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Top 20 Digital Media Startup Investors in Japan

Last updated: Apr 2024 A list of 20 angel investors and VC funds 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 20 Digital Media Startup Investors in Japan

Investor	Digital Media Japan investments
Vector	2
DFR Asia	1
Nissay Capital	1
JIG-SAW	1
Toyoshi Ryuichiro	1
Nobuhiro Ariyasu	1
ANRI	1
B Dash Ventures	1
NetAge	1
Kiyohiro Sugashita	1
SEPTENI HOLDINGS Japan	1
Incubate Fund	1
Wavemaker Partners	1
Goshi Yamaguchi	1
Takeshi Natsuno	1
Shinichi Misawa	1
Kiyoshi Nishikawa	1
Richard Lo	1
GREE	1
UNITED	1

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Investor list

Vector is a Japan-based PR agency that provides PR planning and implementation services for its clients. The agency also offers other services covering areas such as management, finance, accounting, human resources, administration, internal controls, and audits. Vector was founded in 1993.

Investment focus

Media and Entertainment, Software, Marketing
Funding Round, Seed, Corporate Round
Japan

Portfolio highlights

PeaceTecLab — PeaceTecLab is a CtoCsharing service, as its main business.
The Ethical Spirits & Co. — The Ethical Spirits & Co. is an online store for spirits and alcohol.
Driver Technologies — Driver Technologies is a cloud logistics platform provider. It provides a solution for driver matching and cargo vehicle demands.

DFR is a digital media venture studio. DFR conceives, builds, and assumes ownership and execution responsibility for new ventures from inception. DFR is the first company in the world to deploy the emerging studio model in Asia, and the first venture studio dedicated exclusively to digital media.

Investment focus

Video, Digital Media, Media and Entertainment
Seed
Japan

Portfolio highlights

Breaker — Breaker is Japan's global digital studio.

Nissay Capital is a venture capital Company specializing in seed, start-up, growth capital, middle stage, and later stage investment.

Investment focus

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

Portfolio highlights

Dodai — Dodai manufactures and assembles the electric motorcycles.
Yap — Yap helps pharmaceutical businesses enter the market in a multitude of methods.
Pocket Sign — Pocket Sign develops digital platforms that store e-signatures and other authentication details for it's users privacy and security.

JIG-SAW (San Jose) offers neqto, an all-in-one solution for IoT. As an all-in-one, fully managed solution for IoT, neqto provides: hardware, embedded and edge software, communication mechanisms, and cloud. Through neqto, easy and secure bidirectional communication for transmitting, collecting, and controlling things and systems via IoT is madepossible.With their core competencies in monitoring services, cloud technologies, mobile communication modules, embedded systems, and IoT equipment they hope to support and accelerate the automation and decentralization of the next generation of technology companies.

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.

Toyoshi Ryuichiro - CEO @ Misoca

Investment focus

Apps, mHealth, Internet
Pre-Seed, Funding Round
Japan

Portfolio highlights

ReadHub — ReadHub is a Information technology , Planning, development and management of Internet media and applications company.
Everyplus — Every Plus is a Nursing care facility recreation planning and dispatch service.

Nobuhiro Ariyasu is the CEO at Coach United.

Investment focus

Internet, Content, Finance
Seed, Angel, Funding Round
Japan, Singapore

Portfolio highlights

Issues — Issues provides development and management of web service issues that solve the problems.
Jiraffe — jiraffe focusses on Internet service planning, development, and management.
Collectest — Collectest specializes in integrating AI into trading card appraisal procedures that show current market pricing and verify authenticity.

ANRI is a Japanese venture capital firm that mainly invests in seed and early-stage startups.

Investment focus

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

Portfolio highlights

MOVeLOT — MOVeLOT is an AI company that provides skeletal platform and robot planning, development, and production services.
xCARE — xCARE specializes in the development and commercialization phases of the pharmaceutical and medical device industries.
Infobox — Infobox is a sales data platform that includes every detail from market research to creating a list of companies and contacting decision-makers.

B Dash Ventures does seed to late stage tech investments in Japan, Asia Pacific, and the U.S. LPs include Japan's largest technology companies and financial institutions including NTT Docomo, Mitsubishi UFJ Capital, GREE, NEC BIGLOBE, Fuji Television, and the Japanese government. B Dash Ventures also operates an incubation space inpartnership with Mori Building Co. and holds the invitation-based B Dash Camp conference.

Investment focus

Internet, Information Technology, E-Commerce
Seed, Funding Round, Series A
Japan, Taiwan, India

Portfolio highlights

G.U. Group — G.U. Labs provides cloud tools and solutions, security technologies, and R&D capabilities to respond to the various social changes caused by blockchain. G.U.Labs provides cloud tools and solutions, security technologies, and research and development capabilities to respond to the various social changes caused by blockchain.
Fixx — Fixx is an automobile company that provides on-site car maintenance and other mechanic services.
Ascend — Ascend is a logistics company.

netage, inc. is a venture capital firm specializing in startup and incubation investments. They invests in internet business. netage is located in Tokyo, Japan.

