Top 50 Community Angel Investors in Japan in April 2025
A list of 50 angel investors that invest in Community startups based in Japan. We rank investors based on the number of investments they made in Community companies from Japan. We update this investor list every month.Top 50 Community Angel Investors in Japan in April 2025
Investor | Community Japan investments |
---|---|
Yusuke Sato | 6 |
Hirofumi Miki | 6 |
Hideto Fujino | 3 |
Jun Nishikawa | 3 |
Kensuke Furukawa | 3 |
Kotaro Chiba | 3 |
Shuuichi Wada | 3 |
Ken Takayama | 3 |
Ayataro Nakagawa | 3 |
Kiyohiro Sugashita | 3 |
Kotaro Chiba | 3 |
Paul Kuo | 3 |
Michimasa Naka | 2 |
Ryosuke Matsumoto | 2 |
Sotaro Karasawa | 2 |
Hikaru Kashida | 2 |
Masao Ito | 2 |
Kazuma Ieiri | 2 |
Yukihiro Yoshida | 2 |
Daisaku Harada | 2 |
Hidetoshi Takano | 2 |
Kensuke Naito | 1 |
William Lohse | 1 |
Yoshinori Fukushima | 1 |
Tatsuo Sakamoto | 1 |
Yasuhide obita | 1 |
Keito Noguchi | 1 |
Koichi Noda | 1 |
Shinji Senba | 1 |
Kazuhiro Ishikura | 1 |
Yuki Naito | 1 |
Yoshida Yukihiro | 1 |
Mitsushige Ito | 1 |
Shinichiro Sugiyama | 1 |
Kobayashi Toshihito | 1 |
Hiroshi Sawa | 1 |
Genki Shiota | 1 |
Yusuke Asakura | 1 |
Kosuke Minowa | 1 |
Seiya Koide | 1 |
Yu Akasaka | 1 |
Kenji Kasahara | 1 |
Ken Soga | 1 |
Mamoru Taniya | 1 |
Takuya Imaizumi | 1 |
Shintaro Tabata | 1 |
Shunsuke Ikegami | 1 |
Takashi Okutani | 1 |
Masanori Sugiyama | 1 |
Arai Motoki | 1 |
Yusuke Sato is the Co-Representative and Co-Founder of Pulit.
Investment focus
- Internet, Content, Food and Beverage
- Seed, Funding Round, Angel
- Japan, Indonesia, United States
Portfolio highlights
- Kaimak — Kaymak is a recruitment platform that focuses on creating a recruitment website, planning a recruitment strategy, and managing candidates.
- Paytner — yup is providing services to support freelance people's funding.The freelance population in Japan has been shown to continue to increase in many Chosa. While working styles are diversified, they are not able to respond to the development of the working environment, and they will develop their business to change the situation where problemssuch as funding, credit, sexual harassment, and power harassment are accumulated.
- Meetscare — Meetscare provides correct information and supports the self-awareness of all people involved in care. The company provides a wealth of information to ensure optimal care and create a mechanism for the realization. Users can make a telephone consultation and web diagnosis and search for free information using the system.Meetscare was founded on2016 and is headquartered in Arakawa, Tokyo.
After JTB Co., Ltd. and CYBIRD Co., Ltd. as an initial member of Glee Co., Ltd. is responsible for business development. Currently, he is mainly engaged in venture support in the Internet area, investing in venture and venture capital, and served as management advisor for dozens of companies. Hands-on business development, growth strategydevelopment, financing advice, HR organization design support, partner referral and Recruit Support. He is also engaged in business support for ventures in the healthcare and university venture fields. He served as Digital Health Meetup Advisor, NEDOTCP Mentor and Future 2016 Mentor.
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Investment focus
- Content, Marketing, Internet
- Seed, Angel, Pre-Seed
- Japan
Portfolio highlights
- Epicbase — Epicbase is an AI-based automatic voice transcription service based on voice recognition technology.
- Go Visions — Go Visions engages in the edutainment tech for children and human resources 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.
Hideto Fujino - President, Cheif Investment Officer @ Rheos
Investment focus
- Reservations, Travel, Real Estate
- Funding Round, Seed, Series A
- Japan, United States
Portfolio highlights
- HOMMA — Inspired Modern Living. Homes to elevate healthy urban lifestyles. Design. Build. Technology.
- Address Japan — ADDress is a provider of co-living spaces in both urban and rural areas, enabling people to live in a range of luxurious residences at fixed prices.
