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Top 50 Software Angel Investors in Japan in May 2025

Last updated: May 2025 A list of 50 angel investors that invest in Software startups based in Japan. We rank investors based on the number of investments they made in Software companies from Japan. We update this investor list every month.

Top 50 Software Angel Investors in Japan in May 2025

Investor	Software Japan investments
Kotaro Chiba	20
Kotaro Chiba	20
Ayataro Nakagawa	19
Kensuke Furukawa	17
Hirofumi Miki	15
Yusuke Sato	14
Nobuhiro Ariyasu	12
Hidetoshi Takano	11
Yu Akasaka	10
Mamoru Taniya	9
Masao Ito	9
Tatsuo Sakamoto	8
Toru Shimada	7
Shintaro Yamada	6
Hironao Kunimitsu	6
Shunsuke Oyu	6
Naoki Aoyagi	5
Shogo Kawada	5
Yuichi Kawasaki	5
Yoshinori Fukushima	5
Masanori Sugiyama	5
Yuzuru Honda	5
Noguchi Keito	5
Soichiro Kawai	5
Hiroki Nakamura	4
Kazuma Ieiri	4
Tomohito Ebine	4
Yasuyuki Kin	4
Kiyoshi Nishikawa	4
Narita Shuzo	4
Akinori Harada	3
Robert Huang	3
Chihiro Asano	3
Yutaka Matsuo	3
Takaya Shinozuka	3
Masaru Sunagawa	3
Yuki Naito	3
Yoshitsune Ido	3
Makoto Takano	3
Shigeru Urushibara	3
Mizuki Inoue	3
Kiyohiro Sugashita	3
Sotaro Karasawa	3
Shuichi Takenaga	3
Kazuhiro Ishikura	3
Shota Horii	3
Kenji Kasahara	3
Yasuyoshi Yanagisawa	3
Yasumasa Manabe	3
Taizo Son	3

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Kotaro Chiba is the founder of ChibaDojo Fund. Kotaro Chiba attended Keio University.

Investment focus

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

Portfolio highlights

MI-6 — MI-6 is a research, development, consulting, and project management for material development using IT. We will promote materials informatics in the field of material development with our technological capabilities and a wealth of project knowledge that challenge the world's most advanced technologies .
ELESTYLE — ELESTYLE are promoting mobile payments and providing high value-added services for users to realize a cashless society.
Luup — Luup is an Internet Company.

Kotaro Chiba is the founder of ChibaDojo Fund. Kotaro Chiba attended Keio University.

Investment focus

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

Portfolio highlights

MI-6 — MI-6 is a research, development, consulting, and project management for material development using IT. We will promote materials informatics in the field of material development with our technological capabilities and a wealth of project knowledge that challenge the world's most advanced technologies .
ELESTYLE — ELESTYLE are promoting mobile payments and providing high value-added services for users to realize a cashless society.
Luup — Luup is an Internet Company.

2011 At university, participated in the founding period as a director of Atcole Co., Ltd., and started the web service experience.2012 Founded Peroli Co., Ltd., which operates a curation platform for women "MERY" .2014 Founded Peroli Co., Ltd. Sold to DeNA 2015 Jointly established Tokyo Founders Fund as an angel investor and startedinvesting in startups in Japan and overseas 2019 Appointed outside director of FIREBUG Co., Ltd.

Investment focus

Internet, Software, Content
Seed, Angel, Funding Round
Japan, Hong Kong, United States

Portfolio highlights

Mepple — Mepple is planning, developing, and operating internet services.
For you — For you is a comprehensive Advertising agency business specializing in SNS.
SPORTS CROWN — SPORTS CROWN engages in the development and operation of fantasy sports.

Kensuke Furukawa was born in June 2, 1981. He graduated Waseda University majoring Political Science and Economics, and in 2000, he launched "Milkcafe", a student community, which has grown to a site with 10 million PV per month. In 2004, he became the CEO of Media Clip, which operates a rental bulletin board service "ShitarabaBBS". After that year, he had transfer "Shitaraba BBS" to Livedoor, and took charge of starting up the Consumer Generated Media sector. In 2006, he joined Recruit, and took charge of starting up a new business at Business development sector. In June of 2009, he left Recruit, and became the CEO of nanapi （formerly Rocket Start), which operates the How-to Site "nanapi".

Investment focus

Content, Social Media, Media and Entertainment
Seed, Funding Round, Angel
Japan

Portfolio highlights

iiba — Iiba is a geospatial platform that specializes in providing location information related to child-rearing.
Tohakusha — Tohakusha is a creative agency that offers design, production and sale of digital content and EC websites, and content creation services.
Neighbor — Neighbor is a metaverse game developer that specializes in Fortnite.

After JTB Co., Ltd. and CYBIRD Co., Ltd. as an initial member of Glee Co., Ltd. is responsible for business development. Currently, he is mainly engaged in venture support in the Internet area, investing in venture and venture capital, and served as management advisor for dozens of companies. Hands-on business development, growth strategydevelopment, financing advice, HR organization design support, partner referral and Recruit Support. He is also engaged in business support for ventures in the healthcare and university venture fields. He served as Digital Health Meetup Advisor, NEDOTCP Mentor and Future 2016 Mentor.

