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Top 50 Hardware VC (Venture Capital) Funds in Japan in May 2025

Last updated: May 2025 A list of 50 VC (Venture Capital) funds that invest in Hardware startups based in Japan. We rank investors based on the number of investments they made in Hardware companies from Japan. We update this investor list every month.

Top 50 Hardware VC (Venture Capital) Funds in Japan in May 2025

Investor	Hardware Japan investments
Incubate Fund	26
Drone Fund	23
Mizuho Capital	23
Mitsubishi UFJ Capital	22
SMBC Venture Capital	19
Global Brain Corporation	17
UntroD Capital	17
East Ventures	15
MITSUI SUMITOMO INSURANCE Venture Capital (MSIVC)	14
ANRI	14
DNX Ventures	13
UTokyo Innovation Platform	12
Innovation Network Corporation of Japan	12
SBI Investment	12
UTEC - The University of Tokyo Edge Capital Partners	11
Real Tech Japan	11
STRIVE	10
DBJ Capital	10
Coral Capital	10
Nippon Venture Capital	9
JAFCO	9
Archetype Ventures	9
Mirai Creation Fund	8
QB Capital	8
UNITED	8
Genesia Ventures	8
MIRAISE	8
Daiwa Corporate Investment	7
Nissay Capital	7
KDDI	7
Monozukuri Ventures	7
Sumitomo	6
Monex Ventures	6
Japan Finance Corporation	6
MIRAI SOUZOU	6
Colopl Next	6
SPARX Group	6
Japan Science and Technology Agency	6
Energy & Environment Investment	6
BEENEXT	6
Mitsubishi Corporation	5
Sony Innovation Fund	5
ITOCHU Technology Ventures	5
Delight Ventures	5
Glocalink	5
B Dash Ventures	5
Shinsei Corporate Investment	5
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation	5
ANOBAKA	5
Deep30	4

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Investor list

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

Investment focus

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

Portfolio highlights

Gatebox — It is a research laboratory beyond dimension" which is researching and developing to realize "a world where you can live with a character". Therefore, Gatebox Co., Ltd. refers to itself as "Gatebox Lab" and conducts research and development beyond dimension in the area of Akihabara day and night. Dreaming that day,coming to meet beyond dimension.
NABLA Mobility — Solving the complexities involved in the "Operation of Fleets" of Mobility and support its evolution and decarbonization
Mjolnir Spaceworks — Mjolnir Spaceworks desings and manufactures state-of-the-art novel space rockets with efficient engines as well as other space equipments.

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.

Investment focus

Drones, Robotics, Aerospace
Funding Round, Seed, Series A
Japan, United States, Canada

Portfolio highlights

Redcliff — Redcliff is a drone management company that organizes aerial shows and events for private and public organizations.
SORA Technology — SORA Technology builds and operates health care and public health infrastructure utilizing drones and their operational management systems.
Proxima Technology — Proxima Technology is an IT company that provides artificial intelligence and deep learning solutions for the manufacturing industry.

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.

Investment focus

Information Technology, Software, Internet
Funding Round, Series A, Series B
Japan, United States, China

Portfolio highlights

Quemix — Quemix is an IT company specialized in providing quantum computing solutions.
Plainer — Plainer is an IT company that provides software development, data management, and SaaS solutions.
Unito — Unito offers people a friction-free lifestyle by pursuing optimization of living.

Mitsubishi UFJ Capital is a venture capital firm focusing on life science, ICT, and high technology investments.

Investment focus

Information Technology, Software, Health Care
Funding Round, Series A, Series B
Japan, United States, Singapore

Portfolio highlights

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.
M&A Cloud — M & A is a Match Platform for Small & Medium Venture Companies
NABLA Mobility — Solving the complexities involved in the "Operation of Fleets" of Mobility and support its evolution and decarbonization

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.

Investment focus

Information Technology, Health Care, Software
Funding Round, Series B, Series A
Japan, United States, Singapore

Portfolio highlights

Ababa — Ababa provides recruitment and employment solutions.
DelizMart — Deliz Mart is a digital-driven platform that helps to solve food distribution challenges and reduce cost transactions in the food industry.
Penetrator — Penetrator transforms the real estate market with space technology, tackling transaction issues and forming landslide observation systems.

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.