- Unito — Unito offers people a friction-free lifestyle by pursuing optimization of living.
Jun Nishikawa - Co-founder, Executive Vice President, COO @ Eureka
Investment focus
- Food and Beverage, Media and Entertainment, Mobile
- Seed, Series A, Angel
- Japan, United States
Portfolio highlights
- FamiOne — FamiOne is creating a society that will support the future of couples who want to receive children.
- 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.
- Reiwa Travel — Reiwa Trave is a digital travel agency intended that optimizes overseas travel. The company's platform uses online travel booking tools that provide digitalized contracts along with trip management, thereby enabling its customers' vacation and leisure experiences.
Kensuke Furukawa was born in June 2, 1981. He graduated Waseda University majoring Political Science and Economics, and in 2000, he launched "Milkcafe", a student community, which has grown to a site with 10 million PV per month. In 2004, he became the CEO of Media Clip, which operates a rental bulletin board service "ShitarabaBBS". After that year, he had transfer "Shitaraba BBS" to Livedoor, and took charge of starting up the Consumer Generated Media sector. In 2006, he joined Recruit, and took charge of starting up a new business at Business development sector. In June of 2009, he left Recruit, and became the CEO of nanapi (formerly Rocket Start), which operates the How-to Site "nanapi".
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Investment focus
- Content, Media and Entertainment, Social Media
- Seed, Funding Round, Angel
- Japan
Portfolio highlights
- Plott — Plott producing youtube animation platform under Vision “Become a Content holder from YouTube”. In August 2019, the company name was changed from Fabo to Plott. Plott, the new company name, is derived from the plot that you make before writing novels, etc., and the idea that “I want to make content all the time” is put in the company name.
- Tohakusha — Tohakusha is a creative agency that offers design, production and sale of digital content and EC websites, and content creation services.
- Neighbor — Neighbor is a metaverse game developer that specializes in Fortnite.
Kotaro Chiba is the founder of ChibaDojo Fund. Kotaro Chiba attended Keio University.
Investment focus
- Information Technology, Drones, Software
- Seed, Funding Round, Series A
- Japan, United States
Portfolio highlights
- MI-6 — MI-6 is a research, development, consulting, and project management for material development using IT. We will promote materials informatics in the field of material development with our technological capabilities and a wealth of project knowledge that challenge the world's most advanced technologies .
- ELESTYLE — ELESTYLE are promoting mobile payments and providing high value-added services for users to realize a cashless society.
- Luup — Luup is an Internet Company.
Shuuichi Wada - CTO @ alu Japan
Investment focus
- Reservations, Content, Social Media
- Seed, Angel, Series A
- Japan
Ken Takayama - External Audit & Supervisory @ Media Do
Investment focus
- Reservations, Travel, Apps
- Seed, Angel, Funding Round
- Japan
2011 At university, participated in the founding period as a director of Atcole Co., Ltd., and started the web service experience.2012 Founded Peroli Co., Ltd.,
which operates a curation platform for women "MERY" .2014 Founded Peroli
Co., Ltd. Sold to DeNA
2015 Jointly established Tokyo Founders Fund as an angel investor and startedinvesting in startups in Japan and overseas
2019 Appointed outside director of FIREBUG Co., Ltd.
Investment focus
- Internet, Software, Content
- Seed, Angel, Funding Round
- Japan, Hong Kong, United States
Portfolio highlights
- For you — For you is a comprehensive Advertising agency business specializing in SNS.
- Meetscare — Meetscare provides correct information and supports the self-awareness of all people involved in care. The company provides a wealth of information to ensure optimal care and create a mechanism for the realization. Users can make a telephone consultation and web diagnosis and search for free information using the system.Meetscare was founded on2016 and is headquartered in Arakawa, Tokyo.
- SPORTS CROWN — SPORTS CROWN engages in the development and operation of fantasy sports.
Mr. Sugashita joined Polaris as Advisor in May 2011. He is Director and CEO of Sugashita Partners, Ltd since 1998 and provides consulting services to financial institutions and ventures in and outside of Japan. Prior to that position, he was CEO of Lazard Japan Asset Management from 1991 to 1998. His business career also includes positions at DaiwaSecurities and Merrill Lynch Securities, Tokyo Branch. On the academic front, Mr. Sugashita received a BA in Economics from Ritsumeikan University and since 2009 is Special Advisor for the Dean of Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University.
