Yohei Nakajima

Yohei Nakajima is an industry expert, venture capitalist, and entrepreneur. He is the General Partner at Untapped Capital, an early-stage venture capital firm he co-founded in 2020. The firm is known for leveraging AI and automation in investment processes, including AI-assisted startup research and a founder-facing GPT VC Associate. Nakajima was ranked among the Top 20 thought leaders in the 2023 Data-Driven VC Landscape report and has spoken on using AI in VC at events like the a16Z GP-LP Mixer.

Nakajima is also an artist and the founder of PixelBeasts. He serves as a board member at Misapplied Sciences, a company specialising in next-generation display technology. His approach to venture capital follows a “build-in-public” methodology, where he shares his work openly to learn faster, connect with founders, and contribute to the ecosystem.

One of his most notable projects is BabyAGI, an open-source AI platform developed in March 2023. It was the first popular autonomous agent with task planning capabilities. BabyAGI went viral, receiving millions of impressions, over 20,000 GitHub stars, and more than 50 academic citations. It has been featured in major publications, including Fast Company, Forbes, Business Insider, and VentureBeat. Nakajima was invited to speak at TED AI in San Francisco.

Before founding Untapped Capital, Nakajima worked at Scrum Ventures (2018–2020) as SVP of Scrum Studio and a Venture Partner, where he collaborated with companies like Nintendo and Dentsu. Earlier, at Techstars (2014–2017), he managed The Disney Accelerator and later served as Director of Pipeline, helping startups across 30+ accelerator programs.

Nakajima holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Claremont McKenna College (2009) and is based in Bellevue, Washington, United States.

Yohei Nakajima was born in 1987 in Tokyo, Japan. He later moved to the United States, where he pursued higher education at Claremont McKenna College. He graduated in 2009 with a degree in Economics. After completing his studies, he became involved in the startup ecosystem, contributing as a community leader in Los Angeles. He organised events and educational initiatives to support startup founders and entrepreneurs.

In 2014, Nakajima joined Techstars, where he played a key role in supporting early-stage startups. He helped launch The Disney Accelerator, a program designed to connect startups with The Walt Disney Company. His role later expanded as he became Director of Pipeline, where he was responsible for sourcing startups for over 30 Techstars accelerator programs. During this period, he worked with a large number of founders, helping them scale their businesses.

In 2018, he joined Scrum Ventures as a Venture Partner and Senior Vice President of Scrum Studio. He led the corporate innovation division and worked closely with major corporations such as Nintendo and Dentsu. He was involved in the Series A investment in Misapplied Sciences and later became a board member of the company. At Scrum Ventures, he focused on identifying and supporting high-potential startups, particularly those developing emerging technologies.

In 2020, Nakajima co-founded Untapped Capital, an early-stage venture capital firm. The firm is known for its use of AI and automation in investment processes. Nakajima developed AI-assisted startup research tools and introduced a founder-facing GPT VC Associate. His approach to venture capital follows a "build-in-public" methodology, where he shares his work openly. In 2023, he was ranked among the Top 20 thought leaders in the Data-Driven VC Landscape report and was invited to speak at global events, including the a16Z GP-LP Mixer.

Nakajima is also an artist and the founder of PixelBeasts, an NFT project. In March 2023, he launched BabyAGI, an open-source AI platform designed for task planning. BabyAGI became widely known, receiving millions of impressions online, over 20,000 GitHub stars, and more than 50 academic citations. It was covered by major publications such as Fast Company, Forbes, Business Insider, and VentureBeat. His work in AI led to an invitation to speak at TED AI in San Francisco.

Nakajima continues to lead Untapped Capital while contributing to the tech and startup ecosystem. He is based in Bellevue, Washington, and remains active in AI, automation, and early-stage investments.

Yohei Nakajima’s vision is to support early-stage startups by leveraging technology, AI, and automation. He believes in making venture capital more efficient and accessible through AI-driven research and tools. His "build-in-public" approach helps founders learn, grow, and connect faster. He aims to create a transparent and collaborative investment ecosystem. Through Untapped Capital, he focuses on identifying promising startups and providing them with the necessary resources. His work with AI, including BabyAGI, reflects his commitment to innovation. Nakajima continues to explore new ways to improve venture capital and support the next generation of entrepreneurs.

Yohei Nakajima has been recognised for his contributions to venture capital, AI, and startup innovation. In 2023, he was ranked among the Top 20 thought leaders in the Data-Driven VC Landscape report for his work in AI-powered venture capital. His BabyAGI project gained global attention, receiving over 20,000 GitHub stars and 50+ academic citations. He has been featured in Forbes, Fast Company, Business Insider, and VentureBeat. Nakajima was also invited to speak at TED AI in San Francisco and major tech events like the a16Z GP-LP Mixer. His innovative approach continues to influence the venture capital industry.