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Top 15 Local VC Funds in Japan

Last updated: Apr 2024 A list of 15 VC funds that invest in Local startups based in Japan. We rank investors based on the number of investments they made in Local companies from Japan. We update this investor list every month.

Top 15 Local VC Funds in Japan

Investor	Local Japan investments
Global Brain Corporation	4
ANRI	3
Incubate Fund	3
Chiba Dojo	3
SBI Investment	2
Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group	1
OPT Ventures	1
Recruit Strategic Partners	1
STRIVE	1
F Ventures	1
Energy & Environment Investment	1
Mizuho Capital	1
GMO VenturePartners	1
ORIX Ventures	1
NetAge	1

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Investor list

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

Miresso — Miresso is a startup firm that offers nuclear fusion power generation services through natural resources.
Ac-Planta — Ac-Planta provides research, development, manufacture, and sales of agrochemicals.
Lx Design — Lx Design is an application that connects schools with people who wants to work as a teacher.

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

Investment focus

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

Portfolio highlights

MOVeLOT — MOVeLOT is an AI company that provides skeletal platform and robot planning, development, and production services.
xCARE — xCARE specializes in the development and commercialization phases of the pharmaceutical and medical device industries.
Infobox — Infobox is a sales data platform that includes every detail from market research to creating a list of companies and contacting decision-makers.

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

Portfolio highlights

SoftRoid — SoftRoid provides a software robot that patrols and collects data for analyzing the construction site.
M-INT — M-INT is a life science company that offers medical infrastructure and medical IT system.
Blossom Energy — Developed advanced nuclear reactors that are able to produce clean energy, Blossom Energy manufactures nuclear reactors for the nuclear energy industry. The focus of the company is on providing affordable, stable, and sustainable energy for the world. The company utilizes HTGR, which is a fourth-generation nuclear reactor.

Chiba Dojo is an entrepreneurial community that supports startup companies in various stages from seed to pre-IPO.

Investment focus

E-Commerce, Information Technology, Financial Services
Seed, Series A, Funding Round
Japan, Singapore, United States

Portfolio highlights

AlgaleX — AlgaleX is a firm that utilizes discarded food waste to create ingredients such as plant-based proteins.
CellFiber — Cell fiber technology was developed as a basic technology for handling cells in the engineering field.
OPTEMO — OPTEMO develops and supplies sales technology that allows businesses and customers to connect through a website.

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

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

Portfolio highlights

Alxtal — Alxtal is a tech company who optimize the development, design, and manufacturing processes of the manufacturing industry with IT and AI.
TopoLogic — TopoLogic designs and manufactures heat flow sensors, thermoelectric conversion devices, and topological and novel spintronics materials.
OPTEMO — OPTEMO develops and supplies sales technology that allows businesses and customers to connect through a website.

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, is a Japanese bank holding / financial services company headquartered in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. MUFG manages the affairs of its subsidiaries within the group and the business of the group as a whole along with all relevant ancillary business.The MUFG Group turned its eye toward the expected operatingenvironment changes over the next decade, and launched the new medium-term business plan, which outlines the strategies that will be implemented over the first three years of this period. The new plan is designed to guide us as they strive to realize their corporate vision—“Be the world's most trusted financial group.” By accelerating initiatives that span across business entities, regions, and business groups, they will work to live up to the expectations of their customers, shareholders, employees, and other stakeholders.The MUFG Group aims to achieve stable and sustainable income growth through seeking diversified revenue bases especially in customer segment both domestically and abroad, and capital efficiency by improving productivity. In addition, they will enhance shareholder value by conducting capital management flexibly taking the balance of (1) enhancement of further shareholder returns, (2) maintenance of a solid capital base and (3) strategic investments for sustainable growth, into consideration.

Investment focus

Financial Services, FinTech, Finance
Debt Financing, Funding Round, Series A
United States, Japan, Singapore

Portfolio highlights

Global Screening Services — From the industry, for the industry.A unique approach to deliver better sanctions screening.
Home Credit — Home Credit is a financial services provider based out of Kansas.
SB Energy — We make renewable energy more reliable, cost-effective, and accessible through cutting-edge innovations in order to build a more renewable future.

OPT Ventures is an investment and incubation firm that offers startups with venture capital, investments, IPO advice, management information services, and more. The company was established on February 27, 2015, and operates as an investment subsidiary of Opt Holding Corporation, an e-marketing company based in Tokyo, Japan.

Investment focus

Software, Content, Task Management
Funding Round, Series A, Seed
Japan, United States

Portfolio highlights

wakuwaku — WAKUWAKU is a Japanese real estate tech company that focuses on developing a platform that helps users to search for and renovate used housing. In addition, the company offers platforms for building materials e-commerce and marketing automation for the real estate and construction industries.
Aqua System — AQUA SYSTEM manufactures mil-kin, a microscope that enables the real-time visualization of bacteria. The company also handles the slightly acidic electrolytes water Purester system for agricultural field usage, generates equipment for hypochlorous water, and more.
Receptionist — Delighted develops an application for reception services. The company was founded in 2016 and is based in Tokyo, Japan.