Investment focus

News, Local, Big Data
Pre-Seed, Series A
Japan

Portfolio highlights

JX Press — The JX PRESS Corporation is Japan’s“virtual news agency.”JX PRESS’s “FASTALERT” service provides breaking news bulletins for urgent information on accidents, natural disasters, and other incidents detected by AI to all six of the major television broadcast stations in Japan, including NHK, and the majority of the 100+ local broadcast stations.FASTALERT works with more companies than any other service that utilizes information gathered from social networking sites for news reporting in Japan.The version offered to ordinary consumers, an app called “NewsDigest,” is the biggest news bulletin app in Japan, boasting over 1 million downloads. It is gaining popularity because of its ability to use AI to automatically detect and deliver news bulletins on information worth reporting. Alongside FASTALERT, it is also gaining more widespread use by news reporters as a standardized service for information.Stakeholders in the JX PRESS Corporation include KYODO NEWS, the leading news agency in Japan, two of the leading commercial broadcast stations (TV Asahi and Fuji TV), and the Nikkei Group. We are a new kind of news agency that provides computerized news reporting to all of the major media groups in Japan.Bloomberg - This Media Startup Is Beating the Competition With a Newsroom Run by Robots https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-05-27/the-airline-geek-trying-to-build-a-media-giant-with-no-reporters
Oceans — Oceans Inc. was incorporated on September 16th, 2010 as an internet service company with the expressed goal of making the Internet more useful, more local, more here and now. Specialists from the fields of user interface, user experience, creative, programming and monetization gathered to make this possible. Currently, these development and serviceoperations professionals operate Eyeland(http://eyeland.in), a popular local communications platform.

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.

Investment focus

Marketing, Travel, Media and Entertainment
Seed, Series A, Funding Round
Japan

Portfolio highlights

G NEXT — G NEXT is an Information Technology based company.
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.

Septeni Holdings started as a recruitment consulting company and become an internet advertising company in the year 2000. The company was established in October 1990 and is based in Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan.

Investment focus

Content, Internet, Apps
Series A, Funding Round, Corporate Round
Japan, United States

Portfolio highlights

Sproot — Sproot engages in the media and entertainment business.
Hosty Japan — Hosty is a Real Estate Platform.
ORIGINAL LIFE — ORIGINAL LIFE is a wedding media tech company.Original Life is looking for friends to contribute to the evolution of the industry with consumer insights and technology !

Incubate Fund is an independent early-stage venture capital that specializes in providing capital to technology startups at the seed stage. The firm built a portfolio of over 300 companies in Asia, taking 12 companies to public and 20 companies to M&A exit since 2010.

Investment focus

Software, E-Commerce, Information Technology
Seed, Funding Round, Series A
Japan, United States, India

Portfolio highlights

SoftRoid — SoftRoid provides a software robot that patrols and collects data for analyzing the construction site.
M-INT — M-INT is a life science company that offers medical infrastructure and medical IT system.
Blossom Energy — Developed advanced nuclear reactors that are able to produce clean energy, Blossom Energy manufactures nuclear reactors for the nuclear energy industry. The focus of the company is on providing affordable, stable, and sustainable energy for the world. The company utilizes HTGR, which is a fourth-generation nuclear reactor.

Wavemaker Group is a cross-border venture capital firm founded in 2003 and one of the most active early-stage investors across multiple funds.

Investment focus

Software, E-Commerce, Information Technology
Seed, Series A, Funding Round
United States, Singapore, Philippines

Portfolio highlights

Fasal — Fasal, an agri-tech platform, developed by Wolkus Technology Solutions, is an AI-powered platform for the Agriculture ecosystem that records a variety of growing conditions on the farm. It then uses artificial intelligence and data science to make on-farm predictions, before delivering the insights anywhere on any device including (iOS, Android,Tablet, and web).Its data-driven precision agriculture solution recommends real-time agronomic solutions to growers using on-farm and micro-climate data collected through agnostic sensors that helps farmers with cost savings in terms of water, energy, fertilizers, and pesticides.
Meiro — Meiro is a Customer Data Platform built for marketers of 21st century. Connect your customers' data easily into actionable profiles. Find out how!
LiveIn — LiveIn is a hospitality company that offers long term room rental. Enjoy quality assured room, cleaning services, maintenance and community activities. Find out more!

Goshi Yamaguchi

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. 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.

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.

Shinichi Misawa - Director @ Zappallas

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.

After working at KDD Corporation ï¼ˆCurrently known as KDDI Corporationï¼‰, 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 worldâ€™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 â€œShibuya Bit Valley Conceptâ€ and is well known for his various speeches and writings. He is a graduate of the Department of Education at Tokyo University.

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 the first private company with a vision to secure the safe and sustainable development of space for the benefit of future generations, and the only company solely dedicated to on-orbit servicing across all orbits.
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.

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.

Gree is a Japanese internet media company that provides mobile social networking, and mobile technology services for its users. Gree shares development and operational expertise across all its studios as Gree always works to create new game models for its customers.

Investment focus

Mobile, Gaming, Internet
Seed, Series A, Funding Round
Japan, United States, Canada

Portfolio highlights

Oasys — Oasys is an eco-friendly blockchain built for the gaming community, offering the best user experience with fast transactions and zero gas fees.
Oasys — Oasys is an eco-friendly blockchain built for the gaming community, offering the best user experience with fast transactions and zero gas fees.
Bankers Holding — Bankers Holding controls the bankers group companies that provide financial services via internet.

UNITED, Inc. is developing the smart phone app and the advertising technology business.

Investment focus

Internet, Content, Media and Entertainment
Funding Round, Seed, Series A
Japan, Nigeria, United States

Portfolio highlights

nat — nat develops iOS application - Scanat and provides consultation service in data strategy.
Tokuiten — Tokuiten is a company that develops systems for the production of organic vegetables and automates their cultivation.
ventus Japan — ventus is an Media and Entertainment based company.ventus aiming to be an entertainment company that provides technology that all fans can enjoy.

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