# Top 50 Community VC (Venture Capital) Funds in Japan in October 2023 ## East Ventures - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 9 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Software, Information Technology, E-Commerce East Ventures is an early stage venture capital (VC) focused on Southeast Asia, Indonesia & Japan. Success cases include Tokopedia, Traveloka, and Mercari. ## Global Brain Corporation - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 8 - Stages: Series B, Series A - Focus: Information Technology, Software, Artificial Intelligence Global Brain Corporation is a venture capital firm that invests in companies from seed or early to pre-IPO startups. Global Brain has invested in 300+ startups from seed/early to pre-IPO startups and achieved 25 IPOs and 61 M&As as a result of providing hands-on support services and resources to its portfolio startups. Global Brain hasmanaged a pure investment fund as well as multiple corporate venture capital funds partnered together with tier 1 public companies of telecom, real estate development, financial service, beverages, agriculture food, logistics, and electronic devices. ## Mizuho Capital - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 6 - Stages: Series A, Series B - Focus: Information Technology, Software, Internet Mizuho is the venture capital firm affiliated to Mizuho Bank, the second-largest Japanese bank in terms of assets. The firm has headquarters in Tokyo.The firm has ¥49.6 billion JPY under management, focusing on information technology and biotechnology investments. Over 600 Mizuho companies have gone public. According to Nikkei, Mizuho is thefifth-largest venture capital firm in Japan.Mizuho Capital was formed in 2002 by the merger of Fujigin Capital, Tokyo Venture Capital and IBJ Investment. Three firms were subsidiaries of Fuji Bank, Dai-Ichi Kangyo Bank and the Industrial Bank of Japan respectively. ## Monex Ventures - Type: VC Fund - Location: Minato, Chiba, Japan - Relevant deals: 6 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Software, Financial Services, Information Technology Monex Ventures is a venture capital firm based in Japan that finances seed and early stage investments in startup companies. ## Genesia Ventures - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 5 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Information Technology, Software, Content Genesia Ventures is a venture capital firm focused on seed/early-stage startups in Japan and Southeast Asia. ## Nissay Capital - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 5 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Health Care, Internet, Medical Nissay Capital is a venture capital Company specializing in seed, start-up, growth capital, middle stage, and later stage investment. ## Venture United - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 4 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Internet, Software, Information Technology Venture United is a provider of venture capital for entrepreneurs, especially for internet-related businesses. ## Globis Capital Partners - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 4 - Stages: Series A, Series B - Focus: Internet, Information Technology, Software Globis Capital Partners (GCP) is one of Japan's leading venture capital firms. With its unique combination of local business presence through Globis Group and the experience of Western VC experience, GCP has set new VC standards in Japan, with hands-on, and in-depth industry expertise. ## Mitsubishi UFJ Capital - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 4 - Stages: Series B, Series A - Focus: Software, Health Care, Information Technology Mitsubishi UFJ Capital is a venture capital firm focusing on life science, ICT, and high technology investments. ## Archetype Ventures - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 4 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Software, Information Technology, Machine Learning Archetype Ventures is a venture capital firm specializing in B2B Tech seed and early stage venture investments. ## Vector - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 4 - Stages: Seed, Corporate Round - Focus: Media and Entertainment, Marketing, Content Vector is a Japan-based PR agency that provides PR planning and implementation services for its clients. The agency also offers other services covering areas such as management, finance, accounting, human resources, administration, internal controls, and audits. Vector was founded in 1993. ## Daiwa Corporate Investment - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 4 - Stages: Series A, Seed - Focus: Task Management, Software, Internet Daiwa Corporate Investment is a private investment firm of Daiwa Securities Group that has been engaged in overseas VC investments by taking advantage of an extensive business network in Japan and foreign countries, long experience and professional knowledge, and by supporting the growth of a number of overseas portfolio companies and their stockexchange listings. ## Incubate Fund - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 4 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Software, Information Technology, E-Commerce Incubate Fund is an independent early-stage venture capital that specializes in providing capital to technology startups at the seed stage. The firm built a portfolio of over 300 companies in Asia, taking 12 companies to public and 20 companies to M&A exit since 2010. ## B Dash Ventures - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 4 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Internet, Information Technology, E-Commerce B Dash Ventures does seed to late stage tech investments in Japan, Asia Pacific, and the U.S. LPs include Japan's largest technology companies and financial institutions including NTT Docomo, Mitsubishi UFJ Capital, GREE, NEC BIGLOBE, Fuji Television, and the Japanese government. B Dash Ventures also operates an incubation space inpartnership with Mori Building Co. and holds the invitation-based