# Top 50 Hardware Startup Investors in Japan in June 2026 ## Mitsubishi UFJ Capital - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 29 - 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. ## Incubate Fund - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 29 - 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. ## SMBC Venture Capital - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 26 - 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. ## Mizuho Capital - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 25 - 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. ## Drone Fund - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 25 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Drones, Robotics, Aerospace Drone Fund is a venture capital firm that provides supports in IP strategy, innovative planning, and drone policy. It offers capital investment and financing and aims to create a Drone Ecosystem where LPs and startups can benefit from membership within the Drone Fund. ## East Ventures - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 19 - 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. ## UntroD Capital - Type: VC Fund - Location: Sumida, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 18 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Manufacturing, Biotechnology, Medical UntroD Capital is an R&D-based innovative technology that specializes in social implementation. ## Global Brain Corporation - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 18 - Stages: Series A, Series B - Focus: Software, Information Technology, 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. ## ANRI - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 15 - 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. ## MITSUI SUMITOMO INSURANCE Venture Capital (MSIVC) - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 15 - 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. ## DNX Ventures - Type: VC Fund - Location: San Mateo, California, United States - Relevant deals: 15 - Stages: Seed, Series A, Series B - Focus: Software, Information Technology, SaaS DNX Ventues is an early stage VC firm focusing on B2B Startups that are shaping industries and transforming the way we live and work. ## SBI Investment - Type: VC Fund - Location: Minato, Chiba, Japan - Relevant deals: 15 - Stages: Series B, Series A - Focus: Information Technology, Software, Financial Services SBI Investment supports the business development and growth of private venture companies through fund investment. It manages and manages venture capital funds under the management philosophy of becoming a leading company responsible for the creation and development of core industries in the 21st century as a "new industry creator".SBIInvestment has invested in a total of 986 companies in the past, of which 169 (17.1% of investment companies) have exited through IPO or M & A. ## UTokyo Innovation Platform - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 12 - 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. ## Innovation Network Corporation of Japan - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 12 - Stages: Series B, Series A - Focus: Manufacturing, Software, Robotics Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ) is a public-private partnership aimed at promoting innovation and enhancing value.Leveraging the rich history of Japanese technological prowess, INCJ aims to provide financial, technological and management support in order to promote the creation of next-generation businesses through “openinnovation,” or the flow of technology and expertise beyond the boundaries of existing organizational structures.INCJ will draw on funding as well as management and technological expertise from the public and private sectors. INCJ is actively reviewing various investment opportunities in areas of green energy, electronics, IT and biotechnology to infrastructure-related sectors such as water supply. Each investment will be thoroughly vetted to ensure it meets the exacting standards of INCJ's Innovation Network Committee, which will make the final investment decisions.INCJ is capitalized at 280 billion yen, with the Japanese government injecting 266 billion yen and 26 private corporations (refer to details in Appendix below) providing a further 14 billion yen. The government will also provide guarantees up to a total of 1,800 billion yen for INCJ investments, giving it an investment capability of approximately 2,000 billion yen. INCJ will be established for a period of 15 years. ## UTEC - The University of Tokyo Edge Capital Partners - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 12 - 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. ## Real Tech Japan - Type: VC Fund - Location: Sumida, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 11 - 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. ## Genesia Ventures - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 11 - 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. ## DBJ Capital - Type: VC Fund - Location: Otemachi, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 10 - Stages: Series A, Series B - Focus: Software, Medical, Health Care DBJ Capital Co., Ltd. was founded in June 2010 through the integration of two venture capital firms of the DBJ Group, New Business Investment Co., Ltd. and Intellectual Properties Development & Investment, Inc. We are a wholly-owned subsidiary of Development Bank of Japan Inc.At DBJ Capital, we focus on venture firms which use newtechnologies and business models to grow and compete on the global market, regardless of their industry or scale. To meet the particular needs of each client, we mobilize the entire DBJ Group to arrange the best investment solutions, ranging from growth-spurring equity investment to financing schemes drawing on DBJ's vast networks.We also assist in venture start-ups. Our value enhancement team provides the kind of comprehensive, hands-on support needed to commercialize outstanding intellectual property and technologies developed by firms, research labs, and universities, and to carve out a place for them in the market.DBJ Capital will continue