Kikka Hanazawa
About Kikka Hanazawa
I am a social entrepreneur and nonprofit founder with a passion for businesses and projects that make the world a better (happier) place. I like using business as a force for good and helping others launch social initiatives, raise funds and scale social ventures. ENTREPRENEUR I launched new businesses within large public companies. I orchestrated an MBO of the division I was running and successfully sold the businesses. I facilitated mergers and acquisitions, scaled the business, and helped the company go public. I am passionate about advising businesses with missions to be a force for change and social good. SPEAKER, AWARD WINNER I enjoy speaking about women’s entrepreneurship, social entrepreneurship, and sustainability at conferences and on panels. I have participated in events at Yale, Google, and Harvard Business School. My work also has been featured across media outlets, including Wall Street Journal, NBC, BBC, Forbes, New York Times, and Vogue. I am a recipient of Asia Society’s Game Changer Award and Forbes 48 Heroes of Philanthropy and have been recognized by Fast Company for “World Changing Ideas.” BOARD AND ADVISOR ROLES In addition to being an advisor/mentor for startup & accelerator prorgams around the world, I serve on nonprofit boards including Columbia University and the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. I was a member of the Council of Fashion Designers of America's finance committee, a jurist for NYEDC’s incubator fund, and an advisor for the UN and Swarovski Foundation on sustainability. I welcome opportunities to connect with companies that want to be sustainable and develop mission-oriented products or business models that benefit women and low-income communities in the US and abroad. Born in Tokyo, I received a BA from Columbia in Art History and an MBA from Harvard Business School.