Haruki Luca Meguro, investment associate at MS&AD Ventures, is one of our top 50 Rising Stars in corporate venturing in 2024.
Haruki Luca Meguro first became excited about working with startups five years ago, when he helped MS&AD, the Japanese insurance company, build a digital insurance system that would detect car crashes and inform the emergency services when help was needed.
The project involved working with outside technology providers. Meguro says it left him amazed at what could be created through technology and partnerships.
The role with the MS&AD Ventures, which he started 18 months ago, has allowed him to build on his passion for working with emerging technology.
“I love working with startups and discussing how we can create new business together.”
“I love working with startups and discussing how we can create new business together,” he says.
Meguro worked on investments in companies such as Fairmatic and Coverflex and he is helping to build several strategic partnerships with MS&AD business units.
Joining the ventures team involved moving from Japan to California. Meguro says he loves Silicon Valley culture. “It is fail fast, try, try, try and do, do, do,” he says. “It was a shock when first coming from Japan, but I love the style.”
In fact, Meguro has become something of a connector between the Japanese parent company and the US and global investment team.
“His strong interpersonal skills have been instrumental in building trusted relationships with both Japanese and American/international teams,” says Jon Soberg, managing partner at MS&AD Ventures.
“He has a great ability to create mutual understanding, which has been key in facilitating open dialogues between groups.”
Meguro looks broadly at all technologies relevant to the insurance business, but is particularly interested in innovations in autonomous driving and artificial intelligence, especially the opportunities arising from self driving cars. With Waymo’s robotaxis now on the streets of San Francisco, it may be time to focus on the sector, he says.
See the full list of GCV Rising Stars for 2024 here.