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Investment focus
- Marketing, Travel, Media and Entertainment
- Seed, Series A, Funding Round
- Japan
Kotaro Chiba is the founder of ChibaDojo Fund. Kotaro Chiba attended Keio University.
Investment focus
- Information Technology, Content, Internet
- Seed, Funding Round, Series A
- Japan, United States
Portfolio highlights
- MI-6 — MI-6 is a research, development, consulting, and project management for material development using IT. We will promote materials informatics in the field of material development with our technological capabilities and a wealth of project knowledge that challenge the world's most advanced technologies .
- ELESTYLE — ELESTYLE are promoting mobile payments and providing high value-added services for users to realize a cashless society.
- Luup — Luup is an Internet Company.
Paul Kuo - Director - Board of Directors @ Tamecco
Investment focus
- Reservations, Travel, SaaS
- Seed, Angel, Series A
- Japan
Portfolio highlights
- Fun — Fun is a sightseeing entertainment company that makes the world even more of a fun place.
- Tabinaka — Tabinaka is a Japanese booking & reservation platform for overseas tours and travel activities.
- Fun Group — Hello! We are Fun Group (formally Tabinaka) and we are Japan's first Travel and Leisure startup offering unique tours and experiences. We currently offer experiences in 7 different locations globally.
Michimasa Naka is a member of the Board Of Directors of istyle.inc. He is an experienced Chairperson with a demonstrated history of working in the financial services industry.
Investment focus
- Reservations, Travel, Employment
- Seed, Angel
- Japan
Portfolio highlights
- DOFA — Dofa aims to develop services that enrich the way of life and work of human resources that are active mainly in sales.
- Fun — Fun is a sightseeing entertainment company that makes the world even more of a fun place.
- Tabinaka — Tabinaka is a Japanese booking & reservation platform for overseas tours and travel activities.
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.
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.
Hikaru Kashida is a data scientist and is currently working at Mercari Inc., Japan.
Investment focus
- Consulting, E-Learning, Communities
- Seed
- Japan
Portfolio highlights
- rocketa — Rocketa is a news curation and social media platform.
- alma — alma is a community platform to learn design.
- Meetcareer — Meetcareer provides online counseling services for career planning.
Masao Ito is a Founder & CEO at User Local.
Investment focus
- Content, Social Media, Information Technology
- Seed, Series A, Angel
- Japan
Portfolio highlights
- Illusil — Illusil is a service that makes it easier for anyone to generate slide materials and reduces the amount of time needed to do it. Additionally, presentations can be automatically generated from text input by AI, and over 1,000 design templates can be used to build original slides.
- Aruya Umu — Aryaum supports "regional revitalization through NFT" by offering local governments all around the nation hometown tax and tourism NFT solutions.
- Driver Technologies — Driver Technologies is a cloud logistics platform provider. It provides a solution for driver matching and cargo vehicle demands.
Born in 1978 and raised in Fukuoka prefecture, Kazuma founded paperboy&co. inc. (currently GMO Pepabo) and went on to become the youngest CEO ever (at the time) to take a company public in Japan by taking paperboy&co. public on the JASDAQ Japanese stock exchange. After leaving paperboy&co, he continued his startup trail by foundingBASE, CAMPFIRE, and XIMERA. Kazuma also dabbled in the food services industry via the founding of On The Corner (a cafe) and is active in the startup investment scene. He also started the Liverty-house project which attempts to create shared housing for young people in need.
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Investment focus
- Content, Fashion, Recruiting
- Seed, Angel, Funding Round
- Japan
Portfolio highlights
- Taliki — Taliki is a Coworking Space Operates Social Entrepreneurs Development Support for Intrepreneur Development.
- ONE NOVA — One Nova (ワンノバ) is a lifestyle brand and online platform that offers a range of innerwear products, such as men's boxers.
- Vivid Garden — vivid garden is an Agriculture company.
Yukihiro Yoshida is managing director at POL.
Investment focus
- Travel, Reservations, SNS
- Seed, Angel
- Japan
Portfolio highlights
- A10 Lab — A10 Lab is a company that aims to makes people happy with technology that is independent of Sony's new business creation program. It provides Google Play an app that allows users to do things that they have never been able to do with the custom app 'Min Chale' selected for two consecutive years. It is a company that brings profits tocompanies by improving lifetime value (sales) through the habitation of users that companies have.
- Tabinaka — Tabinaka is a Japanese booking & reservation platform for overseas tours and travel activities.
