Get 250+ investors tailored to your startup

Invest in your industry and stage
Emails & contact info included
Excel and CSV export
Automatically

Trusted by 3,000+ startups

Top 50 FinTech Angel Investors in Japan

Last updated: Apr 2024 A list of 50 angel investors that invest in Fintech startups based in Japan. We rank investors based on the number of investments they made in Fintech companies from Japan. We update this investor list every month.

Top 50 FinTech Angel Investors in Japan

Investor	FinTech Japan investments
Nobuhiro Ariyasu	7
Kotaro Chiba	7
Kotaro Chiba	7
Ayataro Nakagawa	5
Yusuke Sato	5
Shintaro Yamada	4
Kensuke Furukawa	4
Yu Akasaka	4
Shunsuke Oyu	3
Yoshinori Fukushima	3
Masaru Sunagawa	3
Kazuma Ieiri	3
Komura Fujio	2
Ryota Matsuzaki	2
Yusuke Tanaka	2
Yosuke Tsuji	2
Sagehashi Yuki	2
Daisaku Harada	2
Yusuke Asakura	2
Fumiaki Koizumi	2
Jun Nishikawa	2
Chihiro Asano	2
Daisuke Yanagisawa	2
Takeshi Natsuno	2
Yusuke Mitsumoto	2
Hidetoshi Takano	2
Hirofumi Miki	2
Masao Ito	2
Yuzuru Honda	2
Shuichi Takenaga	2
David Smilow	1
Kevin Ryan	1
Koki Yabu	1
Bae Yong-Joon	1
Richard Chen	1
Mamoru Taniya	1
Shintaro Tabata	1
Toshiro Wakimaru	1
Masahiko Inada	1
Yusuke Narita	1
Hideshi Ougi	1
Jun Masuda	1
Kota Higashihata	1
Shoichi Furukawa	1
Tatsuo Ishii	1
Dan Neary	1
John Tan	1
Taizo Son	1
Takanori Katagiri	1
Naoki Aoyagi	1

Find investors that fund startups like yours. Automatically.

Our algorithm will find investors that invest in your industry, stage, and geography.

Investor list

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.

Kotaro Chiba is the founder of ChibaDojo Fund. Kotaro Chiba attended Keio University.

Investment focus

Internet, 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.

Kotaro Chiba is the founder of ChibaDojo Fund. Kotaro Chiba attended Keio University.

Investment focus

Internet, Travel, 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.

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, Information Technology
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.

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

AirX — AirX is a management service company specializing in air transportation agency business and travel arrangement business. The company leverages technology to transform the notion of mobility into an unprecedented experience. It also provides services such as CodeShare, AIROS Skyview, and AIROS Air Loss. AirX will create the movement of the futuresociety, sightseeing and the way of life of helicopter, Empty MaaS, Flying taxi, eVTOL, and Next-generation traffic.AirX was established on February 23, 2015, and is based in Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
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.

During his years at Waseda University, Shintaro worked at Japan’s biggest e-commerce mall, Rakuten, Inc. On August 1st 2001, Shintaro established “Unoh Inc.” after graduating university. At Unoh he was responsible for designing and developing several web services, one of which was the online magazine subscription . Services provided by Unohinclude planning, development and management of the film enthusiast community site “Movie Life” (acquired by PIA Corporation) as well as “Sugu.CC” , “NeoAd” (both acquired by GMOAP) and the photo sharing site “Photozou” (acquired by Digital Garage).In 2009 Unoh entered into social gaming, creating multiple successful social games. Among these games, “Machitsuku!” has been its biggest hit with over 5 million users. On August 3rd 2010, Unoh joined Zynga and Shintaro became General Manager of Zynga Japan. He resigned on January 2012. After traveling around the world, He established the new company “Mercari, Inc.” on February 2013 and released the resale shopping app “Mercari” on July 2013 in Japan.He is a true Internet geek, spending a lot of time on the Internet and boasts around 180,000 followers on Twitter.

