Top 10 Digital Media Angel Investors in Japan in September 2025
A list of 10 angel investors that invest in Digital media startups based in Japan. We rank investors based on the number of investments they made in Digital media companies from Japan. We update this investor list every month.Top 10 Digital Media Angel Investors in Japan in September 2025
Investor | Digital Media Japan investments |
---|---|
Takeshi Natsuno | 1 |
Toyoshi Ryuichiro | 1 |
Seiichiro Wada | 1 |
Nobuhiro Ariyasu | 1 |
Takeshi Aoki Yamato | 1 |
Goshi Yamaguchi | 1 |
Kiyohiro Sugashita | 1 |
Kiyoshi Nishikawa | 1 |
Richard Lo | 1 |
Shinichi Misawa | 1 |
Mr. Takeshi Natsuno serves as the Chairman of Japan Operations at Great Wall Club. Mr. Natsuno is a Professor of KEIO University. He served as a General Manager of Consumer Services Division and Manager of Distribution Platform Business Development Division at Pia Corporation since April 2012 and served as its Chief of Sales Promotion Bureau sinceApril 2010. He joined DoCoMo in 1997. He served as the Managing Director of Multimedia Services, Products & Services Division for NTT DoCoMo Inc. until June 23, 2009 and served as its General Manager of i-Mode Planning Division since July 2001, Senior Vice President from June 21, 2005 to June 23, 2009, Executive Officer and General Manager Multimedia Service Division since June 2005. At NTT DoCoMo, he developed the business strategy of all of NTT DoCoMo’s multimedia-related services, including i-mode strategic alliances with global application/content providers and key Internet players. He served as Vice President of Hyper Net Co., Ltd. since June 1996. He started his career with Tokyo Gas. He held key executive positions with HyperNet. He has been a Director of Dwango Co. Ltd., since December 1, 2008. He has been a Outside Director at Sega Sammy Holdings Inc. since June 2008. He has been a Director at Pia Corporation since April 2010. He serves as a Director of D.L.E Co. Ltd. He has been a Director of Gree, Inc. since September 2009 and Trans Cosmos, Inc. since 2008. He serves as a Director of GREE Ventures, Inc. He serves as a Member of Advisory Board at Great Wall Club. He served as an Independent Non-Executive Director of SBI Holdings Inc. from June 27, 2008 to June 28, 2012. He served as a Director of Hyper Net Co., Ltd. since June 1996. He is the Author of i-mode Strategy, published in 2000, a la i-mode, published in 2002, Keitai-no-Mirai, published in 2006, Iccho-yen kaseida otokono shigotojutu, and Google ni izonshi Amazon wo maneru bakakigyou published in 2009. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and Economics from Waseda University, Japan in 1988 and an Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 1995.
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Investment focus
- Financial Services, Music, Venture Capital
- Angel, Funding Round, Series A
- Japan, United States
Portfolio highlights
- ZUU — ZUU is a Japan-based company that supports financial advisors with related consultancies and manages monetary websites. It also supports the asset management and asset advisor business of executives with finance and IT.
- Zuu Online — ZUU online is a Tokyo-based financial media which provides original insights on financial market news,the latest business trend and personal finance advice
- Confidence — Confidence ensures that the entertainment industry's cutting-edge manufacturers will be able to fulfil their objectives in the future.
Toyoshi Ryuichiro - CEO @ Misoca
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Investment focus
- Apps, mHealth, Internet
- Pre-Seed, Funding Round
- Japan
Seiichiro Wada started his career as employee No.5 at a technology startup. He then joined Dwango, the fast-growing startup that operates Japanese Youtube "Niko Niko Douga", incubating new businesses for the company and then helped the company go public. After that, he joined Monex Group, the leading online brokerage group in Japan, andled new businesses there as well. He also helped establish Monex Ventures as the CVC of Monex Group first and then raised funds from external LPs for an independent early-stage venture capital. He has invested in more than 100 early stage startups, including Money Forward (IPO), Uzabase (IPO), Mentalhealth Technologies (IPO), MFS (IPO), Folio, Emerada, Gracia, and orb.