- Fun Group — Hello! We are Fun Group (formally Tabinaka) and we are Japan's first Travel and Leisure startup offering unique tours and experiences. We currently offer experiences in 7 different locations globally.
Daisaku Harada is the Director of Management Strategy at Mercari. Daisaku attended Chuo University.
Investment focus
- Finance, Tourism, Automotive
- Seed, Pre-Seed
- Japan
Portfolio highlights
- Carstay — Carstay Comfortable Overnight in car or tentdo itCar tripWith guests who want to enjoy.
Joined Intelligence in 1999. Established Key Players Inc. in 2005. Consultation with more than 3,000 managers and career counseling for more than 10,000 individuals. In addition, we have invested in more than 55 outside directors, advisors and angels in Silicon Valley and Bangladesh in Japan. Over 100 lectures on careers, entrepreneurship andstartups.
Investment focus
- Internet, Information Technology, Human Resources
- Seed, Angel, Funding Round
- Japan, United States
Portfolio highlights
- Kaimak — Kaymak is a recruitment platform that focuses on creating a recruitment website, planning a recruitment strategy, and managing candidates.
- D-Chain — D-Chain offers services related to IT development and production in the Web3 and Web2 fields.
- Rayout — Rayout is a business consulting company that provides creative content development, recruitment videos, and web production services.
Kensuke Naito - CIO (Chief Information Officer) @ SmartHR
Investment focus
- Pet, Apps, Insurance
- Seed
- Japan
William Lohse is a Founder Joyance Europe of Joyance Partners.
Investment focus
- Software, Social Media, Advertising
- Seed, Angel, Series A
- United States, Japan, Canada
Portfolio highlights
- Beatrust — Tags connect and drive collaboration, expanding your team's potential
- SmartNews — Trusted by over 40+ million worldwide readers, SmartNews provides the best news, stories and events across 200+ local news sites.
- Greenhouse Software — Greenhouse is a talent acquisition software company that offers its suite of tools and services to help businesses with the hiring process.The platform aims to assist companies with sourcing, interviewing, hiring, and on-boarding the right talent. It assists employers to establish who they are looking to hire and plan a consistent interviewprocess, enabling recruiters to collect feedback and track employees after they have been hired.Daniel Chait and Jon Stross co-founded the company in 2012 and headquartered it in New York, New York.
Yoshinori Fukushima - CEO @ LayerX
Investment focus
- Internet, Marketing, Media and Entertainment
- Seed, Angel, Series A
- Japan, Singapore
Portfolio highlights
Tatsuo Sakamoto is a Head of Sales, Japan at MOLOCO. He Attended The University of Tokyo.
Investment focus
- Information Technology, Education, Recruiting
- Seed, Angel, Pre-Seed
- Japan
Portfolio highlights
- Bgrass — bgrass is a consultation support platform for women working in the IT industry.
- Cloudbase — Cloudbase is an information technology company that specializes in the fields of cloud services and management.
- Metaverse Creators — Metaverse Creators is a feature-rich virtual platform providing gamers with a wide range of games, creation tools, and avatar editing tools.
Yasuhide Tobita is the Owner of Nogizaka Shin .
Investment focus
- Lifestyle, Service Industry
- Seed
- Japan
Portfolio highlights
- Mono.un — Mono.un provides users with opportunities to meet authors and collaborate on tales and specializes in bringing exciting experiences full of stories of Japanese culture to the world.
Keito Noguchi is a Brave group Representative Director, and Angel Investor.
Investment focus
- Wellness, Lifestyle, Elder Care
- Seed
- Japan
Portfolio highlights
- AgeWell Japan — Age Well Japan is a conference and festival aimed at understanding Japan's super-aged society and defining new values for the future. The purpose of the gathering is to bring together young people and the elderly to exchange ideas.
Koichi Noda - Chief Human Resources Officer @ Works Human Intelligence
Investment focus
- Consulting, Information Technology, Social Entrepreneurship
- Seed
- Japan
Portfolio highlights
- Bgrass — bgrass is a consultation support platform for women working in the IT industry.
Shinji Senba is a Director of Green Innovations Holdings.
Investment focus
- Social, E-Commerce, Sustainability
- Seed
- Japan
Portfolio highlights
- Gab — Gab is a company that works to solve social problems as well as develops and markets ethical products.
