Kentaro Machii joined ERIA in February 2024 as a Program Manager in the Startup Ecosystem.

Since 2014, he has worked for JETRO (Japan External Trade Organization), a trade and investment promotion organisation of the Japanese government, in various capacities including his previous role at JETRO Jakarta. His responsibilities included supporting Japanese startups and promoting collaboration between Indonesian startups and Japanese companies by organizing events, providing consulting services, and facilitating business connections. He achieved several milestones, such as collaboration between Japanese companies and Indonesian conglomerates, and inviting a prominent Indonesian corporate venture capital to Japan.

Additionally, he spent two years at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in Japan, where he was involved in negotiating and promoting free trade agreements. During this time, he developed and published an innovative digital tool to assist SMEs in effectively and easily utilizing FTAs.