Mr. Tadashi Takaoka has been an Entrepreneurship Manager at CORFO (Corporación de Fomento) since 2017. He leads international training for CORFO and teaches courses in English at the Faculty of Economics at the University of Chile’s MBA program. In an increasingly modernized world, Mr. Takaoka recognizes the contributions that the digital age injects into the global economy, making him the right fit for our International Visitor Leadership Program titled The Digital Economy - Transformative Technology for the Social Good, hosted by the Institute for International Education.
Mr. Takaoka commented that “the way the state is built created a particular atmosphere,” specifically one of tidiness and order. This augmented his appreciation for the grid system layout of the state, going so far as to call it “logic in the development of the cities and towns.” As someone who has abundantly traveled across the world, we deeply treasure his astute observation! Having also spent time perusing the startup businesses dotting the Silicon Slopes in Lehi, Utah, Mr. Takaoka noted that this area has “a different kind of discipline from the one I had seen before.” We hope our guests come to realize the unique additions Utah has in terms of its technological advancements.
Tadashi, second from right, with the group in Downtown Provo
As an important part of his trip, Mr. Takaoka spoke extensively about his lessons in Blockchain, an emerging technology of digital blocks linked by cryptography. He found events with Medici Ventures and the BYU Blockchain Summit to be highly beneficial to his learning experience. Mr. Takaoka has since introduced this topic in Chile, using his former position as Head of Entrepreneurship and as a professional speaker to disseminate his newfound knowledge. He emphasized how “startups can be the leaders of the development of this area in Chile.”
Tadashi attending Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square
Mr. Takaoka equally took full advantage of the cultural activities available to our international visitors. He attended the Tabernacle Choir musical broadcast accompanied by a tour of Temple Square which detailed the rich history of Utah’s pioneers. We sincerely wish him the best in his entrepreneurial adventures!
