An Unprogrammed Life: Adventures of an Incurable Entrepreneur

Praise for An Unprogrammed Life "William Saito belongs to a rare group of people whose business success has given them the freedom to dedicate themselves to something in which they believe. Promoting innovation and entrepreneurship is a vision William and I share, and I have witnessed firsthand how his advocacy, mentoring, and personal example are making a difference in Japan."— John V. Roos, U.S. Ambassador to Japan "As a Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum, William Saito has demonstrated his commitment to volunteerism and to making a difference in the world through his engagement in several of our initiatives, including the Global Shapers Community. His story of determination, problem solving, and giving back to the community is relevant to all next–generation leaders." — Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman, World Economic Forum "I wish every Japanese university student, businessperson, and fledgling entrepreneur would read this book. William′s story is not just another dot–com success story. It′s a call to action for anyone with a desire to do something different."— Kiyoshi Kurokawa, M.D., M.A.C.P. Professor, National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies; former Science & Technology Advisor to the Prime Minister of Japan The extraordinary story of the child prodigy who grew up to become an entrepreneurial sensation If anyone has "been there, done that" when it comes to starting and managing a business, it′s William Saito. Saito is a truly unique personality. In An Unprogrammed Life, he tells his fascinating tale of a lifetime of entrepreneurship for the first time. More than just a high–tech autobiography or how–to–build–a–business guide, the book is the extraordinary story of a self–taught genius who became a savvy, serial business phenomenon. Founder of multiple profitable companies, Saito now devotes himself to helping others do the same, and this book chronicles his journey from a young computer nerd programming stock market trading algorithms for a major broker to one of the world′s foremost experts on data security. Filled with practical advice, including end–of–chapter "takeaway" tips, An Unprogrammed Life is both an inspirational success story and essential handbook for entrepreneurs everywhere.

Foreword by Carl Schramm vii Preface: FBI at the Door ix Acknowledgments xiii Chapter 1 Blame It on DNA 1 Chapter 2 Finding a Business Partner (Opposites Attract) 31 Chapter 3 Learning to Juggle (Med School, Business, and More) 45 Chapter 4 Building a Real Company 59 Chapter 5 Learning from Failure 81 Chapter 6 Developing for Toshiba (Camera Obscura) 97 Chapter 7 Developing for Sony—Fingerprint ID 113 Chapter 8 Birth of BAPI 133 Chapter 9 IPO: It′s All in the Timing 155 Chapter 10 Using My Japanese Connections to Fight Terrorism 167 Chapter 11 Last Exit: Microsoft Wants the Whole Thing 173 Chapter 12 My Year of Retirement 177 Chapter 13 Back in the Game 183 Chapter 14 From Todai into AIST 189 Chapter 15 Starting My Own Company, Version 2.0 195 Chapter 16 Consulting around the World 207 Chapter 17 Teaching (United States and Japan) 211 Chapter 18 Turning 40 217 Epilogue: The Perfect Storm Hits Japan 221 Appendix A: Famous Quotes and Helpful Advice 227 Appendix B: Creativity and Logical Assessment Test 231 About the Author 235 Index 237

William H. Saito is an international authority in the fields of encryption, authentication, and biometric technology. He has spent the past two decades shaping information security policy, establishing start–ups, and managing public corporations. Having earned recognition in 1998 as Entrepreneur of the Year from Ernst & Young, NASDAQ, and USA Today , Mr. Saito now runs InTecur, a consultancy that helps companies identify and develop applications and markets for innovative technologies. He is also a Young Global Leader and Global Agenda Council member of the World Economic Forum.

"Some lives unfold so extraordinarily that it is tempting to ponder the stark imbalance of talent and drive with which some people are born. This is certainly the case with William Hiroyuki Saito, one of the world’s foremost experts on data security, whose life story makes for both a captivating autobiography and a business self–help text of considerable value." –– South China Morning Post