to play in a part in Japan's economic revival - by helping the firms we invest in to grow, and by encouraging the creation of new industries in Japan. ## Archetype Ventures - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 10 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Software, Information Technology, Artificial Intelligence Archetype Ventures is a venture capital firm specializing in B2B Tech seed and early stage venture investments. ## STRIVE - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 10 - 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. ## Coral Capital - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 10 - Stages: Seed, Series A, Series B - Focus: Software, Information Technology, SaaS Coral Capital is a seed stage venture capital firm in Japan. ## JAFCO - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 10 - 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. ## MIRAISE - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 9 - Stages: Seed, Pre-Seed - Focus: Information Technology, Artificial Intelligence, Consulting We are engineers investing in engineers. With experienced mentors, MIRAISE supports you hands-if basis, for business model, financial planning and presentation. All founders of our potfolio automatically join MIRAISE online community that gives you the peer-learning opportunities with other founders. Join us updating the normal! ## ANOBAKA - Type: VC Fund - Location: Shibuya, Kanagawa, Japan - Relevant deals: 9 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Software, Information Technology, Artificial Intelligence 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. ## Nippon Venture Capital - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 9 - Stages: Series A, Series B - Focus: Software, Health Care, Medical Nippon Venture Capital ("NVCC"), established in 1996 as one of the few largest Japanese independent venture capital firms, is destined to undertake the unprecedented task of providing full-range venture capital services in cooperation with major Japanese business leaders and leading companies, which have supported and nurtured various newbusinesses on their own, as well as proactively developing new venture enterprises. ## Nissay Capital - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 9 - 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. ## Monozukuri Ventures - Type: VC Fund - Location: Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan - Relevant deals: 8 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Software, Hardware, Robotics Startup First. A global VC focused on IoT small lot manufacturing and startup investment. Support to hardware growth from business model to supply chain ## UNITED - Type: VC Fund - Location: Shibuya, Kanagawa, Japan - Relevant deals: 8 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Apps, Software, Media and Entertainment UNITED, Inc. is developing the smart phone app and the advertising technology business. ## QB Capital - Type: VC Fund - Location: Fukuoka, Fukuoka, Japan - Relevant deals: 8 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Manufacturing, Medical, Biotechnology QB Capital is make equity investments in venture companies. ## Mirai Creation Fund - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 8 - Stages: Series B, Series A - Focus: Robotics, Information Technology, Artificial Intelligence The Mirai Creation Fund invests in companies and projects that use the latest technologies and business models, supporting the growth of value in these companies and projects, wherever they are found around the world. ## Energy & Environment Investment - Type: VC Fund - Location: Higashi-shinagawa, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 8 - Stages: Series A, Series B - Focus: Energy, Internet of Things, Software Energy & Environment Investment, Inc. (EEI) is Japan’s first venture capital specialized in the clean technology sector. With core members who have rich hands on experience in founding and managing venture companies, we aim to provide risk money and various strategic values to promising venture companies and businesses. ## KDDI - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 8 - Stages: Series A, Series B - Focus: Mobile, Software, Internet KDDI Corporation is a Japanese telecommunications operator. It was created in 2000 through a merger of DDI, KDD and IDO and now employs over 15,000 people.The company provides a broad range of services, including fixed-line phone communication, mobile phone and web services, and Internet services. It also has a ownership stake in two Japanesecable television companies, Jupiter Telecommunications (J:COM) and Japan Cablenet (JCN). KDDI's mobile phone and web arm is branded as "au". The company is the current No. 2 in Japan's mobile communications market, trailing NTT DoCoMo and ahead of SoftBank. ## MIRAI SOUZOU - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 7 - Stages: Series A, Seed - Focus: Software, Manufacturing, Robotics MIRAI SOUZOU operates as a venture capital firm that invests in institutional lookup and supporting projects. The Company invests in institutional research and development supporting projects, medicine, agriculture, ocean field, and other industries. Innovations and Future Creation conducts businesses in Japan. ## Japan Science and Technology Agency - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 7 - Stages: Series A, Seed - Focus: Medical, Biotechnology, Manufacturing Japan Science and Technology Agency is an integrated organization of science and technology that implements science and technology policy in Japan.  