Kazuhiro Ishikura served as the head of the Akatsuki Business Management Department in 2013 and as a corporate auditor of Akatsuki in 2014, contributing to the company's listing on the TSE Mothers and TSE 1st sections. Appointed 3minute CFO in 2015, engaged in business start-up and organizational design, and succeeded in large-scale M & Adeal with Glee. After leaving the company, he became a WARC director in November 2018. Certified public accountant.
Investment focus
- Beauty, Content, Fashion
- Seed, Funding Round, Angel
- Japan
Portfolio highlights
- Neith — Neith is a apparel manufacturer, seller and a whoelseller of water absorbing bralette, lingerie and shorts for women.
- WARC Japan — WARC provides hands-on support for business management departments as well as mergers and acquisition advisory services.
- Vitalogue Health — Vitalogue Health offers Canvas, a home-based hormone testing service for women.
Yuki Naito - CEO,President @ Drecom
Investment focus
- Manufacturing, Internet, SNS
- Seed, Pre-Seed, Series B
- Japan
Portfolio highlights
- 1SEC — 1sec is a virtual influencers in Japan,develop in-house and management. IMPACT to CEKAI in 1 second. Based on the concept of making CEKAI happy in one second, US based in Los Angeles and Japan, based in Tokyo, virtual influencers × AI, fashion & music & The company will develop a number of CEKAI's first and first projects in Japan inthe field of enter teignment.
- Fools — Fools is a footwear manufacturing company.
- Interstellar Technologies Japan — Interstellar Technologies is a rocket development, manufacturing and launch service.
Former executive director of Gulliver International (currently IDOM), one of the few hyper-growth companies in Japan that made public public public in four years and achieved 10 billion sales in 10 years. He held a role in charge of FC business, management strategy, marketing, human resources, education, IT and finance.
Investment focus
- Hospitality, Reservations, Media and Entertainment
- Seed
- Japan
Portfolio highlights
- Fun — Fun is a sightseeing entertainment company that makes the world even more of a fun place.
Mitsushige Ito - Chief Financial Officer (CFO) @ Mirrativ
Investment focus
- Content, Media and Entertainment, Pet
- Funding Round, Seed
- Japan
Portfolio highlights
- Elvez — Elves Ups is a collaborative AI dialogue system development tool.
- Petokoto — Petokoto is a media created with pet specialists such as certified veterinarians.
- SYRUP Japan — Syrup develops Pet Tech platforms. The company's services include OMUSUBI, an adoption service that matches dogs and cats with pet owners, and Petokoto, a media platform that provides reliable information from veterinarians
After HR in charge of the Tokyo Stock partially listed manufacturer, joined Pacific Management Co., Ltd. in 2001. After experience IPO on JASDAQ, TSE 2, and TSE partially listed, HR and management planningHe is responsible for management planning, equity finance, and IR, supporting the IPO of two Group companies to the TSE J-REIT market. JoinedEscrit Co., Ltd. in 2008, and oversees the listing of Mothers IPO and Tokyo Stock Exchange as CFO. Joined Bengo4.com Co., Ltd. in 2013 and launched several IPO and new businesses in Mothers in a year and a half as a director CFO. Representative Director of Burritudo Co., Ltd., 5 IPO Experience Companies. In July 2017, he was appointed Director of REXIT Co., Ltd. In November 2017, he became the Auditor of REXIT Co., Ltd.
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Investment focus
- Recruiting, Wedding, Home Decor
- Seed, Angel
- Japan
Portfolio highlights
- REXIT — REXIT, Inc. is REal x IT. With a corporate philosophy of "new value in the Internet and real life", and toward the vision of "making the old business around the world a new business", the mission is to "restructure the bridal industry and create a world full of weddings." Is a company that is challenging. By adding theessence of the Internet and technology to wedding halls and weddings, we create new value that can contribute to society.
- MonooQ — MonooQ is a shared storage service that connects people who are looking for storage space for luggage and those who want to make effective use of the extra space.
- Carat Japan — Service development and operation to make people shine
Born in 1977, his family was originally a rice farmer in Kameyama City, Mie Prefecture. He was involved in the development of online games at Community Engine Co., Ltd., from the Graduate School of Informatics, Kyoto University. After he became a director of the Company in 2003, he moved to Beijing to establish a subsidiary and became CEO. Hereturned to Japan in February 2007. He served as Technical Director of ONE-UP Co., Ltd. in May 2010, and moved to Aiming in June 2011. He was appointed Chief Technology Officer in May 2013 and listed on TSE Mothers in April 2015. In September 2017, he founded ukka Co., Ltd. and assumed the position of President.