Investment focus

Information Technology, Software, Artificial Intelligence
Series A, Series B, Funding Round
Japan, United States, United Kingdom

Portfolio highlights

10x — 10x provides One-stop service from meal planning to grocery shopping.
Otetsutabi — Otetsutabi is a regional revitalization platform that offers the opportunity for participants to help at accommodations and breweries in rural areas that struggle with seasonal labor shortages. The locals offer transportation expenses and places to stay in return, so participants can travel to the areas with ease.
Japan Culture and Technology — Japan Culture and Technology assists artists and craftspeople in expanding their activities by providing IT support.

UntroD Capital is an R&D-based innovative technology that specializes in social implementation.

Investment focus

Manufacturing, Biotechnology, Robotics
Funding Round, Seed, Series A
Japan, Singapore, India

Portfolio highlights

Alternō — Alternō was founded with a vision to create Asia's first low-cost thermal energy storage solution for renewable energy, to be deployed widely across the region by 2050. Alternō received early stage funding from Antler VC in Jan 2023 to kick off the research & development.
Q5D Technology — Additive manufacturing with conductors. Eliminate traditional wiring, saving space and weight. Unique 5-axis robots add power and data functions to products. Simplify supply chains and manufacturing. Transform productivity with our hardware, software, and support.
Optieum Biotechnologies — Optieum Biotechnologies Inc. is a pre-clinical stage biotechnology company committed to developing innovative scFv antibody-based therapies for the treatment of patients with cancers. Their proprietary platform technology, Eumbody System™, enables to develop and detect a scFv-based product candidates that specifically bind to, and modulate tooptimize the immune-cell function for oncology targets.We are committed to helping patients with severe diseases by bringing life-changing therapies to the patients in need.

East Ventures is an early stage venture capital (VC) focused on Southeast Asia, Indonesia & Japan. Success cases include Tokopedia, Traveloka, and Mercari.

Investment focus

Software, Information Technology, E-Commerce
Seed, Series A, Funding Round
Japan, Indonesia, Singapore

Portfolio highlights

SoLeLands — SoLeLands provides children with future-ready skills, virtues, and applied competences and inspires children to love learning.
Maka Motors — MAKA is dedicated to building the best electric motorcycles for Indonesian riders.
Zenith Learning Group — Zenith Learning Group's mission is to deliver a holistic, world-class education to learners across South East Asia through technology.

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.

Investment focus

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

Portfolio highlights

Gatebox — It is a research laboratory beyond dimension" which is researching and developing to realize "a world where you can live with a character". Therefore, Gatebox Co., Ltd. refers to itself as "Gatebox Lab" and conducts research and development beyond dimension in the area of Akihabara day and night. Dreaming that day,coming to meet beyond dimension.
Tech Doctor — Tech Doctor is a health monitoring service which provides analysis and insights for self care reducing the need for health care workers.
Gaudi Clinical — Gaudi Clinical is a health care firm that engages in regenerative medicine outsourcing and cell processing contract establishments.

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

Investment focus

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

Portfolio highlights

iiba — Iiba is a geospatial platform that specializes in providing location information related to child-rearing.
AiCAN — AiCAN provides system planning and development, data analysis, IT, and consulting services related to child welfare.
Asusola — Asusola engaged in the renewable energy power generation business

DNX Ventues is an early stage VC firm focusing on B2B Startups that are shaping industries and transforming the way we live and work.

Investment focus

Software, Information Technology, SaaS
Seed, Series A, Series B
Japan, United States, Canada

Portfolio highlights

Emium — Emium creates an infrastructure that will be a driving force in dental care and dental technology.
ElastixAI — ElastixAI is developing an AI inference platform designed to optimize how large language models are run.
NetRise — NetRise - firmware security, software bill of materials (SBOM), and deep risk visibility for manufacturers and asset owners alike.

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.

Investment focus

Biotechnology, Medical, Manufacturing
Series A, Funding Round, Series B
Japan, United States, United Kingdom

Portfolio highlights

Issin — Issin manufactures bath mats that can measure weight and automatically record daily weight changes on your smartphone.
RoboTruck — RoboTruck develops autonomous driving technologies for huge trucks, as well as practical applications.
Leading Mark — Leading Mark, a rising human resources startup in Japan. Leading Mark is branching out into mid-career and international hiring. It currently has a one-man team in China working to bring the top Japanese-speaking Chinese students to domestic companies. He also touts his startup’s focus on the average job seeker. “We want to make sure that the usersget the info that he or she needs the most,” he says. Large scale, legacy players can sometimes prioritize the needs of the hiring company, and their commission, over the needs of applicants themselves. This leads to frustration and short-circuited careers.

