recommend applying for the Tokyo Financial Award to further raise the commitment level of all your employees.
TOKYO FINANCIAL AWARD 2018 - Interview of awarded company in the ESG investment Category
▼Main ESG Promotional Activities (based on information available at time of award)：
An asset management firm headquartered in the United States. In addition to its nearly 80 years of global ESG investment experience, the award recognizes the firm’s wide-ranging engagement experience in managing private companies, stocks, and bonds that are not easily subjected to ESG engagement, and its commitment to the promotion of ESG and improving its transparency, including adherence to the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) and collaboration with the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board in the US.
▼Neuberger Berman East Asia LTD.
HP：https://www.nb.com/japan
Interview Video
