# Top 50 EdTech Startup Investors in Japan in June 2026 ## SMBC Venture Capital - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 10 - Stages: Series A, Series B - Focus: Information Technology, Health Care, Software Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) and its group companies offer a broad range of financial services centered on banking. They are also engaged in the leasing, securities, credit card, investment, mortgage securitization, venture capital and other credit related businesses. The following lists the activities of SMBC, its subsidiaries andaffiliates in the various business segments. ## Genesia Ventures - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 9 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Information Technology, Software, Health Care Genesia Ventures is a venture capital firm focused on seed/early stage startups in Japan and Southeast Asia. Since it's inception in Dec 2016, Genesia Ventures has invested in over 90 companies in Japan, Indonesia, Vietnam, Singapore and the US. Genesia Ventures invests in various sectors: SaaS, marketplace, Media, Finance, Insurance,RealEstate, Healthcare, Medical, Travel, Education, Manufacturing, Construction, HR, Agriculture, Sports, Retail, Entertainment, etc. ## ANOBAKA - Type: VC Fund - Location: Shibuya, Kanagawa, Japan - Relevant deals: 8 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Artificial Intelligence, Software, Information Technology ANOBAKA is a Tokyo-based venture capital firm with rich group resources to add value to seed-stage startups. ANOBAKA actively invests in and supports startups aiming to be a global leader in the innovative Internet business and promising to greatly grow up in the future. ANOBAKA's investment focuses on fledgling seed-stage startups. Inaddition to investment financing, ANOBAKA provides founders with a variety of business support such as development consulting by our engineers, sales support, and international marketing support. ## Nissay Capital - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 8 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Health Care, Information Technology, Medical Nissay Capital is a venture capital Company specializing in seed, start-up, growth capital, middle stage, and later stage investment. ## East Ventures - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 7 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Software, Information Technology, Internet East Ventures is an early stage venture capital (VC) focused on Southeast Asia, Indonesia & Japan. Success cases include Tokopedia, Traveloka, and Mercari. ## ANRI - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 7 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Software, Health Care, Information Technology ANRI is a Japanese venture capital firm that mainly invests in seed and early-stage startups. ## W ventures - Type: VC Fund - Location: Shibuya, Kanagawa, Japan - Relevant deals: 5 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Information Technology, Content, Internet W Ventures is a Berlin based Venture Design and Venture Capital company that offers a complete framework for the acceleration of digital business ideas. ## MITSUI SUMITOMO INSURANCE Venture Capital (MSIVC) - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 5 - Stages: Seed, Series B - Focus: Software, Information Technology, Health Care MSIVC is a venture capital firm that invests in Japanese and global startups scaling to IPO. It focuses on startups in verticals of Fintech, SaaS, Healthcare, AI, E-Commerce, Foodtech, and Environment etc. ## Mizuho Capital - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 5 - Stages: Series A, Series B - Focus: Information Technology, Software, Internet Mizuho is the venture capital firm affiliated to Mizuho Bank, the second-largest Japanese bank in terms of assets. The firm has headquarters in Tokyo.The firm has ¥49.6 billion JPY under management, focusing on information technology and biotechnology investments. Over 600 Mizuho companies have gone public. According to Nikkei, Mizuho is thefifth-largest venture capital firm in Japan.Mizuho Capital was formed in 2002 by the merger of Fujigin Capital, Tokyo Venture Capital and IBJ Investment. Three firms were subsidiaries of Fuji Bank, Dai-Ichi Kangyo Bank and the Industrial Bank of Japan respectively. ## Mobile Internet Capital - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 5 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Software, Mobile, Internet Mobile Internet Capital (MIC) keeps up on the latest developments of Mobile Internet technologies and services at a high level, and continues to be a venture capital with both technical expertise and execution capability. ## Incubate Fund - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 5 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Software, Information Technology, E-Commerce 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. ## PE&HR - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 5 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Software, Fashion, Education