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.

Investment focus

Manufacturing, Software, Robotics
Funding Round, Series B, Series A
Japan, United States, United Kingdom

Portfolio highlights

Cloudian — Cloudian provides exabyte-scale storage for your capacity-intensive workloads: S3-compatible storage for on-prem, hybrid cloud, and multi-cloud.
Seajacks — Cadeler is a global leader in offshore wind farm construction, maintenance, and decommissioning.
Vehicle Energy Japan — Vehicle Energy Japan specializes in development, manufacturing and sales of automotive lithium-ion batteries.

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.

Investment focus

Information Technology, Software, Financial Services
Series B, Series A, Funding Round
Japan, South Korea, United States

Portfolio highlights

Zolve — Best neo bank in India offering international banking & financial services online. Apply for a US bank account, credit card & student education loan with Zolve!
Zerodoor HD — Zerodoor HD specializes in digital transformation in constructing industry.
TOKYO GameFi — TOKYO GameFi is a Web3 firm formed by a management team of developers and engineers with previous experience at CyberAgent.

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.

Investment focus

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

Portfolio highlights

Triorb — Triorb is a technology company that specializes in robot mobility development with the help of software and hardware solutions.
Aerem — Make the switch to rooftop solar effortlessly with Aerem solution's innovative solar finance and technology solutions. Discover how we're making solar adoption easier than ever before and start saving on your energy costs.
Piece — Piece is a digital real estate platform offering the easiest and most transparent way to participate in income-producing real estate in Europe. Our mission is to make real estate ownership inclusive and more accessible.

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.

Investment focus

Manufacturing, Biotechnology, Medical
Funding Round, Series A, Seed
Japan, Singapore, Austria

Portfolio highlights

Ashirase — Ashirase is a developer of a walking navigation system for the visually challenged. The company assists visually impaired people in walking independently. This also allows the user to have more attention to spare for audible warnings in their environment. It includes voice input and guidance via a smartphone app. A vibration interface is attachedto their shoes.
Ken Robotec — Ken Robotec is a construction company that provides labor-saving solutions.
MaterialGate — MaterialGate focuses on single-molecule dielectrics, developing technologies for devices with better electronic characteristics.

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.

Investment focus

Software, Internet, E-Commerce
Seed, Series A, Funding Round
Japan, India, Indonesia

Portfolio highlights

Asuene — Asuene involves in clean power retail business, retail SaaS business, etc.
YOUTRUST — YOUTRUST is a startup to operate YOUTRUST a referral recruitment platform for side-job change.
Testsigma — Powerful cloud-based test automation platform that lets you automate tests for web, mobile, desktop apps, and APIs in minutes. Sign up now!

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.

Investment focus

Software, Health Care, Medical
Funding Round, Series A, Series B
Japan, United States, Australia

Portfolio highlights

Ababa — Ababa provides recruitment and employment solutions.
Linqmed — Linqmed is a pharmaceutical company that specializes in the research and development of radiopharmaceuticals for cancer treatment.
Japan Culture and Technology — Japan Culture and Technology assists artists and craftspeople in expanding their activities by providing IT support.

Coral Capital is a seed stage venture capital firm in Japan.

Investment focus

Software, Information Technology, SaaS
Seed, Series A, Series B
Japan, United States

Portfolio highlights

Lens — Lens ocuses on supporting corporate activities related to governance, risk management, compliance (GRC), and security.
CoLab — CoLab is a technology company that provides robotics, artificial intelligence solutions, and business consulting services.
NutmegLabs — NutmegLabs takes care of tourism and leisure by helping with online booking and digitizing the business. It was founded in 2019 and is based in San Francisco, California, United States.

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.

Investment focus

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

Portfolio highlights

Gecipe — Gecipe is a video service for e-sports players.
Awarefy — Awarefy is a mental health tech startup that offers CBT-based apps to maximize well-being.
Tech Doctor — Tech Doctor is a health monitoring service which provides analysis and insights for self care reducing the need for health care workers.