Investment focus

Content, Marketing, Internet
Seed, Angel, Pre-Seed
Japan

Portfolio highlights

Epicbase — Epicbase is an AI-based automatic voice transcription service based on voice recognition technology.
Go Visions — Go Visions engages in the edutainment tech for children and human resources services.
Ai-Dounyu.com — Ai-Dounyu.com is a platform that helps organizations looking to integrate AI choose their ideal AI implementation partner for free.

Yusuke Sato is the Co-Representative and Co-Founder of Pulit.

Investment focus

Content, Internet, Food and Beverage
Seed, Funding Round, Angel
Japan, Indonesia, United States

Portfolio highlights

Kaimak — Kaymak is a recruitment platform that focuses on creating a recruitment website, planning a recruitment strategy, and managing candidates.
Meetscare — Meetscare provides correct information and supports the self-awareness of all people involved in care. The company provides a wealth of information to ensure optimal care and create a mechanism for the realization. Users can make a telephone consultation and web diagnosis and search for free information using the system.Meetscare was founded on2016 and is headquartered in Arakawa, Tokyo.
Driver Technologies — Driver Technologies is a cloud logistics platform provider. It provides a solution for driver matching and cargo vehicle demands.

Nobuhiro Ariyasu is the CEO at Coach United.

Investment focus

Finance, Internet, Content
Seed, Angel, Funding Round
Japan, Singapore

Portfolio highlights

Mign — Mign offers a generative AI-related SaaS solutions for the construction and real estate fields.
PICK — PICK is a startup that provides a digital transformation platform for the real estate and construction industries.
Conoris Technologies — Conoris Technologies is a staffing agency that offers security check support services for companies.

Joined Intelligence in 1999. Established Key Players Inc. in 2005. Consultation with more than 3,000 managers and career counseling for more than 10,000 individuals. In addition, we have invested in more than 55 outside directors, advisors and angels in Silicon Valley and Bangladesh in Japan. Over 100 lectures on careers, entrepreneurship andstartups.

Investment focus

Internet, Information Technology, Human Resources
Seed, Angel, Funding Round
Japan, United States

Portfolio highlights

Kaimak — Kaymak is a recruitment platform that focuses on creating a recruitment website, planning a recruitment strategy, and managing candidates.
D-Chain — D-Chain offers services related to IT development and production in the Web3 and Web2 fields.
Rayout — Rayout is a business consulting company that provides creative content development, recruitment videos, and web production services.

During Hosei University student, and intern at Hakuhodo C & D. After joining the Image-net, I do media monetization of EC site as a media planner. Then, new business, engaged in Alliance. Launched a crowdsourcing site "MILLION DESIGNS" of design in the individual, sold to Ransazu Corporation. Established the Eureka Co., Ltd., wasappointed Representative Director CEO.

Investment focus

Food and Beverage, Content, Internet
Seed, Angel, Funding Round
Japan, Australia, Hong Kong

Portfolio highlights

Now Do — Now Do provides online growth revolution platform.
RE — RE specializes in smartphone application design and development.
Vitalogue Health — Vitalogue Health offers Canvas, a home-based hormone testing service for women.

After graduating from the Faculty of Law at the University of Tokyo, he joined Solomon Brothers, where he became the youngest managing director in Asia, where he was in charge of Asian investment. After that, he created one of the largest independent Asuka assets. He also launched Japan's first independent online life insurance company,LifeNet Life Insurance, and inspired Japan's first International.

Investment focus

Apps, Content, FinTech
Seed, Series A, Funding Round
Japan, Singapore, Spain

Portfolio highlights

Revorf — Revorf analyzes data and develops AI-related to infectious diseases and healthcare.
abillion — Find tips for plant-based food & products near you. Join the community to share reviews of restaurants & brands. Raise funds & drive sustainability!
RIMM Sustainability — RIMM Sustainability provides a SaaS platform that enables companies of all sizes to optimise their sustainability management effort. It builds tools for sustainability management, reporting and optimisation.

Masao Ito is a Founder & CEO at User Local.

Investment focus

Content, Social Media, Information Technology
Seed, Series A, Angel
Japan

Portfolio highlights

Illusil — Illusil is a service that makes it easier for anyone to generate slide materials and reduces the amount of time needed to do it. Additionally, presentations can be automatically generated from text input by AI, and over 1,000 design templates can be used to build original slides.
Alyaum — Aryaum supports "regional revitalization through NFT" by offering local governments all around the nation hometown tax and tourism NFT solutions.
Driver Technologies — Driver Technologies is a cloud logistics platform provider. It provides a solution for driver matching and cargo vehicle demands.

Tatsuo Sakamoto is a Head of Sales, Japan at MOLOCO. He Attended The University of Tokyo.

