Catalyst Now is a dynamic global movement of changemakers, social entrepreneurs, and innovators transforming systems and driving sustainable change to advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals worldwide. Through learning, network-building, and movement-building, Catalyst Now supports impact-driven leaders and initiatives working toward a just, equitable, and regenerative future.

This session will feature Ryo Osera, co-founder of Colive Fukuoka—a unique gathering for digital nomads, entrepreneurs, investors, freelancers, remote workers, and others exploring new ways of living and working. He will introduce an international co-living and co-creation event to be held in Fukuoka this October.

Oddy Angelo Barrios (Ph.D.)

  Human Settlements Officer at UN-Habitat’s Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific in Japan.
  She has over 15 years of experience in urban planning and disaster management, leading initiatives addressing poverty, housing, land tenure, and basic services in post-conflict, post-disaster, and development contexts. Her work includes slum upgrading, housing reconstruction, and community infrastructure, empowering vulnerable communities affected by crises. She has worked in Bolivia, Indonesia, Afghanistan, Myanmar, and Japan, and currently supports programs in Nepal, Cambodia, and Vietnam. She has also supported country teams in Mongolia and China, and is assisting Pakistan and Malaysia in implementing climate change adaptation strategies. Her expertise reflects a deep commitment to inclusive, resilient urban development and sustainable human settlements across Asia and beyond.  

Faiz Kamaludin

  Founder, AstroX
Dr. Faiz Kamaludin is a social innovator and advocate for transformative change, blending over 30 years of experience in aviation with a passion for empowering communities. As Co-Chair of Catalyst Now ASEAN and Malaysian chapter and founder of initiatives like AstroX and Spacevio, he champions collaborative solutions to global challenges through education, innovation, and sustainability.  

Kotaro Takahashi

  President, Kenndo Management
Kotaro has more than 15 years of extensive experience, as the founder and president of Kenndo Management (formally named “Devex Japan“), in supporting Japanese companies to formulate concrete and realistic overseas business plans and implement operations, mainly in South East Asian countries. He has abundant experience of leading project formulation and implementation in the government's overseas expansion support system for SMEs funded by such government organizations as METI, SME Support Japan (SMRJ), SME Agency, Japanese Foreign Ministry, JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency), etc. As part of this work, he has also assisted client SMEs to access financing from PE funds, and to realize cross-border M&A with local companies. Prior to that, he was involved in the ODA sector for 11 years, working for JICA and the Japanese Foreign Ministry. Kotaro earned an MPA2 degree from Harvard University (Kennedy) in 2002 and a Master’s degree from the University of Tokyo in 1996.