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.

Investment focus

Information Technology, Software, Artificial Intelligence
Series A, Funding Round, Series B
Japan, United States, Israel

Portfolio highlights

Sanu — SANU is a subscription service that offers a home in nature.
Pocket Sign — Pocket Sign develops digital platforms that store e-signatures and other authentication details for it's users privacy and security.
Tech Doctor — Tech Doctor is a health monitoring service which provides analysis and insights for self care reducing the need for health care workers.

Archetype Ventures is a venture capital firm specializing in B2B Tech seed and early stage venture investments.

Investment focus

Software, Information Technology, Artificial Intelligence
Seed, Series A, Funding Round
Japan, United States

Portfolio highlights

Any — any. develops and offers knowledge sharing tool Qast.
YourTrade — ONE KEY TO GLOBAL TRADE
Hubble — Cloud-based software specialized for contracts and other legal documents

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.

Investment focus

Robotics, Information Technology, Software
Series B, Funding Round, Series A
Japan, United States, Israel

Portfolio highlights

MUSVI — MUSVI is an informartion technology company that provides spatial connectivity solutions, and community platform services.
SPACECOOL — Spacecool offers zero-energy cooling materials that radiate heat to space, reducing temperatures and mitigating global warming.
Aeterlink — Aeterlink is a wireless device maker and developer. They applied their technology to fields such as FA, robots, smart houses, and medicine and developed practical level technologies such as elemental technology that can wirelessly supply power.

QB Capital is make equity investments in venture companies.

Investment focus

Manufacturing, Medical, Biotechnology
Funding Round, Seed, Series A
Japan, Singapore, United States

Portfolio highlights

Medteria — Medteria is a medtech startup developing pathology AI. It is the provider of the “Medteria” communication cloud platform for healthcare professionals and medical students.
Equmenopolis — Equmenopolis is an information services company that specializes in conversational AI agent platforms and application developments.
Power Diamond Systems — Power Diamond Systems is a research and development firm that focuses on diamond semiconductor devices.

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

Investment focus

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

Portfolio highlights

Precal — Precal is an information technology company that develops applications that are common with pharmacies, pharmacists, and dispensing clerks.
Gab — Gab is a company that works to solve social problems as well as develops and markets ethical products.
FLASH — FLASH is an entertainment and technology startup.

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.

Investment focus

Information Technology, Software, Content
Seed, Funding Round, Series A
Japan, Vietnam, Indonesia

Portfolio highlights

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.
Mined — Mined is a marketplace that provides online lessons in various subjects for elementary school students. Mind develops and operation of education-related services.
Finovo — Finovo specializes in the research, development, operation, and maintenance of cutting-edge accounting and financial software solutions.

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!

Investment focus

Information Technology, Artificial Intelligence, Consulting
Seed, Funding Round, Pre-Seed
Japan, United States, Estonia

Portfolio highlights

XDeli — XDeli is a digital application that offers food delivery and meal subsidy service for corporate employees.
CareLink — CareLink is an app that connects people looking for one-time part-time work in nursing and welfare.
SUSHI TOP MARKETING — SUSHI TOP MARKETING is an IT company that offers marketing, NFT utilization, and consulting services.

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.

Investment focus

Software, Task Management, Internet
Funding Round, Series A, Seed
Japan, France, Singapore

Portfolio highlights

Tacoms — CAMEL is a service that allows you to easily manage orders from multiple food delivery / takeout services on a single tablet.
Tech Doctor — Tech Doctor is a health monitoring service which provides analysis and insights for self care reducing the need for health care workers.
COUNTERWORKS — Counter works is an Information technology company.

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

Investment focus

Health Care, Internet, Information Technology
Funding Round, Seed, Series A
Japan, United States, Ethiopia

Portfolio highlights

CloudLegal — CloudLegal provides AI-powered legal services, combining generative AI with legal expertise to streamline corporate operations.
Blackbox — Blackbox is an entertainment firm that is involved in businesses, including VTuber production, media mix, and live music events.
Knowhere — Knowhere is a company that applies high-performance AI to sports.

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.