Investment focus

Internet, Finance, Information Technology
Seed, Angel, Pre-Seed
Japan, United States, Kenya

Portfolio highlights

Autify — Autify - Revolutionizing Software Testing with the most advanced AI-powered Software Testing Tool
Peach Cars — Peach Cars building a solution for those looking to buy and sell vehicles whole information on vehicles and hassle-free transactions.
AnotherBall — AnotherBall is a blockchain startup that combines entertainment and blockchain.

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".

Investment focus

Content, Media and Entertainment, Software
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.
Now Do — Now Do provides online growth revolution platform.
Neighbor — The creative universe of Fortnite is infinite. To give an example , building fantasy and science fiction worlds, creating simple games and full-scale battle games can all be completed with Fortnite. Is the world of Fortnite, played by 350 million users worldwide, is it real or unreal? We will try to combining the vast world of Fortnite with the real world.

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.

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

Investment focus

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

Portfolio highlights

Lecto — Lecto provides Saas solutions to eliminate the tedious practices behind financial services
SPORTS CROWN — SPORTS CROWN engages in the development and operation of fantasy sports.
Neighbor — The creative universe of Fortnite is infinite. To give an example , building fantasy and science fiction worlds, creating simple games and full-scale battle games can all be completed with Fortnite. Is the world of Fortnite, played by 350 million users worldwide, is it real or unreal? We will try to combining the vast world of Fortnite with the real world.

Completed the Graduate School of Engineering, the University of Tokyo. He developed the service of “Gunosy” while he was in graduate school. Established Gnosy in 2012 and appointed CEO. In 2013, he was appointed President and CEO. 2012 IPA Unexplored Super Creator. He also served as President of LayerX.

Investment focus

Internet, Marketing, Media and Entertainment
Seed, Angel, Series A
Japan, Singapore

Portfolio highlights

Now Do — Now Do provides online growth revolution platform.
Manabie — Manabie is an Education Technology start-up company on a mission to provide a new style of online & offline merged learning around the world. We provide students with everything they need for efficient learning; high-quality learning materials, great learning environments, personal coaches and more! We believe that our new method of learning,integrating online and offline will dramatically innovate the way students learn.
Luup — Luup is an Internet Company.

After joining Mitsubishi Corporation, he studied at Harvard Business School. After graduating, he joined Globespan Capital Partners, an independent United States VC, and worked as a director of investment. He started LocationValue after the company's representative in Japan. Joined Google after selling the company to NTT DOCOMO. He served asDirector of Product Development for Google Maps and General Manager for Android. He left Google in February 2018 and started Smartround Co., Ltd. in May.

Investment focus

Artificial Intelligence, SNS, Music
Seed, Angel, Funding Round
Japan

Portfolio highlights

Flyle — Flyle provides a cloud based platform for product management helping customers to improve productivity & creativity in product development.
Sustainable Lab — SusLab is a data bank that uses AI technology to support SDG and ESG development goals and investments.
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.

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.

Investment focus

Content, Fashion, FinTech
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.

Komura Fujio

Investment focus

Content, Ethereum, Marketing
Seed, Angel
Japan

Portfolio highlights

GINKAN — GINKAN is the managing company of SynchroLife, the world's first restaurant recommendation platform where users and can earn cryptocurrency token rewards for dining out and posting restaurant reviews. GINKAN was selected for Plug and Play Japan Batch 1 in the fintech category and we won for best domestic fintech company and won the audienceaward at the Plug and Play Japan Batch 1 EXPO (Demo Day) in September 2018.GINKAN was also selected for Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group’s MUFG Digital Accelerator’s Batch 4 and won the Grand Prix, Audience Award, and AWS Award in a triple win on their demo day on July 26, 2019.

Ryota Matsuzaki - CEO and Founder @ Kibidango, Inc.