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Investment focus
- Legal, Content, Information Technology
- Seed, Series A, Series B
- Japan
Portfolio highlights
- Chipee — Chipee is a social networking platform that enables its users to send digital gratitude in the form of chips.
- AGRI SMILE — AGRI SMILE is a platform that focuses on sharing agricultural technology.
- CharacterBank — CharacterBank offers game development and production services using VR technology.
Nobuhiro Ariyasu is the CEO at Coach United.
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Investment focus
- Finance, Content, Internet
- Seed, Angel, Series A
- Japan, Singapore
Portfolio highlights
- Mign — Mign offers a generative AI-related SaaS solutions for the construction and real estate fields.
- Finovo — Finovo specializes in the research, development, operation, and maintenance of cutting-edge accounting and financial software solutions.
- Tsunagari AI — Tsunagari specializes in developing and providing AI-powered consultation services tailored for local governments, aiming to enhance administrative efficiency, support citizen engagement, and streamline public service delivery.
Takeshi Aoki Yamato is the Representative Director of Capital Medica Ventures.
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Investment focus
- Social Media, Digital Media, Social Network
- Seed
- Japan
Portfolio highlights
- Chipee — Chipee is a social networking platform that enables its users to send digital gratitude in the form of chips.
Goshi Yamaguchi
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Investment focus
- Food and Beverage, Digital Media, Apps
- Seed, Pre-Seed, Corporate Round
- Japan
Portfolio highlights
- ReadHub — ReadHub is a Information technology , Planning, development and management of Internet media and applications company.
- Pan For You — Pan For You is a Food & Beverage Company. We deliver delicious bread from all over the world with our unique freezing technology and propose a lifestyle where you can enjoy freshly baked bread anytime.
- ZAZA — ZAZA is focus to make the world where people can respect each other even thought they have a different culture and belief.
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
After working at KDD Corporation (Currently known as KDDI Corporation), Kiyoshi Nishikawa next went to work at Arthur D. Little Inc. in the United States, where he became inspired to start his own company. After returning to Japan, he established a Japanese corporation of the world’s largest Internet company, America On Line, LLC. Later andbased on this experience and the relationships he developed, he founded the first Internet business incubator, NETAGE, Inc. After serving as the President and CEO of NETAGE Group, he later became and still serves as the Chairman of ngi group, inc. Kiyoshi was one of the main entrepreneurs responsible for proposing and realization of “Shibuya Bit Valley Concept†and is well known for his various speeches and writings. He is a graduate of the Department of Education at Tokyo University.
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Investment focus
- News, Social Media, Big Data
- Seed, Funding Round, Pre-Seed
- Japan, United States
Portfolio highlights
- PoliPoli — PoliPoli is a next-generation politics co-creation platform where you can participate like a game. Politicians from all over Japan post their policies in an easy-to-understand manner, and those who sympathize can enjoy working on the "missions" necessary to realize the policies.
- Astroscale — Astroscale is one of the few companies in the world proposing to aid in the removal of orbital debris through the provision of End of Life (EOL) and Active Debris Removal (ADR) services. In addition to providing a technical solution, Astroscale is helping to define the business case for this service and are working with national space agencies,international institutions, non-profit organizations, insurance companies and satellite operators to develop norms, regulations and incentives that contribute to the responsible use of space.
- TECHFUND — TechFund is a venture capital firm specializing in incubation and seed stage investments. The company is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.
Richard Lau serves as Head of Wealth and Personal Banking Risk at Hang Seng Bank.
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Investment focus
- Content, Marketing, Digital Media
- Series A
- Japan
Portfolio highlights
- DoubleL — Doublel is a general trading company of pop culture that develops Japanese manga, anime, and games internationally. The company was founded in 2014 and based in Tokyo, Japan.
Shinichi Misawa - Director @ Zappallas
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Investment focus
- Content, Marketing, Digital Media
- Series A, Funding Round
- Japan
Portfolio highlights
- Kudan — Kudan has been providing proprietary Artificial Perception technologies based on SLAM to enable use cases with significant market potential and impact on our lives such as autonomous driving, robotics, AR/VR and smart cities
- DoubleL — Doublel is a general trading company of pop culture that develops Japanese manga, anime, and games internationally. The company was founded in 2014 and based in Tokyo, Japan.
