Specialising in cross-border venture capital to enable coordinated industrial development across the Asia-Pacific region.
The Asia-Pacific venture capital market is booming, and cross-border capital flows are gaining momentum. Many investors face practical hurdles including regional market divergence, cross-border financing matchmaking and multi-jurisdictional ecosystem collaboration when making international investments. How to leverage capital to connect markets across borders and unlock innovation opportunities in Japan, Southeast Asia, India and beyond has become a key topic in cross-border venture investing. Cross-border corporate financing and the deployment of international VC funds bring fresh momentum to industrial collaboration across multiple countries.
Against the opportunities and barriers across diverse Asia-Pacific markets, how can investors allocate cross-border capital effectively and foster co-innovation between Japan and global ecosystems? Hongqiao International Science and Technology Week 2026 will focus on Asia-Pacific cross-border venture capital. Drawing on real-world practices from ICMG Ventures, the discussion explores how cross-border capital can link India, Southeast Asia and Japan, helping regional innovation startups achieve global growth.
Hongqiao International Science and Technology Week 2026 will take place at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai) from November 20 to 22. As one of its six thematic stages, the Smart Industry Stage gathers industry practitioners in smart manufacturing, industrial digitalisation and AI. Keynote presentations and panel discussions will explore cutting-edge technology adoption and industrial innovation trends.
Its agenda covers smart manufacturing, industrial digital transformation, AI deployment and industrial-chain collaboration, building a platform for dialogue and cooperation among enterprises, technology vendors and industry stakeholders.
At this forum, Yu ARUGA, Managing Director and Board Member of ICMG Ventures, will deliver a featured sharing session. With prior experience at Morgan Stanley and as a founding team member of a boutique investment banking subsidiary focused on the Singapore market, he has supported corporate financing and Asia-Pacific venture capital activities for enterprises from Japan, India and Southeast Asia. Currently based in Singapore managing a Japanese-backed VC fund, he will share his investment strategy covering India, Southeast Asia and Japan, alongside practical insights on advancing co-innovation between Japan and global industrial ecosystems.
Featured Session Fireside Chat: Reimagining Japan’s Manufacturing Sector — Co-Creating the Next-Generation Smart Industry
How can Japan combine its manufacturing strengths with startups, emerging technologies and global partnerships to reshape its industry in the AI era: – Transforming established manufacturing for the AI-driven industrial age – Bridging large corporates, startups and emerging technologies – Moving innovations from R&D and pilots to industrial rollout — accelerating transformation via cross-border co-creation – Lessons learned from the evolution of Japan’s manufacturing ecosystem
Speech Date: November 20, 2026 Stage: Smart Industry
Speaker Bio
Yu ARUGA Managing Director / Board Member, ICMG Ventures
After leaving Morgan Stanley, he moved to Singapore as a founding member of a subsidiary of a boutique investment bank. He developed corporate finance services, including Asia-Pacific venture capital businesses, for enterprises across Japan, India and Southeast Asia. He now manages a Japan-backed venture capital fund headquartered in Singapore. The fund primarily invests in opportunities in India, Southeast Asia and Japan, as well as joint innovation initiatives linking Japan and global ecosystems.
