Yamaha Motor Ventures & Laboratory Silicon Valley (YMV), the corporate venturing unit of Japan-based industrials conglomerate Yamaha, made two major structural changes to its leadership team at the start of 2022.
In January, Jim Aota became chairman of the unit following almost two years as CEO. At the same time, it was announced that Keiichi Onishi had been promoted to replace Aota as CEO and managing director.
Aota also now leads the role of new business development in Yamaha Motor’s headquarters based in Iwata, Japan. Onishi was previously involved in developing and implementing the company-wide digital transformation strategy. He said YMV’s focus was increasingly on sustainability and working to help the parent company develop new businesses
YMV’s most recent deals have included a role in the $28m series A round in factory automation unit Rios, as well as participation in the $3m seed round for Svexa, an exercise intelligence company.
Prior to becoming CEO of YMV, Aota led Yamaha’s corporate planning division in Japan. Until 2017, he had worked with diversified trading group Mitsui. Onishi, meanwhile, joined Yamaha in 2008, working in manufacturing division, new business development and in the firm’s digital strategy division.
Aota studied philosophy at Keio University in Japan and has a programme for leadership development qualification from Harvard University. Onishi has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering from Nagoya University in Japan as well as an MBA from the Sloan School of Management at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
