Top 50 Sports Angel Investors in Japan in September 2025
A list of 50 angel investors that invest in Sports startups based in Japan. We rank investors based on the number of investments they made in Sports companies from Japan. We update this investor list every month.Top 50 Sports Angel Investors in Japan in September 2025
| Investor | Sports Japan investments | 
|---|---|
| Yasuyuki Kin | 2 | 
| Makoto Takano | 2 | 
| Hiroaki Kitano | 2 | 
| Hidetoshi Takano | 2 | 
| Yoshinori Fukushima | 2 | 
| Yu Akasaka | 2 | 
| Kevin Lin | 2 | 
| Ayataro Nakagawa | 2 | 
| Mamoru Taniya | 2 | 
| Tomohito Ebine | 2 | 
| Kensuke Furukawa | 2 | 
| Kevin Chou | 2 | 
| Ishikawa Ryo | 2 | 
| Nobuhiro Ariyasu | 2 | 
| Yuto Nagatomo | 2 | 
| Dai Tamesue | 2 | 
| Yoshihito Nishioka | 1 | 
| Haruki Satomi | 1 | 
| Gaku Nakamura | 1 | 
| Otomi Tomohiro | 1 | 
| Kunihiro Tanaka | 1 | 
| Takaya Shinozuka | 1 | 
| Siqi Chen | 1 | 
| Kenji Endo | 1 | 
| Yoshikazu Tanaka | 1 | 
| Hironao Kunimitsu | 1 | 
| Shoji Kodama | 1 | 
| Shunsuke Oyu | 1 | 
| Eiko Hashiba | 1 | 
| Seiji Kurokoshi | 1 | 
| Taku Namura | 1 | 
| Murakami Hiroki | 1 | 
| Masayuki SHOBAYASHI | 1 | 
| Kent Wakeford | 1 | 
| Takashi Sato | 1 | 
| Akihiro Nishino | 1 | 
| Naoki Yamada | 1 | 
| Minoru Moriya | 1 | 
| Ayataro Nakagawa | 1 | 
| Sadoshima Ryuhei | 1 | 
| Fumiaki Koizumi | 1 | 
| Matsumoto Yoji | 1 | 
| Yasuyoshi Yanagisawa | 1 | 
| Koji Ninomiya | 1 | 
| Kentaro Uryu | 1 | 
| Kei Nishikiori | 1 | 
| Yuki Sato | 1 | 
| Narita Shuzo | 1 | 
| Kamata Tomihisa | 1 | 
| Toru Shimada | 1 | 
            Yasuyuki Kin
          
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            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.
 
            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.
          
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            Investment focus
            
          
        - Content, Sports, Apps
 - Seed, Series A, Series B
 - Japan, Philippines
 
            Hiroaki Kitano is the SVP at Softbank Mobile. He attended Waseda University.
          
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            Investment focus
            
          - Health Care, Information Technology, Fitness
 - Seed, Angel, Debt Financing
 - Japan, United States
 
                          Portfolio highlights
              
        - GPx — GPx is a biotech company that revolutionizes remote chronic disease management with bloodless blood tests. It is dedicated to transforming the standard of care of cardiorenal diseases and enabling patients to better understand their condition, much like the continuous glucose monitor has transformed diabetes care.The company was founded in 2020and is based in Boston, Massachusetts.
 - Epistra — Epistra accelerates research and development in life sciences.
 - Activaid — Activaid owns and operates a social data platform for patients with inflammatory bowel disease. It allows patients to support and exchange information within the patient community with the same disease; provide information necessary for new drug development and matching to clinical trials that suits them; and improve medical treatment. YasuakiHasebe founded Activaid in 2018. It has its headquarters in Tokyo in Japan.
 
            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.
          
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            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.
 
            Yoshinori Fukushima - CEO @ LayerX
          
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            Investment focus
            
          - Internet, Marketing, Media and Entertainment
 - Seed, Angel, Series A
 - Japan, Singapore
 
                          Portfolio highlights
              
                      
        
            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.
          
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            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.
 
            Kevin Lin is the Co-Founder and CEO of Metatheory. He previously worked at Everyday Ventures as an Owner and Manager. Kevin Lin attended Yale University.
          
