Interested in learning more about AI? Come on down to ACECH’s May GMM to listen to “Today’s AI – the fun, freaky, and amazing!” presented by Ian Kitajima, President of the Pacific International Center for High Technology Research. Find more details about this event and on our guest speaker as well, down below!
Date: Wednesday, May 8, 2024
Time: 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. (Lunch Meeting)
Location: The Pacific Club
1451 Queen Emma Street, Honolulu, HI 96813
In 2023, Mr. Kitajima was named President of the Pacific International Center for High Technology Research (PICHTR.org) which was founded in 1983 to facilitate US-Japan joint research programs. PICHTR’s history has included the launch of the “Hawaii Technology Development Venture”, one of the country’s first dual-use defense incubators, which later spawned and spun off “Elemental Excelerator” or “Elemental” as it is known today, a globally recognized clean energy incubator.
Mr. Kitajima is the former Director of Corporate Development and is best known as the “Technology Sherpa” for 21 years at Oceanit – a “Mind to Market” innovation lab of 160 scientists, engineers, technologists, designers, and dreamers conducting advance technology development research for government and private clients worldwide. He opened the South Korean market, co-founded 3 venture backed Oceanit startups – Hoana Medical, Nanopoint, and Ibis Networks; raised millions in defense and government research funding and recruited the talent to lead Oceanit into new areas such as nanotechnology, clean energy, artificial intelligence, and advance sensor development.
While at Oceanit, he co-founder of the Design Thinking Hawaii movement in 2009, the “Altino” and DOE computer science movement in 2017, and the Aloha AI Network in 2019. Prior to joining Oceanit in 2001, he played senior leadership roles in companies focused on wireless warehouse management systems in Los Angeles, global toy marketing, and virtual communities for mobile phones in Helsinki Finland.
Recognitions have included “Corporate Intrapreneur of the Year” in 2017 and Social Impact Enterprise of the Year in 2018 by the Hawaii Venture Capital Association, 20 people to watch for the next 20 years by Hawaii Business Magazine in 2015, and as an honoree by several community organizations. He brings an innovation mindset to several boards including PBS Hawaii, the Public Schools of Hawaii Foundation, and the Workforce Development Council.
He is a proud public-school graduate of Castle High School, Windward Community College, and the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Alumni Story “From surfer to sherpa”.