Personal Background:
I am a German national and have been based in Tokyo, Japan since 2004. I regularly travel between the Silicon Valley, Japan, and other parts of Asia to explore the tech ecosystems and interact with the key industry insiders and startups in these regions.
I have been quoted by The New York Times, Forbes, Reuters, The Washington Post, EDGE, The Verge, Inside Social Games, Engadget, Gizmodo, DER SPIEGEL, The Japan Times, Wired, The Financial Times, CNN, BBC, NHK, and other media outlets worldwide.
After studying in Bayreuth University in Germany and Keio University in Tokyo, I graduated with an MBA in 2002 and with a PhD in economics in 2009.
Work:
I)
My main focus is to work as an independent consultant and advisor for:
- financial institutions (hedge funds, private equity firms, investment banks, venture capital companies etc.)
- “AAA” web, mobile, and gaming startups
- large technology companies
- market and trend research firms
worldwide – primarily in the US, Japan and other parts of Asia.
I offer deep vertical knowledge in Japan’s web, mobile, and gaming industries.
II)
Over the years, I have built up a personal network of 4,500+ (mostly Japan- and Asia-based) contacts in the IT sector.
III)
I regularly speak at major web, mobile and gaming industry events in Japan, Asia, and the US.
IV)
I have been contributing as the Japan correspondent to TechCrunch, the world’s largest Internet industry blog network, since 2008.
Please feel free to contact me via Email (serkan @ serkantoto.com), LinkedIn, Twitter, or Google+.