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Investment focus
- Art, Baby, Real Estate
- Seed, Angel, Funding Round
- Japan
Portfolio highlights
- TRiCERA — TRiCERA is a contemporary art global platform management company.
- 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.
- sketchbook — Baby’s Fun is a baby food kit and infant food kit manufacturing company. The company's food kit offers pre-cut ingredients, enabling customers to reduce food waste.
Joined Fujitsu Limited in 1991, after working at Osaka City University's Faculty of Science. He has a wide range of business experience, from programming to new business development, such as developing Internet services. After that, engaged in IT-related new business development at Sojitz Corporation, and at a major business investmentcompany, engaged in business investment in venture companies, creation of business plans for companies, launching new services, and M & A. In 2008, he became an outside director of eLicense Corporation. In 2009, he was appointed Representative Director of Data Section Co., Ltd. after developing a trend analysis service utilizing big data. Listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Mothers on December 24, 2014. Outside director of Japan Data Exchange, Inc. Currently, he is an outside director of Solid Intelligence Co., Ltd. In June 2018, he became chairman.
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Investment focus
- Social, Big Data, Analytics
- Funding Round
- Japan
Portfolio highlights
- Datasection — Datasection is a social big data company that provides various big data analysis tools for its clients. It specializes in marketing research, data provision and processing, image analysis, overseas SNS, and data utilization and optimization. Datasection was founded in 2000.
Genki Shiota was born in Izumo, Shimane prefecture in 1983.Shiota attended Yokohama National University and majored in electrical information engineering. He went on to complete his MBA at Hitotsubashi University.Shiota was hired by DeNA after graduation and was promoted to manager of an affiliated company. Afterwards, he worked as the directorof advertisement at corporate headquarters. Upon retirement, Shiota and Kouda co-founded Akatsuki.
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Investment focus
- Internet, Gaming, Content
- Funding Round, Seed
- Japan
Portfolio highlights
- Asobica — Play is enthusiasm.At one time, card games and Pokemon, which were addicted to childhood, were just enthusiasm for us.It's fun and exciting to forget the time when you're crazy.Let's make a sigh that can be such an enthusiasm. Create a product that produces enthusiasm. Enthusiasm to the world."Asobica Innovation to theworld"Asobica is a company that evolves boring things and old industries using technology and the power of the Internet (Asobica).
- Lovegraph — Lovegraph (Love graph), photographer to accompany a couple of their dating, is a service that leaves two people talking to are wearing and natural smile in the photo. Photos of the natural appearance of two people at a time when you do not leave the only two people of memories in its own birds and photo booth, which takes you decorate morememories. Anniversary is not also recommended to surprise wedding movies and lover as well. Couples like, of course, they also offer a request from your couple-like and family-like.
- Share Village — Share Village is a project that transforms old folk houses nationwide into villages. Share Village overturns the concept of "village" starting from the frontier of Akita Prefecture.
Yusuke Asakura is an entrepreneur, a businessman, a venture investor, a scholar and the co-founder of Signifiant Inc. At Signifiant, Yusuke manages a ¥20 billion growth fund “THE FUND” aimed at growth-stage startups.
Investment focus
- Finance, Internet, Consulting
- Seed
- Japan
Portfolio highlights
- Siiibo — Siiibo is a developer of an information platform intended to help private investors and companies to issue and purchase private bonds easily. The company's platform is creating a free, transparent, and fair direct finance that provides opportunities for an advisory to companies, such as support for diversification of funding using smallprivate placement bonds, and for building relationships with investors, enabling the private investors to get familiar with the issuance of corporate bonds.
- Smartround — Smartround is a specialized finance management platform for startups and their investors. For start-ups, for entrepreneurs who are not familiar with finance, simply enter the necessary information according to the guide, prepare appropriate financing round, and prepare a function that can simulate and execute a capital increase. Support informationsharing and communication with shareholders even after the capital increase.
- OVERFLOW — OVERFLOW provides consulting and recruitment services.
Kosuke Minowa - Director @ EXODUS Japan
Investment focus
- Internet, Communities, Information Technology
- Seed
- Japan
Portfolio highlights
- Asobica — Play is enthusiasm.At one time, card games and Pokemon, which were addicted to childhood, were just enthusiasm for us.It's fun and exciting to forget the time when you're crazy.Let's make a sigh that can be such an enthusiasm. Create a product that produces enthusiasm. Enthusiasm to the world."Asobica Innovation to theworld"Asobica is a company that evolves boring things and old industries using technology and the power of the Internet (Asobica).
