Top 20 Local Startup Investors in Japan (October 2026)

Portfolio highlights

• Any Style — Any Style develops a messaging app from voice actors that regularly sends messages via subscription. It also engages in the planning and production of audio content and the VTuber production business.
• Arrowsmith — Arrowsmith is committed to unlocking the full potential of bacteriophages to revolutionize the treatment of bacterial infectious diseases. Through transformative science, Arrowsmith strive to create a world free from the pain and fear caused by antimicrobial resistance.
• Typewriter Therapeutics — Typewriter Therapeutics, Inc. develops mRNA-based gene therapies using a gene writing, or gene writing, platform for precise insertion of therapeutic genes into the genome. The company builds on transposon-based technologies originating from research by Professor Emeritus Haruhiko Fujiwara at the University of Tokyo. Its programs focus on all‑RNA,nonviral gene writing systems that repurpose natural genetic elements to address severe genetic disorders with limited treatment options. Typewriter Therapeutics conducts research and development across its U.S. and Japan operations and collaborates with investors and partners to advance genetic medicine candidates toward the clinic.

Portfolio highlights

• Josys — Stop letting runaway SaaS costs & unsecured SaaS access ruin your day. Josys is the only SaaS Management Platform that provides true 360-degree control.
• Essen — Essen is a technological company that specializes in mobility and data analysis, as well as using data to improve transportation.
• Deeping Source — Real-time Video Analytics based on Data Anonymization. High-accuracy computer vision for large-scale spaces: hypermarkets, shopping malls, convention centers, hospitals, logistics warehouses, construction sites, etc.

Portfolio highlights

• Akari Hosho — Akari Hosho provides a group of trusted professionals, including lawyers and judicial scriveners. Akari Hosho provides a guarantee service.
• Black Cat Carnival — Tell us about anything development-related. Our founder, who launched Niconico Live, SUGAR and GANMA! from scratch, helps with planning, design, development and operations.
• Carbon CryoCapture — Carbon CryoCapture specializes in the carbon dioxide separation systems aimed at creating economically viable, energy-efficient, and genuinely sustainable CO2 separation and recovery technologies. The company is dedicated to deploying cost-effective, efficient systems for CO2 capture that integrate smoothly with current infrastructures, all whileenhancing energy consumption and production. This enables clients to attain zero emissions throughout the development and application of resources.

Portfolio highlights

• AlgaleX — AlgaleX is a food technology and biotechnology company that develops AI-powered algae fermentation technology to produce sustainable food ingredients, nutritional compounds, and bioproducts. The company leverages proprietary AI-driven cultivation and fermentation systems to convert underutilized food byproducts into high-value microalgae rich innutrients such as DHA, umami compounds, and other functional ingredients. Its mission is to build a circular bioeconomy by reducing food waste while providing sustainable alternatives to marine- and animal-derived ingredients.The company's core technology is Touji-24, an AI-powered algae cultivation and fermentation control system that automates and optimizes microalgae production. Using proprietary fermentation processes and food byproducts such as awamori lees, AlgaleX cultivates algae that can be used to produce Umamo, a plant-based ingredient combining seafood-like umami flavor with high concentrations of DHA. This approach reduces reliance on wild-caught fish as a source of omega-3 fatty acids while upcycling food industry byproducts into valuable nutritional ingredients.
• Prossel Holdings — Prossel Holdings are a holding company based in Niigata, building the future of manufacturing and technology.
• Mign — Mign offers a generative AI-related SaaS solutions for the construction and real estate fields.

Portfolio highlights

• KAUCHE — KAUCHE is a discovery-based e-commerce model where friends and family can “discover” and purchase daily sale items together. They provide services for online retail shops. KAUCHE is committed in creating an exciting shopping experience for both customers and partners who want to sell products.
• Now Do — Now Do provides online growth revolution platform.
• KAUCHE — X Asia creates enjoyable shopping experience.

Portfolio highlights

• 10pct. — 10pct. is a consulting firm that provides hotel management, marketing, and operation support services to its clients.
• Ocean — Ocean is a technology-driven company dedicated to promoting digital transformation in the tax-free and retail shopping sectors. By developing innovative digital platforms and integrated solutions, the company streamlines tax refund processes and enhances the overall shopping experience for international travelers and retailers alike.
• Voxela, Inc. — Voxels is an AI powered platform on a mission to reinvent caregiving by making incident detection intelligent and actionable.