Investment focus

Information Technology, Education, Recruiting
Seed, Angel, Pre-Seed
Japan

Portfolio highlights

bgrass — bgrass is a consultation support platform for women working in the IT industry.
Cloudbase — Cloudbase is an information technology company that specializes in the fields of cloud services and management.
Metaverse Creators — Metaverse Creators is a feature-rich virtual platform providing gamers with a wide range of games, creation tools, and avatar editing tools.

Toru Shimada is a Senior Executive Officer and Director of Rakuten. Mr. Shimada is a Director of Rakuten Baseball, Inc., and Head of Asia Regional Headquarters Office of the Company.Mr. Shimada joined Rakuten in 2004. Prior to joining Rakuten, Mr. Shimada was founder and Director of INTELLIGENCE, LTD from 1989 to 2004. Prior to INTELLIGENCE, LTD.Mr. Shimada worked at RECRUIT CO., LTD. from 1987 to 1989.

Investment focus

Internet, Task Management, Marketing
Seed, Angel, Funding Round
Japan

Portfolio highlights

Ixyas — Ixyas offers internet service planning, operation, marketing support, and sales services.
Neith — Neith is a apparel manufacturer, seller and a whoelseller of water absorbing bralette, lingerie and shorts for women.
Now Do — Now Do provides online growth revolution platform.

During his years at Waseda University, Shintaro worked at Japan’s biggest e-commerce mall, Rakuten, Inc. On August 1st 2001, Shintaro established “Unoh Inc.” after graduating university. At Unoh he was responsible for designing and developing several web services, one of which was the online magazine subscription . Services provided by Unohinclude planning, development and management of the film enthusiast community site “Movie Life” (acquired by PIA Corporation) as well as “Sugu.CC” , “NeoAd” (both acquired by GMOAP) and the photo sharing site “Photozou” (acquired by Digital Garage).In 2009 Unoh entered into social gaming, creating multiple successful social games. Among these games, “Machitsuku!” has been its biggest hit with over 5 million users. On August 3rd 2010, Unoh joined Zynga and Shintaro became General Manager of Zynga Japan. He resigned on January 2012. After traveling around the world, He established the new company “Mercari, Inc.” on February 2013 and released the resale shopping app “Mercari” on July 2013 in Japan.He is a true Internet geek, spending a lot of time on the Internet and boasts around 180,000 followers on Twitter.

Investment focus

Internet, Finance, Information Technology
Seed, Angel, Pre-Seed
Japan, United States, Kenya

Portfolio highlights

Autify — AI software testing company aimed at solving the challenges associated with automation testing. We are passionate about making software testing faster and easier, empowering companies to release faster and keep their applications stable.
Peach Cars — Buy or sell your car in Nairobi-Kenya with ease. Browse a wide range of vehicles, connect with trusted sellers, and find the perfect car today. Simple, fast, and secure transactions.
AnotherBall — AnotherBall is a blockchain startup that combines entertainment and blockchain.

Hironao Kunimitsu was born in Hyogo, Japan. After graduating from Okayama High School, he spent several years traveling around the world. He visited over 30 countries including the US, China, India, Canada, and others in Central and South America.In 1996 he entered Fudan University in China, and then later went on to study at Santa MonicaCollege in the US. In 2004 he entered Atmovie Inc. where he produced movies and televised dramas, and was appointed company director in the same year. In 2007 he founded gumi Inc., and it started listing on first section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange in December, 2014.

Investment focus

Virtual Reality, Content, Media and Entertainment
Funding Round, Seed, Angel
Japan, United States

Portfolio highlights

1SEC — 1sec is a virtual influencers in Japan,develop in-house and management. IMPACT to CEKAI in 1 second. Based on the concept of making CEKAI happy in one second, US based in Los Angeles and Japan, based in Tokyo, virtual influencers × AI, fashion & music & The company will develop a number of CEKAI's first and first projects in Japan inthe field of enter teignment.
Gatari — Gatari is developing an AR audio platform, including the AR camera app Vismuth, which can call avatars in reality.
Thirdverse — Thirdverse (formerly known as Yomuneco Inc) is engaged in Virtual Reality content and services planning, development, sales and management.

Shunsuke Oyu is the co-founder of Connehito Inc. Started an online Q&A platform “mamari” which is the largest platform for moms in Japan. Connehito was acquired by one of the telecom giant KDDI in 2016. Selected as a “Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia” at consumer technology department. Angel-investing 50+ companies globally.

Investment focus

Content, Internet, Media and Entertainment
Seed, Angel, Funding Round
Japan, Singapore, United States

Portfolio highlights

Tohakusha — Tohakusha is a creative agency that offers design, production and sale of digital content and EC websites, and content creation services.
Ai-Dounyu.com — Ai-Dounyu.com is a platform that helps organizations looking to integrate AI choose their ideal AI implementation partner for free.
Neighbor — Neighbor is a metaverse game developer that specializes in Fortnite.

Naoki Aoyagi is a Senior Vice President at GREE, Inc. and Chief Executive Officer of GREE International, Inc. He joined GREE, Inc. in March 2006 from Deutsche Bank, where he had specialized in tech and media sector IPOs and M&A advisory work. At GREE, Aoyagi oversaw the Company's partnership with KDDI and its IPO before leading thedevelopment of GREE’s global operations, a role he continues today. Aoyagi earned a bachelor's degree in policy management from Keio University in 2002.

