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Top 40 Art Startup Investors in Japan in May 2025

Last updated: May 2025 A list of 40 angel investors and VC (Venture Capital) funds that invest in Art startups based in Japan. We rank investors based on the number of investments they made in Art companies from Japan. We update this investor list every month.

Top 40 Art Startup Investors in Japan in May 2025

Investor	Art Japan investments
UTEC - The University of Tokyo Edge Capital Partners	2
Ryosuke Matsumoto	2
DK Gate	2
Fuji Startup Ventures	2
Globe Advisors	2
Morinaga	1
Taiga Matsuyama	1
Cygames capital	1
Kazuma Yamauchi	1
YJ Capital	1
PKSHA Capital	1
Asu Capital Partners	1
SX Capital Japan	1
Kenji Yabuno	1
Ryutaro Katayama	1
Oki Matsumoto	1
Future Venture Capital	1
Darwin Venture Management	1
ThirdwaveSolutions	1
Sotaro Karasawa	1
Shota Horii	1
Global Brain Corporation	1
East Ventures	1
Mai Fujimoto	1
XTech Ventures	1
Hankyu Hanshin	1
Kunihiro Tanaka	1
Nippon Venture Capital	1
Makers Fund	1
Dentsu	1
Gakken Plus Japan	1
YoStar	1
Money Forward Venture Partners	1
Sachiko Kuno	1
Akatsuki Games Inc.	1
Monex Ventures	1
JAFCO	1
Shiny Chemical Industrial	1
KDDI Open Innovation Fund	1
Shunsuke Oyu	1

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Investor list

UTEC-The University of Tokyo Edge Capital Partners Co., Ltd.. UTEC is a seed/early stage technology focused venture capital firm associated with The University of Tokyo.

Investment focus

Biotechnology, Health Care, Medical
Seed, Series A, Funding Round
Japan, United States, Singapore

Portfolio highlights

Triorb — Triorb is a technology company that specializes in robot mobility development with the help of software and hardware solutions.
Aerem — Make the switch to rooftop solar effortlessly with Aerem solution's innovative solar finance and technology solutions. Discover how we're making solar adoption easier than ever before and start saving on your energy costs.
Piece — Piece is a digital real estate platform offering the easiest and most transparent way to participate in income-producing real estate in Europe. Our mission is to make real estate ownership inclusive and more accessible.

Ryosuke Matsumoto is the Founder / CEO at Kankak. Ryosuke Matsumoto attended Chuo University.

Investment focus

Art, Reservations, Software
Seed, Angel, Series A
Japan

Portfolio highlights

6curry — 6curry is a brand that creates a new community around “curry”, one of the world's best Japanese foods. The concept is to mix many people and ideas like curry made by mixing various ingredients and spices. Original menu development, weekly events are held in the central kitchen, open only to members. We design and produce communication bornfrom food, such as event catering for over 500 people and communication proposals within the company.
TRiCERA — TRiCERA is a contemporary art global platform management company.
Vivid Garden — vivid garden is an Agriculture company.

DK Gate is a joint venture company of Digital Garage and Kodansha.

Investment focus

Software, Information Technology, Social Media
Series A, Seed, Series B
Japan, Singapore

Portfolio highlights

Jiraffe — jiraffe focusses on Internet service planning, development, and management.
TRiCERA — TRiCERA is a contemporary art global platform management company.
Psychic VR Lab — Psychic VR Lab is a startup company that handles fashion VR and MR shopping service STYLY. They are creating a future where they will live in space.

Fuji Startup Ventures, the venture capital arm of Fuji Media Holdings, specializes in startup to early stage investments.

Investment focus

E-Commerce, Social Media, News
Funding Round, Seed, Series A
Japan, China, United States

Portfolio highlights

Tasogare — Tasogare distributes high-quality coffee.
The ROOM4D — The ROOM4D is a contract data analysis consulting service company.
PeaceTecLab — PeaceTecLab is a CtoCsharing service, as its main business.