Investment focus

Marketing, Financial Services, Finance
Seed, Funding Round, Angel
Japan, France, United States

Portfolio highlights

Skimlinks — Skimlinks is the leading commerce content monetization platform. Its technology automatically monetizes product links in commerce-related content.
HCVC — HCVC is an early-stage Venture Capital firm backing hardtech companies worldwide. Beyond its fund, HCVC supports hardtech founders through Hardware Club, a selective global community of 500+ startups with dedicated resources, partnerships and events.
Tokyo Otaku Mode — The ultimate online destination for fans of Japanese pop culture.

"Shin"ichiro joined Yahoo Japan in April 2013. From July 2013, he joined YJ Capital. He has served as COO of YJ Capital since January 2015. Prior to Yahoo! Japan, Shin was General Director of Dream Incubator Vietnam from 2007 to 2012, managing US$50 million private equity funds in Vietnam. He was formerly a Project Manager at DreamIncubator Japan. He started his career at Future Architect as a system engineer.Shin received his bachelor's degree in Policy Management from Keio University.

Investment focus

Tourism, Consulting, E-Commerce
Seed
Japan

Portfolio highlights

TakeMe Co., Ltd. — TakeMe aims to provide an “One-stop Inbound destination service” by enabling tourist to easily find, communicate with, and pay with smartphones via QR code at In-Travel destinations. TakeMe, is the country’s largest inbound service platform in Japan, which lets tourists find, communicate with, and pay with QR code at our affiliated shops,restaurants and tourist attractions. Since our launch in 2015 as JapanFoodie, we have expanded our merchant base to tens of thousands beyond food and restaurants, to include travel, lodging, shopping and events, providing every tourist with the best experience as your best local guide and friend.

Yosuke Tsuji is Founder & CEO at Money Forward

Investment focus

Software, Information Technology, Accounting
Seed, Angel, Series E
Japan, Indonesia

Portfolio highlights

Mekari — Transformasi bisnis Anda dengan software terintegrasi Mekari. Efisienkan proses bisnis & tingkatkan produktivitas karyawan Anda sekarang!
Tebiki — Tebiki is a company which is Development of on-site support system for industries.
Money Forward — Money Forward provides online personal accounting for individuals, allowing them to easily manage their daily expenses by integrating with their bank passbooks and credit purchase history with information scraped from their web bank and credit accounts. The service is also available for desktop, as well as iOS and Android platforms. The companyalso announced that it will launch a cloud-based accounting service for individual and corporate users, and it will also start publishing an online newsletter.

Sagehashi Yuki

Investment focus

Content, FinTech, Finance
Angel, Seed
Japan

Portfolio highlights

DariaMe — DariaMe is a web media planning, development and operation, planning and production of various contents, online consultation service.
BrainCat — BrainCat is a Japanese company that specializes in developing FinTech platforms. It has developed a social fund service “Gojo”. BrainCat was established on June 29, 2016.
Kepple Accounting Office — Kepple Accounting is a start-up accounting and tax services.

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.

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.

Fumiaki Koizumi - Executive Director @ Mercari

Investment focus

Internet, E-Commerce, Content
Seed, Funding Round, Series A
Japan

Portfolio highlights

Osiro — Osiro is a community management firm.
Luup — Luup is an Internet Company.
FABRIC TOKYO — FABRIC TOKYO is a Japanese startup provides a direct-to-consumer custom-made apparel brand. (former-company name Lifestyle Design Co., Ltd.). It enables customers to save their sizes, idea fabrics, and favorite designs, allowing them to make their original clothing later.FABRIC TOKYO was founded in 2012 by Yuichiro Mori and is based in Tokyo,Japan.

Jun Nishikawa - Co-founder, Executive Vice President, COO @ eureka, Inc.

Investment focus

Media and Entertainment, Mobile, Content
Seed, Series A, Angel
Japan

Portfolio highlights

FamiOne — FamiOne is creating a society that will support the future of couples who want to receive children.
Petokoto — Petokoto is a media created with pet specialists such as certified veterinarians.
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.

Chief Technology Officer at Money Forward.

Investment focus

Content, Legal, FinTech
Seed, Angel, Series A
Japan

Portfolio highlights

HERP — HERP is a recruitment management platform.
Issues — Issues provides development and management of web service issues that solve the problems.
Luup — Luup is an Internet Company.

