BACKGROUND
Masa Shinomiya is a senior mechanical engineer at Yamaha Motor Ventures, where he is responsible for providing engineering support for portfolio companies.
Previously, he worked as a body design engineer for a scooter in Yamaha Motor.
Prior to that, he worked as a CAE engineer. He supported structural design, such as for commercial motorcycles, race bikes, surface mounter, and various research projects.
Masa graduated from Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology with a master of Mechanical system engineering.
In his leisure time he enjoys riding motorcycles and skiing.
BACKGROUND
As a Senior Associate at Yamaha Motor Ventures, Ray is responsible for identifying and evaluating investment opportunities in emerging technology startups.
Prior to YMV, Ray served as an Investment Associate with BASF Venture Capital where he evaluated investment opportunities in clean energy, novel membrane technologies, mining, and AI/ML for new material discovery and industrial optimization.
Before joining BASF VC, Ray worked as a licensed professional engineer and design manager for heavy infrastructure projects across the Northeast. His work spans renewable energy transmission and distribution, substation sites, and intelligent transportation systems.
Education:
Bucknell University, BS in Civil & Environmental Engineering
UCLA, MS in Structural / Earthquake Engineering
COMPANIES
GET TO KNOW
“Spend each day trying to be a little wiser than you were when you woke up.” -Charlie Munger
Why work at Yamaha/Yamaha Motor Ventures? What are you most excited about working in Yamaha Motor Ventures?
What excites me most about Yamaha Motor Ventures is the opportunity to work at the intersection of high-performance engineering and next-generation technology. Yamaha’s roots in motorsports have always been about more than winning. Yamaha’s strength lies in testing the limits of what's possible especially when under pressure and at speed.
Yamaha has consistently pushed boundaries, whether developing cutting-edge autonomous systems, high-speed industrial robots, or electric mobility platforms. At YMV, I’m passionate about supporting startups that share that same spirit of relentless innovation. With access to Yamaha’s global resources, technical expertise, and legacy of bold experimentation, we help founders go further, faster and bring transformative technologies to life.
What do you look for the most in early-stage startups?
I look for founding teams that are able to pair a novel insight with a major technological inflection point to create industry defining innovations.
What do you love to do outside of work?
I’m a firm believer that there is no such thing as a bad day spent on two wheels. If I’m not working, you can find me cycling the hills of the Bay Area or Los Angeles. If it’s raining, I’ll be at home playing the guitar or listening to records.
What’s your next adventure with Yamaha? Which Yamaha products would you love to try next and where?
When my legs start to fade, the power-assist on Yamaha’s Civante e-bikes make long rides a walk in the park. I’m looking forward to seeing how far this can take me on my next journey over the Golden Gate bridge.