Rina Akimoto is Founder and CEO of Vivid Garden Inc., a start-up founded in 2016, operating Japan's largest online farm-to-table marketplace, Tabechoku.

The company's mission is to recognize the dedication of producers for their products, inspired by the experience of her family's agricultural business closure in her youth. Since its launch in 2017, Tabechoku has grown into a trusted platform with over 10,000 socially driven producers and over 1 million users across the country. The service has empowered producers in farm, fishery and other sectors to set fair prices and deliver rich stories, by directly connecting with users.

Such connections foster customer loyalty and reduce food waste by adding value to non-market standard yet unique crops and products.

In addition to her work as CEO, she is a regular commentator on several news programs, serves as a member of the Cabinet Office's Regulatory Reform Committee aiming to solve regional social issues, is an outside director at Askul Corporation, and is also an outside member of the Management Advisory Board at Kewpie Corporation.