# Yoshitaka Kitao

> Yoshitaka Kitao is a Series A investor at SBI Investment backing Financial Services and FinTech. See 45 investments, check sizes, portfolio. Updated Aug 2026.

- Type: Angel Investor
- Fund: [SBI Investment](https://shizune.co/investors/profile/sbi-investment-2)
- Location: Tokyo, Japan
- Total investments: 45
- Last investment: Jul 2026
- Lead investor: 62%
- Last updated: Aug 2026

Yoshitaka Kitao is a Series A investor at SBI Investment in Tokyo focused on Financial Services and FinTech. Yoshitaka Kitao is the Founder & CEO of SBI Group.1974, degree, Keio University, Japan; 1978, degree, Cambridge University, UK. 1974, with Nomura Securities; 1989, Managing Director, Wasserstein Perella & Company International, London; 1991, Director, Nomura Wasserstein Perella; 1992, General Manager, Department III, Corporate Finance andServices, Nomura Securities; 1995, Executive Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer, SoftBank; since 2005, Representative Director, President and CEO, SBI Holdings.

## Investment focus

### Industry

| Industry | Investments | Share |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Financial Services | 15 | 33% |
| FinTech | 13 | 29% |
| Finance | 9 | 20% |
| Software | 8 | 18% |
| Cryptocurrency | 8 | 18% |

68 industries tracked in total.

### Stage

| Stage | Investments | Share |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Series A | 10 | 22% |
| Series C | 9 | 20% |
| Series B | 6 | 13% |
| Funding Round | 6 | 13% |
| Venture - Series Unknown | 6 | 13% |

8 stages tracked in total.

### Country

| Country | Investments | Share |
| --- | --- | --- |
| United Kingdom | 8 | 18% |
| United States | 6 | 13% |
| India | 5 | 11% |
| Japan | 3 | 7% |
| Germany | 3 | 7% |

11 countries tracked in total.

## Investments

| Company | Description | Amount | Stage | Date | Website |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Gauntlet | Gauntlet builds a blockchain simulation and testing platform for financial systems. The company's blockchain simulation and the testing platform run a series of simulations to test the client's protocol or smart contract and gain intuition on how design choices affect behavior, thereby helping financial institutions by providingtransparency and greatly reduces the cost of experimentation so that teams can rapidly design, launch, and scale new decentralized systems. Gauntlet was founded in 2018 and is headquartered in Brooklyn, NY, USA. | $125M | Series C | Jul 09, 2026 |  |
| EDX Markets | EDX Markets operates an institutional digital asset marketplace that provides cryptocurrency spot trading, clearing, and settlement services. The company offers a non-custodial trading venue with a central clearing model designed to streamline trade settlement, manage counterparty exposure, and support institutional trading workflows. It alsoprovides perpetual futures trading for eligible international institutional participants, along with API connectivity, market access tools, and crypto infrastructure services. Its platform supports trading across a range of digital assets while emphasizing transparent market operations and operational efficiency for financial institutions. | $76M | Series C | Jul 07, 2026 |  |
| Oxford Quantum Circuits | Oxford Quantum Circuits developing technology using the power of quantum to do things which have never been achieved before, from enabling life-changing drug discoveries to developing new battery technologies. | $350M | Series C | Jun 03, 2026 |  |
| Cognichip | Cognichip is an AI-first deep tech company focused on transforming the semiconductor industry by revolutionizing how chips are designed. The company has developed Artificial Chip Intelligence (ACI®), the world’s first physics-informed AI foundation model specifically tailored for semiconductor design | $60M | Series A | Apr 01, 2026 |  |
| Digift | DigiFT Tech intends to offer regulated decentralized finance solutions on the Ethereum public blockchain. operate the first regulatory-compliant digital asset exchange, where asset owners can issue blockchain-based security tokens and investors can trade with continuous liquidity through an Automatic Market Maker mechanism. |  | Venture - Series Unknown | Aug 21, 2025 |  |
| Kigen | Kigen is a provider of Internet of Things (IoT) and telecommunication services, focusing on eSIM and iSIM technology. It also also offers services such as embedded universal integrated circuit card (eUICC) solutions and data generation. |  | Venture - Series Unknown | Jun 10, 2025 |  |
| UBX Philippines | UBX Philippines is a fintech company passionate about creating opportunities and access for all by building solutions. |  | Venture - Series Unknown | Sep 26, 2024 |  |
| Oasys | Oasys is a Blockchain designed exclusively for the gaming industry. |  | Venture - Series Unknown | Aug 29, 2024 |  |
| Pliant | Pliant provides modular, API-first B2B payment solutions designed to help businesses streamline spending, improve cash flow management, and integrate payments into financial operations. Its platform serves industries with complex payment needs, such as travel and fleet, offering tools that increase operational efficiency and financial control.Pliant’s core offerings target two customer groups: businesses seeking to optimize their payment workflows using apps and APIs, and companies such as financial software providers, ERP systems, and banks looking to build or expand credit card products through embedded finance and white-label services. The company’s solutions enable customers to extend credit lines, manage expenses flexibly, and create new revenue streams.We serve two primary customer segments: - Companies looking to optimize operational processes through intuitive apps and APIs, gaining control, automation, and financial flexibility through extended credit lines. - Companies such as financial software platforms, ERP providers, and banks that want to launch or enhance their credit card offerings using Pliant’s embedded finance and white-label solutions. Founded in 2020 and headquartered in Berlin, Pliant supports over 3,500 businesses and more than 20 partners globally. As a licensed e-money institution (EMI), we issue Visa-powered credit cards in 11 currencies across more than 30 countries, helping companies streamline and simplify payments.Learn more at www.getpliant.com | $19.2M | Series A | Apr 17, 2024 |  |
| TopoLogic | TopoLogic designs and manufactures heat flow sensors, thermoelectric conversion devices, and topological and novel spintronics materials. | $99.2M |  | Feb 29, 2024 |  |