Globe Advisors is an independent investor that finds companies that are expected to grow significantly in the future. A growing company is one that a good manager and his team can put in a good product in a good market. Such companies are properly valued, funds for growth are raised and a better future is created. Globe Advisors wants to be acompany that can contribute to the creation of such a society.

Investment focus

SNS, Artificial Intelligence, Content
Seed, Funding Round, Series A
Japan, Switzerland

Portfolio highlights

initialpoint — initialpoint develops an authentication systems for the telecommunications industry, social infrastructure, and security solution companies.
Galapagos — Galapagos is a manufacturing company that focuses on results.They trying to create an application that produces results in the application market where only good things are evaluated.
Galapagos Japan — Galapagos is a manufacturing company that focuses on results.They trying to create an application that produces results in the application market where only good things are evaluated.

Morinaga is a confectionery company that manufactures, purchases, and sells confectionery food and healthy drinks. The company aims to contribute to the realization of abundant, safe eating choices, and the promotion of health among the people of the world. Its diverse range of confectionery products is divided into five groups that includeconfectioneries, food, frozen desserts, weider, and healthcare.

Investment focus

Art, Pet, Mobile
Seed, Series B, Corporate Round
Japan

Portfolio highlights

YAMAP — YAMAP is born to make your outdoors, such as hike or ski, more safety, and more enjoyable with your iPhone. YAMAP App can track and log your outdoors, view elevation info, and build an online outdoor journal.  Love & share the outdoors with YAMAP ! ■■ Three Main Features of YAMAP ■■ 1) Safe ◆YAMAP App makes your iPhone a special GPSdevice for the outdoors. YAMAP App could provide accurate positioning information with YAMAP's maps in Japan and your iPhone's GPS, even if you are in places not reached by mobile phone signals, such as in mountainous regions. 2) Convenience ◆ YAMAP Hybrid Maps YAMAP's maps are used as digital ones with your iPhone, and as ones on paper by downloading them to your PC (or tablet PC). 3) Share ◆You can easily share your outdoor data with your family and friends through YAMAP Web service. Once you finish your outdoor and save your data, YAMAP App automatically uploads to your online 'ACTIVITY REPORT' on YAMAP Web service (http://yamap.co.jp) where you can view your route, outdoor data, and a comprehensive workout history. In addition, YAMAP gives you the ability to easily share your outdoor data with friends and family.
Toletta Cats — Toletta Cats is a healthcare approved by cat lovers company they aim to create a world in which we all live longer and happier with our beloved cats around us. Simple, safe and easy to use at home,in a Japanese cat-friendly way.
GranSky Studios — GranSky Studios makes good stories as well as animations which all ages can enjoy. GranSky Studios brings light of dream and hope to people worldwide through our production.

Taiga Matsuyama graduated form Waseda University, Matsuyama has been engaged in venture company support for more than ten years in Tokyo, after experience as a consultant at Accenture.Matsuyama became one of the board member of NetAge, Inc (IPO 2006), start-up incubator known by having invested in MIXI – Japanese top SNS and support severalstart-up companies.He also has contributed to the activity for create the start-up eco-system in Tokyo through the NPO Organization BVA (Bit Valley Association). Currently he has established Kronos Fund with angel investors, venture capital fund for investment in emerging early-stage companies.Kronos Fund has invested in more than 20 companies.

Investment focus

Software, Artificial Intelligence, Telecommunications
Seed, Angel, Series A
Japan, United States

Portfolio highlights

Shippo — Shippo is the best multi-carrier shipping software for e-commerce businesses. Find the best shipping rates, integrate with e-commerce platforms, print shipping labels, track package delivery, and verify addresses with either our shipping API or web app.
CAMPFIRE — Campfire engages in the planning, development, and operation of a crowd funding platform.They operate the largest cloud funding platform in Japan [CAMPFIRE (campfire)], which supports "whoever wants to start something."The fee is 5% of the domestic level, and about 15,000 projects have collected about $70million in total from over700,000 people.
Spectra Japan — Spectra is a Provision of services for artists and fans company.