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            Investment focus
            
          - Gaming, Information Technology, Video Games
 - Seed, Series A, Pre-Seed
 - United States, India, United Kingdom
 
                          Portfolio highlights
              
        - Catena Labs — Catena is a product studio where we transform complex computing advancements into accessible, practical tools for users and developers. Leveraging AI and web3 technology our aim is to turn innovative ideas into real-world applications that are easy to use.
 - Asterix — Asterix offers digital ownership and unlocks new possibilities.
 - Cosmology — Cosmology is building a unified developer experience for interchain dApps
 
            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.
          
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            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.
 
            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.
          
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            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.
 
            Tomohito Ebine is non-executive Director at Owls Co., Ltd.
          
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            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.
 
            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".
          
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            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.
 
            Kevin Chou is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of SuperLayer. He previously worked at Kabam as a Co-Founder and CEO. Kevin Chou attended UC Berkeley, Haas Business School.
          
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            Investment focus
            
          - Gaming, Video Games, Blockchain
 - Seed, Series A, Angel
 - United States, Japan, Israel
 
                          Portfolio highlights
              
        - Forge — Forge is fast, automatic, always-on game capture. Users can download Forge for free. It costs nothing and there are zero ads, just gaming entertainment.
 - Key — Unlock new networking and career opportunities with Key, the leading AI-powered professional networking platform. Build and manage communities, host and join exclusive events, and create meaningful connections to supercharge your growth all in one place.
 - YieldClub — YieldClub is a mobile app that helps you grow your savings with higher returns than a traditional bank.
 
            Ishikawa Ryo
          
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            Investment focus
            
          - Sports, Internet
 - Seed, Angel
 - Japan
 
                          Portfolio highlights
              
        - Now Do — Now Do provides online growth revolution platform.
 
            Nobuhiro Ariyasu is the CEO at Coach United.
          
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            Investment focus
            
          - Finance, Content, Internet
 - Seed, Angel, Series A
 - Japan, Singapore
 
                          Portfolio highlights
              
        - Mign — Mign offers a generative AI-related SaaS solutions for the construction and real estate fields.
 - Finovo — Finovo specializes in the research, development, operation, and maintenance of cutting-edge accounting and financial software solutions.
 - 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.
 
            Yuto Nagatomo - President, CEO, and Founder @ Cuore Co., Ltd.
          
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            Investment focus
            
          - SNS, Video, Beauty
 - Funding Round, 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.
 - Now Do — Now Do provides online growth revolution platform.
 - SAURUS JAPAN —
 
            Dai Tamesue is the Chief Marketing Officer of Miekuru.
          
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            Investment focus
            
          - Apps, Sports, Health Care
 - Angel, Seed, Pre-Seed
 - 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.
 - Vivid Garden — vivid garden is an Agriculture company.
 - SAMURAI Security —
 
            DescriptionYoshihito Nishioka is a Japanese tennis player.
          
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            Investment focus
            
          - Sports, Content, Social Media
 - Seed
 - Japan
 
                          Portfolio highlights
              
        - Tential — With the power of AI, TENTIAL analyzes detailed purchasing behavior and attributes online and aim to deliver its customers' products based on their own information.
 
            Haruki Satomi - Chairman of the Board and CEO @ SEGA Games
          
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            Investment focus
            
          - Sports, Fantasy Sports, Media and Entertainment
 - Angel
 - Japan
 
                          Portfolio highlights
              
        - SPORTS CROWN — SPORTS CROWN engages in the development and operation of fantasy sports.
 
            Gaku Nakamura - Co-Founder and CEO @ RareJob
          
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            Investment focus
            
          - Sports, Education, Information Technology
 - Pre-Seed
 - Japan
 
                          Portfolio highlights
              
        - SPORNIA — SPORNIA is an editor of sports knowledge technology.We provide support for athletes using content and monetization using emerging media such as SNS and YouTube.
 