Portfolio highlights

• MICOLY — MICOLY is a operator of a website aimed at publishing and selling creative video lessons. The company hosts lectures that are presented by the creators of all categories who are keen on sharing their techniques and philosophies in areas of nail art, Japanese calligraphy, flower arrangement, knitting and many more, as well as interacting with theirpassionate fans, enabling users to take creative lessons and start a new hobby.
• Rentio — Rentio is a site that can be used anytime without buying 1,000 kinds of cameras and the latest home appliances.
• MiddleField — MiddleField is a team to make cars the best entertainment and to make the lives of everyone involved in cars into entertainment. They creates a society where a lot of people are involved as a middle point of all people's dreams. MiddleField owns and operates an e-commerce platform offering cars.

Portfolio highlights

• Mujin — At Mujin, we design automation platforms to enhance any robot, enable advanced capabilities and lower operating costs.
• FLUX — FLUX provide “FLUX Header Bidding Solution” that creates fair competition opportunities and significantly increases advertising revenue within the header bidding server, ad requests are sent to SSPs and ad exchanges all at once, so it is possible to have a pure price competition without prioritization, and to determine the highest bid amount andvalue of the advertising space. I can. Then, the price of the highest bid ad in the header bidding and the ad set in the ad server are competed, and the ad with the higher bid is delivered.
• Clean Energy Connect — Clean Energy Connect is into offering green energy solutions. It invests in its own generation capacity for a stable electricity supply by not harming nature.

Portfolio highlights

• LQUOM — QWAVE offers cryptography communication technology.
• Alxtal — Alxtal is a tech company who optimize the development, design, and manufacturing processes of the manufacturing industry with IT and AI.
• Zerodoor HD — Zerodoor HD specializes in digital transformation in constructing industry.

Portfolio highlights

• Esa — Esa offers plastic waste recycling, and also the development and distribution of plastic products
• 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.
• Advance Composite — Advance Composite is a manufacturing company that develops composite materials and molten metal forging-based products.

Portfolio highlights

• ADiXi — Adixi is a tech-driven business that supports the idea that people and technology may work together. It strives to open doors by utilizing cutting-edge technology, such as artificial intelligence, to promote long-term, sustainable corporate and societal progress.
• Alxtal — Alxtal is a tech company who optimize the development, design, and manufacturing processes of the manufacturing industry with IT and AI.
• Yokohama Vanilla — Yokohama Vanilla is a Company which operates Yokohama-based gift sweets brand.

Portfolio highlights

• Blacklane — Blacklane is the global chauffeur service that offers safety, sustainability, and stress-free travel. Since 2017, the company has been carbon-neutral, combining a five-star guest experience with care for the planet. The customers can book their travels using Blacklane’s mobile app or website.Blacklane was co-founded by Jens Wohltorf and FrankSteuer and is headquartered in Berlin, Germany.
• Steady — Home Page Steady Your Income Home Page Steady Your Income Home Page Steady Your Income
• ZenBusiness — Start a new business today for $0 or grow your existing business with the ZenBusiness platform. Get to your first dollar faster without the stress.

Portfolio highlights

• CirclePe — Backed by India's Top Investors, connect us with your new Landlord & get a Zero Deposit move-in for the 1st time ever.
• Receptionist — Receptionist is a media firm that offers consulting and operational services to creates opportunities to update business communication.
• Zeelab Pharmacy — Zeelab Pharmacy brings to you a high quality affordable generic medicines delivered to your doorstep with ecommerce & network of over 200+ stores in India.

Portfolio highlights

• CaTe — CaTe is based in Tokyo. CaTe develops and manufactures a Digital Therapeutic (DTx) for remote cardiac rehabilitation. Their invention allows heart disease patients to safely and successfully complete cardiac rehabilitation utilizing standing exercise in a confined space, such as at home, without the use of ergometers or similar instruments.
• bestat — bestat is a developer of platforms for 3D data creation, management, and utilization using AI and offers digital twins services.
• FunPep — FunPep is an Industry-university collaboration bioventure company.

Portfolio highlights

• NetBase Solutions — Empower your business with Quid's Generative AI platform to gain a holistic view of customer context. See data through the lens of the future. AI-powered consumer and market intelligence.
• Invincea — Invincea is the leader in advanced endpoint threat protection, protecting more than 25,000 customers and 3 million active users.The company provides the most comprehensive solution to contain, identify, and control the advanced attacks that evade legacy security controls. Invincea protects enterprises against targeted threats, includingspear-phishing and Web drive-by attacks that exploit Java, Flash, and other applications. Combining the visibility and control of an endpoint solution with the intelligence of cloud analysis, Invincea offers the only market-deployed solution that defends against 0-day exploits, file-less malware, and previously unknown malware.The company has been in market with its award-winning technology since 2009. In 2011, Invincea was recognized as "Most Innovative Company of the Year" at RSA Conference, and since then the company has won numerous awards for its technology and business.Invincea maintains an OEM agreement with Dell to ship a customized version of Invincea's award-winning endpoint security solution, under the Dell Data Protection | Protected Workspace brand. This offering ships on Dell's entire line of commercial PCs and tablets, comprising 20 million devices per year.The company, which was founded by Dr. Anup Ghosh to address the rapidly increasing security threat from nation states, cyber criminals, and rogue actors, has commercialized technology originally built under DARPA funding. The company is venture capital-backed and based in Fairfax, VA. For more information, visit https://www.invincea.com.
• Space Market — Space Market is a service that can easily lend and borrow from conference rooms to uninhabited islands.