PE&HR is a private equity and venture capital firm that seeks to invest in incubation, start-up, and early-stage companies. PE&HR primarily invests in the human resources, internet, healthcare, IT, mobile, and social commerce-related industries. ## Mitsubishi UFJ Capital - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 4 - Stages: Series A, Series B - Focus: Information Technology, Software, Health Care Mitsubishi UFJ Capital is a venture capital firm focusing on life science, ICT, and high technology investments. ## ITOCHU Technology Ventures - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 4 - Stages: Series A, Series B - Focus: Software, E-Commerce, Information Technology ITOCHU Technology Ventures (ITV), based in Tokyo, is the venture capital arm of ITOCHU Corporation. ITOCHU is one of the world's largest corporations with offices in over 80 countries and operations that cover a broad spectrum of industries. ITV's mission is to invest and help build leading information technology companies by leveraging avast array of resources both domestically and internationally throughout ITOCHU and its group companies. The ITOCHU group has a long history of funding information technology companies with successes including Siebel Systems, NVIDIA, Openwave and Aruba Networks. Current portfolio includes, Box, Fab, Ooyala, WHILL, Tokyo Otaku Mode, etc. ## UntroD Capital - Type: VC Fund - Location: Sumida, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 4 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Manufacturing, Biotechnology, Medical UntroD Capital is an R&D-based innovative technology that specializes in social implementation. ## Real Tech Japan - Type: VC Fund - Location: Sumida, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 4 - Stages: Series A, Seed - Focus: Manufacturing, Biotechnology, Medical Real Tech Japan is a venture capital firm that seeks to invest in innovative R&D technology companies. Realtech Fund is a joint venture between the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry and NEDO (New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization). The firm was founded in 2014 and based in Tokyo, Japan. ## Hidetoshi Takano - Type: Angel - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 4 - Stages: Seed, Angel - Focus: Internet, Information Technology, Content 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. ## QB Capital - Type: VC Fund - Location: Fukuoka, Fukuoka, Japan - Relevant deals: 4 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Manufacturing, Medical, Biotechnology QB Capital is make equity investments in venture companies. ## UTEC - The University of Tokyo Edge Capital Partners - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 4 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Health Care, Biotechnology, Medical 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. ## K4 Ventures - Type: VC Fund - Location: Osaka, Osaka, Japan - Relevant deals: 3 - Stages: Series B, Seed - Focus: Energy, Renewable Energy, Medical K4 Ventures is a corporate venture capital arm of Kansai Electric Power based in Osaka, Japan. The firm prefers to invest in seed, early, middle, and later-stage companies. The firm focuses on the storage battery, mobility, artificial intelligence, internet of things, big data, robotics, and new technology sectors.K4 Ventures was established inSeptember 1998. ## XTech Ventures - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 3 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Software, Information Technology, Artificial Intelligence 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. ## Robert Huang - Type: Angel - Location: San Diego, California, United States - Relevant deals: 3 - Stages: Series A - Focus: Education, E-Learning, Language Learning Mr. Huang founded SYNNEX in 1980 and serves as President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Prior to this, Mr. Huang was the International Sales Manager at Advanced Micro Devices. Mr. Huang holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Kyushyu University, Japan, an M.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Rochester and an M.S. inManagement Science from the Sloan School of Management at MIT. ## HAKOBUNE - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 3 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Sales, Video, Gaming HAKOBUNE is an independent venture capital business that invests in outliers and misfits. ## JAFCO - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 3 - Stages: Series A, Series B - Focus: Information Technology, Software, Artificial Intelligence 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. ## STRIVE - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 3 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Software, Internet, E-Commerce STRIVE focuses on investing in early-stage (Seed to Series A) internet and mobile companies. It seeks out companies in Japan, Southeast Asia, and India with top-notch management teams and strong market potential. It is not tied to strategic investments for GREE Inc. and