Michiko Kato Appointed Representative Director and CEO of Toyota Invention Partners, Toyota’s Strategic Investment Subsidiary

Toyota Invention Partners, Inc. (TIP), a strategic investment subsidiary of Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota), today announced that Kenta Kon has stepped down as Representative Director and CEO, and that Michiko Kato has been appointed in his place, effective April 1.

Michiko will take TIP into its next phase by further strengthening its investment capabilities and expanding business collaborations.

1. Incoming Director (Effective April 1)

 *¹This role will be held concurrently after April 1.

Michiko Kato’s Biography

Michiko Kato joined TRI-AD, the predecessor of Woven by Toyota, Inc., in 2020. She played a key role in the establishment of Woven Capital and led global strategic investments. Previously, she worked in investment and M&A roles at Morgan Stanley, the International Finance Corporation (World Bank Group), and Unison Capital, and also served as Chief Financial Officer of ABEJA, a Japan-based AI startup where she led corporate strategy and financing initiatives. She holds an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Michiko Kato’s Message

Under the Toyota Group Vision of “Inventing our path forward, together,” the 18 Toyota Group companies are reflecting on the company’s founding principle of invention and taking on the challenge of exploring the future of “Mobility for All.” We believe that by collaborating with external partners who bring cutting-edge technologies and business models, and connecting them with Toyota’s mobility platforms, we can create new value that cannot be achieved independently.

Building on partnerships formed through investments, TIP aims to promote long-term business collaborations with companies who share our aspirations while also serving as a catalyst for new forms of innovation within the Toyota Group.

In addition, TIP will further strengthen our collaboration with Toyota Ventures and Woven Capital, Toyota’s corporate venture capital arms. In the next phase, we aim to create greater value by diversifying both investment stages and business areas.

2. Retiring Director (Effective April 1)