Daisuke Yanagisawa - Founder & CEO @ KAYAC

Investment focus

Finance, Financial Services, Small and Medium Businesses
Seed, Angel
Japan

Portfolio highlights

HAKKI AFRICA — HAKKI AFRICA provides microfinance services for SMEs.

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.

Yusuke Mitsumoto is the founder of Cash.

Investment focus

Internet, Internet of Things, Financial Services
Seed, Angel, Series C
Japan, United States

Portfolio highlights

UPWARDS — UPWARDS develop and operate the “cloud loan” loan platform for individuals.
CrowdLoan — CrowdLoan is a platform that connects financial institutions and individuals with smooth loans.
Luup — Luup is an Internet Company.

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, Media and Entertainment
Seed, Angel, Funding Round
Japan, United States

Portfolio highlights

Cocoach — Cocoach provides online education service.
Data Viz Lab — Data Viz Lab is a platform that offers data analysis, visualization consulting, and data human resource development support.
ElevationSpace — ElevationSpace offers high quality & well equipped workspaces giving tenants a nurturing environment .

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.

Investment focus

Content, Marketing, Internet
Seed, Angel, Pre-Seed
Japan

Portfolio highlights

AceRNA — AceRNA contributes to regenerative medicine and drug discovery through the discovery of novel miRNA functions. It began operation in April 2018, with its headquarters in Kyoto in Japan.
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.

Masao Ito is a Founder & CEO at User Local.

Investment focus

Content, Information Technology, Social Media
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.
Cloudbase — Cloudbase is an information technology company that specializes in the fields of cloud services and management.
Driver Technologies — Driver Technologies is a cloud logistics platform provider. It provides a solution for driver matching and cargo vehicle demands.

Yuzuru Honda is a Founder & Global CEO of FreakOut.

Investment focus

SNS, Internet, Software
Seed, Funding Round, Angel
Japan, Nigeria, Singapore

Portfolio highlights

NodeFlair — NodeFlair aims to help tech talents make better career decisions through jobs, salaries, reviews, company insights, and more
AGRI SMILE — AGRI SMILE is a platform that focuses on sharing agricultural technology.
Rensource Energy — Rensource develops, finances, and manages critical energy infrastructure for African enterprises with the objective of powering Africa's economy

Takenaga Shuuichi is an individual investor.

Investment focus

Information Technology, Management Consulting, Marketing
Seed, Angel, Funding Round
Japan

Portfolio highlights

Morght — Morght is an information technology service company.
Tagpic — Tagpic offers influencer marketing targeting services such as influencer casting, SNS branding, and talent production.
H&H Group Japan — H&H Holdingsis a Professional Services company.

Mr. Smilow serves as Managing Director of Avenida and is a member of the Investment Committee. Mr. Smilow is a founder of Avenida, where he is responsible for portfolio and risk management. Mr. Smilow has been a sponsor of over a dozen start-up companies and has acquired approximately USD $250 million of real estate assets in the United States andLatin America over the course of his career. Mr. Smilow was the Founder and Chairman of Jefferson National Financial (“JNF”), an insurance company with over USD $2 billion of assets that offers variable annuity and other retirement products. Mr. Smilow oversaw investment activities and strategic planning for JNF, which was sold to Citibank in 2011.In addition, Mr. Smilow was the Founder, Chairman, CEO and CIO of TeleBanc (now E*Trade Bank). Under his direction, Telebanc became the largest Internet bank worldwide before its sale to E*Trade in 1999. Prior to founding TeleBanc, Mr. Smilow was a fixed income portfolio manager and trader at Goldman Sachs and Drexel Burnham Lambert.Mr. Smilow serves or has served on the Board of Directors of nine different companies, as well on the Board of Outward Bound Minnesota, Trust for Public Land Maine, and the Johns Hopkins Second Decade Society. Mr. Smilow has also lectured at Harvard Business School, New York University and Johns Hopkins University. Mr. Smilow received a BA from Johns Hopkins University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Investment focus

Incubators, Venture Capital
Series A
Japan

Portfolio highlights

LaunchCenter 39 — LaunchCenter 39 works hand-in-hand with entrepreneurs to build Internet and technology businesses from the ground up, providing full-service incubation that generates the fastest time to market and best potential for returns. Through dedicated teams of specialists and generalists, and continual infusion of outside talent through our on-siterecruiting efforts, LaunchCenter 39 transforms breakthrough ideas into dynamic companies by equipping partners with the skills and talented people required for success.