Cygames capital is an Investment firm.

Investment focus

Medical, Health Care, IT Infrastructure
Seed
Japan

Portfolio highlights

Yoriso — Yoriso, formerly known as Minrebi, is a Japanese startup that connects families to funeral homes and other end-of-life service providers. It is a funeral / medical IT venture that aims to be a “company that creates a world where everyone can make their own choices by overcoming the limitations of ingenuity”.Yoriso was founded in 2009 and isheadquartered in Tokyo.
M-INT — M-INT is a life science company that offers medical infrastructure and medical IT system.
Thinkr — THINKR provides advertising, video production, content, UX design, and animation services.

Kazuma Yamauchi

Investment focus

Content, Art, Social Media
Seed, Funding Round, Angel
Japan, Singapore, United States

Portfolio highlights

Sozi — The core members of Sozi are information technology experts. I have been involved in communication and web service development in the information society. On the other hand, each is familiar with many contents such as manga, anime, and illustrations .
Anique — Anique is a service that utilizes blockchain technology to make artworks.
Misaky Tokyo — Marine plant-based, handmade Japanese sweets. These crystal treats are individually handcrafted, the perfect gift idea! Vegan, gluten-free, and additive-free confectionery, with stunning flavors such as Yuzu, Matcha, and Rose. Supporting artisans in their craft. Japanese luxury sweets with a surprise inside.

YJ Capital is a Corporate Venture Capital of Yahoo Japan. Our value is to help global minded entrepreneurs build successful and lasting internet companies. We invest in all stages, all sectors in Asia, US and Israel.YJ Capital has a unique access to Yahoo Japan's operational experience and unparalleled Japan market entry support. Oursole LP allows us to focus only on our portfolio companies and make fast decision making.

Investment focus

Software, Information Technology, Internet
Funding Round, Series A, Seed
Japan, United States, Indonesia

Portfolio highlights

Brhino — Brhino provides planning, development, and management of web services. The company's product, Monokabu, is a site where people can buy and sell sneakers and things like stock. Brhino is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.
LEAN BODY — Lean Body is an online platform for fitness videos.
Stacked — Watch videos with your people on Stacked.com

We are a venture capital firm accelerating the innovation and the algorithm transformation of existing industries with artificial intelligent technology.

Investment focus

Information Technology, Software, Artificial Intelligence
Seed, Funding Round, Series A
Japan, South Korea, Indonesia

Portfolio highlights

Caguuu — Caguuu offers high-quality designer furniture at affordable prices, through e-commerce, eliminating middlemen and store operating costs.
Carebell — Carebell operates a digital care system that combines 24-hour real-time monitoring and emotional care to address safety issues for single-person elderly households and the elderly living alone.
Broom — Broom ID memberikan pelayanan terbaik untuk pengalaman Jual Beli Mobil Bekas Anda, banyak pilihan Variasi merek dan tipe Mobil Bekas yang berlimpah

A new tool that blends your everyday work apps into one. It's the all-in-one workspace for you and your team

Investment focus

Apps, Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence
Funding Round
Japan

Portfolio highlights

Aqua Age — Aqua Age is an IT services company that develops AI solutions such as natural language processing, machine learning, and computer vision.
Volve Creative — Volve Creative is a media company that provides virtual artist management, events, advertising video, and music production services.

SX Capital is an asset management firm targeting private IT-related venture companies. It aims to provide all kinds of support for growth, not just investment. The firm was founded in 2000 and is based in Toranomon, Tokyo, Japan.

