Top 10 Startup Investors in Japan in May 2026
Top 10 Startup Investors in Japan in May 2026
| Investor | Venture Capital Japan investments |
|---|---|
| Kakao Investment | 1 |
| Kevin Ryan | 1 |
| Seibu Shinkin Capital | 1 |
| Sony Innovation Fund | 1 |
| SuMi TRUST Innovation Fund | 1 |
| Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation | 1 |
| SMBC Venture Capital | 1 |
| David Smilow | 1 |
| Kiyoshi Nishikawa | 1 |
| Headline | 1 |
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Incorporated in 2015, Kakao Investment is a 100% subsidiary of Kakao which specializes in venture capital investments.Based on Kakao’s philosophy of “Connect Everything”, Kakao Investment seeks to invest and support innovative start-ups that can realize interpersonal connection and the connection of all of us to the things around us. Also KakaoInvestment strives to foster a virtuous circle with in the venture environment by facilitating M&As and IPOs.
Show more...Investment focus
- Information Technology, Software, Artificial Intelligence
- Seed, Series A, Funding Round
- South Korea, United States, Japan
Portfolio highlights
- FuriosaAI — FuriosaAI develops system semiconductors optimized for AI, enabling efficient processing of large amounts of data in a short period of time.
- Superb AI — Automate data preparation, label and manage images and videos, and find annotation services with one training data platform. Fast, precise, and easy to use.
- Adrock Adverttainment — Adrock Adverttainment is a mobile application for drivers' license test.
Kevin Ryan is the Founder and CEO of AlleyCorp. He previously worked at MongoDB as a Founder and Chairman. Kevin Ryan attended Yale University.
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- Software, E-Commerce, Real Estate
- Seed, Series A, Series B
- United States, Japan, Canada
Portfolio highlights
- Everphone — Everphone is the clever way to equip your workforce with smartphones and tablets. It's flexible, safe and cost efficient. everphone reduces your costs while making employees happier and more productive.
- SoBanHang (Finan Pte. Ltd.) — SoBanHang helps small and micro businesses build online stores, reach more customers and manage cashflow effortlessly on smartphones
- Cambrian Asset Management — A Quantitative Investment Firm for Digital Assets
Seibu Shinkin Capital is an investment, M & A, and incubation office that contributes to the promotion of the local economy.
Show more...Investment focus
- Task Management, Artificial Intelligence, Apps
- Funding Round, Series A, Seed
- Japan
Portfolio highlights
- ReEir — ReEir is a research firm that develops global regenerative medicine and cell therapy products for ulcer patients.
- Rehas — Rehas is a healthcare solution provider that specializes in home medical care and employment support services.
- ARCH — ARCH provides research, development, operation, and support systems for gynecology and fertility treatment solutions
Sony Innovation Fund is investing in technology-driven transformational companies shaping the future of business, entertainment and society.
Show more...Investment focus
- Artificial Intelligence, Software, Health Care
- Funding Round, Series B, Series A
- United States, Japan, United Kingdom
Portfolio highlights
- VaultN — VaultN's smart distribution platform enables automated self-service distribution of game keys, digital assets, and more. Unlock efficiency, secure revenue, and scale with confidence.
- Agility — Agility develops humanoid robots and automation platforms for warehouse, manufacturing, and logistics operations. It provides robotic deployment solutions and software platforms that support industrial automation and the handling of repetitive tasks. The company also offers software platforms to manage and support robotic operations in industrialenvironments.
- Talespin — Talespin is building the XR platform to power knowledge transfer and skill alignment for the future of employment
SuMi TRUST Innovation Fund is a vehicle jointly established by Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank and SBI Investment.
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- Beauty, Education, Agriculture
- Series A
- Japan
Portfolio highlights
- Fivot — Fivot is a financial company that provides venture capital, financing, credit, money lending, and prepaid payment services.
- SkyDrive — SkyDrive is a start-up for development,manufacturing,sales of the “Flying cars” established by CARTIVATOR members.
- Upsider — - Vue - Nuxt.js - TypeScript - SCSS
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation offers a broad range of financial services centered on banking. They are also engaged in leasing, securities, credit card, investment, mortgage securitization, venture capital, and other credit-related businesses. The following lists the activities of SMBC, its subsidiaries, and affiliates in the various businesssegments.It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group. As of the year 2009, SMBC was the second largest bank in Japan in terms of assets.
Show more...Investment focus
- Financial Services, Energy, Finance
- Debt Financing, Funding Round, Post-IPO Debt
- Japan, United States, India
Portfolio highlights
- VPBank — As one of the earliest-established Joint-stock Commercial banks in Vietnam, VPBank has achieved steady development throughout its history. Especially since 2010, VPBank has grown dramatically with the development and implementation of the strategic transformation program diligently with support from one of the world’s leading consulting companies.
