Founding Member of the SoftBank Vision Fund Yosuke Sasaki Appointed Non-Executive Director of ARK
ARK Co., Ltd. (Head office: Hiratsuka, Kanagawa; Co-founder/Director/ CEO: Yosuke Kurihara; hereinafter “ARK”) announces the appointment of Yosuke Sasaki, Non-Executive Director of Soleil Partners Inc., as an Non-Executive Director of ARK.
Background to the Appointment and Outlook
ARK operates under the mission of creating small oceans on land so that the ocean can rest. The company develops and sells modular closed recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) and operates aquaculture businesses using these systems.
To establish its modular closed RAS as a new form of food production infrastructure around the world, ARK must further strengthen its global business strategy, capital strategy, and management foundation.
Mr. Sasaki has extensive experience in fundraising, mergers and acquisitions, and management support for portfolio companies through his work at the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi, now MUFG Bank, and SoftBank Group. He also participated in the establishment of the SoftBank Vision Fund as a founding member, serving as Managing Partner of its London office and Co-Head of its Tokyo office. More recently, he founded the consulting firm Soleil Partners. Based in Tokyo, London, and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, he supports startups and venture capital firms with international expansion and fundraising. With Mr. Sasaki joining the Board as an Non-Executive Director, ARK will accelerate its growth in the following three areas:
1. Strengthening the global business strategy
ARK will draw on Mr. Sasaki’s business and investment experience and network in Japan and overseas to develop strategies tailored to the market conditions and needs of each country and region. Using its overseas bases in the United Kingdom and Malaysia, ARK will expand collaboration with local companies, national and local governments, research institutions, investors, and other partners. Through these efforts, the company will advance the global deployment of its Japan-originated modular closed RAS.
2.Strengthening the capital strategy and business partnerships
ARK will incorporate Mr. Sasaki’s expertise in startup investment, M&A, and management support for portfolio companies to enhance the capital strategy underpinning its medium- to long-term growth. The company will also build strategic partnerships with corporations and investors in Japan and overseas, promoting collaboration across product development, production, sales, international expansion, and other stages of the business.
3.Strengthening the management foundation and corporate governance
ARK will leverage Mr. Sasaki’s management experience at global companies and investment institutions to deepen Board discussions and enhance decision-making. The company will strengthen its organizational structure, risk management, and corporate governance in line with each stage of growth, building a management foundation trusted by stakeholders in Japan and overseas.
Comment on the Appointment
Yosuke Sasaki
Representative Director, Soleil Partners Inc.
Non-Executive Director, ARK Inc.
Through my involvement with ARK, I have come to strongly believe that the company has the potential to transform the global fisheries industry through technology originating in Japan.
Against the backdrop of global population growth and changes in the marine environment, the importance of systems capable of supplying seafood sustainably and reliably will continue to increase. I believe ARK’s modular land-based aquaculture system can become one answer from Japan to this global challenge.
Drawing on my experience and network in global investment and business development, I look forward to working as a member of the management team to help ARK grow into a Japan-born global company, including by supporting its overseas business and capital strategy.
Profile of Yosuke Sasaki
After graduating from university, Mr. Sasaki joined the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi, now MUFG Bank, in 1999. In 2003, he joined SoftBank, now SoftBank Group, where he worked in the Finance Department on acquisition financing and M&A transactions. Beginning in 2017, he participated in the establishment of the SoftBank Vision Fund as a founding member. While serving as Managing Partner of the Fund’s London office, he concurrently served as Co-Head of its Tokyo office. In July 2025, he became independent and established his own venture capital fund. He also founded Soleil Partners, which provides advisory services to startups and funds in Japan and overseas, and became its Representative Director. In addition, he serves as an advisor and Investment Committee member at DEEPCORE, an early-stage venture capital firm specializing in AI, and as an advisor to X&KSK, a fund led by Keisuke Honda.
Comment from Yosuke Kurihara
Yosuke Kurihara
Co-founder/ Representative Director/, CEO, ARK Inc.
We are greatly encouraged to welcome Mr. Sasaki, who brings extensive experience and a strong network in the overseas markets on which we are focusing, as an Non-Executive Director.
We aim to build a new fisheries system and culture in which conventional fisheries and land-based aquaculture draw on their respective strengths and complement one another. We envision a network of the small oceans created by ARK coming together to give the ocean time to rest while becoming a new pillar of the fisheries industry. Realizing this future on a global scale will require not only advanced technological development capabilities, but also bold strategies grounded in a global perspective, the capital to execute them, and a robust management foundation capable of supporting a team that operates dynamically across borders. By welcoming Mr. Sasaki to our team and further strengthening these elements, we will accelerate our efforts to take on challenges around the world.