Investment focus

Information Technology, Art, Content
Series A, Series B, Funding Round
Japan

Portfolio highlights

Welmo — WELMO has currently been working on R&D to launch Japan's largest welfare AI service platform called "CPA(Care Plan Assistant)" which supports care coordinator (caregiver), who helps a daily activities of the elderly people, to create a care plan for them, with using ICT and advanced technology, especially NLP(Natural LanguageProcessing), in terms of knowledge support. It has mainly two fundamental technologies; data warehouse includes all fast date and big date about care, explainable AI that describes a reason why the care is provided for the users. It also reduces time and cost to create the care plan, which enables anyone to be able to use easily and get enough information that the users want to know and use.
Housmart — Housmart is a real estate media company
Startbahn — Startbahn aims to realize a richer society by providing the technology needed by artists and people involved with art all over the world. We are developing Startbahn Cert., a service that issues blockchain certificates for artworks, and promoting the development of Startrail, a blockchain infrastructure that is the basis for Startbahn Cert. We alsorun joint projects with other companies.

Kenji Yabuno is a Founder & CEO at Cookbiz Co.,Ltd.

Investment focus

Art, Social Media, Product Design
Angel, Funding Round
Japan

Portfolio highlights

ARTLOGUE — ARTLOGUE is an arts tech company that innovates in the art industry through technology. It is also a social art media that works to solve social problems that make use of art. It was established on July 7, 2017.
Replace — Replace operates " STAND3.0" that matches the opening of stalls and idle spaces.

He holds a BA in Economics and a Master of Sociology from Keio University and an MBA from Harvard Business School. After regenerating many companies as president, he served as a representative of Giuliani Partners Japan and the president of Japan's oldest and largest art auction company Christie's Japan. He has also served as a number ofprominent corporate outside directors and director of art groups. Participated in the creation of Whiz Partners, a leading venture capital firm, and is still a managing partner of international venture capital.

Investment focus

Art, Blockchain, Information Technology
Series A
Japan

Portfolio highlights

Startbahn — Startbahn aims to realize a richer society by providing the technology needed by artists and people involved with art all over the world. We are developing Startbahn Cert., a service that issues blockchain certificates for artworks, and promoting the development of Startrail, a blockchain infrastructure that is the basis for Startbahn Cert. We alsorun joint projects with other companies.

Oki Matsumoto began his career at Salomon Brothers Asia Limited in April 1987. He then joined Goldman Sachs Japan Co., Ltd. in April 1990 and was appointed General Partner of The Goldman Sachs Group, L.P. in November 1994. As a General Partner, he was Co-Head of its Tokyo Branch’s FX & Fixed Income Business and was in charge of FX and fixedincome products and the related risk management. It was in April 1999 that Matsumoto jointly established (the former) Monex, Inc. with Sony Corporation. In August 2004, Matsumoto become the Representative Director and CEO of the Company (former name: Monex Beans Holdings, Inc.) upon its formation through management integration of Monex, Inc. and Nikko Beans Inc. He was named the Representative Director, Chairman and CEO of the Company in February 2011 and then assumed his current position in June 2013.

Investment focus

Information Technology, Cryptocurrency, FinTech
Angel, Seed, Series A
Japan, Taiwan, Australia

Portfolio highlights

Toposware — From pioneering cryptographic research to engineering global-scale distributed systems technologies, Toposware is committed to solving the hardest problems to advance open internet standards.
WATASHIHA — WATASHIHA is a communication company.
Space Walker — SPACE WALKER specializes in design, manufacture and sale of peripheral components.

Future Venture Capital Co., Ltd. is a venture capital firm specializing in early stage investment. The firm invests in diversified investment in a broad range of industrial sectors. It seeks to invest in Japan. The firm prefers to be the lead investor in its portfolio companies. Future Venture Capital Co., Ltd. was founded in 1998 and is based inKyoto, Japan with offices in Tokyo, Aomori, Iwate, Yamagata, Kanazawa, Mie, Sakai, Kobe, and Ehime.

Investment focus

Health Care, Information Technology, Manufacturing
Funding Round, Seed, Series A
Japan, United States, Myanmar

Portfolio highlights

Nagaku — Nagaku is a web magazine that publishes about culture along with web development, PR, marketing, and consulting services.
Perkup — Perkup is a coworking company that conducts off-site meetings and training camps for organizations.
Tech Doctor — Tech Doctor is a health monitoring service which provides analysis and insights for self care reducing the need for health care workers.