Kevin Ryan is the Founder and CEO of AlleyCorp. He previously worked at MongoDB as a Founder and Chairman. Kevin Ryan attended Yale University.

Investment focus

Real Estate, Software, Health Care
Seed, Series A, Series B
United States, Japan, Canada

Portfolio highlights

OYE — From Latin America to the world, we’re building a community to make emotional wellness part of everyday life.
Everphone — Everphone is the clever way to equip your workforce with smartphones and tablets. It's flexible, safe and cost efficient. everphone reduces your costs while making employees happier and more productive.
Knock — Buy before you sell, for people who are buying and selling homes, we partner with their lenders and agents to provide cash flow and more certainty, convenience, and competitiveness. Partner with Knock Today!

Koki Yabu is Founder, President & CEO at Mobcast inc.

Investment focus

Content, Finance, Data Mining
Angel, Pre-Seed
Japan

Portfolio highlights

Mobcast group — mobcast is a sports entertainment company that operates a mobile entertainment platform for smartphones and feature phones. It supports customers with social game and social media services. The company was founded in 2009 and is based in Tokyo, Japan. Currently, it operates as a subsidiary of mobcast Inc.
SmartApp Japan — Smart Apps is a developer of a blockchain services application designed for smartphones. The company's application uses cryptocurrency technology to offer token issuance, initial coin offering and dApps design support, providing a launchpad for start-up blockchain-related businesses.

Bae Yong-joon (born August 29, 1972) is a South Korean actor and businessman.

Investment focus

Apps, Hotel, Mobile Apps
Seed
Japan, South Korea

Portfolio highlights

WaHome — WaHome is a home cleaning service matching platform. It connects cleaners to clients across Seoul. Moreover, WaHome provides safe and trustworthy helpers who have completed cleaning training. The company was founded in 2015.
H2O Hospitality — H2O Hospitality is the largest vacation rental management company in Japan and Korea. H2O manages accommodation facilities without any on-site human resources by automating all the operational flows through the property management system (“PMS”) H2O developed that links and manages calendars between the guests, rooms, and housekeepers. This allowssignificant decrease in fixed cost of the operational expenses, increasing the yield of the facility.

Richard Chen is a General Partner at 1confirmation and a Board Director at Hatena Co. Ltd. Before that, he was a Trustee at UC Berkeley Foundation. He attended the University of California, Berkeley, Haas School of Business and the University of California, Berkeley.

Investment focus

Software, SaaS, Information Technology
Seed, Pre-Seed, Angel
United States, Japan

Portfolio highlights

Farel — Say farewell to piecing together different vendors, integrations, and clunky software. Farel delivers one seamless, all-in-one, software platform engineered for growing airlines.
Maslo — We make companions that care about people.
Kinnek — Potential customers are looking for reasons to trust your company, and they want third-party sources to vouch for you. Kinnek helps suppliers like you build a world-class online reputation and easily share it. Because when you win more trust, more prospects become loyal customers.

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.

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.

Toshiro “Tosh” Wakimaru is the Chief Operating Officer of MedPeer, Inc. , Tokyo, Japan since May 2010. Medpeer is the “Medical Doctor Exclusive” SNS in Japan that has just successfully gone to the market in 2014.Prior to the current job, Tosh had been actively working for Price Waterhouse Consulting, Japan LLP (now IBM Japan, Ltd.) aftergraduating from the Boston University School of Management in 1996. While there he completed numerous projects in corporate strategy, operation improvement, and new business development focusing on the retail, service, and healthcare industries with a secondment to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

Investment focus

Task Management, Food and Beverage, SNS
Seed, Funding Round
Japan, India

Portfolio highlights

Clear — Clear, Inc. operates sake subscription service “SAKELIFE".
Cub McPaws — Buy comfortably fashionable kids clothes (4 - 12 years) online in India from Cub Mcpaws at best prices. Gorgeous dresses, jumpsuits, t-shirts, shirts & bottom wear for boys and girls | Free Shipping | COD
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.