Investment focus

Internet, Fashion, Software
Seed, Angel, Series A
Japan

Portfolio highlights

Enechain — enechain provides liquidity in Japan’s energy market by brokering OTC transactions of energy.
Parallel — Parallel is the hangout app where you can enjoy games, videos, music, and more with friends.
Holmes — Holmesis a cloud contract system to consistently carry out the creation, conclusion and management of contracts in the cloud.

Shogo Kawada is Co-founder and Adviser of DeNA, a global Internet company focused on a social games platform, social games, e-commerce and other Web services for mobile devices and PCs.

Investment focus

Software, SaaS, Media and Entertainment
Seed, Funding Round, Angel
Japan, United States

Portfolio highlights

Voicy — Voicy is a mobile platform that recruits both media personalities and news organizations; the entertainers read the news so users can get the latest info from their favorite voices.
Sunblaze — sunblaze is a android-based smartphone users begin to experience stability issues after one to two years of use. For example, their device may get slower or they encounter unexpected app crashes. These stability issues also lead to security vulnerabilities.SUNBLAZE OS features essential functions only, meaning it does not have any unnecessaryfunctions. This allows the system to be more stable and secure, and users are able to use it for a longer period of time.
Spider Labs — Spider Labs offers solutions to help fight ad fraud and ensure data security.

Yuichi Kawasaki Prior joining SmartNews, I was COO at mixi, Founder & CEO at kamado, Executive Vice President at Hatena. I started my career at Cisco Systems G.K.

Investment focus

CRM, Finance, Security
Angel, Seed
Japan

Portfolio highlights

Blankr — Blankr inc has developed an application called Raidli. Using the app, Vtubers can hold a virtual handshake event.
Givearth — Givearth app enable users to make donations just by carrying out their daily shopping and consumption activities.
AVA Intelligence — AVA Intelligence is a Internet service development company.

Yoshinori Fukushima - CEO @ LayerX

Investment focus

Internet, Marketing, Media and Entertainment
Seed, Angel, Series A
Japan, Singapore

Portfolio highlights

Now Do — Now Do provides online growth revolution platform.
Amptalk — Amptalk is a software development firm specializing in operating automatic transcription and analysis of online business negotiations.
PeopleX — PeopleX encourages and assists employees in their professional development.

He graduated from Kansai University in 1988. He was enrolled in Ljoma while he was in college. 2002 Vice President of Practice (now index lights). In 2004, he became president of zappallas. Listed on the TSE Mothers in the second year of his appointment, and in 2010 he was listed in part of the TSE. In 2011 he became the CEO of enish. Listed on apart of the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Thereafter, he served as outside directors such as Nikkatsu and JibannetHD.

Investment focus

Software, Internet, Media and Entertainment
Seed, Angel, Series A
Japan

Portfolio highlights

MI-6 — MI-6 is a research, development, consulting, and project management for material development using IT. We will promote materials informatics in the field of material development with our technological capabilities and a wealth of project knowledge that challenge the world's most advanced technologies .
STUDIO — The easiest and quickest way to build your beautiful portfolio website, landing page or anything. No code. All creative freedom.
STUDIO Japan — STUDIO is a development and operation of the next-generation design tool.

Yuzuru Honda is a Founder & Global CEO of FreakOut.

Investment focus

SNS, Internet, Software
Seed, Funding Round, Angel
Japan, Nigeria, Singapore

Portfolio highlights

NodeFlair — NodeFlair aims to help tech talents make better career decisions through jobs, salaries, reviews, company insights, and more
AGRI SMILE — AGRI SMILE is a platform that focuses on sharing agricultural technology.
Tyms — Tyms online accounting software for your business connects you to your bank, accountant, bookkeeper, and other business apps. Start a free trial today. Also available in Nigeria, Ghana, Mauritius and South Africa.

Noguchi Keito - Founder @ Vapes

Investment focus

Media and Entertainment, Marketing, Financial Services
Seed, Angel
Japan, United States

Portfolio highlights

Dofa — Dofa aims to develop services that enrich the way of life and work of human resources that are active mainly in sales.
Alliance Cloud — Alliance Cloud primarily engages in the Sales Tech and BtoB Sales Outsourcing Business.
Cloud Franchise — Cloud Franchise is a cloud kitchen model that aims to maximize the kitchen occupancy rate of restaurants.

Soichiro Kawai - CEO @ ReBoost

Investment focus

Media and Entertainment, Information Technology, Internet
Seed, Funding Round, Angel
Japan

Portfolio highlights

Villio — Villio provides talent experience SaaS which helps companies with human resource development and recruitment of talented engineers.
Back Dooor — Back Dooor is an app that provides 1on1 chatting services with favorite player of the users.
SPeak Corporation — SPeak Corporation operates JPort Match that is involved in direct recruiting service. It is a global career platform for budding new talents.

