# Hiroshi Mikitani

> Hiroshi Mikitani is a seed investor at Rakuten (Tokyo) backing Software and Health Care. See 20 investments, check sizes, portfolio. Updated Aug 2026.

- Type: Angel Investor
- Fund: [Rakuten](https://shizune.co/investors/profile/rakuten)
- Location: Tokyo, Japan
- Total investments: 20
- Last investment: Jan 2026
- Lead investor: 60%
- Last updated: Aug 2026
- LinkedIn: https://jp.linkedin.com/in/mikitani
- X (Twitter): http://twitter.com/hmikitani_e
- Website: http://global.rakuten.com/group

Hiroshi Mikitani is a seed investor at Rakuten in Tokyo focused on Software and Health Care. Hiroshi Mikitani is the Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Rakuten. He previously worked at Fujitsu Global as a Non-Executive Director. Hiroshi Mikitani attended Harvard Business School.

## Investment focus

### Industry

| Industry | Investments | Share |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Software | 3 | 15% |
| Health Care | 2 | 10% |
| Biotechnology | 2 | 10% |
| Information Technology | 2 | 10% |
| Apps | 1 | 5% |

26 industries tracked in total.

### Stage

| Stage | Investments | Share |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Seed | 2 | 10% |
| Series A | 2 | 10% |
| Series B | 2 | 10% |
| Series E | 2 | 10% |
| Series F | 2 | 10% |

11 stages tracked in total.

### Country

| Country | Investments | Share |
| --- | --- | --- |
| United States | 7 | 35% |
| Japan | 1 | 5% |