Masahiko Inada is the Venture Advisor at DNX Ventures. He was Founder and Chairman at Kabuku Inc. He attended The University of Tokyo.

Investment focus

SNS, Content, Finance
Angel, Seed
Japan

Portfolio highlights

Theoria — Theoria is a marketing team that brings together practical knowledge.
Recipio Japan — Recipio is a service that can suggest recipes just by entering ingredients the user already has at home. The app can also refine suggestions based on the user's mood, the occasion, and how many people the user is eating with, and more.
Theoria Japan — Theoria Japan is a specialized Q & A service.

Yusuke Narita is the Assistant Professor/Representative Director of at Yale University/Half-Made Virtual.

Investment focus

FinTech, Financial Services
Seed
Japan

Portfolio highlights

Trailblaze Asset Management — Trailblaze Asset Management is the Innovation-Fueled Alternative Asset Management Firm Specializing in Litigation Finance. We aim to pioneer a new form of asset management through the utilization of technology, working towards the realization of a society where all individuals have equal access to the legal system with a minimum level of risk.

Hideshi Ougi is an Individual Investor.

Investment focus

Advertising, Local Advertising, Affiliate Marketing
Series A
Japan

Portfolio highlights

For you — For you is a comprehensive Advertising agency business specializing in SNS.

Graduated from Waseda University. He became the Board of Directors of Baidu Japan. Appointed as Director of Business Strategy Office at NAVER Japan. Appointed as Executive Officer of NHN Japan's LINE, NAVER and livedoor Business Strategy and Marketing Officer. In 2014, the company became a senior executive officer CSMO. In 2015, the companybecame CSMO of the Board of Directors.

Investment focus

Portfolio highlights

For you — For you is a comprehensive Advertising agency business specializing in SNS.

Kota Higashihata is the member of Creative Director.

Investment focus

Advertising, Local Advertising, Affiliate Marketing
Series A
Japan

Portfolio highlights

For you — For you is a comprehensive Advertising agency business specializing in SNS.

Shoichi Furukawa is the Director CTO at Digital Recipe.

Investment focus

Advertising, Local Advertising, Affiliate Marketing
Series A
Japan

Portfolio highlights

For you — For you is a comprehensive Advertising agency business specializing in SNS.

Tatsuo Ishii is the Former President at Kao Creative House.

Investment focus

Advertising, Local Advertising, Affiliate Marketing
Series A
Japan

Portfolio highlights

For you — For you is a comprehensive Advertising agency business specializing in SNS.

Dan Neary is a Vice President of Asia Pacific at Meta. He attended DePaul University.

Investment focus

News, Events, Travel
Seed, Funding Round
Japan, Singapore

Portfolio highlights

e27 — e27 is Asia's largest Tech media platform. We cover the latest news on emerging and disruptive businesses across the region. e27 also organizes world-class events like Echelon.
Voyagin — Voyagin is the tours and activities marketplace in Asia with a mission to help travelers discover and book the best travel experiences across Asia. Its website features over 1,800 things to do including tickets to museums and shows, cultural activities, romantic dinners, adventure experiences, and private guides bookable in English, Japanese, andChinese in over 50 destinations in Asia, in advance or in destination via its mobile optimized website. The Voyagin team believes that "travel in Asia is broken." Guests end up sightseeing because unique experiences are hard to find and insecure to book; hosts end up spending time and money on websites which are hard to update and mostly out of date. They also believe that an "experience is more than just an activity; it's about meeting people, trying something new and seeing the world from a different perspective." In hopes to differentiate themselves, they traveled around Asia to find and curate the best experiences and hosts.Launched in 2012, Voyagin provides a trusted platform for tours and activities providers (hosts) in Asia to list their experiences; its team of community managers work with each host to curate their activities both online and during the experience, ensuring their quality. Backed by its 100% satisfaction guarantee, multilingual customer support, and verified reviews from actual guests, Voyagin is the best place for travelers visiting Asia to discover and book their next local experience.Voyagin was founded in 2011 as FindJPN, a marketplace for authentic activities in Japan. FindJPN changed its name to Voyagin in December 2012 when they expanded into Asia.

