Toyota's Woven Capital has appointed Michiko Kato as its new Chief Investment Officer and CEO of Toyota Invention Partners.
Mia Panzer joins as Chief Operating Officer, resulting in women holding the top two executive roles at the corporate venture capital firm.
Female Leadership Pioneering Mobility Innovation
Kato becomes the first female CEO of a wholly owned Toyota subsidiary, drawing on 15 years of investing experience from M&A at Unison Capital and CFO at AI startup ABEJA.
Since joining Woven Capital in 2020 as an early hire, she has led key investments including reusable rocket company Stoke and autonomous vehicle firm Nuro.
Expanding Investments in Cutting-Edge Mobility
Panzer, with prior experience in business strategy at a Toyota technology subsidiary, will manage finance, operations, HR, and legal functions.
Launched as Toyota's growth-stage VC arm in 2020, Woven Capital has raised $1.6 billion across two funds targeting startups in space, cybersecurity, and autonomous driving.
The firm aims to support at least 20 new Series B investments, positioning portfolio companies as strategic collaboration partners with Toyota.
Under Managing Director Ro Gupta, the new leaders emphasize flexible, hands-on partnerships to deliver value to founders reshaping mobility.
These appointments signal advancing gender diversity in corporate VC, where women are increasingly vital amid historical underrepresentation.
Historically, Woven Capital's investments have focused on transformative technologies, building on Toyota's legacy in automotive innovation.
Looking forward, Kato envisions revolutionizing manufacturing through aeromobility, physical AI, and advanced hardware.
This leadership shift positions Toyota to lead the future of mobility, fostering impactful startups that redefine transportation globally.
Andrew Lee
