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Motokuni Takaoka
EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year™ 2025 Judge
Founder, Chairman and CEO, Airweave, Japan
Motokuni’s quest for a good night’s sleep inspired his entrepreneurial journey.
Motokuni Takaoka is the Chairman and CEO of Airweave, which he founded to find better sleep solutions after suffering chronic neck pain from a car accident. He had taken over his uncle’s fishing line business in 2004 and was inspired by the resin fiber used in the lines. Using his engineering expertise, Motokuni developed Airfiber, a revolutionary resin-based sleep technology designed to replace traditional spring mattresses. He partnered with Stanford University to incorporate science-backed sleep research into the development process.
Initially embraced by athletes for their superior quality, Airweave’s sustainable, hygienic and customizable mattresses transformed the stagnant bedding industry. The innovative bedding gradually gained popularity with the public and has become one of Japan’s leading mattress brands. By 2023, Airweave boasted over 400 stores in Japan and recorded sales of US$1.34b.
With a vision for global expansion, Airweave has made its mark at several Olympic Games. The brand’s mattresses were a feature of the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 athlete villages and will be used at the Milano-Cortina 2026 Olympics. As of January 2025, Airweave has expanded beyond Japan to markets in the United States, continuing its mission to bring “Quality Sleep” to the world.
Motokuni is EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ 2016 Japan.