- Pacific Energy — Our innovative energy solutions are transforming the way power is generated, delivered, and managed across the nation.
- Waypoint Leasing Services — Waypoint Leasing is a global helicopter leasing company founded in 2013 to provide financing solutions to helicopter operators worldwide. Headquartered in Limerick, Ireland, Waypoint differentiates itself with a senior management team possessing direct helicopter operating and helicopter leasing experience. Their deep operational backgroundtranslates directly to a passion for rotary-wing aviation and a commitment to building long-lasting partnerships.
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) and its group companies offer a broad range of financial services centered on banking. They are also engaged in the leasing, securities, credit card, investment, mortgage securitization, venture capital and other credit related businesses. The following lists the activities of SMBC, its subsidiaries andaffiliates in the various business segments.
Show more...Investment focus
- Information Technology, Software, Health Care
- Funding Round, Series A, Series B
- Japan, United States, Singapore
Portfolio highlights
- Opt Fit — Opt Fit is a fitness industry that provides fitness, wellness and health-care services.
- Monochrome — Monochrome is creating a home operating system in order to power the next generation of energy-producing homes and roofs. The company is based in Chuo Ward, Tokyo.
- Bluefield Energy — Bluefield Energy redefines Japan's electricity sector through technology-driven renewable energy solutions. Its mission centers on liberating people and society from energy constraints by tackling high costs, environmental impact, and supply instability.
Mr. Smilow serves as Managing Director of Avenida and is a member of the Investment Committee. Mr. Smilow is a founder of Avenida, where he is responsible for portfolio and risk management. Mr. Smilow has been a sponsor of over a dozen start-up companies and has acquired approximately USD $250 million of real estate assets in the United States andLatin America over the course of his career. Mr. Smilow was the Founder and Chairman of Jefferson National Financial (“JNF”), an insurance company with over USD $2 billion of assets that offers variable annuity and other retirement products. Mr. Smilow oversaw investment activities and strategic planning for JNF, which was sold to Citibank in 2011.In addition, Mr. Smilow was the Founder, Chairman, CEO and CIO of TeleBanc (now E*Trade Bank). Under his direction, Telebanc became the largest Internet bank worldwide before its sale to E*Trade in 1999. Prior to founding TeleBanc, Mr. Smilow was a fixed income portfolio manager and trader at Goldman Sachs and Drexel Burnham Lambert.Mr. Smilow serves or has served on the Board of Directors of nine different companies, as well on the Board of Outward Bound Minnesota, Trust for Public Land Maine, and the Johns Hopkins Second Decade Society. Mr. Smilow has also lectured at Harvard Business School, New York University and Johns Hopkins University. Mr. Smilow received a BA from Johns Hopkins University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Show more...Investment focus
- Incubators, Venture Capital
- Series A
- Japan
Portfolio highlights
- LaunchCenter 39 — LaunchCenter 39 works hand-in-hand with entrepreneurs to build Internet and technology businesses from the ground up, providing full-service incubation that generates the fastest time to market and best potential for returns. Through dedicated teams of specialists and generalists, and continual infusion of outside talent through our on-siterecruiting efforts, LaunchCenter 39 transforms breakthrough ideas into dynamic companies by equipping partners with the skills and talented people required for success.
After working at KDD Corporation （Currently known as KDDI Corporation）, 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 world’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 “Shibuya Bit Valley Concept†and is well known for his various speeches and writings. He is a graduate of the Department of Education at Tokyo University.
Show more...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 one of the few companies in the world proposing to aid in the removal of orbital debris through the provision of End of Life (EOL) and Active Debris Removal (ADR) services. In addition to providing a technical solution, Astroscale is helping to define the business case for this service and are working with national space agencies,international institutions, non-profit organizations, insurance companies and satellite operators to develop norms, regulations and incentives that contribute to the responsible use of space.
- TECHFUND — TechFund is a venture capital firm specializing in incubation and seed stage investments. The company is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.
Headline is a Venture Capital firm actively on the ground in 7 cities around the world. We invest across categories and geographies, leading rounds at every stage. Once we commit to a team, we go to the ends of the earth to make their success global.
Show more...Investment focus
- Software, E-Commerce, Information Technology
- Series A, Series B, Seed
- United States, Germany, Brazil
Portfolio highlights
- SPARETECH — SPARETECH builds the leading availability platform for industrial spare parts
- Mistral AI — Take control of the future with a complete AI solution from platform to interface, with open, customizable models that can be deployed anywhere.
- Fundamental — Fundamental is an AI research company that focuses on overcoming the fundamental challenges of machine learning in large-scale tabular systems.
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