## Investments

| Company | Description | Amount | Stage | Date | Website |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Rakuten Medical | Rakuten Medical is a biotechnology company developing investigational cancer therapies based on its proprietary Alluminox platform. This platform integrates a drug, a device, and other components to deliver photoimmunotherapy, a treatment that combines a light-activated dye with a targeting agent to selectively destroy cancer cells. Thecompany's lead asset, ASP-1929, is an antibody-dye conjugate currently approved in Japan for treating unresectable locally advanced or recurrent head and neck cancer. Rakuten Medical is conducting global clinical trials to evaluate the safety and efficacy of its therapies in combination with other treatments. The company also offers an Expanded Access Program to provide investigational products to patients with serious or life-threatening diseases who lack other treatment options. Rakuten Medical operates in multiple countries and focuses on developing new cancer treatments based on its Alluminox™ platform. | $111.5M | Series F | Jan 07, 2026 |  |
| Rakuten Medical | Rakuten Medical is a biotechnology company developing investigational cancer therapies based on its proprietary Alluminox platform. This platform integrates a drug, a device, and other components to deliver photoimmunotherapy, a treatment that combines a light-activated dye with a targeting agent to selectively destroy cancer cells. Thecompany's lead asset, ASP-1929, is an antibody-dye conjugate currently approved in Japan for treating unresectable locally advanced or recurrent head and neck cancer. Rakuten Medical is conducting global clinical trials to evaluate the safety and efficacy of its therapies in combination with other treatments. The company also offers an Expanded Access Program to provide investigational products to patients with serious or life-threatening diseases who lack other treatment options. Rakuten Medical operates in multiple countries and focuses on developing new cancer treatments based on its Alluminox™ platform. | $119M | Series E | Mar 06, 2024 |  |
| Rakuten Medical | Rakuten Medical is a biotechnology company developing investigational cancer therapies based on its proprietary Alluminox platform. This platform integrates a drug, a device, and other components to deliver photoimmunotherapy, a treatment that combines a light-activated dye with a targeting agent to selectively destroy cancer cells. Thecompany's lead asset, ASP-1929, is an antibody-dye conjugate currently approved in Japan for treating unresectable locally advanced or recurrent head and neck cancer. Rakuten Medical is conducting global clinical trials to evaluate the safety and efficacy of its therapies in combination with other treatments. The company also offers an Expanded Access Program to provide investigational products to patients with serious or life-threatening diseases who lack other treatment options. Rakuten Medical operates in multiple countries and focuses on developing new cancer treatments based on its Alluminox™ platform. | $166M | Series D | Jul 28, 2021 |  |
| mmhmm | Mmhmm is a developer of a virtual camera application used to help make creative use of background during video conferencing calls. Its application integrates into the user's video calling applications and adds backdrops, allows users to team-up with their remote partners and give presentations together, and enables customers to make theirvirtual meetings more interesting and informative.The company was founded in 2020 and is headquartered in San Francisco, California. | $30.4M | Series A | Oct 07, 2020 |  |
| AST SpaceMobile | AST SpaceMobile is building the first and only global broadband cellular network in space to operate directly with standard, unmodified mobile devices based on our extensive IP and patent portfolio. The company's team of engineers and space scientists are on a mission to eliminate the connectivity gaps faced by today's five billion mobilesubscribers and finally bring broadband to the billions who remain unconnected. The company was founded on May 31, 2017 and is headquartered in Midland, TX. The listed name for ASTS is AST SpaceMobile, Inc. Class A Common Stock. | $110M | Series B | Mar 03, 2020 |  |
| Rakuten Medical | Rakuten Medical is a biotechnology company developing investigational cancer therapies based on its proprietary Alluminox platform. This platform integrates a drug, a device, and other components to deliver photoimmunotherapy, a treatment that combines a light-activated dye with a targeting agent to selectively destroy cancer cells. Thecompany's lead asset, ASP-1929, is an antibody-dye conjugate currently approved in Japan for treating unresectable locally advanced or recurrent head and neck cancer. Rakuten Medical is conducting global clinical trials to evaluate the safety and efficacy of its therapies in combination with other treatments. The company also offers an Expanded Access Program to provide investigational products to patients with serious or life-threatening diseases who lack other treatment options. Rakuten Medical operates in multiple countries and focuses on developing new cancer treatments based on its Alluminox™ platform. | $134M | Series C | Dec 21, 2018 |  |
| Genesis Healthcare | Genesis Healthcare is a privately-owned Japanese genetic testing and research company headquartered in Japan since 2004. With launching new Asian headquarters in Singapore and its branch in Taiwan early 2018, we currently offer services across Southeast Asia. Possessing the largest genetic database in Japan and Asia comprising over 988,000 peopleand 1,500 diseases, Genesis Healthcare provides research and clinically validated genetic testing services using the most advanced PCR, Microarray and NGS technology. Genesis Healthcare is also Japan’s top market leader in the consumer genetics segment with its brand “GeneLife,” and promotes preventive healthcare through genetic testing. To purchase our genetic testing kits, please visit https://www.genelife.asia/product As the pioneer in genetic research and testing in Japan, Genesis Healthcare works closely with various government agencies in formulating genetic testing guidelines to secure accuracy and protect individuals’ genetic information. | $241M |  | Feb 27, 2018 |  |
| Lyft | Lyft designs, markets, and operates a mobile application that matches drivers with passengers who request rides, and also allows payment through the app. It also allows riders to schedule rides up to seven days in advance.Its services are primarily focused on college, university, and corporate communities. Lyft is a fast-growing ridesharingcompany in the U.S. and is available to 95 percent of the US population.Lyft was founded in June 2012 by Logan Green and John Zimmer in San Francisco, California. | $500M | Series H | Dec 05, 2017 |  |
| Lyft | Lyft designs, markets, and operates a mobile application that matches drivers with passengers who request rides, and also allows payment through the app. It also allows riders to schedule rides up to seven days in advance.Its services are primarily focused on college, university, and corporate communities. Lyft is a fast-growing ridesharingcompany in the U.S. and is available to 95 percent of the US population.Lyft was founded in June 2012 by Logan Green and John Zimmer in San Francisco, California. | $600M | Series G | Apr 11, 2017 |  |
| HOMMA | HOMMA is a start-up tech home builder that specializes in designing modern homes that improve the living experience. The team at HOMMA is composed of skilled professionals, including home builders, architects, designers, and engineers, all working to create living spaces that are aesthetically pleasing and sustainable. | $4.9M | Seed | Oct 24, 2016 |  |

10 of 20 investments shown.