After joining DENTSU, I initially produced only banner advertising, but it is expected to be active, and I will be able to work on a number of digital campaigns. In 2011, he became independent and founded PARTY with four members. Cannes Lions Young Competition, Japan's Cyber Division, 2nd place in the world. He has received more than 250advertising awards in Japan and abroad. Recent masterpieces include Lady Gaga's life-size hearing aids “GAGADOLL”, “UNIQLO / UT Picks”, “Suntory / Intensive Regain”, “TOYOTA / TOWN”, such as “Shizukita-” all digital campaigns. TOKYO FM Radio “Sawamoto Gonpachi will end soon.” Guest Personality.

Investment focus

Web Design, Software, Content
Seed, Series A
Japan

Portfolio highlights

Edoga — Edoga is a VR production and education company. Edoga offer services such as "VR training" and "off-site VR".
Collectest — Collectest specializes in integrating AI into trading card appraisal procedures that show current market pricing and verify authenticity.
STUDIO Japan — STUDIO is a development and operation of the next-generation design tool.

Born in 1978 and raised in Fukuoka prefecture, Kazuma founded paperboy&co. inc. (currently GMO Pepabo) and went on to become the youngest CEO ever (at the time) to take a company public in Japan by taking paperboy&co. public on the JASDAQ Japanese stock exchange. After leaving paperboy&co, he continued his startup trail by foundingBASE, CAMPFIRE, and XIMERA. Kazuma also dabbled in the food services industry via the founding of On The Corner (a cafe) and is active in the startup investment scene. He also started the Liverty-house project which attempts to create shared housing for young people in need.

Investment focus

Content, Fashion, Recruiting
Seed, Angel, Funding Round
Japan

Portfolio highlights

Taliki — Taliki is a Coworking Space Operates Social Entrepreneurs Development Support for Intrepreneur Development.
ONE NOVA — One Nova (ワンノバ) is a lifestyle brand and online platform that offers a range of innerwear products, such as men's boxers.
Vivid Garden — vivid garden is an Agriculture company.

Tomohito Ebine is non-executive Director at Owls Co., Ltd.

Investment focus

Home Services, Information Technology, Consulting
Seed, Angel, Series A
Japan, United States

Portfolio highlights

Mign — Mign offers a generative AI-related SaaS solutions for the construction and real estate fields.
Smartround — Smartround is a specialized finance management platform for startups and their investors. For start-ups, for entrepreneurs who are not familiar with finance, simply enter the necessary information according to the guide, prepare appropriate financing round, and prepare a function that can simulate and execute a capital increase. Support informationsharing and communication with shareholders even after the capital increase.
CAREER BIJIN — Career bijin is a total support company.

Yasuyuki Kin

Investment focus

Media and Entertainment, Information Technology, Career Planning
Seed, Angel, Pre-Seed
Japan

Portfolio highlights

Onepair — Onepair is a job consulting and recruiting company. Onepair is to co-creating careers by talking about real-world ace with active ace.
Strainer Co., Ltd. — Strainer Co., Ltd. is an information distribution platform that conveys corporate information centered on financial data. Although there are not a few media to deliver financial information, the company's strengths are strong to be easily viewed, including financial information of overseas companies.
LAMILA — LAMILA develops system that improves the creation of retail stores.

After working at KDD Corporation ï¼ˆCurrently known as KDDI Corporationï¼‰, Kiyoshi Nishikawa next went to work at Arthur D. Little Inc. in the United States, where he became inspired to start his own company. After returning to Japan, he established a Japanese corporation of the worldâ€™s largest Internet company, America On Line, LLC. Later andbased on this experience and the relationships he developed, he founded the first Internet business incubator, NETAGE, Inc. After serving as the President and CEO of NETAGE Group, he later became and still serves as the Chairman of ngi group, inc. Kiyoshi was one of the main entrepreneurs responsible for proposing and realization of â€œShibuya Bit Valley Conceptâ€ and is well known for his various speeches and writings. He is a graduate of the Department of Education at Tokyo University.

Investment focus

News, Social Media, Big Data
Seed, Funding Round, Pre-Seed
Japan, United States

Portfolio highlights

PoliPoli — PoliPoli is a next-generation politics co-creation platform where you can participate like a game. Politicians from all over Japan post their policies in an easy-to-understand manner, and those who sympathize can enjoy working on the "missions" necessary to realize the policies.
Astroscale — Astroscale is the first private company with a vision to secure the safe and sustainable development of space for the benefit of future generations, and the only company solely dedicated to on-orbit servicing across all orbits.
TECHFUND — TechFund is a venture capital firm specializing in incubation and seed stage investments. The company is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.

Narita Shuzo is a Executive Vice President/COO, CrowdWorks Inc.

Investment focus

Task Management, Media and Entertainment, Content
Seed, Pre-Seed, Angel
Japan

Portfolio highlights

MIL — MIL is a marketing company it can be used for a wide range of video marketing such as video commerce , O2O measures , recruitment videos , and landing videos.
Morght — Morght is an information technology service company.
MiL Inc — Emerging products for healthcare food brands Producing food retailing and wholesale recipe development Restaurant management Catering media operation.

