Shizuka “Zucca” Nagahama

Founding Member and Director of Brand & Impact, tonari

Japan

Shizuka “Zucca” Nagahama is a founding member and director of tonari, a start-up building communication portals that help overcome geography as a barrier to education, healthcare, work, and human connection, where she also serves as director of its non-profit arm. She leads cross-sector partnerships with governments, universities, companies, and local communities to pilot new applications for communication infrastructure in areas including remote island communities, healthcare, disaster preparedness, and regional revitalization. Raised between Italy, South Africa, and Japan, and previously a television director and producer at the Japanese public media organization NHK, she combines storytelling with technology and partnership building to translate innovation into practical social impact.