# Top 50 Sports Startup Investors in Japan in May 2026 ## Genesia Ventures - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 4 - 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. ## Akatsuki - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 3 - 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. ## ANRI - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 3 - 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. ## GMO VenturePartners - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 3 - 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. ## Nobuhiro Ariyasu - Type: Angel - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 2 - Stages: Seed, Angel - Focus: Content, Internet, Finance Nobuhiro Ariyasu is the CEO at Coach United. ## Saison Ventures - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 2 - Stages: Series B, Seed - Focus: Software, Content, Internet Saison Ventures is investment arm of Credit Saison. ## Mamoru Taniya - Type: Angel - Location: Hong Kong, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong - Relevant deals: 2 - 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. ## NOW Japan - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 2 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Content, Marketing, Information Technology Next One for the World. ## 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. ## Tomohito Ebine - Type: Angel - Location: Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan - Relevant deals: 2 - Stages: Seed, Angel, Series A - Focus: Home Services, Information Technology, Consulting Tomohito Ebine is non-executive Director at Owls Co., Ltd. ## STRIVE - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 2 - 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. ## Yasuyuki Kin - Type: Angel - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 2 - Stages: Seed, Angel, Pre-Seed - Focus: Media and Entertainment, Information Technology, Career Planning Yasuyuki Kin ## Yu Akasaka - Type: Angel - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 2 - 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. ## ANOBAKA - Type: VC Fund - Location: Shibuya, Kanagawa, Japan - Relevant deals: 2 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Software, Content, Food and Beverage ANOBAKA is a Tokyo-based venture capital firm with rich group resources to add value to seed-stage startups. ANOBAKA actively invests in and supports startups aiming to be a global leader in the innovative Internet business and promising to greatly grow up in the future. ANOBAKA's investment focuses on fledgling seed-stage startups. Inaddition to investment financing, ANOBAKA provides founders with a variety of business support such as development consulting by our engineers, sales support, and international marketing support. ## Makoto Takano - Type: Angel - Relevant deals: 2 - Stages: Seed, Series A, Series B - Focus: Content, Sports, Apps 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. ## Ayataro Nakagawa - Type: Angel - Relevant deals: 2 - Stages: Seed, Angel - Focus: Internet, Software, Information Technology 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. ## Kensuke Furukawa - Type: Angel - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 2 - Stages: Seed, Angel - Focus: Content, Media and Entertainment, Software 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". ## Daiwa Corporate Investment - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 2 - 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. ## Susquehanna International Group (SIG) - Type: VC Fund - Location: Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania, United States - Relevant deals: 2 - Stages: Series A, Series B - Focus: Software, Financial Services, Cryptocurrency Discover Susquehanna, a global quantitative trading firm built on a rigorous, analytical foundation in financial markets. ## 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. ## Kevin Lin - Type: Angel - Location: San Francisco, California, United States - Relevant deals: 2 - Stages: Seed, Series A, Pre-Seed - Focus: Gaming, Information Technology, Video Games Lin is the COO of Twitch, the world’s leading social video platform and community for gamers. He was instrumental in the 2011 launch of the platform when he joined Justin.tv in 2008. His role included attracting the site’s largest broadcasters and building out the partnership team among other activities which have helped grow the Twitch brand.Currently more than 100 million gamers gather every month on Twitch to broadcast live video, watch and chat about gaming, making the platform an industry leader. ## 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. ## Mitsubishi UFJ Capital - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 2 - 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. ## Hidetoshi Takano - Type: Angel - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 2 - Stages: Seed, Angel - Focus: Internet, Information Technology, Media and Entertainment 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. ## Kevin Chou - Type: Angel - Location: San Francisco, California, United States - Relevant deals: 2 - Stages: Seed, Series A, Angel - Focus: Gaming, Video Games, eSports Kevin Chou is Managing Partner of the SuperLayer web3 venture studio and co-founder of Rally, a crypto platform that allows creators and artists to launch their own digital currency and to build sustainable, independent economies with their fan communities. Kevin currently serves as the Chairman of Forte, a new blockchain whose mission is to builda more collaborative future in gaming by realigning the economic relationship between players and developers. He is also Chairman of Gen.G, a new esports enterprise bridging Asia and North America. Previously, Kevin was CEO and co-founder of Kabam, a top developer of mobile games. Kevin led the company from business plan founding to over $400M in annual revenue serving over 500 million players. Kabam developed leading partnerships with Marvel, Star Wars, Fast & Furious, Lord of the Rings, and Hunger Games. Kabam was profitable from 2012 until the sale of the company's studios to Netmarble, 21st Century Fox, and GAEA, which in total generated nearly $1 billion in value. He's been honored by Fortune in 40 under 40, CNN in Smartest People in Tech, and Business Insider's Silicon Valley Top 100. Kevin Chou graduated magna cum laude from the UC Berkeley undergraduate Haas School of Business program. He serves on the Board of Trustees at UC Berkeley. ## Hiroaki Kitano - Type: Angel - Relevant deals: 2 - Stages: Seed, Angel, Debt Financing - Focus: Health Care, Information Technology, Fitness Hiroaki Kitano is the SVP at Softbank Mobile. He attended Waseda University. ## Dai Tamesue - Type: Angel - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 2 - Stages: Angel, Seed, Pre-Seed - Focus: Apps, Sports, Health Care Dai Tamesue is the Chief Marketing Officer of Miekuru. ## Yuto Nagatomo - Type: Angel - Relevant deals: 2 - Stages: Seed, Angel - Focus: SNS, Sports, Content Yuto Nagatomo - President, CEO, and Founder @ Cuore Co., Ltd. ## Ishikawa Ryo - Type: Angel - Relevant deals: 2 - Stages: Seed, Angel - Focus: Sports, Internet Ishikawa Ryo ## Osaka University Venture Capital - Type: VC Fund - Location: Osaka, Osaka, Japan - Relevant deals: 1 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Health Care, Biotechnology, Manufacturing Osaka University Venture Capital is a venture capital firm that focuses on early-stage ventures in the fields of life innovation, green innovation, and platform technology. The firm was founded in 2014 and based in Osaka, Japan. ## Future Venture Capital - Type: VC Fund - Location: Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan - Relevant deals: 1 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Information Technology, Manufacturing, Health Care Future Venture Capital Co., Ltd. is a venture capital firm specializing in early stage investment. The firm invests in diversified investment in a broad range of industrial sectors. It seeks to invest in Japan. The firm prefers to be the lead investor in its portfolio companies. Future Venture Capital Co., Ltd. was founded in 1998 and is based inKyoto, Japan with offices in Tokyo, Aomori, Iwate, Yamagata, Kanazawa, Mie, Sakai, Kobe, and Ehime. ## W ventures - Type: VC Fund - Location: Shibuya, Kanagawa, Japan - Relevant deals: 1 - 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. ## RION - Type: VC Fund - Location: Kokubunji, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 1 - Stages: Series A - Focus: Sports, Wearables, Sporting Goods Japanese hearing aid manufacturer ## Takaya Shinozuka - Type: Angel - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 1 - Stages: Seed, Angel, Series A - Focus: Internet, Local, Advertising Takaya Shinozuka is the President, CEO, and Founder at Reiwa Travel. ## JAPANET - Type: VC Fund - Location: Sasebo, Nagasaki, Japan - Relevant deals: 1 - Stages: Pre-Seed - Focus: Sports, Education, Information Technology JAPANET will send timely and profitable information, mainly on information on Japan Takata's program information and flyers and catalogs. ## Kamata Tomihisa - Type: Angel - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 1 - Stages: Seed, Angel - Focus: Fitness, Medical, Genetics 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. ## MedVenture Partners - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 1 - Stages: Seed, Series A, Series B - Focus: Medical Device, Medical, Health Care MedVenture Partners invests in seed to early stage projects and start-ups in the life science field focusing mainly on medical devices. ## Molten USA - Type: VC Fund - Location: Reno, Nevada, United States - Relevant deals: 1 - Stages: Pre-Seed - Focus: Sports, Education, Information Technology Deluxe Multi-Sport Portable Digital Scoreboards Features backlit display and wireless key ring remote control., ## WERU Investment - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 1 - 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. ## Money Forward Venture Partners - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 1 - 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. ## The Asahi Shimbun Company - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 1 - Stages: Seed, Series A, Series C - Focus: Big Data, Apps, Art The Asahi Shimbun, which was first published in 1879, is one of Japan’s leading newspapers. They strive not only to protect both peace and democracy but also to strengthen them, and to serve the community and the people as a “company with vision and purpose.” That is The Asahi Shimbun Company’s core purpose—their point of origin.The Asahi Shimbunhas an extensive news-gathering network that provides seamless coverage every day. In Japan, there are general bureaus and bureaus in all 47 prefectures; with an additional 5 general bureaus and 29 bureaus in place around the world. All in all, there are 320 domestic and global news-gathering bases. ## Makuake - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 1 - Stages: Product Crowdfunding, Equity Crowdfunding, Seed - Focus: E-Commerce, Manufacturing, Food and Beverage Makuake is a operation of various support services centered on the cloud funding platform "Makuake".It is a product production support project utilizing R & D technology. ## Naoki Yamada - Type: Angel - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 1 - Stages: Seed, Pre-Seed - Focus: Information Technology, Software, Sports Naoki Yamada ## IPBridge - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 1 - Stages: Series A - Focus: Sports, Content, Education IPBridge is a company specializing in the management of intellectual property and funds. ## Ricoh - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 1 - Stages: Series A, Series C - Focus: Apps, Sports, Wearables Ricoh provides innovative products and services, and it is expanding its business in three customer segments: office, printing, and others.The company provides image equipment such as MFPs and printers for offices and visual communication products that support new work styles. In addition, the company solves problems for office customers throughtotal solutions that combine IT environment construction, network environment operation support, and user support. ## PE&HR - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 1 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Software, Education, E-Learning PE&HR is a private equity and venture capital firm that seeks to invest in incubation, start-up, and early-stage companies. PE&HR primarily invests in the human resources, internet, healthcare, IT, mobile, and social commerce-related industries. ## Asia Venture Group - Type: VC Fund - Location: Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - Relevant deals: 1 - Stages: Seed, Series A, Series C - Focus: E-Commerce, Artificial Intelligence, Food and Beverage Asia Venture Group is a hands-on, private Internet Holding Company and focuses on long-term value creation in South East Asian online markets. Asia Venture Group targets the sweet spots of the Asian internet space by combining: state of the art international know-how and expertise, rigorous execution excellence, outstanding international managementtalent, and the best local partners. Asia Venture Group focuses on digital distribution models and is extremely selective in terms of the companies it supports, which allows strong engagement in day-to-day operations. ## Uzabase - Type: VC Fund - Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 1 - Stages: Seed, Series A, Angel - Focus: Content, Information Services, SNS Official corporate site of Uzabase, Inc., the provider of SPEEDA, NewsPicks and other services ## Optima Ventures - Type: VC Fund - Location: Matsuyama, Tokyo, Japan - Relevant deals: 1 - Stages: Seed, Series A - Focus: Media and Entertainment, Information Technology, Food Processing Optima Ventures is a company that invests and supports venture companies mainly in Shikoku. ## 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/ # 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