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

Last updated: Jan 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 January 2025

Investor	Hardware Japan investments
Incubate Fund	25
Mitsubishi UFJ Capital	22
Drone Fund	21
Mizuho Capital	19
UntroD Capital	17
SMBC Venture Capital	17
Global Brain Corporation	16
East Ventures	15
ANRI	13
DNX Ventures	13
MITSUI SUMITOMO INSURANCE Venture Capital (MSIVC)	13
Real Tech Japan	11
UTEC - The University of Tokyo Edge Capital Partners	11
UTokyo Innovation Platform	11
SBI Investment	11
DBJ Capital	10
STRIVE	10
Innovation Network Corporation of Japan	10
Nippon Venture Capital	9
Archetype Ventures	9
UNITED	8
Mirai Creation Fund	8
Genesia Ventures	8
MIRAISE	8
KDDI	8
QB Capital	7
Monozukuri Ventures	7
Coral Capital	7
Daiwa Corporate Investment	7
Monex Ventures	6
Sony Innovation Fund	6
Energy & Environment Investment	6
Sumitomo	6
MIRAI SOUZOU	6
Nissay Capital	6
Colopl Next	6
SPARX Group	6
Japan Finance Corporation	5
Glocalink	5
Mitsubishi Corporation	5
Japan Science and Technology Agency	5
ANOBAKA	5
Shinsei Corporate Investment	5
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation	5
B Dash Ventures	5
Japan Finance Corporation	4
Hakuhodo DY Ventures	4
BEENEXT	4
Airbus Ventures	4
Hack Ventures	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

Letara — Letara operates a space technology platform with the intention to serve a logistics network covering the solar system. The company produces hybrid propulsion engines for small spacecraft, promoting groundbreaking advances in space propulsion with high thrust, safe, and inexpensive propulsion system technology.
Kaguoku — Kaguoku develops and provides the AI-based home staging services. It offers a service that uses AI to process interior photos of real estate properties to increase the property's ability to attract customers.
Time Prediction — Time Prediction focuses on development of diagnostic pharmaceuticals, drugs and medical devices for the treatment of neurological diseases.

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, China

Portfolio highlights

Taian — Taian, which specializes in bridal industry services and software. They also provide ''Concept Marry,'' which allows couples to design invites and seating charts that match their wedding theme, as well as display guest information on Oiwaii.
greenase — greenase is a manufacturer and seller of processed agricultural products.
Grand Central — Grand Central is a consulting company specializing in the sales field.

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

LOMBY — LOMBY is a logistic firm that delivers orders through its robotic machines.
Triorb — Triorb is a technology company that specializes in robot mobility development with the help of software and hardware solutions.
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

Precal — Precal is an information technology company that develops applications that are common with pharmacies, pharmacists, and dispensing clerks.
Any — any. develops and offers knowledge sharing tool Qast.
Grand Central — Grand Central is a consulting company specializing in the sales field.

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

Revorf — Revorf analyzes data and develops AI-related to infectious diseases and healthcare.
MaterialGate — MaterialGate focuses on single-molecule dielectrics, developing technologies for devices with better electronic characteristics.
Emulsion Flow Technologies — Emulsion Flow Technologies offers rare metal recycling, utilizing emulsion flow technology, emulsion.

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

Striemo — Striemo manufactures and develops electric personal mobility. Striemo was founded in 2021 and was headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.
Orbital Lasers — Orbital is a space tech company that provides space debris business to remove debris and a satellite LiDAR business to provide surface data.
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.

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

Lazuli — Lazuli is a SaaS platform that enables companies to utilize data for analysis, search, recommendation, marketing & supply chain management.
HQ — HQ offers next-generation employee benefits platform.
Smart Education — Smart Education, Ltd. (located in Tokyo, Japan, President Daigo Ikeya) launched it’s kid’s music app “Rhythm Book” for smartphones and tablets. It’s in the App Store as an universal app for iPhone, iPad and iTouch. With Rhythm book, kids can learn and feel the rhythm by tapping instruments along with their favorite songs. There are more than 100kid’s songs from TV, cartoons, to choose from and nursery rhymes in English and in Japanese. Stimulate the young mind with genuine and real studio recorded music and sounds. This app is designed to co-play between parents and child. You can purchase more songs via internet and the songs you’ve purchased can be co-owned by the same Apple ID through iCloud.

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.