## Co-investors
- [SBI Group](https://shizune.co/investors/profile/sbi-group) — VC Fund, 4 deals together
- [Didi](https://shizune.co/investors/profile/didi-dache) — VC Fund, 2 deals together
- [Graphene Ventures](https://shizune.co/investors/profile/graphene-ventures) — VC Fund, 2 deals together
- [M13](https://shizune.co/investors/profile/m13) — VC Fund, 2 deals together
- [Mistletoe](https://shizune.co/investors/profile/mistletoe) — VC Fund, 2 deals together
- [Rakuten](https://shizune.co/investors/profile/rakuten) — VC Fund, 2 deals together

## About Rakuten

VC Fund · Tokyo, Japan

Rakuten is a tech company that offers electronic commerce solutions in Japan and internationally. The company operates in three segments such as internet services, finance services, and others.The internet services segment comprises businesses running various e-commerce sites, including Rakuten Ichiba, an internet shopping mall; travel bookingsites; portal sites; and e-book businesses as well as businesses for advertising and sale of contents and similar on these sites.Its offerings include e-reading, online travel reservations, online auctions, online marketing, online golf course reservations, portal sites, search engines, integrated internet marketing, online recipe posting and browsing, student recruiting community, online purchase of discount coupons, online shopping, and video on demand services. It is involved in the online sale of books, CDs, and DVDs.The internet finance segment is engaged in providing services related to banking and securities, credit cards, life insurance, and electronic money. This segment provides credit card payment, internet banking, online brokerage, online comprehensive insurance, and face-to-face and online life insurance services as well as credit card transactions on smartphones and tablets.The other segments are involved in the provision of communications services such as next-generation LTE-compatible mobile data communication, telecommunications, internet connection and corporate mobile phone services, and management of a professional baseball team.The company was formerly known as MDM, Inc. and changed its name to Rakuten, Inc. in June 1999. Rakuten, Inc. was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.

5 contacts available at Rakuten.

| Name | Title | Profile |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Hiroshi Mikitani | Chairman and President, Chief Operating Officer | https://shizune.co/investors/profile/hiroshi-mikitani |
| Masatada Kobayashi | Group Managing Executive Officer & Chief Well-Being Officer | https://shizune.co/investors/profile/masatada-kobayashi |
| Masayuki Hosaka | Representative Director and Vice Chairman | https://shizune.co/investors/profile/masayuki-hosaka |
| Takahide Uchida | Auditor (Full-time) | https://shizune.co/investors/profile/takahide-uchida |
| Takashi Mitachi | Director | https://shizune.co/investors/profile/takashi-mitachi-2 |

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## FAQ

### What does Hiroshi Mikitani invest in?

Hiroshi Mikitani invests primarily in Software, Health Care and Biotechnology startups, most often at Seed and Series A stage. Most of the 20 investments tracked by Shizune back companies in United States. The Investment Focus section breaks down every industry, stage and country in the portfolio.

### When did Hiroshi Mikitani last invest?

The most recent investment recorded for Hiroshi Mikitani closed in Jan 2026. Shizune tracks 20 investments in total for this profile, including round sizes, stages and portfolio companies, all sourced from confirmed public funding rounds and refreshed monthly.

### Is Shizune's investor data accurate?

Yes — every stat on this profile is calculated from confirmed public funding rounds monitored across hundreds of sources since 2020. This profile was last refreshed in Aug 2026 and is updated monthly. Spotted something off? Use the “Suggest an edit” link near the top of the page.

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