- Token House —
After experiencing CG designer, freelance, image director etc, joined KLab Corporation as an art director in May 2012. Business promotion and management skills are appreciated, and he joined the creative department manager in 1 year of joining the company and as the youngest executive officer in April 2014. In March 2015 he served concurrently asmarketing director and organized management of several divisions, he was active in a wide range of scenes. We are also focusing on developing creative events for new graduates and planning creative events for regular graduates and giving lectures for students. FiNC led the overall branding and service design while operating the organization as CCO Creative Director.
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Investment focus
- E-Learning, Communities, Graphic Design
- Seed
- Japan
Portfolio highlights
- alma — alma is a community platform to learn design.
During Hosei University student, and intern at Hakuhodo C & D. After joining the Image-net, I do media monetization of EC site as a media planner. Then, new business, engaged in Alliance. Launched a crowdsourcing site "MILLION DESIGNS" of design in the individual, sold to Ransazu Corporation. Established the Eureka Co., Ltd., wasappointed Representative Director CEO.
Investment focus
- Food and Beverage, Content, Internet
- Seed, Angel, Funding Round
- Japan, Australia, Hong Kong
Portfolio highlights
- Now Do — Now Do provides online growth revolution platform.
- RE — RE specializes in smartphone application design and development.
- Vitalogue Health — Vitalogue Health offers Canvas, a home-based hormone testing service for women.
Born in 1975, Kenji Kasahara grew up in Osaka Prefecture. He graduated from the Department of Economics at the University of Tokyo.
Inspired by the case studies of IT business he studied in a university seminar on management strategy and by the rapid rise of Internet business in Silicon Valley in the USA, he started up “Find Job !”, an online jobinformation site, in 1997. In 1999 Kasahara established eMercury, Inc. (mixi, Inc.) and assumed the post of representative director.
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Investment focus
- Aerospace, Information Technology, Robotics
- Seed, Pre-Seed, Series B
- Japan, United States
Portfolio highlights
- AgeWell Japan — Age Well Japan is a conference and festival aimed at understanding Japan's super-aged society and defining new values for the future. The purpose of the gathering is to bring together young people and the elderly to exchange ideas.
- ONE — One is a Japanese startup. It primarily creates and operates consumer apps, some of which have been sold to publicly traded Japanese corporations.This runs the BeReal exchange application "BeMatch."
- Nicoli — Nicoli is a company that creates content and advertisements that increase happy time for parents and children .
Ken Soga is an individual investor.
Investment focus
- Content, Service Industry, SNS
- Seed, Series D
- Japan
Portfolio highlights
- UNIVRS — UNIVRS is a popular market and entertainment platform.
- Jiraffe — jiraffe focusses on Internet service planning, development, and management.
- Mono.un — Mono.un provides users with opportunities to meet authors and collaborate on tales and specializes in bringing exciting experiences full of stories of Japanese culture to the world.
After graduating from the Faculty of Law at the University of Tokyo, he joined Solomon Brothers, where he became the youngest managing director in Asia, where he was in charge of Asian investment. After that, he created one of the largest independent Asuka assets. He also launched Japan's first independent online life insurance company,LifeNet Life Insurance, and inspired Japan's first International.
Investment focus
- Apps, Content, FinTech
- Seed, Series A, Funding Round
- Japan, Singapore, Spain
Portfolio highlights
- Revorf — Revorf analyzes data and develops AI-related to infectious diseases and healthcare.
- abillion — Find tips for plant-based food & products near you. Join the community to share reviews of restaurants & brands. Raise funds & drive sustainability!
- RIMM Sustainability — RIMM Sustainability provides a SaaS platform that enables companies of all sizes to optimise their sustainability management effort. It builds tools for sustainability management, reporting and optimisation.
Takuya Imaizumi - Co-Founder & CEO,President @ GameWith
Investment focus
- Gaming, eSports, Internet
- Seed, Corporate Round
- India, Japan
Portfolio highlights
- Asobica — Play is enthusiasm.At one time, card games and Pokemon, which were addicted to childhood, were just enthusiasm for us.It's fun and exciting to forget the time when you're crazy.Let's make a sigh that can be such an enthusiasm. Create a product that produces enthusiasm. Enthusiasm to the world."Asobica Innovation to theworld"Asobica is a company that evolves boring things and old industries using technology and the power of the Internet (Asobica).