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

Investment focus

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

Portfolio highlights

Taian — Taian, which specializes in bridal industry services and software. They also provide ''Concept Marry,'' which allows couples to design invites and seating charts that match their wedding theme, as well as display guest information on Oiwaii.
ARCH — ARCH provides research, development, operation, and support systems for gynecology and fertility treatment solutions
Upsider — - Vue - Nuxt.js - TypeScript - SCSS

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

Cofactr — Whether managing shortages today or planning for next year, Cofactr is the place to get all the parts you need, when you need them.
Hubble — Cloud-based software specialized for contracts and other legal documents
Upsider — - Vue - Nuxt.js - TypeScript - SCSS

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

NEL — NEL is a creative agency that offers a platform that connects brands and customers through purchases and SNS posts.
Secai Marche — SECAI MARCHE is Farm-Fresh Platform to link farmers and enthusiasm chefs and consumer in all over the world.
Okuma Diamond Device — Okuma Diamond Device supplies cutting-edge technologies that make diamond semiconductors vital.

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.

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

Estie — Estie is a Development of AI / machine learning algorithm and new business in real estate company.
Liminal — Advanced battery inspection and metrology with ultrasound and machine learning
Eureka Robotics — Eureka Robotics develop robotics technologies and products to automate the mundane, so that humans can focus on the creative.

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

OOYOO — OOYOO Co., Ltd. is a DeepTech venture that combines international entrepreneurial spirit, and a 'Made In Japan' excellence, to bring the latest innovations in clean technology to society for a smarter, cleaner, and more mobile world.
Visban — Visban is a technology company that specializes in utilizing mmWave signals for connectivity both indoors and outdoors. Their primary focus is on providing reliable and fast network solutions that eliminate dead spots and offer uninterrupted connections. By utilizing mmWave signals, Visban can achieve this with fewer base stations, leading to moreenergy-efficient operations and extended battery life for mobile devices on their network.
Orbital Lasers — Orbital is a space tech company that provides space debris business to remove debris and a satellite LiDAR business to provide surface data.

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

Newmo — newmo delivers sustainable local public transportation create a user experience (UX) that people may utilize with peace of mind and comfort.
Lazuli — Lazuli is a SaaS platform that enables companies to utilize data for analysis, search, recommendation, marketing & supply chain management.
AI model — AI model specializes in the development and transformation of real-like virtual models for modeling on E-commerce platforms.

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, Internet
Funding Round, Series A, Seed
Japan, United States, Australia

Portfolio highlights

Reject — Reject is an esports firm that focuses on management of its team REJECT, players, apparel business, and event management services.
Precal — Precal is an information technology company that develops applications that are common with pharmacies, pharmacists, and dispensing clerks.
Tradom — Tradom is a company that offers the "Tradam Foreign Exchange Solution," an AI solution for managing foreign exchange risk.

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!

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.

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.
Rege Nephro — Rege Nephro is a biotech company that specialized in R&D, production and marketing of renal disease therapeutics.
Renalys Pharma — Renalys Pharma is a private, late-stage clinical biopharmaceutical firm in Japan dedicated on developing new therapies that address unmet needs in the management of renal illness in Japanese and Asian patients.

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

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

Coopel — Coopel is an RPA that allows beginners to easily automate daily tasks and make work efficient.
Precal — Precal is an information technology company that develops applications that are common with pharmacies, pharmacists, and dispensing clerks.
FLASH — FLASH is an entertainment and technology startup.

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

Portfolio highlights

MUSVI — MUSVI is an informartion technology company that provides spatial connectivity solutions, and community platform services.
Triorb — Triorb is a technology company that specializes in robot mobility development with the help of software and hardware solutions.
elleThermo — elleThermo aims to implement Semiconductor-Sensitised Thermal Cells (STCs), an energy conversion technology that can generate electricity from unused waste heat above room temperature.

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

Taian — Taian, which specializes in bridal industry services and software. They also provide ''Concept Marry,'' which allows couples to design invites and seating charts that match their wedding theme, as well as display guest information on Oiwaii.
Congrant — Congrant is a fundraising platform that collects donations and charity for NPOs, social enterprises, and voluntary organizations.
Japan Career — Japan Career is a company that offers a job change and employment help platform tailored to international talent.

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

CuboRex — CuboRex realizes creative mobility using its crawler technology.
Zenmetry — Zenmetry primarily engages in the development of web services and business consulting.
SUSHI TOP MARKETING — SUSHI TOP MARKETING is an IT company that offers marketing, NFT utilization, and consulting services.

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

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.
Allganize — Allganize provides Alli, an AI document understanding platform that revolutionizes enterprise productivity. If you want a proper AI chatbot, enterprise chatGPT, or AI OCR, Allganize is the answer.
Secret Double Octopus — Provider of industry-leading FIDO-certified, rotation-based passwordless MFA with the fullest support for enterprise complexity. Click here for more!

