# Top 45 Hospitality Startup Investors in Japan in May 2026 ## 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. ## Mizuho Capital - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 2 - 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: 2 - 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: 2 - 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. ## Daishi Management Consulting - Type: VC Fund - Location: Niigata, Niigata, Japan - Relevant deals: 1 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Travel, Content, Tourism Daishi Management Consulting is a subsidiary of Daishi Bank engages in venture capital and consulting services ## Allied Architects - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 1 - Stages: Series A - Focus: Content, Database, Internet Allied Architects vision comes from the combination of two key aspirations being the leading company in their industry and being entrepreneurial at the same time. They not only aspire to be the finest provider of high quality service and to contribute to society, but they are also hungry to continually take on challenges with entrepreneurial driveand spirit.This is because they believe in connecting individuals and businesses together through social media and technology, with a view to enriching their society.The rise of social media has given new power to individuals to express their own personality through dialogue, and by developing a network of contacts on the internet it has dramatically improved the ease communication. Furthermore, businesses can now connect with their existing and prospective customers more easily through official social media accounts. In previous generations, small shops and businesses dealt directly with their customers. This brought people together, with close and direct connection being necessary to ensure complete customer satisfaction. Even though it helped to build strong relationships in the community, it did not go any further.However, the advancement of technology and the emergence of social media has broken down boundaries and upended traditional hierarchies that previously may have constrained the flow of transactions between individuals and businesses around the world. Businesses can now achieve various objectives, such as reducing the time and cost and for disseminating information, having essential communications, pursuing research and development through consumer dialogue and preventing marketing mistakes. This can result in a much more successful and profitable organization and being profitable enables businesses to develop prospective products and services in harmony with consumer needs, and to provide services of high value for a lower price. It means that consumers can purchase good products and services for a low price, creating a win-win relationship between individuals and businesses. ## DK Gate - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 1 - Stages: Series A, Seed, Series B - Focus: Software, Information Technology, Social Media DK Gate is a joint venture company of Digital Garage and Kodansha. ## Yusuke Sato - Type: Angel - Relevant deals: 1 - Stages: Seed, Angel - Focus: Internet, Content, Food and Beverage Yusuke Sato is the Co-Representative and Co-Founder at Pulit. ## Concord Executive Group - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 1 - Stages: Series A - Focus: Travel, Content, Tourism Concord Executive Group is a career design firm that strives to create a prosperous society through career support for “leaders who create the future”. ## DCM Ventures - Type: VC Fund - Location: Menlo Park, California, United States - Relevant deals: 1 - Stages: Series B, Series A, Series C - Focus: Software, Internet, E-Commerce DCM Ventures assists entrepreneurs in building companies that will change how institutions and people use and live with technology.DCM Ventures focuses on the size of its team, the money they raise, and the investments they make all so that it can focus on the business of helping portfolio companies succeed. Collectively, the DCM investingpartners have over a century of investing and operational experience and each DCM partner has experience building hyper-growth startups into billion-dollar businesses.DCM Ventures manages ten funds totaling $4.0 billion and has made investments in more than 400 technology companies across the United States and Asia. With offices in Silicon Valley, Beijing, and Tokyo, DCM provides hands-on operational guidance and a vast network of global business and financial resources to its portfolio companies. ## Innoventure - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 1 - Stages: Seed - Focus: Travel, E-Commerce, Hospitality Innoventure provides marketing services by purchasing and selling excess inventory and service surplus in order to maintain brand value. ## Hiroshima Venture Capital - Type: VC Fund - Location: Hiroshima, Hiroshima, Japan - Relevant deals: 1 - 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. ## Michimasa Naka - Type: Angel - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 1 - Stages: Seed, Angel - Focus: Reservations, Travel, Employment Michimasa Naka is a member of the Board Of Directors of istyle.inc. He is an experienced Chairperson with a demonstrated history of working in the financial services industry. ## Goshi Yamaguchi - Type: Angel - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 