He is the vice president of mixi, Inc which is social media network in Japan since June 2009. He’s managed “mixi application” and “mixi new year card”. He’s also directed “mixi alum” and “mixi voice” to make it to be more social but community based. He joined mixi, Inc in 2007. He managed mobile development, “mixi mobile” which became a mixi’sdevelopment driver.Before he started his career at mixi, he was managing mainly portal sites such as searching engine section of “i-mode” at NTT Docomo Inc.

Investment focus

Gaming, Metaverse, Video Games
Seed
Japan

Portfolio highlights

iiba — Iiba is a geospatial platform that specializes in providing location information related to child-rearing.
ONE — One is a Japanese startup. It primarily creates and operates consumer apps, some of which have been sold to publicly traded Japanese corporations.This runs the BeReal exchange application "BeMatch."
Metaverse Creators — Metaverse Creators is a feature-rich virtual platform providing gamers with a wide range of games, creation tools, and avatar editing tools.

Mr. Huang founded SYNNEX in 1980 and serves as President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Prior to this, Mr. Huang was the International Sales Manager at Advanced Micro Devices. Mr. Huang holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Kyushyu University, Japan, an M.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Rochester and an M.S. inManagement Science from the Sloan School of Management at MIT.

Investment focus

Education, E-Learning, Language Learning
Series A
Japan

Portfolio highlights

Polyglots — POLYGLOTS designs and develops English news-reader mobile applications. It helps its application users learn English while reading news updates.POLYGLOTS is a development and operation of the English learning application "POLYGLOTS", the Japanese learning application "MONDO", and the finance / accounting specializedlearning application "Bigo", and the development and provision of an adaptive learning platform.

Chief Technology Officer at Money Forward.

Investment focus

Content, Legal, FinTech
Seed, Angel, Series A
Japan

Portfolio highlights

HERP — HERP is a recruitment management platform.
Issues — Issues provides development and management of web service issues that solve the problems.
Luup — Luup is an Internet Company.

1997 Graduated from Tokyo University, Department of Electronic and Information Engineering. In 2002, he completed the doctoral program at the same graduate school. Ph.D. (Engineering) He was a researcher at the Institute of Industrial Science and Technology since the same year. After working as a visiting researcher at Stanford University in August2005, Associate Professor of Technology Management Strategy, Institute of Research, Graduate School of Engineering, University of Tokyo in 2007. Co-Representative, Associate Professor, Global Consumption Intelligence Donation Course, Department of Technology Management Strategy, Graduate School of Engineering, Tokyo University. Professor from 2019, Graduate School of Engineering, Tokyo University of Engineering, Department of Technology Management Strategy. He specializes in artificial intelligence, web mining, big data analytics. The Society of Artificial Intelligence received the Paper Award (2002), the 20th Anniversary Project Award (2006), the Field Innovation Award (2011), and the Merit Award (2013). At the Society of Artificial Intelligence, he has been a student editorial committee and an editorial committee, and vice chair/director since 2010. Chairman of Ethics from 2014 to 2018. Chairman of Japan Deep Learning Association since 2017.

Investment focus

Artificial Intelligence, SaaS, Consulting
Seed, Angel
Japan

Portfolio highlights

Mign — Mign offers a generative AI-related SaaS solutions for the construction and real estate fields.
Tsunagari AI — Tsunagari specializes in developing and providing AI-powered consultation services tailored for local governments, aiming to enhance administrative efficiency, support citizen engagement, and streamline public service delivery.
MinD in a Device — MinD in a Device Co., Ltd. is a university-launched venture that aims to port human consciousness to devices (machines and computers) in the medium to long term based on long-term research results on consciousness. As the first step toward realization, we will evolve and deepen the "generation model" considered to be the source ofconsciousness, and promote the development of next-generation AI and social implementation.

Takaya Shinozuka is the President, CEO, and Founder at Reiwa Travel.

Investment focus

Internet, Local, Advertising
Seed, Angel, Series A
Japan

Portfolio highlights

Now Do — Now Do provides online growth revolution platform.
KAUCHE — X Asia creates enjoyable shopping experience.
Luup — Luup is an Internet Company.

After joining Mitsubishi Corporation, he studied at Harvard Business School. After graduating, he joined Globespan Capital Partners, an independent United States VC, and worked as a director of investment. He started LocationValue after the company's representative in Japan. Joined Google after selling the company to NTT DOCOMO. He served asDirector of Product Development for Google Maps and General Manager for Android. He left Google in February 2018 and started Smartround Co., Ltd. in May.

Investment focus

Artificial Intelligence, SNS, Music
Seed, Angel, Funding Round
Japan

Portfolio highlights

Flyle — Flyle provides a cloud based platform for product management helping customers to improve productivity & creativity in product development.
Sustainable Lab — SusLab is a data bank that uses AI technology to support SDG and ESG development goals and investments.
Paytner — yup is providing services to support freelance people's funding.The freelance population in Japan has been shown to continue to increase in many Chosa. While working styles are diversified, they are not able to respond to the development of the working environment, and they will develop their business to change the situation where problemssuch as funding, credit, sexual harassment, and power harassment are accumulated.