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

Rege Nephro — Rege Nephro is a biotech company that specialized in R&D, production and marketing of renal disease therapeutics.
Zip Infrastructure — Inquiry : https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfDmxd1TpPP331TY4VoRsvn0yWX3Ca5Jd-bfBiuPwvpD2SKtA/viewform
Japan Carbon Cycle Lab — Japan Carbon Cycle Lab is a technology company that focuses on the research and development of CO2 capture and recycling techniques.

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.

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

Investment focus

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

Portfolio highlights

STRACT — STRACT is a web platform that provides online platform, dating app, knowledge sharing cloud platform, and casual entertainment services.
HQ — HQ offers next-generation employee benefits platform.
Okuma Diamond Device — Okuma Diamond Device supplies cutting-edge technologies that make diamond semiconductors vital.

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.
COUNTERWORKS — Counter works is an Information technology company.
Hydro Powtech Japan — Nippon Hydropowtech uses proprietary technology and experience in hydrolysate production to investigate new food applications.

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

Investment focus

Software, Financial Services, 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
MoneyDuck — MoneyDuck - Making Smart Financial Decision

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
Funding Round, Series B, Series A
United States, Japan, United Kingdom

Portfolio highlights

GEMESYS — Gemesys creates a chip that functions similarly to the human brain in order to overcome processing constraints and empower AI with the hardware it needs to complete its destiny
Congrant — Congrant is a fundraising platform that collects donations and charity for NPOs, social enterprises, and voluntary organizations.
Flower — We enable the energy system of tomorrow by combining pioneering technology with flexible assets, allowing clean energy to power society

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

YourTrade — ONE KEY TO GLOBAL TRADE
Advance Composite — Advance Composite is a manufacturing company that develops composite materials and molten metal forging-based products.
Impact Circle — Impact Circle social investment platform that focuses on providing impact finance and visualization services by creating job opportunities.

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

44.01 — We offer a permanent CO2 storage solution using the natural power of mineralisation
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.
Luffy AI — Discover Luffy.ai's Adaptive AI Control for unmatched industrial optimisation and performance. Experience the future with our innovative adaptive AI solutions.

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.
Spectronix — Spectronics is a development of new technologies and new applications to bring about innovation, focusing on the future of laser technology.
Green Chemical — Green chemical production process for aromatic bioplastic raw materials that can replace conventional petroleum-based products.

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

Investment focus

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

Portfolio highlights

Castee — Castee provides social collaboration services and also helps with a tool for job requests and overseas projects for creators.
HQ — HQ offers next-generation employee benefits platform.
Qlay — Qlay is an AI-automated global engineer hiring platform

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

Coopel — Coopel is an RPA that allows beginners to easily automate daily tasks and make work efficient.
Levellr — Levellr software helps creators & brands to build, manage and monetise messaging communities within existing apps, including Discord & Telegram. Our tools, which sit on top of Discord & Telegram, help our customers to acquire powerful-first party data on superfans, build highly engaged communities & generate tangible revenueopportunities, whilst also providing our customers with community strategy & on-going moderation services to ensure their communities thrive.
ChillStack — ChillStack provides information on AI, security, and development.

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

Investment focus

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

Portfolio highlights

aiESG — aiESG offers an AI platform that conducts ESG assessments of supply chains and facilitates an in-depth sustainability evaluation.
ARCH — ARCH provides research, development, operation, and support systems for gynecology and fertility treatment solutions
Pathfinder — Pathfinder is a research and development company that provides MaaS and delivery vehicle application development 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.

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

Finnforel — Sustainable Fish Farming. Pure, healthy and ecological rainbow trout for the sake of ecosystems, ocean, your health and for the planet.
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.
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.

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

Triorb — Triorb is a technology company that specializes in robot mobility development with the help of software and hardware solutions.
Equmenopolis — Equmenopolis is an information services company that specializes in conversational AI agent platforms and application developments.
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.

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

Aimytech — Aimytech is a developer of buyer enablement tools that provides business negotiation and sales support cloud services.
Argos — Argos provides the online insurance medical treatment service.
AVA Intelligence — AVA Intelligence is a Internet service development company.