Darwin Venture Management is a venture capital firm headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan, with offices in Hsinchu and the United States. Since our founding in 2009, we have managed eight funds, investing primarily in Series A/B, late-stage, and secondary funds. In 2022, we also launched an evergreen angel fund to enable more nimble bets onpromising early-stage teams, and especially those coming from Taiwan’s superb academic and research institutions. This exposure across stages and borders, coupled with the strong technical background of our team, is the source of Darwin’s differentiation. We recently launched our 8th fund Darjune.

Investment focus

Software, Manufacturing, Information Technology
Funding Round, Seed, Series A
Taiwan, United States, Japan

Portfolio highlights

KKday — KKday is an e-commerce travel platform that offers 10,000+ experiences around the world. It provides a wide breadth of experiences, including theme park tickets, cooking classes, multi-day tours, airport transfers, sim cards, and hidden sights off the beaten path. KKday was incorporated in 2014 and is headquartered in T'ai-pei, Taiwan.
Ball Wave — Ballwave uses the ball SAW sensor based on a new principle as the core of the differentiating factor, and becomes the human eye and the nervous system, and invites it to the horizon of technology.
EMobi — EMoBi is a transportation company that provides freight transport, and electric vehicle services with reservation facilities.

ThirdwaveSolutions is a network, system integration, outsourcing and information equipment selling company.

Investment focus

Art, Video, UX Design
Series A
Japan

Portfolio highlights

Thinkr — THINKR provides advertising, video production, content, UX design, and animation services.

Sotaro Karasawa - Chief Technology Officer @ STAR FESTIVAL

Investment focus

Software, Blockchain, Art
Seed, Pre-Seed, Series B
Japan

Portfolio highlights

Taian — Taian, which specializes in bridal industry services and software. They also provide ''Concept Marry,'' which allows couples to design invites and seating charts that match their wedding theme, as well as display guest information on Oiwaii.
Atmoph — A smart digital window that opens to beautiful scenery from around the world. By simply putting it on your desk or hanging it on the wall, Atmoph Window will open up a whole new world before you.
Cloudbase — Cloudbase is an information technology company that specializes in the fields of cloud services and management.

Shota Horii

Investment focus

Information Technology, Internet, Art
Seed, Funding Round
Japan

Portfolio highlights

Flatt Security — Flatt Security is a cyber security company for all developers.
Lecto — Lecto provides Saas solutions to eliminate the tedious practices behind financial services
Respo — Respo is a service that enables people to save money by buying things at a discount.

Global Brain Corporation is a venture capital firm that invests in companies from seed or early to pre-IPO startups. Global Brain has invested in 300+ startups from seed/early to pre-IPO startups and achieved 25 IPOs and 61 M&As as a result of providing hands-on support services and resources to its portfolio startups. Global Brain hasmanaged a pure investment fund as well as multiple corporate venture capital funds partnered together with tier 1 public companies of telecom, real estate development, financial service, beverages, agriculture food, logistics, and electronic devices.

Investment focus

Information Technology, Software, Artificial Intelligence
Series A, Series B, Funding Round
Japan, United States, United Kingdom

Portfolio highlights

10x — 10x provides One-stop service from meal planning to grocery shopping.
Otetsutabi — Otetsutabi is a regional revitalization platform that offers the opportunity for participants to help at accommodations and breweries in rural areas that struggle with seasonal labor shortages. The locals offer transportation expenses and places to stay in return, so participants can travel to the areas with ease.
Japan Culture and Technology — Japan Culture and Technology assists artists and craftspeople in expanding their activities by providing IT support.

East Ventures is an early stage venture capital (VC) focused on Southeast Asia, Indonesia & Japan. Success cases include Tokopedia, Traveloka, and Mercari.