            Otomi Tomohiro - CEO @ Tyrus
          
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            Investment focus
            
          - Health Care, Travel, Content
 - Seed, Angel, Funding Round
 - Japan
 
                          Portfolio highlights
              
        - CUICIN — Quickin is changing the travel experience with the digital transformation.
 - HANOWA — HANAWA is a matching platform between freelance dental hygienists and dental clinics.
 - Magic Shields — Magic Shields is a manufacturer and seller of floors, nursing care, and welfare products.
 
            Kunihiro Tanaka is a President/CEO of Sakura Internet Inc.
          
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            Investment focus
            
          - Art, Baby, Gaming
 - Seed, Funding Round, Angel
 - Japan
 
                          Portfolio highlights
              
        - RATEL — Since its establishment in 2018, the company has been operating and broadcasting esports tournaments with the mission of making esports the best entertainment in the universe. We mainly run official tournaments and large-scale tournaments for various titles such as CoD Mobile, CoDBOCW, ApexLegends, VALORANT, and Knives out. We are also developing avoice chat application called “VOLBOX” to solve the issues raised by many esports players.
 - Stayway — Stayway is operating the world's largest hotel and vacation facility search and comparison site.
 - Cloudbase — Cloudbase is an information technology company that specializes in the fields of cloud services and management.
 
            Takaya Shinozuka is the President, CEO, and Founder at Reiwa Travel.
          
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            Investment focus
            
          
        - Internet, Local, Advertising
 - Seed, Angel, Series A
 - Japan
 
            Siqi Chen is the Co-Founder of Runway and a Member Board Of Directors at Sandbox VR. Siqi holds a Bachelor's Degree in Mathematics from the University of California, San Diego.
          
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            Investment focus
            
          - Software, Artificial Intelligence, Gaming
 - Seed, Pre-Seed, Series A
 - United States, India, Japan
 
                          Portfolio highlights
              
        - Rork — Rork is an AI-powered platform that lets you build complete, cross-platform mobile apps in minutes by simply describing what you want. It uses AI and React Native to generate fully functional apps-examples include visual novel games, Airbnb-style apps, meditation timers, and more. You can export these apps, use them on your phone, and even sharethem via QR codes or links.
 - Troveo AI — AI companies are scouring the internet for high-quality video. Troveo helps you capture the value and turn your video into revenue.
 - Redcar — Scale your B2B sales with the most flexible AI Agent. Customize your GTM and outreach on Redcar, which qualifies, researches, personalizes, and follows up like your best reps.
 
            Kenji Endo - Director @ Japan Business Systems
          
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            Investment focus
            
          - Apps, Fitness, Internet
 - Seed, Angel
 - Japan
 
                          Portfolio highlights
              
        - Pixta — Pixta company’s goal is to assist graphic professionals in the transfer, tracking and collaboration of digital media over the Internet. We build Internet “Cloud”-based applications that provide a great customer experience, easy-to-use, secure and reliable.To assist our customers in transferring large-files simply and securely across the Internet,we built PixtaSynapse. Using PixtaSynapse, the sender needs only a web-browser to send files. To make the service super-reliable, we built the servers and core-technology for our custom file processing pipeline. We then located those key-servers one-hop off the Internet backbone to reduce latency. Our core file pipeline is physically located in a secure Class A co-location facility. We have setup secure, automated, off-site backups to safeguard our customers data in case of a catastrophic emergency.
 - HANOWA — HANAWA is a matching platform between freelance dental hygienists and dental clinics.
 - Address — ADDress is a provider of co-living spaces in both urban and rural areas, enabling people to live in a range of luxurious residences at fixed prices.
 
            Yoshikazu Tanaka founded GREE in December 2004, and serves as the company's founder and chief executive officer. Before founding GREE, he previously worked at So-net Entertainment Corporation and Rakuten, Inc. While at Rakuten, Inc., he started developing SNS GREE in his spare time. This project became GREE.Tanaka earned abachelor's degree in Law from Nihon University in 1999.
          
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            Investment focus
            
          - Apps, Gaming, Sports
 - Seed
 - Japan
 
                          Portfolio highlights
              
        - RATEL — Since its establishment in 2018, the company has been operating and broadcasting esports tournaments with the mission of making esports the best entertainment in the universe. We mainly run official tournaments and large-scale tournaments for various titles such as CoD Mobile, CoDBOCW, ApexLegends, VALORANT, and Knives out. We are also developing avoice chat application called “VOLBOX” to solve the issues raised by many esports players.
 - Appify Technologies — Appify Technologies, Inc.
 