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

QibiTech — QibiTech created HATS, a service in which a human operator remotely supplements the operation of a robot. Add-on edge calculator or software for various robots to increase robot flexibility. It also serves as a platform for connecting operation data to the business improvement system.
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

Shriram Finance — Shriram Finance is a non-banking finance company that finances pre-owned commercial vehicles, equipment, and other loans. The company offers personal, business, bike, gold, and commercial vehicle loans.
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.
Grenergy Renovables — Entwicklung von Photovoltaik und Speicher Projekten und Speicher Projekten mit Grenergy. Willkommen bei Grenergy

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

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

Investment focus

Software, Information Technology, Internet
Debt Financing, Funding Round, Seed
Japan, India, Hong Kong

Portfolio highlights

Meleap — HADO is a new sport utilizing the leading AR technology with players wearing a head mounted display and an armband sensor to compete against each other by using the ‘energy ball’ or ‘shield’ and earn points in a three-on-three, eighty-minutes game between two teams.
TANAAKK — TANAAKK provides “HITSERIES”, Growth-as-a-Service especially for Fortune Global 500 in-house startups to migrate R&D fruits into cloud-native scalable SaaS. HITSERIES delivers reference architecture, platform and related DevOps, RevOps, EquityOps services. There is annually US$190 R&D expenditure solely in Japan. TANAAKK find growth optionin R&D, selecting right cloud business scheme and enabling liquidity for discounted intellectual assets. Usually supporting conglomerate to achieve new $100M SaaS revenue in 5 years.
Shiftmation — Axiverse creates an environment where employees shift automatic creation service using artificial intelligence to create a better society.

Hakuhodo DY Ventures is a corporate venture capital firm.

Investment focus

Media and Entertainment, Artificial Intelligence, Task Management
Funding Round, Series B, Series D
Japan, Australia, United States

Portfolio highlights

Castee — Castee provides social collaboration services and also helps with a tool for job requests and overseas projects for creators.
Tribeau — Tribute is a word-of-mouth app for aesthetic medicine for cosmetic surgeries, cosmetic dermatologists, and orthodontists who are not covered by health insurance.
Recustomer — Recustomer is an IT company that develops software for digital payment and provides support for web development.

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

Budy — Budy is your AI Powered Sidekick for SaaS Professional Services
NAYAN — NAYAN visual AI monitors and identifies real-time road events. NAYAN AI supports businesses and authorities by offering actionable insights on visual events, to make the world a safer place.
Truely Travel eSIM — Redefining global connectivity one travel eSIM at a time!Truely eSIM aims to be the lightest thing you pack for your travels. Our Travel eSIM gives you access to the best local data rates from wherever you are in the world. No need to SIM switch nor worry about spending on roaming charges ever again. Available in 200+ destinations, we partnerwith the top network providers to ensure smooth and seamless connectivity throughout your trip. Whether you’re a digital nomad in Bali or a honeymooner in Italy—we’ll have a data plan customisable for your type of journey.

Operating in service of deeptech entrepreneurs.

Investment focus

Software, Aerospace, Information Technology
Series A, Series B, Seed
United States, France, Japan

Portfolio highlights

Jiko — Jiko is a financial technology company that offers a new way to store and move money, designed to create a fluid and rewarding banking experience for all. In September of 2020, Jiko became the first Fintech to acquire a national bank, in addition to being a licensed broker dealer. Prior to that accomplishment, Jiko spent 4 years developing afull-stack technology infrastructure that merges payment rails with real-time, 24/7 principal trading capabilities. This innovative combination is the backbone for Jiko’s transparent and rewarding model, which doesn’t use deposited funds for it's own investment purposes. Instead, customer’s funds are transparently invested in U.S. government-backed Treasury Bills (T-Bills), enabling cutting edge features such as virtual cards, tokenized bank account numbers, automated investments in T-Bills, and cashback on debit purchases. This model is made available to individuals through a mobile banking app, and to business partners through it's API platform. Jiko is a creative and hard-working team with cross-functional expertise in technology, trading, payment, and creative fields. The team is headquartered in Berkeley, California, with offices in New York City and Reykjavik, Iceland. Since its inception in 2016, Jiko has raised over $50M from trusted investors such as Upfront Ventures, Wafra Inc., Radicle Impact, NYCA Partners, and Anthem Ventures among others.
Bifrost AI — Build AI in a day instead of a year, at a fraction of the price, with the Bifrost synthetic data engine.
Eureka Robotics — Eureka Robotics develop robotics technologies and products to automate the mundane, so that humans can focus on the creative.

Hack Ventures is a venture capital firm that specializes in the fields of rehabilitation, support business, and advice on initial public.

Investment focus

Software, Artificial Intelligence, Manufacturing
Funding Round, Seed, Series C
Japan, China

Portfolio highlights

BABY JOB — BABY JOB offers nursery support and child care support businesses.
BitClout — BitClout is a platform owned by its users. Bitcoin is decentralizing money, BitClout is decentralizing social media.
On The Slope — On the way to Sakano deliver vegetables grown without the use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers, aiming to spread agriculture with low environmental impact. We want to make agriculture sustainable and reach a sustainable society.

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