Investment focus

Software, Information Technology, E-Commerce
Seed, Series A, Funding Round
Japan, Indonesia, Singapore

Portfolio highlights

SoLeLands — SoLeLands provides children with future-ready skills, virtues, and applied competences and inspires children to love learning.
Maka Motors — MAKA is dedicated to building the best electric motorcycles for Indonesian riders.
Zenith Learning Group — Zenith Learning Group's mission is to deliver a holistic, world-class education to learners across South East Asia through technology.

Mai Fujimoto is known domestically and internationally as Miss Bitcoin. She has been promoting the spread of Bitcoin around the world since 2011.

Investment focus

Blockchain, Marketplace, Art
Seed, Funding Round, Series A
Japan, Canada, Hong Kong

Portfolio highlights

RSS3 — RSS3 is an open protocol designed for content and social networks in the Web 3.0 era.
GCR DAO — Global Coin Research is a Community-led DAO for Web3 Research & Investing. We source, vet & fund Pre-Seed to Series A opportunities. Join to Invest Together!
Brand New Vision — Brand New Vision uses smart contracts to help creators sell digital fashion and other accessories.

XTech Ventures aims to achieve dramatic growth for investee companies by supporting entrepreneurship, multifaceted management support, and IPO support for the excellent middle class who are enthusiastic about entrepreneurship.

Investment focus

Software, Information Technology, Media and Entertainment
Seed, Funding Round, Series A
Japan, Italy, United Arab Emirates

Portfolio highlights

Medigle — Medigle is a consulting firm that provides medical consulting and B2B services.
Infobox — Infobox is a sales data platform that includes every detail from market research to creating a list of companies and contacting decision-makers.
Leading Mark — Leading Mark, a rising human resources startup in Japan. Leading Mark is branching out into mid-career and international hiring. It currently has a one-man team in China working to bring the top Japanese-speaking Chinese students to domestic companies. He also touts his startup’s focus on the average job seeker. “We want to make sure that the usersget the info that he or she needs the most,” he says. Large scale, legacy players can sometimes prioritize the needs of the hiring company, and their commission, over the needs of applicants themselves. This leads to frustration and short-circuited careers.

Hankyu Hanshin operates in the urban transportation, real estate, entertainment and communications, travel, international transportation, and hotels businesses in Japan and internationally. It provides various urban transportation services linking railways, buses, and taxis; and advertising services. Hankyu Hanshin is also involved in theretailing business; development, lease, and administration of condominiums, commercial facilities, and office buildings; real estate fund management; and communication and media businesses, such as information services business, and broadcast and communications business. Moreover, it engages in the sports businesses, including professional baseball, Hanshin Koshien stadium, and related businesses; and stage businesses comprising Takarazuka Revue and related businesses. Further, Hankyu Hanshin is involved in the provision of travel and international transportation services, as well as ownership and management of hotels. It operated 46 hotels with 10,000 rooms as of March 31, 2018. Hankyu Hanshin began operation in 1907. It has its headquarters in Osaka in Japan.

Investment focus

Internet, Web Apps, Cryptocurrency
Funding Round
Japan

Portfolio highlights

DeCurret — DeCurret is into Cryptocurrency Business.
Thinkr — THINKR provides advertising, video production, content, UX design, and animation services.

Kunihiro Tanaka is a President/CEO of Sakura Internet Inc.

Investment focus

Art, Baby, Gaming
Seed, Funding Round, Angel
Japan

Portfolio highlights

RATEL — Since its establishment in 2018, the company has been operating and broadcasting esports tournaments with the mission of making esports the best entertainment in the universe. We mainly run official tournaments and large-scale tournaments for various titles such as CoD Mobile, CoDBOCW, ApexLegends, VALORANT, and Knives out. We are also developing avoice chat application called “VOLBOX” to solve the issues raised by many esports players.
Stayway — Stayway is operating the world's largest hotel and vacation facility search and comparison site.
Cloudbase — Cloudbase is an information technology company that specializes in the fields of cloud services and management.

Nippon Venture Capital ("NVCC"), established in 1996 as one of the few largest Japanese independent venture capital firms, is destined to undertake the unprecedented task of providing full-range venture capital services in cooperation with major Japanese business leaders and leading companies, which have supported and nurtured various newbusinesses on their own, as well as proactively developing new venture enterprises.

