In an era defined by relentless innovation, Japan’s technology landscape continues to stand apart for its discipline, precision, and visionary leadership. The nation has long been home to pioneers who bridge tradition with transformation, steering industries toward the future while honoring a legacy of meticulous craftsmanship.
Within this evolving ecosystem, leaders in Japanese tech companies increasingly shape global progress by championing breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, data-driven decision making, and digital modernization.
Their work not only accelerates industry change but also reimagines how the world thinks about efficiency, intelligence, and human-centric technology.
Among these influential figures stands Evan Burkosky, CEO of Kimaru.ai, whose career reflects the arc of Japan’s digital evolution. With two decades spent driving large-scale transformation across the country, he has been a quiet but powerful force behind Japan’s embrace of AI, big data, analytics, and marketing technology. His professional journey mirrors the commercialization of artificial intelligence itself.
He spent nearly twenty years helping major organizations modernize their operations, guiding marketing agencies, and supporting international firms seeking to enter and thrive in the Japanese market.
Over the course of his career, Evan Burkosky introduced six Silicon Valley companies and two Israeli innovators to Japan, often serving as launch leader and country manager.
His stewardship helped one of these companies achieve its most profitable global quarter, and he later led the revitalization of a forty member sales team navigating the upheaval of the pandemic.
Each milestone sharpened his insight into how organizations adopt new technology, how teams adapt under pressure, and how intelligence, human or artificial, transforms outcomes when guided with clarity.
These experiences ultimately converged into his role at Kimaru.ai, where he now leads an ambitious mission to build a human in the loop decision intelligence platform for the global supply chain. The platform is designed to observe its own cognitive process, ensuring transparency and ethical oversight in a world increasingly shaped by algorithmic choices.
For him, investor validation and the urgency of solving a critical global logistics challenge serve as powerful motivators. His story stands as a testament to the leaders redefining Japan’s technological frontier and the global impact they continue to shape.
The global supply chain is burdened by $\$1.6$ trillion in disorder and disconnected data2. Our mission is to eliminate that chaos, transforming fragmented data into intelligent, ethical, and responsible decisions that drive real-world efficiency
Which key principles guide you when advising clients on the solutions you offer?
We begin by assessing the true scale and complexity of a customer’s challenge. The global supply chain has grown into a one point six trillion dollar problem, and most companies still grapple with disconnected data scattered across CRMs, ERPs, POS systems, and countless spreadsheets. Our platform brings these fragmented sources together, adds meaningful context, and incorporates an ethical foundation for every decision it supports.
Because no organization has yet managed to operationalize decision intelligence at a large scale, we focus on ensuring that our solution directly confronts the disorder, inefficiencies, and data silos our clients face. This approach allows us to deliver clarity where most systems create confusion and to support decisions that are both intelligent and responsible.
How would you define your leadership approach, and what principles or practices shape the way you lead?
At Kimaru, the culture blends intellectual rigor with practical determination. Our backend team is built around PhD-level specialists who bring deep technical insight, while our sales team is driven by people who embody persistence, adaptability, and real-world hustle. This combination supports our commitment to meritocracy and a strong focus on customer outcomes.
We function as a flat and globally distributed organization with teams based in India, Tokyo, Austin, and San Francisco. This structure encourages openness, empathy, and seamless collaboration. Although we pursue bold and demanding goals, we balance that intensity with a spirit of camaraderie and enjoyment that helps us stay grounded and perform effectively under pressure.
How do you stay informed about emerging industry trends to guide your organization forward?
Ongoing learning is essential for me. I dedicate every available moment to studying and staying informed. I regularly listen to podcasts like SaaStr, Y Combinator, and Andreessen Horowitz, and lately I have been exploring the work of Andrej Karpathy and Richard Sutton, particularly their views on AGI development and reinforcement learning. I also read extensively and make it a point to share valuable insights and recommendations with my team.
What long term vision are you working toward for the future?
Over the next five years, we are focused on achieving one hundred million dollars in annual recurring revenue, although we believe our trajectory can surpass that benchmark. Our broader mission is to eliminate the significant inefficiencies that burden the global supply chain and to establish our platform across every major region. Looking further ahead, our ten year vision is full worldwide adoption that links all supply chain stakeholders.
The global supply chain is burdened by $\$1.6$ trillion in disorder and disconnected data2. Our mission is to eliminate that chaos, transforming fragmented data into intelligent, ethical, and responsible decisions that drive real-world efficiency.
What guidance would you offer to emerging leaders in this field, drawing from your extensive experience?
Keep learning without pause. The speed of change is unlike anything we have seen before. Modern leaders cannot remain narrow experts, they need to think like polymaths. Develop competence across multiple fields, continually update your skills, and always work to broaden the way you think strategically.
Evan Burkosky, CEO, Kimaru.ai
A seasoned technology leader with two decades of experience in Japan, Evan Burkosky has guided digital transformation across AI, analytics, and marketing technology. He introduced multiple global startups to the Japanese market and now leads Kimaru.ai as CEO, driving the development of a human in the loop decision intelligence platform for supply chains.