            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.
          
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            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.
 
            Shoji Kodama - President @ Laxus Technologies
          
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            Investment focus
            
          - Real Estate, Internet, Construction
 - Seed, Angel, Series B
 - Japan
 
                          Portfolio highlights
              
        - Mepple — Mepple is planning, developing, and operating internet services.
 - Parame — Parame provides human resources, staffing and recruiting services.
 - Fabric Tokyo — FABRIC TOKYO is a Japanese startup provides a direct-to-consumer custom-made apparel brand. (former-company name Lifestyle Design Co., Ltd.). It enables customers to save their sizes, idea fabrics, and favorite designs, allowing them to make their original clothing later.FABRIC TOKYO was founded in 2012 by Yuichiro Mori and is based in Tokyo,Japan.
 
            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.
          
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            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.
 
            Graduated from the Faculty of Economics, University of Tokyo. Joined Goldman Sachs in 2001. 2003 Experience planning and management of budgets at Lore Alu Japan. In 2007, he was engaged in PE investment at Unison Capital. Get an MBA at MIT. The Company will launch VISASQ in 2012.
          
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            Investment focus
            
          - Fitness, Health Care
 - Seed
 - Japan
 
                          Portfolio highlights
              
        - HANOWA — HANAWA is a matching platform between freelance dental hygienists and dental clinics.
 
            Seiji Kurokoshi (黒越誠治) is an angel investor.
          
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            Investment focus
            
          - Sports, Travel, Fashion
 - Seed, Angel, Funding Round
 - Japan, Myanmar
 
                          Portfolio highlights
              
        - Ezay — Ezay provides a mobile platform that connects rural 'mom-and-pop' shops with B2B market place and provide financial and logistics services.
 - CURBON — CURBON is a Japan's largest photo learning site for C2C,Provides learning content such as video lectures and photography classes, Lightroom presets, etc.
 - Now Do — Now Do provides online growth revolution platform.
 
            Taku Namura
          
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            Investment focus
            
          - Sports, Internet
 - Seed
 - Japan
 
                          Portfolio highlights
              
        - Now Do — Now Do provides online growth revolution platform.
 
            Murakami Hiroki
          
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            Investment focus
            
          - Sports, Internet
 - Seed
 - Japan
 
                          Portfolio highlights
              
        - Now Do — Now Do provides online growth revolution platform.
 
            Masayuki SHOBAYASHI
          
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            Investment focus
            
          - Fitness, Software, Mobile Apps
 - Seed
 - Japan
 
                          Portfolio highlights
              
        - Nupp1 — Nupp1 is a mobile application to find a fitness center.
 - Pan For You — Pan For You is a Food & Beverage Company. We deliver delicious bread from all over the world with our unique freezing technology and propose a lifestyle where you can enjoy freshly baked bread anytime.
 
            Kent Wakeford is Chief Operating Officer for Kabam, a world leader in AAA mobile free-to-play games. Kent joined Kabam full-time in February 2011 after serving as a company advisor since February 2009. He has been instrumental in shaping the company’s game portfolio, adding talented development teams, and navigating all legal areas for the company.Currently, he is responsible for the legal department, mergers and acquisitions, corporate strategy and governance, partnerships for third party game development, and licensed intellectual property.Kent has sourced and structured Kabam’s relationships with Warner Bros. and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer for The Hobbit mobile and web games, and NBCUniversal for the Fast & Furious 6 mobile game. Kent facilitated Kabam’s acquisitions of Gravity Bear, Fearless Studios, WonderHill, Wild Shadow Studios, Balanced Worlds, Exploding Barrel Games, Phoenix Age, TapZen and Magic Pixel Games. In addition, he assisted in raising more than $100 million in capital investments for Kabam from venture and strategic investors including Google Ventures, SK Telecom, Pinnacle Ventures, Warner Bros., Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Canaan Partners, Intel Capital and Redpoint Ventures. Kent also played an integral role in Alibaba’s $120 million investment in Kabam, which increased the company’s valuation to more than $1 billion.Kent began his digital career at Netscape and spent more than five years at AOL as a Vice President, facilitating more than 250 partnerships across AOL web properties as well as Time Inc., Turner, and Warner Bros. Prior to joining Kabam, he was SVP at AddThis social sharing platform and co-founded the media valuation and ad verification company Integral Ad Science. Kent began his career as a corporate attorney at O’Melveny & Myers representing movie studios, record labels, and media companies.Kent graduated order of the coif from University of Southern California Law School, achieving awards for highest scholarship and excellence in the field of entertainment law, and participated on Law Review. He received his undergraduate degree cum laude from University of California, Los Angeles.
          