B Dash Camp conference. ## ITOCHU Technology Ventures - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 4 - Stages: Series B, Series A - Focus: E-Commerce, Software, Information Technology ITOCHU Technology Ventures (ITV), based in Tokyo, is the venture capital arm of ITOCHU Corporation. ITOCHU is one of the world's largest corporations with offices in over 80 countries and operations that cover a broad spectrum of industries. ITV's mission is to invest and help build leading information technology companies by leveraging avast array of resources both domestically and internationally throughout ITOCHU and its group companies. The ITOCHU group has a long history of funding information technology companies with successes including Siebel Systems, NVIDIA, Openwave and Aruba Networks. Current portfolio includes, Box, Fab, Ooyala, WHILL, Tokyo Otaku Mode, etc. ## SOURCENEXT - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 3 - Stages: Seed, Angel, Series B - Focus: Reservations, Travel, Software SOURCENEXT is principally engaged in the planning, development and sale of software. ## Lifetime Ventures - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 3 - Stages: Seed, Pre-Seed - Focus: Software, Health Care, Marketing Lifetime Ventures is a VC firm that specializes in pre-seed and seed investments. ## TLM - Type: VC Fund - Relevant deals: 3 - Stages: Seed, Angel - Focus: Information Technology, Content, SNS TLM is a venture capital that invests basically in seed rounds, including some Series A startups. ## SMBC Venture Capital - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 3 - Stages: Series A, Series B - Focus: Health Care, Information Technology, Software 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. ## Recruit Strategic Partners - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 3 - Stages: Series A, Seed, Series B - Focus: E-Commerce, Software, Financial Services Recruit Strategic Partners is a venture capital firm that invests in innovative startups from all around the world. It is a corporate venture capital arm of Recruit Holdings that seeks to invest in education and financial technology, digital healthcare, and infrastructure sectors. It was established in 2008 and is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. ## One Capital - Type: VC Fund - Location: Shenzhen, Guangdong, China - Relevant deals: 3 - Stages: Series A, Seed, Angel - Focus: Information Technology, Manufacturing, Virtual Reality One Capital is a China-based private equity investment firm. ## MIRAISE - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 3 - Stages: Seed, Pre-Seed, Series A - Focus: Apps, Health Care, Software We are engineers investing in engineers. With experienced mentors, MIRAISE supports you hands-if basis, for business model, financial planning and presentation. All founders of our potfolio automatically join MIRAISE online community that gives you the peer-learning opportunities with other founders. Join us updating the normal! ## iSGS Investment Works - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 3 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: E-Commerce, Software, Information Technology iSGS Investment Works is Japan-based venture capital firm. ## AG Capital - Type: VC Fund - Location: Shiba, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 3 - Stages: Series A, Seed - Focus: Finance, Software, Internet AG Capital is an investment firm that provides investment and property management solutions for middle-size businesses. The company was founded on December 12, 1985 and its headquarters are located in Minato-ku, Tokyo. ## Money Forward Venture Partners - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 3 - Stages: Seed - Focus: Women's, Information Technology, Customer Service Money Forward Venture Partners operates HIRAC FUND, a seed fund specializing in seed and early-stage startups. ## STRIVE - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 3 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Software, Internet, SaaS STRIVE focuses on investing in early-stage (Seed to Series A) internet and mobile companies. It seeks out companies in Japan, Southeast Asia, and India with top-notch management teams and strong market potential. It is not tied to strategic investments for GREE Inc. and leverages its pan-Asia expertise for guiding its portfolio in an engaged,hands-on role. ## Akatsuki - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 2 - Stages: Seed, Corporate Round - Focus: Content, Media and Entertainment, Gaming Akatsuki offers MobileSocialGame services. They utilize cutting edge technology and ideas to realize and deliver their ambitions to their users. They provide new value to society through the services we manage daily. Providing services throughout the world that brighten up everyone's daily lives. ## Shizuoka Capital - Type: VC Fund - Location: Shimizu, Shizuoka, Japan - Relevant deals: 2 - Stages: Series A, Seed - Focus: Software, Manufacturing, Task Management Shizuoka Capital Company Limited operates as a venture capital firm. It engages in the acquisition, holding, and, sale of securities. ## VOYAGE VENTURES - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 2 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Software, Internet, Content Voyage Ventures is the venture capital arm of Voyage Group specializing in seed and early-stage investments. The firm seeks to make investments in the internet and mobile internet industry. It invests from JPY1 million ($.01million) to JPY to 10 million ($.12 million) in its portfolio companies. The firm typically invests in Japan, China, and othergrowing Asian markets. Voyage Ventures, Inc., formerly known as EC Navi Ventures Company, was founded on March 25, 2011, and is based in Tokyo, Japan. ## DNX Ventures - Type: VC Fund - Location: San Mateo, California, United States - Relevant deals: 2 - Stages: Seed, Series A, Series B - Focus: Software, Information Technology, SaaS DNX Ventues is an early stage VC firm focusing on B2B Startups that are shaping industries