T akemitsu Takizaki is a self-made Japanese billionaire and the founder of Keyence Corporation, a global leader in the development and manufacturing of factory automation sensors, vision systems, and other high-tech electronic equipment. A high school dropout with an unconventional background, he founded Keyence in 1974 after starting and closing two other businesses. He built Keyence into one of the world's most profitable companies through a unique and highly effective business model.

Keyence operates on a "fabless" model, meaning it outsources all of its manufacturing and focuses exclusively on product planning and development of innovative, high-value-added products. The company is also famous for its highly trained and highly compensated direct sales force, which works closely with customers to solve their automation challenges. This combination of innovation and direct sales has allowed Keyence to achieve consistently astronomical profit margins. Takizaki has stepped down from his role as chairman but remains on the board as an honorary chairman and is the company's largest shareholder. He is consistently ranked as one of the richest individuals in Japan.