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            Investment focus
            
          - Internet, Gaming, Biotechnology
 - Seed
 - United States, Japan
 
                          Portfolio highlights
              
        - Now Do — Now Do provides online growth revolution platform.
 - Carbonated — Carbonated makes hardcore PVP multiplayer games accessible to everyone on their mobile phones and PCs, by using AI to drive moment-to moment gameplay.
 - tvScientific — tvScientific is the first performance platform for CTV. It combines the power of television with the precision of digital marketing.
 
            Takashi Sato is a Managing Partner at MS&AD Ventures.
          
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            Investment focus
            
          - Fitness, Computer, Software
 - Angel, Funding Round
 - Japan, United States
 
                          Portfolio highlights
              
        - RIZAP — RIZAP is a chain of a private gym that offers fitness training and consulting services.
 - Jupiter Intelligence — The Trusted Leader in Climate Risk Analytics. Learn about our best-in-science solutions.
 
            Akihiro Nishino is a Japanese comedian.
          
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            Investment focus
            
          - Content, SNS, Audio
 - Seed, Funding Round
 - Japan
 
                          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.
 - Now Do — Now Do provides online growth revolution platform.
 - alu Japan — alu is providing service to enjoy more manga.
 
            Naoki Yamada
          
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            Investment focus
            
          - Information Technology, Software, Sports
 - Seed, Pre-Seed, Funding Round
 - Japan
 
                          Portfolio highlights
              
        - SPORNIA — SPORNIA is an editor of sports knowledge technology.We provide support for athletes using content and monetization using emerging media such as SNS and YouTube.
 - Best Beer Japan — Best Beer Japan provides a barrel tracking software for craft beer and barrel sharing. The company was founded in 2018.
 - THE APP BASE Inc — THE APP BASE Inc is a design firm that provides its clients with web and mobile services. Founded in 2012, the firm also operates co-working spaces.
 
            Minoru Moriya is a director at AuB.
          
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            Investment focus
            
          - Health Care, Nursing and Residential Care, Internet
 - Seed, Series A, Funding Round
 - Japan
 
                          Portfolio highlights
              
        - M-Box — M-Box provides IT solutions to the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries and operates web services.
 - HANOWA — HANAWA is a matching platform between freelance dental hygienists and dental clinics.
 - Willbox — Willbox is an international logistics company providing an international logistics digital platform for shippers and logistics companies. The company's platform "Giho" connects shippers and logistics companies (transportation, packaging, warehousing, customs clearance, etc.) with a direct contract. It visualizes the three elements of[lead time, money, and safety], which have been regarded as a black box, and supports comparative examination and decision making. Willbox digitizes the packing technique of wooden boxes and steel, mandatory for international logistics, and incorporated them into their system. Their mission is to solve the logistics issues focusing on the large cargo of industrial products.The company was founded in 2019 and is based in Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa.
 
            Ayataro Nakagawa is the Chief Executive Officer & Co-Representative Director at stand.fm.
          
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            Investment focus
            
          - Sports, Internet
 - Seed
 - Japan
 
                          Portfolio highlights
              
        - Now Do — Now Do provides online growth revolution platform.
 