10 of 45 investments shown.

## Co-investors
- [SC Ventures](https://shizune.co/investors/profile/sc-ventures-55b0) — VC Fund, 4 deals together
- [Verve Ventures](https://shizune.co/investors/profile/verve-ventures) — VC Fund, 4 deals together
- [Alstin Capital](https://shizune.co/investors/profile/alstin) — VC Fund, 3 deals together
- [Cargill Ventures](https://shizune.co/investors/profile/cargill-ventures) — VC Fund, 3 deals together
- [ETF Partners](https://shizune.co/investors/profile/etf-partners) — VC Fund, 3 deals together
- [Japan Science and Technology Agency](https://shizune.co/investors/profile/japan-science-and-technology-agency) — VC Fund, 3 deals together

## About SBI Investment

VC Fund · Minato, Japan

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.

5 contacts available at SBI Investment.

| Name | Title | Profile |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Ahn Jae- gwang | director | https://shizune.co/investors/profile/ahn-jae-gwang |
| Hashidzume Jun | Investment Department | https://shizune.co/investors/profile/hashidzume-jun |
| Katsuya Kawashima | Director and President | https://shizune.co/investors/profile/katsuya-kawashima |
| Koshiro Ashizawa | Assistant Manager | https://shizune.co/investors/profile/koshiro-ashizawa |
| Kyota Suzuki | Manager | https://shizune.co/investors/profile/kyota-suzuki-21ee |

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- [Alumni Ventures](https://shizune.co/investors/profile/alumni-ventures-group) — VC Fund
- [General Catalyst](https://shizune.co/investors/profile/general-catalyst-partners) — VC Fund

## FAQ

### What does Yoshitaka Kitao invest in?

Yoshitaka Kitao invests primarily in Financial Services, FinTech and Finance startups, most often at Series A and Series C stage. Most of the 45 investments tracked by Shizune back companies in United Kingdom. The Investment Focus section breaks down every industry, stage and country in the portfolio.

### When did Yoshitaka Kitao last invest?

The most recent investment recorded for Yoshitaka Kitao closed in Jul 2026. Shizune tracks 45 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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