Investors by industry
Google
Marketplace
Hardware
Energy
Proptech
Health Care
Biotech
Artificial intelligence
Climate
Consumer
Community
Impact
Gaming
FinTech
EdTech
Sustainability
Venture Capital
Big Data
Web3
B2B
Financial Services
Finance
Infrastructure
Education
Photography
Payments
Food and Beverage
Video Games
Organic Food
Retail
Beauty
Publishing
Clean Energy
Real Estate
Manufacturing
Art
Music
Android
Internet
Enterprise Software
eSports
Franchise
Sports
Construction
Digital Media
Email
Medical
Social Network
Wellness
Social Media
Mobile
Legal
Local
Recruiting
Cannabis
Platforms
Fitness
Travel
Mobile Advertising
Biotechnology
Hospitality
Social
Automotive
Crowdfunding
Wine And Spirits
Medical Device
CleanTech
Transportation
Mobile Apps
InsurTech
Enterprise
LGBT
Fashion
Oil and Gas
Life Science
Theatre
Film
Non Profit
Renewable Energy
SaaS
Sporting Goods
Restaurants
Social Impact
Software
Celebrity
Cryptocurrency
Machine Learning
Agriculture (agtech)
Media (entertainment)
Facebook
Blockchain
Investors by country
United Kingdom
Canada
South Korea
Ireland
United States
New Zealand
India
Germany
Australia
Armenia
South Africa
Spain
Japan
Africa
China
Sri Lanka
Singapore
Qatar
Asia
Indonesia
Vietnam
Oceania
LATAM
Middle East
Europe
Bulgaria
Saudi Arabia
Belize
Bahrain
Croatia
Brazil
Georgia
Belarus
Hungary
Liechtenstein
France
Ghana
Liberia
Lebanon
Ethiopia
Gibraltar
Mauritius
Chile
Egypt
Peru
Finland
Norway
Costa Rica
Greece
Israel
Barbados
Malaysia
Belgium
Estonia
Mexico
Bermuda
Czech Republic
Nicaragua
Denmark
Algeria
Jersey
Hong Kong
Panama
Ecuador
Faroe Islands
Sierra Leone
El Salvador
Uganda
Morocco
Venezuela
Sweden
Slovenia
Mali
Poland
Lithuania
Uruguay
Ukraine
Tajikistan
Puerto Rico
Portugal
Tunisia
Italy
Taiwan
Tanzania
Turkey
San Marino
Senegal
Philippines
Togo
Uzbekistan
Serbia
Russian Federation
Zambia
Rwanda
Zimbabwe
Thailand
Dominican Republic
Kuwait
Azerbaijan
Iceland
Malta
Nigeria
Myanmar
Bahamas
United Arab Emirates
Namibia
Iraq
Jamaica
Honduras
Isle of Man
Luxembourg
Bolivia
Pakistan
Grenada
Albania
Jordan
Romania
Bangladesh
Argentina
Kenya
Kazakhstan
Cayman Islands
Cambodia
Austria
Oman
Latvia
Cyprus
Switzerland
Cameroon
Colombia
Guatemala
Marshall Islands
Seychelles
Angel Investors in Japan by industry
Restaurants
Real Estate
Financial Services
Music
Transportation
Big Data
Cryptocurrency
Finance
Food and Beverage
Video Games
Medical
Wellness
Internet
Digital Media
Art
Biotechnology
Blockchain
Social Media
Software
Construction
Enterprise Software
Sports
Fitness
Hospitality
Automotive
Travel
FinTech
Consumer
Health Care
Biotech
Energy
EdTech
Climate
Proptech
Marketplace
Hardware
Artificial intelligence
Retail
Legal
Fashion
Beauty
Web3
Social
Education
Manufacturing
Community
Mobile Apps
Payments
Life Science
Social Network
Photography
Recruiting
SaaS
Gaming
Sustainability
Agriculture (agtech)
Social Impact
Media (entertainment)
Machine Learning
Enterprise
Wine And Spirits
Mobile
Impact