            Sadoshima Ryuhei - President & CEO @ Safie
          
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            Investment focus
            
          - Fitness, Health Care, Wellness
 - Seed, Series A
 - Japan
 
                          Portfolio highlights
              
        - Opt Fit — Opt Fit is a fitness industry that provides fitness, wellness and health-care services.
 - FiT — FiT encourages the use of information technology in fitness to address industrial concerns. We will build a highly sustainable fitness facility using a business model that allows consumers to easily use the gym without being burdened by price or procedures, while also allowing owners to build a very successful business with low running costs.
 - Voxela — Voxels is an AI powered platform on a mission to reinvent caregiving by making incident detection intelligent and actionable.
 
            Fumiaki Koizumi - Executive Director @ Mercari
          
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            Investment focus
            
          - Internet, E-Commerce, Information Technology
 - Seed, Funding Round, Series A
 - Japan
 
                          Portfolio highlights
              
        - FiT — FiT encourages the use of information technology in fitness to address industrial concerns. We will build a highly sustainable fitness facility using a business model that allows consumers to easily use the gym without being burdened by price or procedures, while also allowing owners to build a very successful business with low running costs.
 - Aoyama Arts — Aoyama Arts is an architecture and consulting company that develops design offices and supports land search and financing plans.
 - Fabric Tokyo — FABRIC TOKYO is a Japanese startup provides a direct-to-consumer custom-made apparel brand. (former-company name Lifestyle Design Co., Ltd.). It enables customers to save their sizes, idea fabrics, and favorite designs, allowing them to make their original clothing later.FABRIC TOKYO was founded in 2012 by Yuichiro Mori and is based in Tokyo,Japan.
 
            Matsumoto Yoji - Vice President @ FAN Communications
          
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            Investment focus
            
          - Rental, Sports, Video Editing
 - Seed
 - Japan
 
                          Portfolio highlights
              
        - DanceNow — DanceNow is developing a studio business, services for instructors, and dance-related businesses. They offer lesson matching, studio management efficiency support, and peripheral support services. It also provides remote dance lesson system development services.
 
            Yasuyoshi Yanagisawa - President & CEO @ FAN Communications
          
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            Investment focus
            
          - Media and Entertainment, Food and Beverage, Content
 - 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.
 
            Koji Ninomiya is the Board of Directors at Fan Communications.
          
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            Investment focus
            
          - Rental, Sports, Video Editing
 - Seed
 - Japan
 
                          Portfolio highlights
              
        - DanceNow — DanceNow is developing a studio business, services for instructors, and dance-related businesses. They offer lesson matching, studio management efficiency support, and peripheral support services. It also provides remote dance lesson system development services.
 
            Kentaro Uryu - Legal advisor @ Adot
          
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            Investment focus
            
          - Beauty, Sports, Internet
 - Seed, Angel
 - Japan
 
                          Portfolio highlights
              
        - Adot —
 - Now Do — Now Do provides online growth revolution platform.
 - SISI — SISI company provides beauty products made from natural ingredients. They also offer a skin analysis program led by a skin expert, allowing customers to take care of their body and skin after a thorough examination. They also sell beauty products online and provide delivery.
 
            Kei Nishikiori
          
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            Investment focus
            
          - Sports, Internet
 - Seed
 - Japan
 
                          Portfolio highlights
              
        - Now Do — Now Do provides online growth revolution platform.
 
            Engineer since 10 years old. Electronics, Mechanical, Web, iOS Android
          
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            Investment focus
            
          
        - Sports, Internet, Recruiting
 - Seed
 - Japan
 
            Narita Shuzo is a Executive Vice President/COO, CrowdWorks Inc.
          
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            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.
 
            Dr. Kamada earned his Ph.D. at the University of Tokyo. In 1984, he pursued his journey to establish his own business that focused on information appliances and mobile software, namely ACCESS Co., Ltd.. With great success, the company entered the Tokyo Stock Exchange Mothers Market in 2001. He left ACCESS Co., Ltd. in 2011, and founded TomyK Ltd.in 2012 where he supports startups possessing revolutionary business ideas that revitalize the Japanese economy.
          