Portfolio highlights

• Pictoria — Pictoria produce total events for entertainment.They handle a wide range of events, from talk events to events using advanced technologies such as 3D motion capture.
• Onestruction — Onestruction is an IT firm that offers construction solution development, 3D model and document creation, and operational support services.
• Illumi Medical — Illumi Medical is a manufacturing company that produces medical equipment and devices for the healthcare sector.

Portfolio highlights

• KAUCHE — KAUCHE is a social commerce app. They provide services for online and mail-order retail shops. Their customers' inquiries are addressed through phone, email, and online applications.
• Landit — Landit manages transportation infrastructure and real estate technology firms.
• Rapyuta Robotics — Rapyuta Robotics is a global technology startup that builds cloud robotics solutions. Spun out of the Swiss Federal Institute (ETH Zürich) in 2014, the company now has about 90 employees global, and offices in Japan, and India. While improvements in technology are helping to make robotics more accessible to markets, the ability to integrate all therequired expertise remains a barrier for most companies. Rapyuta Robotics’ platform makes it significantly easier for businesses to deploy robotics solutions without needing in-house robotics expertise. By integrating robot hardware, software, sensor data, and applications in the cloud -- where powerful data centers manage the heavy computation -- Rapyuta’s platform lets end-users focus on their business processes instead of on managing robot hardware or software infrastructure.

Portfolio highlights

• Qupital — Qupital helps e-commerce sellers with our Fintech, bringing them a financing solution that is easier to apply, more efficient and at a lower cost.
• Bird — Deliver transactional notifications, run marketing broadcasts, and handle two-way customer replies across Email, SMS, WhatsApp, Apple Messages, and Voice with Bird's REST API, SDKs, CLI, and MCP server.
• DigitalOcean — DigitalOcean is a cloud computing platform that deploys, manages, and scales applications of any size. Its infrastructure and platform-as-a-service solutions provide a no DevOps required experience, allowing developers to focus their energy on creating innovative software. By combining the power of simplicity, love for the developer community, anobsession for customer service, and the advantages of open source, DigitalOcean brings software development within the technical and economic reach of anyone around the world.DigitialOcean was formed in 2012 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

Portfolio highlights

• JX Press — The JX PRESS Corporation is Japan’s“virtual news agency.”JX PRESS’s “FASTALERT” service provides breaking news bulletins for urgent information on accidents, natural disasters, and other incidents detected by AI to all six of the major television broadcast stations in Japan, including NHK, and the majority of the 100+ local broadcast stations.FASTALERT works with more companies than any other service that utilizes information gathered from social networking sites for news reporting in Japan.The version offered to ordinary consumers, an app called “NewsDigest,” is the biggest news bulletin app in Japan, boasting over 1 million downloads. It is gaining popularity because of its ability to use AI to automatically detect and deliver news bulletins on information worth reporting. Alongside FASTALERT, it is also gaining more widespread use by news reporters as a standardized service for information.Stakeholders in the JX PRESS Corporation include KYODO NEWS, the leading news agency in Japan, two of the leading commercial broadcast stations (TV Asahi and Fuji TV), and the Nikkei Group. We are a new kind of news agency that provides computerized news reporting to all of the major media groups in Japan.Bloomberg - This Media Startup Is Beating the Competition With a Newsroom Run by Robots https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-05-27/the-airline-geek-trying-to-build-a-media-giant-with-no-reporters
• Oceans — Oceans Inc. was incorporated on September 16th, 2010 as an internet service company with the expressed goal of making the Internet more useful, more local, more here and now. Specialists from the fields of user interface, user experience, creative, programming and monetization gathered to make this possible. Currently, these development and serviceoperations professionals operate Eyeland(http://eyeland.in), a popular local communications platform.

Portfolio highlights

• ASUENE — Asuene involves in clean power retail business, retail SaaS business, etc.
• Recompound — Recompound is a financial services startup that acts as a personal investment advisor for individuals to grow their stock market portfolios.
• Testsigma — Powerful cloud-based test automation platform that lets you automate tests for web, mobile, desktop apps, and APIs in minutes. Sign up now!