Investment focus

Software, Health Care, Information Technology
Funding Round, Series A, Seed
Japan, United States

Portfolio highlights

Gecipe — Gecipe is a video service for e-sports players.
Awarefy — Awarefy is a mental health tech startup that offers CBT-based apps to maximize well-being.
Tech Doctor — Tech Doctor is a health monitoring service which provides analysis and insights for self care reducing the need for health care workers.

Makers Fund is a global interactive entertainment venture capital firm focused on early stage investments. The team supports founders through an extensive network and deep experience in the industry.

Investment focus

Gaming, Video Games, Online Games
Seed, Series A, Funding Round
United States, United Kingdom, Finland

Portfolio highlights

Voldex — Voldex is an innovative video games studio focused on UGC (user-generated-content). It owns and operate several top Minecraft+Roblox games.
BIT ODD — Gaming company building games filled with wonder, weirdness and delight
Human Computer — Human Computer is an independent video game studio. Building games that matter. High-quality experiences that respect your time and push creative boundaries. Stories pull you in, computers provide the magic.

At dentsu, innovation is our strength, and your growth is our mission. We help you keep up with technological changes in the digital economy.

Investment focus

Information Technology, Media and Entertainment, Advertising
Funding Round, Corporate Round, Series B
Japan, United States, India

Portfolio highlights

TBM — TBM is a company that develops, manufactures and sells paper and plastic alternative products made from a limestone-based material known as “LIMEX”.
FIREBUG — FIREBUG enables comedians, actresses, models, artists, managers, and creators to develop their skills. They arrange production plans for numerous talents and create IP and advertising items based on the social networking sites of the talents. Additionally, they offer marketing solutions built around a range of talent-focused content. They offerbasic marketing assistance and advertising for businesses.
IDN Media — IDN Media is the leading media platform company for Millennials and Gen Z in Indonesia.

Gakken Plus is a publishing business offering a catalog of books and magazines.

Investment focus

Art, EdTech, Robotics
Seed, Pre-Seed, Series A
Japan, United States

Portfolio highlights

OurPhoto — OurPhoto is a service that matches clients and photographers. Professional and semi-professional shooting is surprisingly high quality and reasonable.
MiRaY School — MiRaY School is an Education based company that service Gifte (! Kifte) is a service that offers a learning experience for the future of children and children.
GranSky Studios — GranSky Studios makes good stories as well as animations which all ages can enjoy. GranSky Studios brings light of dream and hope to people worldwide through our production.

YoStar is an application that facilitates the adjustment of a telescope towards a space object.

Investment focus

Portfolio highlights

Thinkr — THINKR provides advertising, video production, content, UX design, and animation services.

Money Forward Venture Partners operates HIRAC FUND, a seed fund specializing in seed and early-stage startups.

Investment focus

Information Technology, Wellness, Software
Seed, Funding Round, Series A
Japan, United States

Portfolio highlights

SALOWIN — SALOWIN is a shared salon where freelance hairdressers can freely provide customer service and service.
Find — Find is a software company that provides cloud development and operation services.
MagicPod Japan — MagicPod provides an automation cloud service through AI technology. MagicPod was founded in 2012 and was headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.

Sachiko Kuno - Co-Founder, President & CEO @ Halcyon Incubator

Investment focus

Art, Social Media, Museums and Historical Sites
Angel
Japan

Portfolio highlights

ARTLOGUE — ARTLOGUE is an arts tech company that innovates in the art industry through technology. It is also a social art media that works to solve social problems that make use of art. It was established on July 7, 2017.

Akatsuki offers MobileSocialGame services. They utilize cutting edge technology and ideas to realize and deliver their ambitions to their users. They provide new value to society through the services we manage daily. Providing services throughout the world that brighten up everyone's daily lives.