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            Investment focus
            
          - Fitness, Medical, Genetics
 - Seed, Angel
 - Japan, United States
 
                          Portfolio highlights
              
        - Activaid — Activaid owns and operates a social data platform for patients with inflammatory bowel disease. It allows patients to support and exchange information within the patient community with the same disease; provide information necessary for new drug development and matching to clinical trials that suits them; and improve medical treatment. YasuakiHasebe founded Activaid in 2018. It has its headquarters in Tokyo in Japan.
 - Genomelink — Genomelink is a platform where people discover more with their DNA data and help businesses build, market and do research with it. The best founders in consumer genomics with real experience in the industry for many years, including M3, Inc. ($13B valued Meditech in Japan), a founding member of the Japanese version of 23andMe, and leadbioinformatician and software engineer at a joint-venture between Illumina and Sony. Raised $4M for Seed Round from Berkeley SkyDeck, SONY, and top-tier Japanese VCs. Supported by Illumina Accelerator, Carlos Bustamante Lab at Stanford University among others.
 - 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.
 
            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.
          
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            Investment focus
            
          - Internet, Task Management, Marketing
 - Seed, Angel, Funding Round
 - Japan
 
                          Portfolio highlights
              
                      
        
        Investors by industry
        
                      
              
      
      Google
            
                      
              Marketplace
            
                      
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              Biotech
            
                      
              Artificial intelligence
            
                      
              Climate
            
                      
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              Impact
            
                      
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              Cryptocurrency
            
                      
              Machine Learning
            
                      
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        Investors by country
        
                      
              
      
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              Cameroon
            
                      
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              Guatemala
            
                      
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              Marshall Islands
            
                  
        Angel Investors in Japan by industry
        
                      
                                                          
                      
                                                      
      
                Restaurants
                                            
                      
                                                      Real Estate
                                            
                      
                                                      Financial Services
                                            
                      
                                                      Music
                                            
                      
                                                      Transportation
                                            
                      
                                                      Big Data
                                            
                      
                                                      Cryptocurrency
                                            
                      
                                                      Finance
                                            
                      
                                                      Food and Beverage
                                            
                      
                                                      Video Games
                                            
                      
                                                      Medical
                                            
                      
                                                      Wellness
                                            
                      
                                                      Internet
                                            
                      
                                                      Digital Media
                                            
                      
                                                      Art
                                            
                      
                                                      Biotechnology
                                            
                      
                                                      Blockchain
                                            
                      
                                                      Social Media
                                            
                      
                                                      Software
                                            
                      
                                                      Construction
                                            
                      
                                                      Enterprise Software
                                            
                      
                                                      Sports
                                            
                      
                                                      Fitness
                                            
                      
                                                      Hospitality
                                            
                      
                                                      Automotive
                                            
                      
                                                      Travel
                                            
                      
                                                      FinTech
                                            
                      
                                                      Consumer
                                            
                      
                                                      Health Care
                                            
                      
                                                      Biotech
                                            
                      
                                                      Energy
                                            
                      
                                                      EdTech
                                            
                      
                                                      Climate
                                            
                      
                                                      Proptech
                                            
                      
                                                      Marketplace
                                            
                      
                                                      Hardware
                                            
                      
                                                      Artificial intelligence
                                            
                      
                                                      Retail
                                            
                      
                                                      Legal
                                            
                      
                                                      Fashion
                                            
                      
                                                      Beauty
                                            
                      
                                                      Web3
                                            
                      
                                                      Social
                                            
                      
                                                      Education
                                            
                      
                                                      Manufacturing
                                            
                      
                                                      Community
                                            
                      
                                                      Mobile Apps
                                            
                      
                                                      Payments
                                            
                      
                                                      Life Science
                                            
                      
                                                      Social Network
                                            
                      
                                                      Photography
                                            
                      
                                                      Recruiting
                                            
                      
                                                      SaaS
                                            
                      
                                                      Gaming
                                            
                      
                                                      Sustainability
                                            
                      
                                                      Agriculture (agtech)
                                            
                      
                                                      Social Impact
                                            
                      
                                                      Media (entertainment)
                                            
                      
                                                      Machine Learning
                                            
                      
                                                      Enterprise
                                            
                      
                                                      Wine And Spirits
                                            
                      
                                                      Mobile
                                            
                      
                                                      Impact