Tokyo · Global

Executive leadership
on demand.

Fractional CFO, COO & Management Advisory for growth-stage companies navigating Japan and global markets.

Explore Services Meet the Principal
20+ Years in Capital Markets
$1T+ Transactions Executed
4 CFO / COO Mandates
Japan & US Dual-Market Expertise

Engagements have included

Square Enix Kodansha Rakuten Games Viber Intercom Telegram Mizuho Securities Goldman Sachs Kissinger Advisors, LLC

Member of

Architech March

What We Do

Management Advisory
built for the critical phase.

We embed directly into your leadership team  Eproviding CFO, COO, or advisory functions that would otherwise require a full-time C-suite hire. Fast to activate, high-calibre, and built around your stage of growth.

Fractional CFO

Capital strategy, fundraising execution, IPO readiness, and investor relations  Ewithout the cost of a full-time hire. Particularly suited to companies at Series A through pre-IPO.

  • Fundraising & investor materials
  • Financial modeling & cash planning
  • IPO audit & governance preparation
  • Cap table & transaction management
  • Board & shareholder reporting

Fractional COO

Operational infrastructure for companies that have outgrown founder-mode. We design and implement the systems, processes, and team structures that enable scale.

  • Operations & process engineering
  • PMO design & project discipline
  • HR, IT, Legal & compliance oversight
  • Vendor & supply chain management
  • Cross-border subsidiary setup

Japan Market Advisory

Bilingual, bicultural advisory for companies entering Japan or Japanese companies expanding globally. We navigate the regulatory, commercial, and cultural complexity.

  • Go-to-market strategy & execution
  • Regulatory & compliance guidance
  • Partner & distributor identification
  • Contract negotiation & localisation
  • Government & institutional relations

IPO & Regulatory Advisory

End-to-end preparation for TSE, NASDAQ, or other exchange listings. We have managed audit processes, internal control frameworks, and underwriter coordination from both sides of the table.

  • TSE Prime / Growth listing preparation
  • Internal controls & disclosure frameworks
  • Underwriter & auditor coordination
  • FinTech & SaaS regulatory compliance
  • JSDA-licensed advisory

M&A & Business Succession

Strategic advisory for acquisitions, carve-outs, and succession transactions  Eincluding due diligence, deal structuring, and post-merger integration planning.

  • Deal origination & target screening
  • Due diligence project management
  • Valuation & deal structuring
  • Cross-border transaction support
  • Post-merger integration planning

Brand & Business Development

Strategic positioning, investor narrative, and go-to-market development for startups  Efrom pitch deck to partnership pipeline to brand identity.

  • Investor deck & narrative development
  • Partnership & channel development
  • Brand strategy & positioning
  • Marketing & content strategy
  • B2B sales strategy & pipeline
Akira Saito  EManaging Director, Ataraxia Partners

The Principal

Akira Saito

Managing Director, Ataraxia Partners
CFO & Vice CEO, hibot Corporation

Akira is a global CFO and strategic finance executive with over 20 years of experience across capital markets, deep-tech startups, and international business operations in Japan, the United States, and Asia.

He began his career at Goldman Sachs in Tokyo and London before spending over a decade at Mizuho Securities, where he led equity capital markets, convertible bond structuring, and credit trading  Estructuring over $4 billion in derivative products and transacting over $1 trillion across equity and credit markets, including managing a proprietary convertible bond portfolio of up to $2 billion notional.

As CFO of TakeMe Co., Ltd. (a Series B payments startup), he led a $10M fundraising round and contributed to 4ÁErevenue growth. As CFO, Vice CEO, and Director of hibot Corporation (through May 2026, now serving as Director), he secured $10M+ in bridge, venture debt, and non-dilutive financing for a deep-tech robotics company while overseeing company-wide operations across Japan and the US.

Through Ataraxia Partners, Akira provides high-impact, embedded advisory to growth-stage companies who need CFO- and COO-calibre leadership without the commitment of a full-time executive.

I believe Japan's next chapter will be shaped by leaders and companies that can operate with both local integrity and global perspective.

My mission is to help develop that next generation  Esupporting people, founders, and organisations as they build the mindset, structure, and confidence needed to grow internationally and create lasting impact.