Recruit Strategic Partners is a venture capital firm that invests in innovative startups from all around the world. It is a corporate venture capital arm of Recruit Holdings that seeks to invest in education and financial technology, digital healthcare, and infrastructure sectors. It was established in 2008 and is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.

Investment focus

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

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.

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

Showroom B2B — SHOWROOM B2B is building the largest B2B “Phygital” platform for India’s $108 Bn fashion industry by connecting Tier 2+ clothing retailers directly with small to mid-scale apparel manufacturers and providing all parties with solutions for distribution, credit, logistics, and marketing.Showroom works on “Touch & Feel” mode of selling where itsunique distribution model ensures that there is almost NO RETURN of products sold. It creates Experience Centres for its retailers which gives them the confidence to buy without any iota of doubt about product quality.Showroom's offerings = Better Margins for Clothing Retailers + Aggressive Growth for Clothing Manufacturers
Testsigma — Powerful cloud-based test automation platform that lets you automate tests for web, mobile, desktop apps, and APIs in minutes. Sign up now!
Mercado Único — Mercado Único is a B2B platform for the distribution and management of opportunistic sales of Consumer Goods that are close to expiration and slow-moving, connecting suppliers (manufacturers/distributors) to buyers (retailers/distributors) with items that have predictable and immediate use at discounted prices.

F Ventures is a venture capital firm based in Japan.

Investment focus

Internet, Information Technology, Human Resources
Seed, Funding Round, Pre-Seed
Japan, Hong Kong

Portfolio highlights

DENDOH — DENDOH specializes in branding and promotion business using AR technology and 3D design.
Tripi — Tripi provides travel media and digital marketing services, as well as the accommodation gift service.
microverse — Microverse offers NFT-related services such as content creation, distribution, and customer service.

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

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

Portfolio highlights

Fager — Fager is an agriculture firm specializing in promoting decarbonization projects, agricultural carbon production, and sales.
Nature — Nature offers a product that enables its users to save money by controlling the use of their air conditioners.The product that the company offers is an air conditioner controller that transforms any window-mounted or through-wall AC into a smart one, equipped with infrared, power control, and sensors that, along with a mobile app for voicesensors, enabling users to operate household appliances with just one smartphone to control their ACs. It transforms the operation of room air conditioners (ACs) to improve comfort and efficiency for consumers while reducing energy demand peaks for utilities with simple, inexpensive, and easy-to-install device.The Boston, Massachusetts-based company was incorporated by Mash Ohtsuka and Haruumi Shiode in 2014.
Synspective — Synspective provides one-stop-solutions by satellite gathered geospatial data. The core technology was developed by the ImPACT program led by The Cabinet Office, Government of Japan, building small SAR satellites and constellations, allowing frequent observation of areas of interest (AOI). Synspective uses its satellites to produce SAR data which can be provided to both government and commercial clients as-is, as well as transform that data through AI solutions to produce insights and user-friendly information across industries.

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

Japan DX — Japan DX platform provides a comprehensive data-driven services to inbound tourists to Japan.
Unito — Unito offers people a friction-free lifestyle by pursuing optimization of living.
GenerativeX Co — GenerativeX provides AI app development, consulting, and generative model development.

An investment that restructures the value and quality.Supplying big capital is not an essential value of our firm.We have a strong attitude to input and drive critical thinking behind a new startup.After the problem is clarified and solution become established in the world,people could not imagine the society without that solution.An investment that innovates this world.We will become a real partner to execute the strategy together.INVENTION OF THE ESSENCE ----we will keep on doing it.

Investment focus

Financial Services, FinTech, Finance
Seed, Funding Round, Series A
Japan, United States, India

Portfolio highlights

Asuene — Asuene involves in clean power retail business, retail SaaS business, etc.
Fondo — Fondo is an all-in-one accounting platform for startups. We'll handle your bookkeeping, tax, and tax credits so you can focus on building your startup.
Mundi — Mundi provides financial, trade development, strategy, freight and reinventing international trade services.

Growth Capital and Venture Debt team providing highly customized equity and debt solutions to help take leading technology companies to the next level.

Investment focus

Software, Internet, Analytics
Funding Round, Series A, Series C
United States, Japan

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.

netage, inc. is a venture capital firm specializing in startup and incubation investments. They invests in internet business. netage is located in Tokyo, Japan.

Investment focus

News, Local, Big Data
Pre-Seed, Series A
Japan

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.

Investors by industry

Media (entertainment)

EdTech

Consumer

Climate