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In 2009, Tomohisa Saito completed a Master's program at the Faculty of Science, Hokkaido University (Advisor: Prof. Hajime Ito). At a major chemical manufacturer, he was in charge of the entire development process, from R&D related to optical materials to product design and production, and was in charge of customers in the Asian region. Later, in the same job, he managed an overseas subsidiary and European customers. In 2017, he was engaged in electronics-related planning and promotion. Beginning in 2020, he was engaged in new business creation in a management position at a company engaged in semiconductor material- and pharmaceutical-related businesses. In November 2023, he founded MECHANOCROSS Co., Ltd. as a Representative Director and CEO.

Hajime Ito earned his Ph.D. degree in 1996 from the Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, and was then promoted to Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry, University of Tsukuba in the same year. In 1999, he became a Research Assistant at the Institute for Molecular Science and Visiting Scholar at the Scripps Research Institute, USA. In 2002, he was appointed as an Associate Professor at the Graduate School of Science, Hokkaido University. In 2010, he was appointed as a Professor in the Laboratory of Organoelement Chemistry, which was previously led by Prof. Akira Suzuki (2010 Nobel Prize winner) and Prof. Norio Miyaura, at the Graduate School of Engineering, Hokkaido University. Beginning in 2018, he has served as the Deputy Director of the WPI-ICReDD, Hokkaido University. He has also served as a Principal Investigator of JST CREST "Innovative Synthesis" since 2019. In 2022, he was appointed as a Distinguished Professor at Hokkaido University, Chief Investigator of the Organic Chemistry Division in The Chemical Society of Japan, and Associate Editor, RSC Mechanochemistry, Royal Society of Chemistry, UK. He received the 2014 Academic Award from the Chemical Society of Japan, and the Hokkaido Governor's Award at the 2023 Hokkaido Venture Support Pitch. He is a world leader in mechanochemical organic synthesis research.

Koji Kubota earned his Ph.D. in 2016 under the supervision of Professor Hajime Ito at Hokkaido University. He then joined the laboratory of Professor F. Dean Toste at the University of California, Berkeley, as a postdoctoral fellow. In 2017, he transferred to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and joined the laboratory of Professor Stephen L. Buchwald as a JSPS overseas research fellow. In 2018, he began his academic research on mechanochemical synthesis as part of the Ito group at Hokkaido University and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2021. In November 2023, he founded MECHNOCROSS Co., Ltd., where he serves as a Director and Technical Advisor. He has received numerous awards, including the 72nd Annual Award for Progress from the Chemical Society of Japan, 2022 Hokkaido University President's Award for Education and Research, MechSustInd International Award, and 2019 ACP Lectureship Award.

In 2012, Ikuo Sasaki completed his doctoral studies at the Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokushima Bunri University. He then worked as a postdoctoral researcher in the laboratory of Professor Hajime Ito at the Graduate School of Engineering, Hokkaido University, where he pioneered novel synthetic methods for organoboron compounds. In September 2015, he moved to the Laboratory of Biofunctional Molecular Synthesis in the Faculty of Science and Engineering, Aoyama Gakuin University, where he worked as an Assistant Professor and conducted research on the total synthesis of bioactive natural products and the development of synthetic methods for nitrogen-containing heterocycles. In July 2023, he joined the Ito group as a Specially Appointed Lecturer and participated in research projects related to mechanochemical synthesis. Since April 2024, he has served as the Technical Chief at MECHANOCROSS Co., Ltd. He has published more than 30 scientific papers to date.

After graduating from the Graduate School of Engineering, Hokkaido University, majoring in quantum physics engineering in 2004, he joined Hitachi, Ltd. and was assigned to the Intellectual Property Rights Headquarters. He passed the patent attorney exam in 2007. Graduated from the Hokkaido University Law School in 2012. Passed the bar exam in 2013. He joined

Uchida & Samejima Law Firm

in January 2013. Mr. Takahashi met through a support system used by Mechanocross in November 2023, and joined Mechanocross in April 2024.

Graduated from the Faculty of Economics, Hokkaido University in 2017. Joined a major auditing firm and engaged in accounting audits for Japanese and foreign financial institutions and investment funds. After that, worked at a company that provides financial support to IT managers, where he supported angel investments, established venture capital funds, raised funds, invested in startup companies, and supported investment destinations. In 2023, he established PinWheel Co., Ltd. in Sapporo, Hokkaido, with the aim of supporting startups and creating businesses that utilize local assets. Joined MechanoCross in August 2024 as the head of finance.

Worked in sales and business operations for various products and new business development at a domestic chemical manufacturer. Extensive experience in building materials business development mainly in Europe and the Middle East, and currently works as a business consultant mainly for domestic manufacturing companies. Joined Mechanocross in June 2024.