and transforming the way we live and work. ## KSK Angel Fund - Type: VC Fund - Location: San Diego, California, United States - Relevant deals: 2 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: E-Commerce, SaaS, Information Technology KSK Angel Fund is a venture capital firm that offers data about the technology for services sectors. ## Freebank - Type: VC Fund - Location: Muromachi, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 2 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: CRM, IT Management, Video Conferencing Freebank provides funds, supports, and develops venture business managers with the aim of moving forward with the next decade. The company was founded in 2013 and is headquartered in Japan. ## North Base Media - Type: VC Fund - Location: Singapore, Central Region, Singapore - Relevant deals: 2 - Stages: Seed, Series A, Series B - Focus: Digital Media, Advertising, Publishing NBM is a specialized firm that successfully pioneered global digital-media investing over the last decade, backing successes like IDN Media in Indonesia, Pocket Aces in India, TheNewsLens in Taiwan and Capital Digital in Mexico. Its first venture fund, launched in 2015, consistently ranks in the top quartile of media and global venture funds. TheFund, which has been backed by several of the world’s leading media brands, is now open to other investors as its investment team moves to take advantage of the sudden rise of opportunities and new valuations in the global media landscape. NBM’s co-founders are Marcus Brauchli, the former top editor at The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal; Sasa Vucinic, the longtime CEO of the Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF). The firm’s general counsel is Stuart Karle, former COO of Reuters and General Counsel of the Journal. ## DBJ Capital - Type: VC Fund - Location: Otemachi, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 2 - Stages: Series A, Seed - Focus: Internet, Software, Health Care DBJ Capital Co., Ltd. was founded in June 2010 through the integration of two venture capital firms of the DBJ Group, New Business Investment Co., Ltd. and Intellectual Properties Development & Investment, Inc. We are a wholly-owned subsidiary of Development Bank of Japan Inc.At DBJ Capital, we focus on venture firms which use newtechnologies and business models to grow and compete on the global market, regardless of their industry or scale. To meet the particular needs of each client, we mobilize the entire DBJ Group to arrange the best investment solutions, ranging from growth-spurring equity investment to financing schemes drawing on DBJ's vast networks.We also assist in venture start-ups. Our value enhancement team provides the kind of comprehensive, hands-on support needed to commercialize outstanding intellectual property and technologies developed by firms, research labs, and universities, and to carve out a place for them in the market.DBJ Capital will continue to play in a part in Japan's economic revival - by helping the firms we invest in to grow, and by encouraging the creation of new industries in Japan. ## W ventures - Type: VC Fund - Location: Shibuya, Kanagawa, Japan - Relevant deals: 2 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: E-Commerce, Information Technology, Health Care W ventures is a Japan-based venture capital firm investing in Pre-Seed, Seed, and Series A rounds. They have been conducting investment to 25 companies in a total of about a year from the start of investment activities in April 2019. The company works not only with investment business but also with companies that provide services related to HR, PR,infrastructure, legal and accounting, etc., as incubation support after investment. It is also characteristic to provide support for the investor companies. In addition, in cooperation with other venture capital companies, Ar Rase TAGE startups regularly hold office hours that allow financing and business consultations to two companies at the same time and actively support startups are doing. ## Yamaguchi Capital - Type: VC Fund - Location: Yamaguchi, Yamaguchi, Japan - Relevant deals: 2 - Stages: Series B, Seed - Focus: Information Technology, Task Management, Manufacturing Yamaguchi Capital Co., Ltd. is a venture capital firm. Yamaguchi Capital Co., Ltd. was established in 1996 and is based in Yamaguchi-ken, Japan. ## Hiroshima Venture Capital - Type: VC Fund - Location: Hiroshima, Hiroshima, Japan - Relevant deals: 2 - Stages: Series B, Series A - Focus: Task Management, Manufacturing, Software Hiroshima Venture Capital provides venture capital investment services. The firm creates corporate value from a long-term perspective. ## ANRI - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 2 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Health Care, Software, Information Technology ANRI is a Japanese venture capital firm that mainly invests in seed and early-stage startups. ## NEC Capital Solutions - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 2 - Stages: Series B, Series A - Focus: Manufacturing, Information Technology, Internet NEC Capital Solutions Limited provides financial services in Japan. It's Main Business is Leasing for Information and Communication Equipment, Office Equipment, Industrial Equipment and Installment Sales, Business Loans, Factoring Services, Business Outsourcing and Sales of Used Equipment. ## GMO VenturePartners - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 2 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Financial Services, FinTech, Finance An investment that restructures the value and quality.Supplying big capital is not an essential value of our firm.We have a strong attitude to input and drive critical thinking behind a new startup.After the problem is clarified and solution become established in the world,people could not imagine the society without that solution.An investment that innovates this world.We will become a real partner to execute the strategy together.INVENTION OF THE ESSENCE ----we will keep on doing it. ## Colopl