Team Spotlight on Mitch: The rock in the storm — the good listener who always provides thoughtful advice
As a founding partner of DNX, Mitch Kitamura has successfully helped establish a pan-pacific investment firm, with one foot in Silicon Valley, US, and another in Tokyo, Japan. As for most VCs, the value comes from rich experience, a vast and diverse network, and close collaborative relationships with corporations as well as entrepreneurs. With his 20 years of venture capital industry experience, Mitch has tremendous resources and expertise to tap into to help fuel entrepreneurs and collaborators and accelerate success on their journeys.
It all started in Japan; however, his studies and interest in beautiful beaches led him to Australia, where he achieved his undergraduate degree. His journey then continued in Boston, where he pursued an MA in Economics from Boston University. Soon after, he moved to Silicon Valley, where his journey in the VC world started as he joined a Japanese VC firm. Some years later, as he pursued the passion of supporting entrepreneurs’ dreams, he met our partners and that is when DNX Ventures was formed.
Read on to learn Mitch’s thoughts on investment and its trend, as well as about his time off from work.
What sectors or trends are you excited about right now?
“Many things, but I’m fascinated by climate tech — it’s fundamental for our future, and the change it will bring has an impact on every aspect of every industry. There are many things that entrepreneurs and venture capital can do to help, but it’s when we add in DNX’s rich corporate network that I really see how a win-win-win situation can be created and accelerated. Collaborative corporate relations are key as they can be valuable partners and customers for the startups in this quickly evolving space and become trusted advisors. DNX is uniquely positioned to build a strong three-way advantage in this market, so I’m very interested in this sector.”
What are the main things you think about when looking at a potential investment?
“Most important to me are the entrepreneurs themselves and their stories. Why did they set out on an entrepreneurial journey; do they have genuine motivation; what’s their purpose and what drives them? The journey for a founder can inevitably be tough, so I like to make sure that there is a genuine motivation behind an entrepreneur’s desire to get involved, put in the work, and stick with it through the challenges.”
What are your must-read books or podcasts?
Zero to One by Peter Thiel and The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz, Kevin Kenerly, et al.
What do you enjoy doing when you aren’t working?
“I’m an avid soccer fan — so you can always catch me playing or watching soccer, and before my kids went to college, taking them to practice and games took out a good chunk of my weekend. I feel that we can learn a lot from team building, strategy, coaching, and leadership in sports; I learned a lot from my favourite soccer team — Manchester City. I also prioritise spending time with my family and my dog.”
What is your advice for entrepreneurs?
“I’d tell them to be authentic and genuine rather than change themselves to fit expectations. It’s also important to center around their intrinsic purpose of why they’re pursuing the project, and if they start to lose motivation, to remind themselves of why they began. Prioritize having a strong vision and purpose to attract people.”
Is there anything else you’d like to share about yourself?
“My favourite colours are orange and blue — if you come to a meeting wearing orange or blue accessories or talk about soccer, it will brighten my day!”
