Mariko Nishimura co-founded HEART CATCH Inc. in 2014 and expanded its presence to Los Angeles in 2020. She bridges technology, creativity, and business, leading new business production, communication strategy design, and educational program development in collaboration with corporations and municipalities. As a Japan representative of Art Thinking Improbable, she promotes the integration of art thinking into business and innovation, and she has a track record of investing in and supporting startups both in Japan and abroad.She also serves as a member of the Cabinet Office’s Open Innovation Award expert committee, Visiting Professor at Musashino Art University, official columnist for Forbes JAPAN, Fellow of Shizuoka Prefecture, and cofounder of AI Collective Japan, one of the world’s largest AI communities.Recognized as a “Pollinator®︎,” she seamlessly connects people, companies, technology, and culture, fostering ideas and collaborations that transcend boundaries.