From NVC Finalist to Global Investor, Koichiro Nakamura Continues to Support the Program That Helped Shape His Path

As part of the NVC@30 celebration, Nakamura reflected on his journey from Booth student and two-time NVC finalist to Sozo Ventures cofounder, Polsky Council member, NVC judge, and longtime supporter of the program.

Koichiro “Koh” Nakamura, MBA ’07, did not come to the University of Chicago Booth School of Business expecting entrepreneurship to define his experience.

In Japan, Chicago Booth was known for finance.

Nakamura had already spent years working where technology, investing, and company building meet, including as a member of the founding team of Yahoo Japan, one of the country’s earliest and most influential internet companies. He had helped build new businesses during the early days of Japan’s internet economy and later worked in investment roles connected to telecom and technology ventures.

But when he visited Booth and sat in on a class taught by Steven Kaplan, Neubauer Family Distinguished Service Professor of Entrepreneurship and Finance and faculty director of the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, something clicked.

“Kaplan’s class was fascinating,” Nakamura recalled. “I did not know much about entrepreneurship at Booth at the time, but after that, I took most of the entrepreneurship-related classes, including the New Venture Challenge.”

That decision would shape the next phase of Nakamura’s career — not because it confirmed that he should become an entrepreneur, but because it helped him realize something just as important.

“I learned that I am not an entrepreneur,” Nakamura said. “I realized I was more interested in helping companies than being the person in the driver’s seat. That was one of the best lessons I took from the NVC.”

Learning from the other side of the table

Nakamura participated in the Edward L. Kaplan, ’71, New Venture Challenge twice while at Booth, making the finals both times.

His first venture, which focused on the secondary market for telecom equipment in Japan, placed among the top teams in a year when Braintree — later acquired by PayPal — won the competition.

His second NVC company grew out of University of Chicago research related to molecular technology that could detect hydration levels in the body. That venture also finished among the top teams.

For Nakamura, however, the most valuable part of the experience was not the results. It was the process of pressure-testing an idea, working with technical founders, listening to feedback, and watching what it took to move from a promising technology to a viable company.

And through that experience, he began to see his own strengths more clearly.

“I knew how people viewed technology and companies, and I had a good perspective on that,” Nakamura said. “But during the NVC, I realized I was better suited to sit on the other side of the table.”

After graduating, Kaplan introduced Nakamura to the Kauffman Fellows Program, a global leadership program for venture capitalists. Nakamura was accepted into Class 12 and later received the Jeff Timmons Memorial Award in recognition of his contributions to the program.

These experiences led Nakamura deeper into the world of venture capital and ultimately led to the founding of Sozo Ventures. The firm was cofounded in 2012 by Nakamura and Phil Wickham, who was CEO of the Kauffman Fellows Program at that time, with the aim of helping startups expand globally, particularly into the Japanese and Asian markets.

Currently, Nakamura serves as the firm’s cofounder and managing director. Sozo Ventures has invested in and supported the global expansion of some of the world’s most prominent technology companies, including Coinbase, Palantir, Square, Zoom, and Applied Intuition.

Supporting the next generation of founders

Nakamura began supporting the NVC while working at Mitsubishi after business school and continued that support after launching Sozo Ventures. Over time, his involvement has included financial support, judging, mentoring, and serving as a member of the Polsky Council, which he joined in 2020.

For Nakamura, supporting the NVC is both personal and practical.

He saw how the program helped him understand himself and his career path. He also believes his experience in Silicon Valley, Japan, and global venture investing can bring a valuable perspective to Chicago founders.

“Chicago is a strong place to build companies because it is connected to real industries and real results,” Nakamura said. “The foundation is very strong. But I also want to bring a different perspective — what happens if everything goes right? What is the big opportunity in the future?”

That is the lens he brings as an NVC judge.

Nakamura said Booth students are often strong at explaining markets, evaluating viability, and building sound business models. But when he listens to pitches, he also wants to understand the founder’s personal story and the scale of their ambition.

“I want to hear the story of the company, not just the marketing,” Nakamura said. “Students often talk about the problem and the market opportunity, but I want to hear more about themselves. And I want to know: if everything goes right, what can happen?”

That perspective reflects Nakamura’s own journey. Growing up in an area of Japan where few people went to college, he said he often felt like he did not fully belong. The rise of the internet opened a new world of possibility and introduced him to entrepreneurs who were willing to build, take risks, and change industries.

“I was looking for who I am,” Nakamura said. “Through entrepreneurship and venture capital, I found the people I wanted to work with — people who were building new things and changing industries.”

Coming full-circle with the NVC

For Nakamura, the NVC remains meaningful because it was more than a competition. It was a place where he tested ideas, learned from peers and professors, and discovered the role he was best suited to play in the entrepreneurial ecosystem.

That experience ultimately led him to venture capital — and to a career helping founders build companies with global ambition.

“If I had not met Steve Kaplan, I do not think I would have become a venture capitalist,” Nakamura said. “The University of Chicago taught me how important it is to understand what is not right for you. The NVC helped me realize that, and that was very valuable.”

Now, as a supporter, judge, investor, and Polsky Council member, Nakamura is helping new generations of founders use the NVC in their own way — whether to launch a company, sharpen an idea, find their path, or discover what kind of builder they want to become.