Next - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 2 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Software, Virtual Reality, E-Commerce Colopl Next is the corporate venture capital of is Colopl, Inc, which is a leading Japanese gaming company. Colopl, Inc. is founded with the mission of “Entertainment in Real Life”, and constantly put its customer as first priority.Colopl Next is headquartered in Japan, but invests globally in a variety of internet businesses, with the commitmentto support innovative entrepreneurs. ## Adways - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 2 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Internet, Media and Entertainment, Software Based in Tokyo, Adways is a mobile marketing solution provider mostly known for its Asia’s largest mobile CPI adnetwork “AppDriver” and mobile app measurement & tracking tool “PartyTrack” used by great number of major app developers around the world. Since 2004 when it opened the first overseas office in China, Adways has been aggressivelyexpanding its mobile app distribution network in Asian markets. Now with 1,000 employees in 11 countries (Japan, China, Korea, Taiwan, India, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore and the USA), Adways supports app developers worldwide to maximize their user acquisition and monetization and furthermore thrives to provide new value to the market. Haruhisa Okamura is Founder and CEO of Adways who has grown Adways from a small startup to an international corporation with over a thousand employees around the world. In 2006, Adways went public and Okamura was one of the youngest entrepreneurs to list a company in Japan at that time.You can read his story here: "How a high school dropout became a multi-millionaire entrepreneur" http://www.techinasia.com/high-school-dropout-multimillionaire-entrepreneur/ ## UNITED - Type: VC Fund - Location: Shibuya, Kanagawa, Japan - Relevant deals: 2 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Internet, Content, Media and Entertainment UNITED, Inc. is developing the smart phone app and the advertising technology business. ## Mobile Internet Capital - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 2 - Stages: Series A, Seed - Focus: Software, Mobile, Internet Mobile Internet Capital (MIC) keeps up on the latest developments of Mobile Internet technologies and services at a high level, and continues to be a venture capital with both technical expertise and execution capability. ## Mistletoe - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 2 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Information Technology, Software, Education Mistletoe is a hub for startups and the overall entrepreneurial ecosystem. It specifically provides learning opportunities for entrepreneurs, facilitates startup communities, invests in and supports startup companies and venture capitals. ## F Ventures - Type: VC Fund - Location: Fukuoka, Fukuoka, Japan - Relevant deals: 2 - Stages: Seed, Pre-Seed - Focus: Internet, Information Technology, Human Resources F Ventures is a venture capital firm based in Japan. ## KDDI Open Innovation Fund - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 2 - Stages: Series B, Series A - Focus: Software, Internet, Mobile KDDI Open Innovation Fund is a corporate venture capital fund that will support promising startup companies. Total size of the fund is JPY10 billion. This is the first corporate venture capital fund established by KDDI. The fund will be managed by Global Brain Corporation (Head office: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO, Yasuhiko Yurimoto),which has a strong track record in the venture capital business. By combining KDDI’s know-how and assets with Global Brain’s investment and management support capabilities, we will work together to accelerate cooperative activities with promising startup companies. Through this fund, as well as "KDDI ∞ Labo," a startup incubation program currently inviting a second round of applications, we will continue to support the growth of the next startup companies. ## BITKRAFT Ventures - Type: VC Fund - Location: San Francisco, California, United States - Relevant deals: 2 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Gaming, Video Games, Blockchain We provide early- and mid-stage venture capital and expertise for extraordinary founders in gaming, esports, and interactive media. ## Nagoya TV Ventures - Type: VC Fund - Location: Nagoya, Aichi, Japan - Relevant deals: 2 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Media and Entertainment, Content, Internet Nagoya TV Ventures is wholly owned by Nagoya Broadcasting Network, invests in everything from seed to later stage in companies focused on media, entertainment, video, and internet. ## WERU Investment - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 2 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Information Technology, Consulting, Software As a pioneer and innovator in venture capital in Japan for the past 2 decades, we are deeply engaged in developing and supporting entrepreneurs and start-ups by leveraging our strategic position as a conduit between government, business and academia.“WERU” is the first research unit in the field of entrepreneurship in Japan established byprofessors at the graduate school, Waseda University in 1993.　“WERU Investment” is the first venture capital closely associated with university research labs, centers and institutes in japan. WERU Investment provides financial services for institutional investors (e.g. Pension funds and Endowments) as a Japanese discretionary investment manager (DIM) by fully taking advantage of these research resources, accumulated know-how and strong network. # About Shizune Shizune.co is an investor database. Core features: - 48,091 startup investors (angels, VCs, accelerators, and others) - Email, phone, LinkedIn (for intros), socials, and other contact data - Updated daily from public funding news - CSV and Excel export The User can access the full database FOR FREE after signing up: shizune.co