Yuki Naito - CEO,President @ Drecom

Investment focus

Manufacturing, Internet, SNS
Seed, Pre-Seed, Series B
Japan

Portfolio highlights

1SEC — 1sec is a virtual influencers in Japan,develop in-house and management. IMPACT to CEKAI in 1 second. Based on the concept of making CEKAI happy in one second, US based in Los Angeles and Japan, based in Tokyo, virtual influencers × AI, fashion & music & The company will develop a number of CEKAI's first and first projects in Japan inthe field of enter teignment.
Fools — Fools is a footwear manufacturing company.
Interstellar Technologies — Interstellar Technologies is a rocket development, manufacturing and launch service.

Yoshitsune Ido

Investment focus

Information Technology, Robotics, Software
Seed, Pre-Seed, Series A
Japan

Portfolio highlights

Morght — Morght is an information technology service company.
BionicM — BionicM develops high-performance robot prostheses that enhance mobility for people with disabilities.BionicM has been conducting research on innovative technologies since 2015 at the University of Tokyo's Information Systems Engineering Laboratory (JSK) under the guidance of Professor Inaba and utilizing the world's most advancedrobotics research. In 2016, we were adopted by the Japan Science and Technology Agency as part of "Program for Creating STart-ups from Advanced Research and Technology" (START), and in 2018, the company was established as a joint-stock company.
Dots for — Welcome to Dots for Inc.

Makoto Takano is CEO of atomixmedia, inc., publisher and editor-in-chief of Forbes Japan and Rolling Stone Japan since June, 2014. Prior to joining Atomixmedia, Inc., he was Managing Director and President of PIMCO Japan Ltd. Before joining PIMCO in 2001, he was head of marketing at Goldman Sachs Asset Management. Makoto's prior experiencealso includes work at Daiwa Securities where he was head of the strategists team at Daiwa Institute of Research. He has published extensively on the capital markets. In 1992, he was awarded Securities Analysts Journal Prize by the Securities Analyst Association of Japan. He has also given lectures on asset management at Waseda University and Kyoto University. He holds master’s and undergraduate degrees in engineering from Waseda University. Makoto serves as Director of Nippon Finance Association and Rebuild Japan Initiative Foundation.

Investment focus

Content, Sports, Apps
Seed, Series A, Series B
Japan, Philippines

Portfolio highlights

BeatFit — BeatFit is a fitness-tech startup based in Japan.
PROGRIT — PROGRIT is an English-related media management company.
Luup — Luup is an Internet Company.

Shigeru Urushibara - President & CEO @ UL Systems

Investment focus

Artificial Intelligence, Task Management, Social Media
Series A, Seed, Angel
Japan

Portfolio highlights

Ecbo cloak — Ecbo cloak is a sharing service that connects "persons who want to store luggage with shops with space to store luggage. Instead of coin lockers, you can pre-order places online online and store your luggage in the open space of stores of various types of business.
Space Walker — SPACE WALKER specializes in design, manufacture and sale of peripheral components.
SingulaNet — SingulaNet Ltd provides a total solution using cutting-edge blockchain services.

Mizuki Inoue - Director @ Kudan

Investment focus

CRM, Finance, Security
Seed, Angel, Funding Round
Japan

Portfolio highlights

Kudan — Kudan has been providing proprietary Artificial Perception technologies based on SLAM to enable use cases with significant market potential and impact on our lives such as autonomous driving, robotics, AR/VR and smart cities
G-Next — G NEXT is an Information Technology based company.
earlyworks — Earlyworks Co., Ltd. provides blockchain technology solutions. The Company develops hybrid blockchain product that is fast and secure. Earlyworks offers software and system development, consulting, and security solution services.

Mr. Sugashita joined Polaris as Advisor in May 2011. He is Director and CEO of Sugashita Partners, Ltd since 1998 and provides consulting services to financial institutions and ventures in and outside of Japan. Prior to that position, he was CEO of Lazard Japan Asset Management from 1991 to 1998. His business career also includes positions at DaiwaSecurities and Merrill Lynch Securities, Tokyo Branch. On the academic front, Mr. Sugashita received a BA in Economics from Ritsumeikan University and since 2009 is Special Advisor for the Dean of Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University.

Investment focus

Marketing, Travel, Media and Entertainment
Seed, Series A, Funding Round
Japan

Portfolio highlights

G-Next — G NEXT is an Information Technology based company.
Fun — Fun is a sightseeing entertainment company that makes the world even more of a fun place.
Tabinaka — Tabinaka is a Japanese booking & reservation platform for overseas tours and travel activities.

Sotaro Karasawa - Chief Technology Officer @ STAR FESTIVAL

Investment focus

Software, Blockchain, Art
Seed, Pre-Seed, Series B
Japan

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.
Atmoph — A smart digital window that opens to beautiful scenery from around the world. By simply putting it on your desk or hanging it on the wall, Atmoph Window will open up a whole new world before you.
Cloudbase — Cloudbase is an information technology company that specializes in the fields of cloud services and management.

