Kazuhide Sekiyama
Founder of Spiber, the Japanese protein materials company
Kazuhide Sekiyama is the founder of Spiber, the Japanese company that develops textile and other materials from structural proteins produced by fermentation. He led Spiber as chief executive for many years; since April 2026 a new management team has run the company while he focuses on technical development.
| Role | Founder of Spiber |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2007, Tsuruoka, Japan |
| CEO until | March 2026 |
| Current CEO of Spiber | Maya Kawana (since April 2026) |
| Education | Keio University |
Who is Kazuhide Sekiyama?
Kazuhide Sekiyama is a Japanese entrepreneur and the founder of Spiber Inc., a biotechnology company based in Tsuruoka in Yamagata Prefecture. Spiber designs proteins and produces them through microbial fermentation, then turns them into fibres and other materials. It is one of the best known Asian companies in the field of next-generation materials for fashion.
Career
Sekiyama studied at Keio University, where he completed a degree in environmental and information science and a master's course in bioinformatics in 2005. Spiber was established in 2007 and has operated in Tsuruoka for almost two decades.
He served as representative director and chief executive for most of Spiber's history. On 1 April 2026 Spiber announced that it had begun operating under a new management structure, with Maya Kawana as representative director and CEO. According to the company, Sekiyama stepped back from frontline management to concentrate on resolving technical challenges and accelerating product development, drawing on his technical expertise.
Influence on the fashion business
Spiber has worked with a long list of strategic partners, including the Japanese outdoor and sportswear company Goldwin, , and the company says these partners will continue their collaborations under the new management. Spiber now has:
- Its headquarters and a prototyping studio in Tsuruoka, Japan
- A European office, Spiber Europe, in Paris
- A manufacturing facility in Thailand for fermentation and polymer production
Under the new leadership the company has set out three priorities: a market-driven business design with an optimised product portfolio, creating value across lifestyle, beauty, food and healthcare, and reaching profitability and economic independence.
Kazuhide Sekiyama and technology
Spiber's core technology is the design of structural proteins and their production at scale through fermentation, a combination of bioinformatics, synthetic biology and materials engineering. Sekiyama's own background in information science and bioinformatics reflects the company's data-driven approach to protein design.
Why it matters
Sekiyama's work shows both the potential and the difficulty of bringing biomaterials into fashion. Spiber is one of the few companies that has built industrial capacity for protein fibres, and its 2026 reorganisation highlights how the sector is moving from pioneering research towards commercial discipline.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Kazuhide Sekiyama?
Kazuhide Sekiyama is the Japanese founder of Spiber, a company established in 2007 that makes materials from structural proteins produced by fermentation. He led the company as CEO until a new management team took over in April 2026.
Is Kazuhide Sekiyama still CEO of Spiber?
No. Since 1 April 2026 Spiber has been led by Maya Kawana as representative director and CEO. The company says Sekiyama has stepped back from frontline management to focus on technical challenges and product development.