John Tan - Founder @ Controlled Commodity

Investment focus

Software, Internet, Travel
Seed, Pre-Seed
Singapore, United States, Japan

Portfolio highlights

Glints — Explore internships, graduate jobs & career development resources on Glints. Do what you love on our career discovery & development platform.
Voyagin — Voyagin is the tours and activities marketplace in Asia with a mission to help travelers discover and book the best travel experiences across Asia. Its website features over 1,800 things to do including tickets to museums and shows, cultural activities, romantic dinners, adventure experiences, and private guides bookable in English, Japanese, andChinese in over 50 destinations in Asia, in advance or in destination via its mobile optimized website. The Voyagin team believes that "travel in Asia is broken." Guests end up sightseeing because unique experiences are hard to find and insecure to book; hosts end up spending time and money on websites which are hard to update and mostly out of date. They also believe that an "experience is more than just an activity; it's about meeting people, trying something new and seeing the world from a different perspective." In hopes to differentiate themselves, they traveled around Asia to find and curate the best experiences and hosts.Launched in 2012, Voyagin provides a trusted platform for tours and activities providers (hosts) in Asia to list their experiences; its team of community managers work with each host to curate their activities both online and during the experience, ensuring their quality. Backed by its 100% satisfaction guarantee, multilingual customer support, and verified reviews from actual guests, Voyagin is the best place for travelers visiting Asia to discover and book their next local experience.Voyagin was founded in 2011 as FindJPN, a marketplace for authentic activities in Japan. FindJPN changed its name to Voyagin in December 2012 when they expanded into Asia.
Rocket Academy — Selective and comprehensive online software engineering bootcamp in Singapore, Hong Kong and Australia.

Taizo Son - Co-Founder @ VIVITA

Investment focus

Financial Services, Information Technology, Venture Capital
Seed, Series A, Angel
Japan, Singapore, United States

Portfolio highlights

LIFT99 — LIFT99 is a coworking hub and network of startup founders in Tallinn, Estonia, and Kyiv, Ukraine. In 2018, we launched our Skillsharing Platform for founders around the world.
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.
AnotherBall — AnotherBall is a blockchain startup that combines entertainment and blockchain.

Takanori Katagiri is the CEO at Pixiv Technologies.

Investment focus

SNS, SaaS, Billing
Seed
Japan

Portfolio highlights

Alp — Alp is a customer management and recurring billing system for all of subscription business.
alu Japan — alu is providing service to enjoy more manga.

Naoki Aoyagi is a Senior Vice President at GREE, Inc. and Chief Executive Officer of GREE International, Inc. He joined GREE, Inc. in March 2006 from Deutsche Bank, where he had specialized in tech and media sector IPOs and M&A advisory work. At GREE, Aoyagi oversaw the Company's partnership with KDDI and its IPO before leading thedevelopment of GREE’s global operations, a role he continues today. Aoyagi earned a bachelor's degree in policy management from Keio University in 2002.

Investment focus

Internet, Fashion, Software
Seed, Angel, Series A
Japan

Portfolio highlights

enechain — enechain provides liquidity in Japan’s energy market by brokering OTC transactions of energy.
Parallel — Parallel Inc. develops a parallel SNS which can be used while playing games on smartphones.
Holmes — Holmesis a cloud contract system to consistently carry out the creation, conclusion and management of contracts in the cloud.

Investors by industry

Media (entertainment)

EdTech

Consumer

Climate