🎓
University of Pennsylvania BA International Relations & Asian Studies (Honors)
Minors: Entrepreneurial Management & Health Care Management  EWharton
📜
JSDA Licences Series 1 & 2 · Internal Control Manager (2008–Present)
🏆
Mizuho Securities President Award Recipient three consecutive years: 2015, 2016, 2017
🌐
Languages Native English · Fluent Japanese
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Network Membership Architech March Global network for family offices, private businesses & investment firms  Ecombining institutional, entrepreneurial, and technology expertise.
🎌
Volunteer  ENext Generation of Leaders Japan Global Initiative (JGI) Supporting the development of globally-minded Japanese leaders through cross-border education and exchange programmes.
💡
Mentor TeamFirst Mentoring professionals navigating career and company growth in Japan within Tokyo's leading bilingual professional community.

Career Timeline

2024  EMay 2026 · Director (Present) CFO, Vice CEO & Director hibot Corporation

Deep-tech robotics. $10M+ secured in bridge & venture debt financing. Overseeing Finance, HR, Legal, IT, IPO Readiness across Japan and the US.

2022  EPresent Managing Director Ataraxia Partners

Regulatory, IPO, and management consulting for FinTech and SaaS. Co-Founder, Digital Will / WORTAL. Co-Founder, NEXRHIZA Co., Ltd.

2018  E2021 Chief Financial Officer TakeMe Co., Ltd.

Series B Payment-as-a-Platform startup. Led $10M US fundraising. 4ÁErevenue growth. IPO preparation.

2015  E2018 VP, Equity Capital Markets Mizuho Securities

$4B+ in structured derivative products; $1T+ in total transactions. Advised 500+ corporates. President Award recipient.

2003  E2015 VP, Credit & Equity Derivatives Mizuho Securities

Head of CB Proprietary Portfolio ($2B notional). $12M average annual returns.

1998  E2003 Analyst / Consultant Goldman Sachs (Tokyo & London)

Global technology infrastructure. Cross-functional leadership across Tokyo and London.

Portfolio & Ventures

Platforms we build
and operate.

Ataraxia Partners doesn't just advise  Ewe build. Our ventures are operated with the same rigour we bring to client engagements.

継承 KEISHŁE/span>
Live Platform

KeishŁE EJapan Business Succession

Japan faces a generational crisis: over 612,000 small businesses risk closure simply because there is no successor. KeishŁEis an AI-powered matchmaking platform connecting verified Japanese business sellers with qualified domestic and international buyers  Epreserving heritage businesses and creating compelling acquisition opportunities.

612,000+ Businesses at risk
¥240T Estimated asset value
32% YoY deal growth

Ataraxia Partners is the operating entity behind KeishŁE providing the governance, financial management, and strategic oversight that institutional and individual buyers can rely on.

Visit Keisho.ai ↁE/a>

Why Ataraxia

The case for
embedded expertise.

01

Senior, not junior

You work directly with a principal who has held CFO and COO roles at real companies  Enot a generalist consultant who has studied finance.

02

Japan + Global

Genuinely bilingual and bicultural. Equally effective with Japanese regulators, boards, and banks as with US and European investors and counterparties.

03

Operator, not advisor

We have a track record of building infrastructure, closing deals, and leading teams  Enot just providing recommendations. We implement.

04

Capital markets depth

Over a decade at Mizuho Securities  Estructuring $4B+ in derivative products and transacting $1T+ across equity and credit markets  Egives us a perspective on financing, investor relations, and valuation that few advisors can match.

ἈρEραξία Ataraxia

Etymology

ἀ E/span> without · free from
+
ρEραξιρE/span> disturbance · confusion · anxiety
=
ἀρEραξία tranquility of mind · equanimity

In ancient Greek philosophy, ataraxia described a state of profound mental calm  Efreedom from anxiety, disturbance, and the noise of uncertainty. For the Epicureans, it was the highest good: not the absence of challenge, but the cultivation of inner steadiness in the face of it. For the Pyrrhonists, it was what naturally followed from clear-eyed judgment and the suspension of needless worry.

It is the right name for this firm.

The leaders we work with  Efounders scaling through a Series B, executives preparing for an IPO, family businesses navigating succession  Edo not lack intelligence or ambition. What they often lack is the structural calm that comes from having an experienced, trusted operator beside them: someone who has navigated the same terrain, who can take the complexity off their desk, and who brings evidence-based clarity to decisions that feel overwhelming under pressure.

Ataraxia Partners exists to provide exactly that  Enot advice from a distance, but embedded expertise that restores focus, builds lasting infrastructure, and gives leaders the confidence to move decisively.

"Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for."

 EEpicurus

Get in Touch

Ready to talk?

We typically work with a small number of clients at any one time. If you're looking for experienced, embedded executive leadership, reach out to discuss fit and availability.

Email rock@ataraxia-partners.com
Location Tokyo, Japan
Send an Enquiry