Investment focus

Mobile, Software, Internet
Funding Round, Series A, Series B
Japan, United States, South Korea

Portfolio highlights

Yuime — Yuime is an HR consulting firm that offers agricultural staffing, contract farming, and recruitment services.
ATOMica — ATOMica is a co-working space and business management company for conference rooms, event venues, circles, and schools. The company uses coworking spaces as HUBs to provide services that maximize individuals' power. It can be used for a variety of purposes, including coworking space, shared office space, meetings, events, and web seminars. Itis also possible to use it only once. They plan and run local communities that bring together a diverse range of people, including students, workers, businesses, universities, and governments.
DeCurret — DeCurret is into Cryptocurrency Business.

Startup First. A global VC focused on IoT small lot manufacturing and startup investment. Support to hardware growth from business model to supply chain

Investment focus

Software, Hardware, Internet of Things
Seed, Funding Round, Series A
United States, Japan

Portfolio highlights

REVORN — REVORN is a fragrance AI and DX research and development company. They develop products such as odor sensors that can respond to odor issues and needs. They provide consultation at a range of levels, from identifying issues to developing solutions.
ImaCreate — ImaCreate provides planning, development and operation of VR / AR / MR system.
Edgecortix — At Edgecortix, we automate the design of AI accelerators for on-device deep learning. Our Dynamic Neural Accelerator IP, and performance optimized AI Software & Hardware Co-exploration framework, reduces time to market and brings massive cost savings across multiple industry verticals.

Welcome to the official website of Sumitomo Corporation, a leading integrated trading company engaged in diverse businesses based on its global network.

Investment focus

Information Technology, Software, Internet
Series B, Funding Round, Corporate Round
Japan, United States, Israel

Portfolio highlights

Zension — Zension is a subscription e-commerce company for consumer tech. Each and every day, we set out to create a new standard for connectivity and access to the best technology tools for all.
Evertrak — Evertrak proudly manufactures in St. Louis, Missouri, home of founders, builders, explorers and entrepreneurs who changed the world.
Dexterity — Dexterity Inc - Leader in robotic warehouse automation for manufacturing, logistics, supply chain and retail.

Monex Ventures is a venture capital firm based in Japan that finances seed and early stage investments in startup companies.

Investment focus

Financial Services, Software, Information Technology
Seed, Series A, Funding Round
Japan, United States, China

Portfolio highlights

Degas — Degas develops solutions to improve the productivity of small-scale farmers in Africa.
pickupon — Pickupon is a company that transcribes important parts of the call
Hakki Africa — HAKKI AFRICA provides microfinance services for SMEs.

Japan Finance provides a diversified portfolio of financial services to the small and medium enterprise sector.

Investment focus

Software, Information Technology, Artificial Intelligence
Debt Financing, Seed, Funding Round
Japan, Hong Kong

Portfolio highlights

AirKamuy — AirKamuy is an aviation company that designs and manufactures fixed-wing VTOL aircraft and drones with the help of modern technology.
Haul — Haul is a human resources company that provides recruitment consulting and marketing SaaS development services.
KG Motors — KG Motors is an automotive firm that manufactures electric vehicles that can be moved comfortably and safely by one person.

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.

Investment focus

Software, Manufacturing, Information Technology
Funding Round, Series A, Seed
Japan

Portfolio highlights

Striemo — Striemo manufactures and develops electric personal mobility. Striemo was founded in 2021 and was headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.
ARCS — ARCS specializes in developing assisted reproductive medical devices using robotics and artificial intelligence technology.
Instalimb — Instalimb is the world's first 3D printing prosthesis business.

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.

Investment focus

Virtual Reality, Software, E-Commerce
Seed, Series A, Funding Round
Japan, United States, South Korea

Portfolio highlights

Levellr — Stop losing insights in Discord noise
SALOWIN — SALOWIN is a shared salon where freelance hairdressers can freely provide customer service and service.
CaseBlink — AI for immigration lawyers | CaseBlink is AI software for immigration law firms. With CaseBlink, generate EB-2 NIW, EB-1A, and O-1 applications end-to-end.

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.

Investment focus

Software, Artificial Intelligence, Information Technology
Funding Round, Series B, Series A
Japan, United States, China

Portfolio highlights

Blue Skies Space — Blue Skies Space provides access to space science data from low-cost space missions.
Blue Laser Fusion — Blue Laser Fusion is a commercial fusion company. Blue Laser Fusion is a laser startup to commercialize laser fusion by inventing its own laser and fusion reactor.
Nanofiber Quantum Technologies — Powering a globally connected quantum future with pioneering nanofiber cavity QED.