1 - Stages: Seed, Pre-Seed, Corporate Round - Focus: Food and Beverage, Digital Media, Apps Goshi Yamaguchi ## Japan Airlines (JAL) - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 1 - Stages: Series A, Corporate Round, Seed - Focus: Transportation, Robotics, Aerospace Japan Airlines provides airline services in Japan and internationally. The company offers scheduled and non-scheduled air transportation services, and aerial work services. It operates a fleet of 174 owned and 48 leased aircraft. Its main hubs are Tokyo’s Narita International Airport and Tokyo International Airport as well as Osaka’s KansaiInternational Airport and Osaka International Airport.The company was founded by Professor Dr. Walter Leal Filho, at European Sustainability Science School of Research and Education ## Daiwa Corporate Investment - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 1 - 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. ## JTB Corp. - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 1 - Stages: Series A, Seed, Series B - Focus: Travel, Leisure, Tourism One the most biggest company in Japan dealing with tourism. ## VOYAGE VENTURES - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 1 - 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. ## North Pacific Bank - Type: VC Fund - Location: Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan - Relevant deals: 1 - Stages: Seed, Series B, Series C - Focus: AgTech, Travel, Farming North Pacific Bank provides various banking products and services for individuals and corporations in Japan. It offers deposits, and negotiable certificates of deposit, as well as loans. North Pacific Bank also offers ATM, foreign exchange, and investment trust services. It operates 171 branches and 3 overseas representative offices. HokuyoSogo Bank that began operation in 1917 became North Pacific Bank in 1989. It has its headquarters in 1917, with its headquarters in Sapporo in Japan. ## Hokuyo Bank - Type: VC Fund - Relevant deals: 1 - Stages: Seed, Series B - Focus: AgTech, Travel, Farming Hokuyo Bank provides various products and services to support its customers' needs for raising funds necessary for their business activities. It supports the efficiency and rationalization of customers' financial and accounting operations by providing various solutions to meet a wide range of their needs. ## JR West Innovations - Type: VC Fund - Relevant deals: 1 - Stages: Seed, Series C - Focus: Software, Product Design, CRM JR West Japan Group, they will utilize innovation based on external technologies and know-how to realize sustainable operation of the railway and expansion of business creation, contributing to the revitalization of areas including the West Japan area. ## Kotaro Chiba - Type: Angel - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 1 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Internet, Drones, Software Kotaro Chiba is the founder of ChibaDojo Fund. Kotaro Chiba attended Keio University. ## MITSUI SUMITOMO INSURANCE Venture Capital (MSIVC) - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 1 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Software, Information Technology, Food and Beverage MSIVC is a venture capital firm that invests in Japanese and global startups scaling to IPO. It focuses on startups in verticals of Fintech, SaaS, Healthcare, AI, E-Commerce, Foodtech, and Environment etc. ## Yu Akasaka - Type: Angel - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 1 - Stages: Seed, Angel - Focus: Food and Beverage, Content, Internet 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. ## Mamoru Taniya - Type: Angel - Location: Hong Kong, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong - Relevant deals: 1 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Apps, Content, FinTech 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. ## Chukyo TV - Type: VC Fund - Location: Nagoya, Aichi, Japan - Relevant deals: 1 - Stages: Series A, Seed - Focus: Content, Audio, Travel JOCH-DTV, branded as Chukyo TV, is the Chukyo metropolitan area flagship station of the Nippon News Network and Nippon Television Network System (NNS), owned by Nippon Television Holdings through the Chukyo TV. Broadcasting Co., Ltd. Its studios are located in Showa-ku, Nagoya, Japan. ## Adways - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 1 - 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/ ## 500 Startups Japan - Type: VC Fund - Location: San Francisco, California, United States - Relevant deals: 1 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Internet, Software, Internet of Things 500 Startups is the most active seed VC in the world. 