Age of AI

Contribute to the digital transformation of learning

Explore, Learn, and Grow

Our Vision

Democratizing learning through ABC (AI, Big Data, and Cloud)

About Us

How it all started

CEO's Message

The seed for leaving my 20-year career in finance was first sown when I went through the Harvard Business Analytics Program (HBAP) in 2018. The 50 of us attended live classes and held group discussions weekly on Zoom for 9 months and yet when we finally met on campus at graduation–we bonded so naturally it was as if we had been sitting in the same physical classroom for weeks if not months. This was the first time I realized that the distinction between traditional and virtual classrooms will become increasingly blurred in the future.

In addition, all HBAP students communicate and collaborate through the program’s official Slack Workspace and stay on even after graduation. While I gained a solid knowledge foundation from the program’s world-class faculty¹ and amazing curriculum, fellow students and alumni continue to support my endeavors in applying the knowledge learned and solving problems even today. This experience showed me not only the power of a safe and supportive learning community but also what “lifelong and continuous learning” looks like. Then suddenly in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic changed the way we all live, work, and learn forever. “Zoom” and “Slack”, 2 words that meant nothing to most people around me when I was at HBAP, suddenly became household names for almost everyone overnight.

At the peak of the pandemic crisis, UNESCO data showed that over 1.6bn learners of all ages globally were forced out of school and studied online. Watching how all 3 of my children struggled to adapt to virtual classes and recalling my own positive experience from HBAP’s official Slack Workspace, it suddenly dawned on me what most digital learners were missing as the world hastily shifted to digital learning. After much thought and consideration, I decided to retire from Capital Group² and start Terakoya.AI to create the same safe and supportive digital learning community to share with other learners.

When Amazon first started selling books online 20 years ago, few would imagine that today we are already buying everyday fashion, furniture or even fresh grocery goods without actually seeing or touching the products in stores. Similarly, the day that all learning is conducted digitally–with or without a physical classroom–will also certainly come earlier than anyone could imagine. As the world’s education and learning go through accelerating digital transformation in the next decade, Terakoya.AI aims to be the psychologically-safe community for all learners to feel comfortable and confident in connecting with and learning from peers having similar interests and goals.

Faculty Chair Dr. Karim Lakhani’s Digital Strategy course and “Competing in the Age of AI” had a profound influence on me starting Terakoya.AI Inc.
Special thanks to Capital which gave me a memorable career, lifelong friendships, and everything I needed to transition to the life of a startup

Paul Li

Founder & CEO

BIO

Career

Born in Taiwan and immigrated to Canada at age of 15, Paul moved to Tokyo after university and joined the M&A teams at Jardine Fleming (now JPMorgan) and then at Pacific Century Cyber Works Japan. 2 years later, Paul changed his career focus from M&A to Investment Management–spending the first 4 years at Fidelity International in Tokyo and the next 16 years at Capital Group’s Tokyo and Hong Kong offices. During his time as a publicly-traded equity investor, he covered a variety of sectors such as retail, technology hardware (e.g. semiconductors and electronic components), transportation, gaming, and education. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.

Education

Paul received his bachelor of business administration from Canada’s Simon Fraser University with honors. In 2018, Paul graduated from the Harvard Business Analytics Program and completed the Data Scientist with Python Career Track at Data Camp the following year–he is currently pursuing the Data Science Graduate Program at Harvard Extension School. Paul speaks Chinese, English, and Japanese.

Others

Paul has been a member of the East Asia Advisory Council for Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Talented Youth (CTY) since 2012 in Hong Kong. After returning to Tokyo in 2021, he became the Chairman of the Board for Education Beyond, a non-profit organization working on introducing the CTY’s gifted education program into the Japanese market.

Our Advisors

Director for Data Applications for the Investment Group at Capital Group. Prior to Capital, he built Machine Learning Translation & Data Capabilities at Amazon. Master’s degree in Computer Science from the University of Zagreb. Co-founded Young Gifted Mathematicians “Marin Getaldic” Association. Lived and worked in Croatia, Switzerland, Ireland, the US and the UK.

A seasoned business professional with experience in banking, international business development, general management and corporate governance in a wide variety of industries and companies at various stages of a business lifecycle. Educated in the US and Japan from a very young age to graduate school, thus uniquely local to Japan and America. Passionate about being a positive influence to others in all aspects of daily life.

After graduating from Tokyo Institute of Technology, joined Seven-Eleven Japan Co., Ltd. as a new graduate. He combined the “Seven-style marketing” with basic marketing that he learned on his own. From there, he established a unique marketing style that cannot be copied by others. He is an up-and-coming marketer with strengths in storefront marketing.

Company Data

Founded and based in Tokyo but with an eye to the world

Company name	Terakoya.AI Inc.
Representative director	Paul Li
Head office	Toranomon Hills, Business Tower 15F, 1-17-1 Toranomon Minato-ku, Tokyo
Telephone no	03 6807 3939
Business overview	Internet, e-comerce, and IT services
Incoporation date	February 28, 2022
Initial capital	9.5 million Yen