- GamingMonk — GamingMonk is an eSports gaming company based out of New Delhi, India. eSports or Competitive Gaming Tournaments are played across platforms such as PC, Console & Mobile. They currently have 2 verticals - Offline Tournaments & an Online eSports Portal.Offline Tournaments are held across India covering 8 cities so far with an expansionplan of covering 16 cities by next year.Online eSports Portal was launched in Aug 2017 with an idea of bringing the tournaments experience online & with a vision to reach out to every gamer in India.With a passion and a commitment to the best gaming experience, they at GamingMonk, have strived to create a community for gamers.A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies, and gamers always know where to find an extra life.
Shintaro Tabata - Senior Vice President and Head of Corporate Sales @ Line
Investment focus
- Sharing Economy, Audio, Content
- Seed, Angel, Series A
- Japan
Portfolio highlights
- Voicy — Voicy is a mobile platform that recruits both media personalities and news organizations; the entertainers read the news so users can get the latest info from their favorite voices.
- Carstay — Carstay Comfortable Overnight in car or tentdo itCar tripWith guests who want to enjoy.
- Telework — Telework is a multi-location workspace that utilizes vacant seats and rooms.
Shunsuke Ikegami is an angel investor.
Investment focus
- Social, Cooking, Big Data
- Seed, Funding Round
- Japan
Portfolio highlights
- CoCooking — CoCooking uses food and cooking to create ample opportunity for dialogue and thought, fostering creativity, diversity, and well-being of individuals and communities.
- Datasection — Datasection is a social big data company that provides various big data analysis tools for its clients. It specializes in marketing research, data provision and processing, image analysis, overseas SNS, and data utilization and optimization. Datasection was founded in 2000.
Takashi Okutani Graduated from University of Washington( Seattle WA) 1997 Enter Ryohin Keikaku Co., Ltd. 1997-2000 working at MUJI store in Tokyo Japan 2000-2002 be seconded to trading company called Sanyei Detschland GmbH(cooperated trading company) 2003-2007 working at household division & joined to establish MUJI in-house design office,mainly taking care of the project called World MUJI 2007-2010 working at Apparel Divison. Produced MUJI’s Iconic item called 90 Degree Sock. 2010-2015 General Manager of WEB Business Divison. Produce MUJI passport 2015-Join Oisix as Chief Omni-Channel officer.
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Investment focus
- Wellness, Lifestyle, Elder Care
- Seed
- Japan
Portfolio highlights
- AgeWell Japan — Age Well Japan is a conference and festival aimed at understanding Japan's super-aged society and defining new values for the future. The purpose of the gathering is to bring together young people and the elderly to exchange ideas.
He graduated from Kansai University in 1988. He was enrolled in Ljoma while he was in college. 2002 Vice President of Practice (now index lights). In 2004, he became president of zappallas. Listed on the TSE Mothers in the second year of his appointment, and in 2010 he was listed in part of the TSE. In 2011 he became the CEO of enish. Listed on apart of the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Thereafter, he served as outside directors such as Nikkatsu and JibannetHD.
Investment focus
- Software, Internet, Media and Entertainment
- Seed, Angel, Series A
- Japan
Portfolio highlights
- MI-6 — MI-6 is a research, development, consulting, and project management for material development using IT. We will promote materials informatics in the field of material development with our technological capabilities and a wealth of project knowledge that challenge the world's most advanced technologies .
- STUDIO — Studio is a web design & development platform that enables users to build websites from scratch without coding.
- STUDIO Japan — STUDIO is a development and operation of the next-generation design tool.
Arai is the CEO of Happy Elements KK (Japan Company). Arai-Sam manages the mobile business for the Japan market and the business development, product marketing, fans care in Japan.As a student, Motoki Arai worked as a programmer for tech startups such as Gaiax and KLab. He later was involved in the founding of Drecom, and became an executiveofficer just 4 months after joining the company.After being listed in the Mothers Index of the TSE, he started his own company, Cyworks, in Kyot
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Investment focus
- Wedding, Recruiting, Media and Entertainment
- Seed
- Japan
Portfolio highlights
- REXIT — REXIT, Inc. is REal x IT. With a corporate philosophy of "new value in the Internet and real life", and toward the vision of "making the old business around the world a new business", the mission is to "restructure the bridal industry and create a world full of weddings." Is a company that is challenging. By adding theessence of the Internet and technology to wedding halls and weddings, we create new value that can contribute to society.
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