Lina Sakai Watanabe

Founder-CEO and operator of Fermenstation, a fermentation-based biomanufacturing company that upcycles unused biomass into ethanol, cosmetic and food ingredients, and animal feed. She founded the company in 2009 and oversees R&D, pilot manufacturing, product development and partnerships to scale a circular-society model. co+1

Bridges finance and science — she spent the early part of her career in banking and securities (Fuji Bank, Deutsche Securities), then retrained in fermentation and biotechnology (Tokyo University of Agriculture) to apply technical fermentation solutions to systemic environmental and social problems. ac+1

Committed to measurable social and environmental impact: under her leadership Fermenstation obtained B Corp certification and emphasizes low-impact manufacturing, zero-waste practices, and circular use of fermentation residues across agriculture, cosmetics and food value chains. co+2

Active in the global startup and impact ecosystem — recognized through pitch wins and programs (e.g., VIVA Technology/Japan×France prize mentions, Startup Genome/Hypergrowth support, Unreasonable Fellowship) and has attracted strategic investment and partnerships to scale production. unreasonablegroup+2