Takenaga Shuuichi is an individual investor.

Investment focus

Information Technology, Management Consulting, Marketing
Seed, Angel, Funding Round
Japan

Portfolio highlights

Morght — Morght is an information technology service company.
Tagpic — Tagpic offers influencer marketing targeting services such as influencer casting, SNS branding, and talent production.
H&H Group Japan — H&H Holdingsis a Professional Services company.

Kazuhiro Ishikura served as the head of the Akatsuki Business Management Department in 2013 and as a corporate auditor of Akatsuki in 2014, contributing to the company's listing on the TSE Mothers and TSE 1st sections. Appointed 3minute CFO in 2015, engaged in business start-up and organizational design, and succeeded in large-scale M & Adeal with Glee. After leaving the company, he became a WARC director in November 2018. Certified public accountant.

Investment focus

Beauty, Content, Fashion
Seed, Angel, Funding Round
Japan

Portfolio highlights

Neith — Neith is a apparel manufacturer, seller and a whoelseller of water absorbing bralette, lingerie and shorts for women.
WARC — WARC provides hands-on support for business management departments as well as mergers and acquisition advisory services.
Vitalogue Health — Vitalogue Health offers Canvas, a home-based hormone testing service for women.

Shota Horii

Investment focus

Information Technology, Internet, Art
Seed, Funding Round
Japan

Portfolio highlights

Flatt Security — Flatt Security is a cyber security company for all developers.
Lecto — Lecto provides Saas solutions to eliminate the tedious practices behind financial services
Respo — Respo is a service that enables people to save money by buying things at a discount.

Born in 1975, Kenji Kasahara grew up in Osaka Prefecture. He graduated from the Department of Economics at the University of Tokyo. Inspired by the case studies of IT business he studied in a university seminar on management strategy and by the rapid rise of Internet business in Silicon Valley in the USA, he started up “Find Job !”, an online jobinformation site, in 1997. In 1999 Kasahara established eMercury, Inc. (mixi, Inc.) and assumed the post of representative director.

Investment focus

Aerospace, Information Technology, Robotics
Seed, Pre-Seed, Series B
Japan, United States

Portfolio highlights

AgeWell Japan — Age Well Japan is a conference and festival aimed at understanding Japan's super-aged society and defining new values for the future. The purpose of the gathering is to bring together young people and the elderly to exchange ideas.
ONE — One is a Japanese startup. It primarily creates and operates consumer apps, some of which have been sold to publicly traded Japanese corporations.This runs the BeReal exchange application "BeMatch."
Nicoli — Nicoli is a company that creates content and advertisements that increase happy time for parents and children .

Yasuyoshi Yanagisawa - President & CEO @ FAN Communications

Investment focus

Media and Entertainment, Content, Apps
Seed, Funding Round, Post-IPO Equity
Japan

Portfolio highlights

Penmark — Penmark is a timetable management application that may also be used as a course management tool. The company's platform offers courses based on lesson data and lesson reviews that are unique to each university. Additionally, the in-class talk room generated for each class allows students to communicate with others who are taking the sameclass, allowing college students to take on challenges by thoroughly confronting each student and providing support that respects the individual's will.
NoSchool — NoSchool is possible to ask a study teacher to a professional teacher who is working as a tutor or a private lecturer for free.
Posiwill — Posiwill is a operating a career consultation service with job seekers billing type.

Yasumasa Manabe

Investment focus

Information Technology, Drones, Big Data
Seed, Series A, Funding Round
Japan

Portfolio highlights

For you — For you is a comprehensive Advertising agency business specializing in SNS.
MoonJapan — MoonJapan is an educational impact startup that offers a variety of programs and thorough assistance.
Metro Weather — Metroweather is a venture from Kyoto University that develops a high-performance Doppler lidar that measures the direction and speed of wind several tens of kilometers away from minute movements of fine particles in the atmosphere. We aim to contribute to the safety of the sky by completing a three-dimensional wind map, which has never beenrealized,based on years of research at the Kyoto University Research Institute for Sustainable Areas.

Taizo Son is the Co-Founder of VIVITA. Taizo Son attended the University of Tokyo.

Investment focus

Financial Services, Information Technology, Water
Seed, Series A, Funding Round
Japan, United States, Singapore

Portfolio highlights

LIFT99 — LIFT99 is a coworking hub and network of startup founders in Tallinn, Estonia, and Kyiv, Ukraine. In 2018, we launched our Skillsharing Platform for founders around the world.
Smartround — Smartround is a specialized finance management platform for startups and their investors. For start-ups, for entrepreneurs who are not familiar with finance, simply enter the necessary information according to the guide, prepare appropriate financing round, and prepare a function that can simulate and execute a capital increase. Support informationsharing and communication with shareholders even after the capital increase.
AnotherBall — AnotherBall is a blockchain startup that combines entertainment and blockchain.

Investors by industry

Artificial intelligence