leverages its pan-Asia expertise for guiding its portfolio in an engaged,hands-on role. ## Obunsha Ventures - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 3 - Stages: Series A, Seed, Series C - Focus: Education, Software, Information Technology Obunsha Ventures is an investment firm. ## BEENEXT - Type: VC Fund - Location: Singapore, Central Region, Singapore - Relevant deals: 3 - Stages: Seed, Series A, Series B - Focus: Software, E-Commerce, Financial Services BEENEXT is a Venture Capital fund managed by serial entrepreneurs that focuses on assisting founders with its operational experience, network, trust, unique perspectives, and the capital. The team invests in early-stage tech start-ups that are focused on building the new digital platforms driven by the data network. BEENEXT aims to establish aplatform of founders, by the founders and for the founders across the globe, primarily in South East Asia, India and Japan. Since its establishment in 2015, the team has invested in over 180 companies globally. ## Miraidoa - Type: VC Fund - Location: Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan - Relevant deals: 3 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Health Care, Manufacturing, Information Technology 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. ## Accord Ventures - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 3 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Internet, Software, E-Commerce Accord Ventures is a venture capital firm that believes in and supports the potential of Asian entrepreneurs. It has invested in more than 50 startups in Japan, the United States, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia, and new technologies that bring new value to society, such as IoT, AI, and fintech, with a focus on platform businesses that utilize ITtechnology. And new services are supported. ## F Ventures - Type: VC Fund - Location: Fukuoka, Fukuoka, Japan - Relevant deals: 3 - Stages: Seed, Pre-Seed - Focus: Information Technology, Software, Service Industry F Ventures is a venture capital firm based in Japan. ## Kotaro Chiba - Type: Angel - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 3 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Internet, Drones, Travel Kotaro Chiba is the founder of ChibaDojo Fund. Kotaro Chiba attended Keio University. ## Venture Labo Investment - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 2 - Stages: Series B, Seed - Focus: Financial Services, FinTech, Internet Venture Labo Investment is venture capital firm that provides financial supports to invested companies at each growth stage. ## Shizuoka Capital - Type: VC Fund - Location: Shimizu, Shizuoka, Japan - Relevant deals: 2 - Stages: Series A, Series B - Focus: Software, Information Technology, Artificial Intelligence Shizuoka Capital Company Limited operates as a venture capital firm. It engages in the acquisition, holding, and, sale of securities. ## Hiroshima Venture Capital - Type: VC Fund - Location: Hiroshima, Hiroshima, Japan - Relevant deals: 2 - Stages: Series B, Seed - Focus: Manufacturing, E-Commerce, Food and Beverage Hiroshima Venture Capital provides venture capital investment services. The firm creates corporate value from a long-term perspective. ## Kiyoshi Ayabe - Type: Angel - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 2 - Focus: Content, Education, E-Learning Kiyoshi Ayabe is the President and Founder of KIYO Learning. ## Chiba Dojo - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 2 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Information Technology, Content, Apps Chiba Dojo is an entrepreneurial community that supports startup companies in various stages from seed to pre-IPO. ## SPARX Group - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 2 - Stages: Series B, Series A - Focus: Software, Artificial Intelligence, Information Technology SPARX Group Co., Ltd. is an independent Asia-based equity and credit asset management services and Asian fund financial specialist with offices in Tokyo, Hong Kong and Seoul for global institutional and individual investors, including financial advisors and financial planners, with alternative strategies (including activist, short-enabled, private equity and quantitative and fund-of-funds) and mutual funds (through SPARX Asia Funds such as SPARX Asia Pacific Opportunities Fund, SPARX Asia Pacific Equity Income Fund, SPARX Japan Smaller Companies Fund and SPARX Japan Fund) managed or sub-advised by SPARX Asset Management Co. Ltd., SPARX Asia Investment Advisors Limited and Cosmo Asset Management Co., Ltd. ## DeNA - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 2 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: E-Commerce, Content, Internet DeNA provides a social game platform, social games, e-commerce, and other Web services for mobile devices and PCs. Its current flagship business is its mobile social games platform Mobage which offers first, second, and third-party games on multiple localized player networks worldwide. ## AgFunder - Type: VC Fund - Location: San Francisco, California, United