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.

Investment focus

Medical, Biotechnology, Health Care
Funding Round, Series A, Series B
Japan

Portfolio highlights

OptQC — OptQC commercializes cutting-edge optical quantum computing technologies developed by the Furusawa-Endo Laboratory. Because optical quantum computers are more scalable than superconducting and other quantum computing implementations, OptQC's optical quantum computers should reach this scale. They also have benefits like faster processing andreduced power consumption, which makes optical quantum computers a possible long-term pinnacle of quantum technology.
Triorb — Triorb is a technology company that specializes in robot mobility development with the help of software and hardware solutions.
RadioNano Therapeutics — RadioNano Therapeutics is developing innovative drugs for Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT), a type of radiation therapy that utilizes the nuclear reaction between thermal neutrons and boron-10 (¹⁰B) to destroy cancer cells by releasing alpha particles and lithium nuclei.

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.

Investment focus

Software, Energy, Internet of Things
Funding Round, Series A, Series B
Japan, United States, Germany

Portfolio highlights

Asusola — Asusola engaged in the renewable energy power generation business
Aeterlink — Aeterlink is a wireless device maker and developer. They applied their technology to fields such as FA, robots, smart houses, and medicine and developed practical level technologies such as elemental technology that can wirelessly supply power.
NABLA Mobility — Solving the complexities involved in the "Operation of Fleets" of Mobility and support its evolution and decarbonization

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.

Investment focus

Software, E-Commerce, Financial Services
Seed, Series A, Series B
India, Japan, Indonesia

Portfolio highlights

Servify — Servify offers the world's most advanced self-learning post-purchase service platform to deliver great customer experience. Integrating multiple partners of the post sales service ecosystem on a tech-driven unified intelligent platform, Servify provides Device Lifecycle Management Services for all devices that touch our daily lives.
Remind — Remind provides e-waste management and recycling solutions for electronic waste.
Netbank — Netbank provides various banking solutions like alternative lenders, payment solutions, neobanks, and wallets.

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.

Investment focus

Software, Internet, Logistics
Corporate Round, Funding Round, Series A
Japan, United States, United Kingdom

Portfolio highlights

Ample — Ample is a new energy delivery solution for electric vehicles. It uses Modular Battery Swapping to deliver 100% charge to any EV in a few minutes.
Mangrove Lithium — Mangrove Lithium is a ground-breaking refining platform that redefines the industry standard for battery grade lithium refining
Preferred Networks — Preferred Networks (PFN) was established in March 2014 in Tokyo with the goal to develop practical, real-world applications of deep learning, robotics and other latest technologies. PFN is currently focused on three priority areas – transportation systems, manufacturing and bio-healthcare – and also exploring the use of deep learning in personalrobots, plant optimization, materials discovery, sports analytics and entertainment. PFN has a U.S. subsidiary in Burlingame, California.

Sony Innovation Fund is investing in technology-driven transformational companies shaping the future of business, entertainment and society.

Investment focus

Software, Artificial Intelligence, Health Care
Series B, Funding Round, Series A
United States, Japan, United Kingdom

Portfolio highlights

Utaite — Utaite is an operator of an entertainment platform that focuses on planning, production, and development of entertainment content.
Congrant — Congrant is a fundraising platform that collects donations and charity for NPOs, social enterprises, and voluntary organizations.
CamGraPhIC — Our platform supports the ever-increasing data traffic demand with high-performing and low-power consumption electro-optical engines.

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.

Investment focus

E-Commerce, Software, Information Technology
Funding Round, Series A, Series B
Japan, United States, Belgium

Portfolio highlights

Eight Knot — Eight Knot designs and develops autonomous navigation system for water mobility using robotics & AI.
Aeterlink — Aeterlink is a wireless device maker and developer. They applied their technology to fields such as FA, robots, smart houses, and medicine and developed practical level technologies such as elemental technology that can wirelessly supply power.
NABLA Mobility — Solving the complexities involved in the "Operation of Fleets" of Mobility and support its evolution and decarbonization

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.