Investment focus

Media and Entertainment, Gaming, Content
Seed, Funding Round, Corporate Round
Japan, India, United States

Portfolio highlights

Hitcard — Hitcard is a trendy card culture brand that uses technology to upgrade card-like consumer products.
Stems Labs — community and platform for collaborative creativity
MetaverseGo — MetaverseGo is a web 3.0 app that offers easy access to Play-and-Earn Games, Guilds, NFTs, and Decentralized Applications allowing users to own assets, connect with industry players, and use their earnings across multiple payment platforms.

Monex Ventures is a venture capital firm based in Japan that finances seed and early stage investments in startup companies.

Investment focus

Financial Services, Software, Information Technology
Seed, Series A, Funding Round
Japan, United States, China

Portfolio highlights

Degas — Degas develops solutions to improve the productivity of small-scale farmers in Africa.
pickupon — Pickupon is a company that transcribes important parts of the call
Hakki Africa — HAKKI AFRICA provides microfinance services for SMEs.

Since its founding in 1973, JAFCO has always worked with leading-edge entrepreneurs. The total capital commitments of its investment funds in Japan and overseas have exceeded 1 trillion yen and the number of portfolio IPOs to date has reached over 1,000. In addition to venture investment, JAFCO also carries out buyout investment and commit to thecreations of innovative technologies and services worldwide. As entrepreneurs’ closest partner in bringing their visions to life, JAFCO provides support in areas of HR, marketing/ sales, and back-office operations, in addition to providing financing.

Investment focus

Information Technology, Software, Artificial Intelligence
Series A, Funding Round, Series B
Japan, United States, Israel

Portfolio highlights

Sanu — SANU is a subscription service that offers a home in nature.
Pocket Sign — Pocket Sign develops digital platforms that store e-signatures and other authentication details for it's users privacy and security.
Tech Doctor — Tech Doctor is a health monitoring service which provides analysis and insights for self care reducing the need for health care workers.

Shiny Chemical Industrial is a production and sales company for purity solvents used in semiconductors, flat-panel displays, photoresist manufacturing, packaging testing, and light-emitting diodes. They provide logistics management and professional services to customers.

Investment focus

Art, Graphic Design, Digital Marketing
Seed
Japan

Portfolio highlights

GAZAI — GAZAI is a design company that provides image generation solutions, anime, and cartoon design services.

KDDI Open Innovation Fund is a corporate venture capital fund that will support promising startup companies. Total size of the fund is JPY10 billion. This is the first corporate venture capital fund established by KDDI. The fund will be managed by Global Brain Corporation (Head office: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO, Yasuhiko Yurimoto),which has a strong track record in the venture capital business. By combining KDDI’s know-how and assets with Global Brain’s investment and management support capabilities, we will work together to accelerate cooperative activities with promising startup companies. Through this fund, as well as "KDDI ∞ Labo," a startup incubation program currently inviting a second round of applications, we will continue to support the growth of the next startup companies.

Investment focus

Software, Mobile, Internet
Funding Round, Series B, Series A
Japan, United States, Germany

Portfolio highlights

MOSH Japan — MOSH is a web page creation services for individual business owners.
Thinkr — THINKR provides advertising, video production, content, UX design, and animation services.
Turing — Turing develops and manufactures fully autonomous vehicles.

Shunsuke Oyu is the co-founder of Connehito Inc. Started an online Q&A platform “mamari” which is the largest platform for moms in Japan. Connehito was acquired by one of the telecom giant KDDI in 2016. Selected as a “Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia” at consumer technology department. Angel-investing 50+ companies globally.

Investment focus

Content, Internet, Media and Entertainment
Seed, Angel, Funding Round
Japan, Singapore, United States

Portfolio highlights

Tohakusha — Tohakusha is a creative agency that offers design, production and sale of digital content and EC websites, and content creation services.
Ai-Dounyu.com — Ai-Dounyu.com is a platform that helps organizations looking to integrate AI choose their ideal AI implementation partner for free.
Neighbor — Neighbor is a metaverse game developer that specializes in Fortnite.

Investors by industry

Artificial intelligence