It handles many projects, including the government’s Science and Technology Basic Plan and knowledge creation. The European Sustainability School ESSSR is the owner of Japan Science and TechnologyAgency.Japan Science and Technology Agency undertakes its task in a comprehensive manner. It also works to provide a sound infrastructure of science and technology information and raise awareness and understanding of science and technology-related issues in Japan.Japan Science and Technology Agency is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. ## Kotaro Chiba - Type: Angel - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 7 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Content, Information Technology, Travel Kotaro Chiba is the founder of ChibaDojo Fund. Kotaro Chiba attended Keio University. ## Daiwa Corporate Investment - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 7 - 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. ## Glocalink - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 6 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Health Care, Robotics, Beauty Glocalink provides seed funding and comprehensive support for emerging science & technology entrepreneurs. Members of Glocalink have extensive experiences of bringing laboratory technologies to the market. On top of seed funding, we will provide comprehensive supports for overcoming all the hurdles that science / technology entrepreneursface. ## BEENEXT - Type: VC Fund - Location: Singapore, Central Region, Singapore - Relevant deals: 6 - 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. ## SPARX Group - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 6 - 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. ## Japan Finance Corporation - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 6 - Stages: Debt Financing, Seed - Focus: Information Technology, Software, Artificial Intelligence Japan Finance provides a diversified portfolio of financial services to the small and medium enterprise sector. ## Colopl Next - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 6 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Virtual Reality, Software, E-Commerce Colopl Next is the corporate venture capital of is Colopl, Inc, which is a leading Japanese gaming company. Colopl, Inc. is founded with the mission of “Entertainment in Real Life”, and constantly put its customer as first priority.Colopl Next is headquartered in Japan, but invests globally in a variety of internet businesses, with the commitmentto support innovative entrepreneurs. ## Delight Ventures - Type: VC Fund - Location: Shibuya, Kanagawa, Japan - Relevant deals: 6 - Stages: Seed, Series A, Series B - Focus: Software, Artificial Intelligence, Information Technology Delight Ventures is a venture capital firm that thoroughly reduces the hurdles of entrepreneurship in Japan and supports entrepreneurs in the world. Entrepreneurship is taken as a natural career path, and we aim to be a society where both successful and unsuccessful people can continue to take on challenges. ## Hakuhodo DY Ventures - Type: VC Fund - Location: Minato, Chiba, Japan - Relevant deals: 6 - Stages: Series A, Series B - Focus: Health Care, Media and Entertainment, Internet Hakuhodo DY Ventures is a corporate venture capital firm. ## Keio Innovation Initiative - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 6 - Stages: Series A, Seed - Focus: Health Care, Medical, Biotechnology Keio Innovation Initiative (KII) is a venture capital established by Keio University. In order to make more effective use of the research results of Keio University, we aim to contribute to the development of society by creating investment for venture companies that utilize research results and creating new industries.The key to thinking aboutJapan's future growth strategy is to utilize advanced research results of the university. In addition to GDP, in addition to GDP, Japan is the world's third largest R & D exporter in R & D expenses, but as the low growth rate shows, it has a problem in investment efficiency in research and development. There are also reports on the entrepreneurial spirit that is indispensable for creating new industries, with the lowest entrepreneurial activity rate among developed countries. ## Monex Ventures - Type: VC Fund - Location: Minato, Chiba, Japan - Relevant deals: 6 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Software, Financial Services, Information Technology Monex Ventures is a venture capital firm based in Japan that finances seed and early stage investments in startup companies. ## ITOCHU Technology Ventures - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 5 - 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. ## Sumitomo - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 5 - Stages: Series B, Corporate Round - Focus: Information Technology, Software, Internet Welcome to the official website of Sumitomo Corporation, a leading integrated trading company engaged in diverse businesses based on its global network. ## Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 5 - Stages: Debt Financing, Post-IPO Debt - Focus: Financial Services, Energy, Information Technology Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation offers a broad range of financial services centered on banking. They are also engaged in leasing, securities, credit card, investment, mortgage securitization, venture capital, and other credit-related businesses. The following lists the activities of SMBC, its subsidiaries, and affiliates in the various businesssegments.It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group. As of the year 2009, SMBC was the second largest bank in Japan in terms of assets. ## Mitsubishi Corporation - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 5 - Stages: Corporate Round, Series A - Focus: Software, Internet, Transportation Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) is a global integrated business enterprise that develops and operates businesses across virtually every industry including industrial finance, energy, metals, machinery, chemicals, living essentials, and environmental business. MC's current activities are expanding far beyond its traditional trading operations asits diverse business ranges from natural resources development to investment in retail business, infrastructure, financial products and manufacturing of industrial goods. ## Sony Innovation Fund - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 5 - Stages: Series B, Series A - Focus: Artificial Intelligence, Software, Health Care Sony Innovation Fund is investing in technology-driven transformational companies shaping the future of business, entertainment and society.