States - Relevant deals: 2 - Stages: Seed, Series A, Pre-Seed - Focus: Agriculture, AgTech, Biotechnology AgFunder is a global venture capital firm backing deeptech platforms across AI, biotech, robotics, manufacturing, climate, and materials. ## Leave a Nest - Type: VC Fund - Location: Shinjuku, Yamanashi, Japan - Relevant deals: 2 - Stages: Seed, Corporate Round - Focus: Health Care, Artificial Intelligence, Software Leave a Nest thrives to achieve global happiness by enhancing everyday life through science and education for future generation. ## Vector - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 2 - Stages: Seed, Corporate Round - Focus: Software, Internet, Marketing 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. ## Oita Venture Capital - Type: VC Fund - Location: Oita, Oita, Japan - Relevant deals: 2 - Stages: Series A, Seed - Focus: Biotechnology, Manufacturing, Task Management Oita Venture Capital Co. Ltd. is the investment arm of Oita Bank Ltd. It is a venture capital and private equity firm which specializes in growth capital, buyouts, and turnaround investments. It primarily invests in companies in the Oita region. Oita Venture Capital Co. Ltd. was founded in 1999 and is based in Oita, Japan. ## Mamoru Taniya - Type: Angel - Location: Hong Kong, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong - Relevant deals: 2 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Apps, Content, FinTech 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. ## Mistletoe - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 2 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Information Technology, Software, Mobile Mistletoe is a hub for startups and the overall entrepreneurial ecosystem. It specifically provides learning opportunities for entrepreneurs, facilitates startup communities, invests in and supports startup companies and venture capitals. ## 500 Startups Japan - Type: VC Fund - Location: San Francisco, California, United States - Relevant deals: 2 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Internet, Software, SaaS 500 Startups is the most active seed VC in the world. 500 Startups Japan is a $35M regional fund focusing on Japan. ## UTokyo Innovation Platform - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 2 - Stages: Series A, Series B - Focus: Biotechnology, Medical, Manufacturing The University of Tokyo IPC is a company responsible for expanding the innovation ecosystem of the University of Tokyo. Accelerate global innovation from the University of Tokyo through three activities: start-up support, investment business, and corporate innovation support.It was established as a wholly-owned subsidiary of the University ofTokyo in 2016 with the enforcement of the revised law of the Industrial Competitiveness Enhancement Law, which is the basis law. The investment targets of the Todai IPC are venture companies that utilize the research results and human resources of the University of Tokyo, but they also make FOF (fund of funds) investments in funds managed by some private venture capital companies. In 2019, it started a consortium-type incubation program (University of Tokyo IPC 1stRound) to support the establishment and financing of Tokyo University-related ventures. ## en-Japan - Type: VC Fund - Location: Shinjuku, Yamanashi, Japan - Relevant deals: 2 - Stages: Series A, Corporate Round - Focus: Task Management, Recruiting, Software En-Japan provides solutions for the improvement of employees and organizations. The company works within the recruitment field and manages six recruiting websites and a briefing site for management and HR professionals. En-Japan was founded in January 2000 and is based in Shinjuku, Yamanashi, Japan. ## Daiwa Corporate Investment - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 2 - Stages: Series A, Seed - Focus: Software, Task Management, Internet Daiwa Corporate Investment is a private investment firm of Daiwa Securities Group that has been engaged in overseas VC investments by taking advantage of an extensive business network in Japan and foreign countries, long experience and professional knowledge, and by supporting the growth of a number of overseas portfolio companies and their stockexchange listings. ## Global Brain Corporation - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 2 - Stages: Series A, Series B - Focus: Information Technology, Software, Artificial Intelligence 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. ## FreakOut Holdings - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 2 - Stages: Series A, Seed, Series B - Focus: Software, Information Technology, Internet We are spread out into global with our mission "Give people work that requires a person" through our freak'in technology. # About Shizune Shizune.co is an investor database. Core features: - 48,091 startup investors (angels, VCs, accelerators, and others) - Email, phone, LinkedIn (for intros), socials, and other contact data - Updated daily from public funding news - CSV and Excel export The User can access the full database FOR FREE after signing up: shizune.co