500 Startups Japan is a $35M regional fund focusing on Japan. ## Hideto Fujino - Type: Angel - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 1 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Reservations, Travel, Real Estate Hideto Fujino - President, Cheif Investment Officer @ Rheos ## Kiyohiro Sugashita - Type: Angel - Relevant deals: 1 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Marketing, Travel, Media and Entertainment 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. ## Paul Kuo - Type: Angel - Relevant deals: 1 - Stages: Seed, Angel, Series A - Focus: Reservations, Travel, SaaS Paul Kuo - Director - Board of Directors @ Tamecco ## Nobuyuki Idei - Type: Angel - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 1 - Stages: Seed, Corporate Round - Focus: Information Technology, Manufacturing, Internet Nobuyuki Idei has served as our independent director since June 2007.Being an experienced director, Nobuyuki Idei currently also serves as director of Accenture, director of FreeBit Co, Ltd., director of Lenovo Group, and chairman of the National Conference on Fostering Beautiful Forests in Japan.Nobuyuki Idei is the founder and chief executiveofficer of Quantum Leaps Corporation, a specialist consultancy that advises private and public institutions on the changing role of technology in the 21st century.Nobuyuki Idei is also the founder and chairman of the board of Asia Innovators’ Initiative, a private non-profit organization that he established in 2011 to serve as a catalyst for social innovation in Asia by bringing together a diverse range of individuals and promoting knowledge sharing.Nobuyuki Idei was chairman and chief executive officer of Sony Corporation from 2000 to 2005, chief corporate advisor from 2005 to 2007, and chairman of the advisory board from 2007 to 2012.Prior to that, Nobuyuki Idei held a range of leadership positions at Sony including general manager of the audio division, senior general manager of the home video group, and president and representative director.Nobuyuki Idei has also served in a number of other advisory positions including as counselor to the Bank of Japan, member of Japan’s national IT Strategy Council, and vice-chairman of Nippon Keidanren.Nobuyuki Idei received a bachelor of science degree in economics and politics from Waseda University in Tokyo. ## Kakaku.com - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 1 - Stages: Series B, Seed, Series A - Focus: Hospitality, Web Development, Travel Kakaku.com, Inc. is mainly engaged in the operation of electronic commerce (EC) businesses. The Company has two business segments. The Internet Media segment is engaged in the provision of prices comparison services, gourmet food rankings and reviews services, discount hotels and last minute hotels reservation, newly built condominiums and rentalproperties searching services, as well as reviews of travel through the operation of Websites. The segment also generated revenue from the sale of advertising spaces. ## Vector - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 1 - 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. ## DBJ Capital - Type: VC Fund - Location: Otemachi, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 1 - Stages: Series A, Seed - Focus: Software, Internet, Biotechnology 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. ## Development Bank of Japan - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 1 - Stages: Series A, Series D - Focus: Manufacturing, Robotics, Health Care Development Bank of Japan is an integrated investment and loan service provider to domestic and international clients. It was founded in 1951 and is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. ## Evolable Asia Japan - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 1 - Stages: Corporate Round, Seed - Focus: Task Management, Marketing, Artificial Intelligence Evolable Asia is an IT development business ## Shintaro Yamada - Type: Angel - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 1 - Stages: Seed, Angel, Pre-Seed - Focus: Internet, Finance, Information Technology 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. ## FUKUOKA BROADCASTING SYSTEM - Type: VC Fund - Location: Fukuoka, Fukuoka, Japan - Relevant deals: 1 - Stages: Series A - Focus: Travel, Content, Tourism FUKUOKA BROADCASTING SYSTEM is a TV station that produces and broadcasts various programs. ## Chihiro Asano - Type: Angel - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 1 - Stages: Seed, Angel, Series A - Focus: Content, Legal, FinTech Chief Technology Officer at Money Forward. ## TeNY - Type: VC Fund - Location: Niigata, Niigata, Japan - Relevant deals: 1 - Stages: Series A - Focus: Travel, Content, Tourism TeNY is a broadcasting and media production company that produces documentary programs and local TV shows. ## Midland Incubators - Type: VC Fund - Relevant deals: 1 - Stages: Seed - Focus: Hospitality, Food and Beverage Midland Incubators is an investment firm. ## Learning Entrepreneurs Lab - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 1 - Stages: Seed - Focus: Hospitality, Food and Beverage Learning Entrepreneurs Lab is a process-oriented startup accelerator that introduces startup tools and practice it with entrepreneurs. ## Yoshida Yukihiro - Type: Angel - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 1 - Stages: Seed - Focus: Hospitality, Reservations, Media and Entertainment Former executive director of Gulliver International (currently IDOM), one of the few hyper-growth companies in Japan that made public public public in four years and achieved 10 billion sales in 10 years. He held a role in charge of FC business, management strategy, marketing, human resources, education, IT and finance. ## Hokkaido Bank - Type: VC Fund - Location: Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan - Relevant deals: 1 - Stages: Seed - Focus: Travel, Tourism, Hospitality Hokkaido Bank is offers banking and financial services. # 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