CROSS-BORDER ECOSYSTEMS: THE ROLE OF NEXT-GENERATION WOMEN LEADERS
Date: February 19th, 2026
Session Location: Toranomon Hills Forum Hall-B – Breakout Room A
Session Organizer: Startup Lady
Language: English
Session Description:
Startup Lady connects women entrepreneurs and women leaders in Japan and around the world, working closely with government bodies, corporations, and startups to create environments where people can challenge themselves beyond borders.
In this session, we will share:
– The leadership skills and mindset required of women leaders in the next generation Cross-border initiatives and practices implemented by Startup Lady
– The potential of collaboration between government and global ecosystems
Through concrete examples, we will discuss not only theory but also the real challenges and opportunities observed through hands-on experience. This session will offer insights into the future of cross-border business and the evolving role of women leaders in a global context.
Speakers
MOEKO SUZUKI
PRESIDENT – STARTUP LADY
Moeko Suzuki spent her high school years in London and graduated from a U.S. university in 2010. After working at a consulting firm specializing in international market expansion, she founded Tailor Innovations Inc., where she leads global expansion support and OEM/ODM (IoT) businesses, including the development of the company’s original 4K live-streaming device, Blastreams. Alongside her business activities, she founded Startup Lady Association, a global community for women entrepreneurs. The organization has grown into a diverse ecosystem of six board members from different cultural backgrounds, 20 core contributors, and a membership of over 2,000 women from 52 countries. She also previously served as a board member of the Startup Ecosystem Association Japan, promoting cross-sector collaboration among startups, support organizations, VCs, corporations, academia, and government to accelerate Japan’s innovation landscape. She currently serves on the board of La French Tech Tokyo.
KANAGAM RAMANUJAM
President, Community Builders Foundation (CBF)
Kanagam Ramanujam is the President of Community Builders Foundation (CBF), an organization focused on driving long-term social impact across communities, with particular emphasis on children, youth, and women. He brings decades of experience in organizational leadership, community development, and mentorship, working at the intersection of purpose-driven strategy and practical execution.
She has led and supported initiatives in youth and women’s empowerment, regenerative community building, and values-based leadership development. His work centers on sustainable, long-term transformation—strengthening the role of women as leaders, recognizing the economic and social value of care work, and enabling younger generations to build self-directed and fulfilling career paths.
Currently, Kanagam focuses on a custodianship-oriented leadership approach, supporting organizations and emerging leaders through knowledge sharing, governance support, and strategic guidance to foster resilient, inclusive, and future-ready communities.
NICOLE HSIEH
CO-FOUNDER – GLOBAL WOMEN IMPACT
I’m Nicole Hsieh, co-founder of Global Women Impact (GWI)—a learning movement dedicated to building thoughtful space for women to explore purpose, perspective, and growth. Prior to GWI, I gained experience in business development, cross-brand collaboration, and strategic community engagement, working with international partners and diverse teams to bridge ideas and drive impact.
My work has always been driven by a simple belief: that meaningful growth begins with clarity of purpose and connection. This belief led to the creation of GWI, where we curate conversations, gatherings, and global voices to make space for women’s experiences and stories to surface and shape new possibilities.
Through GWI, I aim to support women in navigating transitions with depth, curiosity, and confidence—whether through dialogue, shared reflections, or immersive online workshops and events that encourage both self-understanding and collective insight.
Moderator :
Rui Nagamori
Partner – Venture Café Tokyo
※Please also sign up Global Gathering 2026 to join the session!
https://venturecafeglobal.org/event/global-gathering-tokyo-2026/