Investment focus

Software, Artificial Intelligence, Information Technology
Seed, Series A, Series B
Japan, United States, South Korea

Portfolio highlights

OSHIAI — OSHIAI is an AI chat software that lets you communicate with your favorite idol's "Ai" avatar, which represents their hobbies, preferences, and speaking style.
THA — THA is a technology company that enhances performance through IT and creative solutions, focusing on AI, and partnering with companies.
Josh Collaboration — Josh Collaboration is a software company that provides mailing, fax transmission, and partner management services.

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.

Investment focus

Health Care, Robotics, Task Management
Funding Round, Seed, Series A
Japan, Singapore

Portfolio highlights

MOVeLOT — MOVeLOT is an AI company that provides skeletal platform and robot planning, development, and production services.
ExtraBold — ExtraBold specializes in the development of 3D printers.
ProfilePrint — Helping agribusinesses buy and sell better, ProfilePrint is powered by a patented digital food identity-as-a-service (IDaaS) technology. ProfilePrint synthesises complex molecular data of ingredient samples into digital fingerprints, rapidly predicting its identity and quality.

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

Investment focus

Information Technology, Internet, Media and Entertainment
Seed, Funding Round, Series A
Japan, Taiwan, United States

Portfolio highlights

Newmo — newmo delivers sustainable local public transportation create a user experience (UX) that people may utilize with peace of mind and comfort.
Yosemite — Yosemite is a wellness company that provides health and wellness products, supplements, skincare, and personal care items.
Qlay — Qlay is an AI-automated global engineer hiring platform

Shinsei Corporate Investment supports the creation and development of the business.

Investment focus

Information Technology, Internet, Education
Funding Round, Series A, Series B
Japan, India, Belgium

Portfolio highlights

Leading Mark — Leading Mark, a rising human resources startup in Japan. Leading Mark is branching out into mid-career and international hiring. It currently has a one-man team in China working to bring the top Japanese-speaking Chinese students to domestic companies. He also touts his startup’s focus on the average job seeker. “We want to make sure that the usersget the info that he or she needs the most,” he says. Large scale, legacy players can sometimes prioritize the needs of the hiring company, and their commission, over the needs of applicants themselves. This leads to frustration and short-circuited careers.
Okuma Diamond Device — Okuma Diamond Device supplies cutting-edge technologies that make diamond semiconductors vital.
Tokyo Artisan Intelligence — Tokyo Artisan Intelligence develops od purely domestic AI high-speed code generation tools as part of deep learning and hardware research. Their objectives are to contribute to the development of new computational technology and its application in society, particularly by providing experts through the training of doctoral students.

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.

Investment focus

Financial Services, Finance, Energy
Debt Financing, Funding Round, Post-IPO Debt
Japan, United States, India

Portfolio highlights

CoreWeave — CoreWeave provides flexible compute services and products to empower innovators. The company provides GPU accelerated compute solutions to the CGI and machine learning industries. Backed by quality hardware and systems management infrastructure, CoreWeave is built to help clients scale and adapt to evolving compute requirements at industry leadingeconomics.
KG Motors — KG Motors is an automotive firm that manufactures electric vehicles that can be moved comfortably and safely by one person.
ACEN Australia — ACEN Australia develops renewable energy assets including several solar, wind, battery, and hydro projects across Australia.

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.

Investment focus

Software, Content, Food and Beverage
Seed, Funding Round, Series A
Japan, United States, India

Portfolio highlights

hicrea — hicrea is an AI-powered SaaS platform for fashion companies.
Blackbox — Blackbox is an entertainment firm that is involved in businesses, including VTuber production, media mix, and live music events.
Josh Collaboration — Josh Collaboration is a software company that provides mailing, fax transmission, and partner management services.

Deep30 is specializing in AI technologies such as deep learning that consists of individuals connected to the University of Tokyo’s Matsuo Lab, which is famous for AI research.

Investment focus

Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Content
Seed, Funding Round, Series B
Japan, Singapore

Portfolio highlights

AIQ — Custom AI solutions development. From concept to infrastructure integration.
Corpy & Co. — Corpy & Co. develops and provides solutions and works on research and development of frontier XAI / QAAI for deploying AI in mission-/safety-critical areas. The company proposes new alternatives through research and development of AI. Corpy & Co. was founded by Kohei Yamamoto in 2017 and is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.
ACES — ACES is providing image recognition algorithms such as object recognition and face and expression recognition

Investors by industry

Artificial intelligence