11 Best Venture Capital (VC) Firms In Tokyo
Tokyo is a major hub for technology and innovation, making it a fantastic place for startups looking to grow. If you’re hunting for investment, you’re in the right spot. This article will introduce you to the leading VC firms in Tokyo, known for their strategic support and funding of innovative businesses.
Accord Ventures
Accord Ventures is a venture capital firm primarily investing in high-potential technology companies, focusing on the Internet and IoT sectors. The firm believes in Asia’s potential and the power of diversity. Accord has made more than 50 investments and is usually involved in about five investment rounds per year.
Headquarters: Japan
Investment Geography: USA, Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, Malaysia
Operating since: 2015
Investment Focus: IT-enabled platform businesses, Enterprise/B2B IT, Software, IoT, AI, FinTech
Stages: Series A, Series B
Number of investments: 52
Number of exits: 3
Check size: $1m – $4m
Notable investments: Optfit, Sokudan, Mawari
Founders/Key People: Fumihiko Ishimaru, Takayuki Mizuki
Website: https://accordventures.co.jp/en/
CyberAgent Capital
CyberAgent Capital operates several funds, each focusing on different geographical regions and stages of investment. They have multiple funds for investments in Japan, China, and Southeast Asia. The fund sizes vary, with examples including ¥6,000,000,000 for the CA Startups Internet Fund 3, L.P. in Japan and US$19.0 million for the CA-JAIC China Internet Fund Ⅱ, L.P.
Headquarters: Japan
Investment Geography: Japan, USA, Vietnam, Indonesia, China, Thailand, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Canada, Australia
Operating since: 2006
Stages: Seed,Series A
Investment Focus: Internet (Enterprise Software,MarTech,FinTech,Digital Media, EdTech, Gaming, FoodTech,JobTech,TravelTech,Digital Health, HealthTech, Social, PropTech, E-commerce, Marketplaces, IoT,Blockchain,Logistics,Mobility)
Number of investments: 396
Number of exits: 144
Check size: $100k – $5m
Notable investments: VNG, Tokopedia
Founders/Key People: Nguyen Tuan, Takashi Kitao
Website: https://www.cyberagentcapital.com/en/
Drone Fund
Drone Fund is a unique venture capital firm focused exclusively on the drone space. It provides portfolio companies with capital investment, operational support, collaborative planning, and regulatory assistance. Drone Fund invests across the entire spectrum of the drone industry, including hardware, software, core technology, and integration. They actively participate in and organize various events and expos globally, emphasizing their commitment to expanding the entire drone space.
Headquarters: Japan
Investment Geography: Japan, USA, Germany, Canada, Brazil, Singapore, New Zealand, Norway
Operating since: 2017
Stages: Seed, Series A, Series B
Investment Focus: Drones (Air Mobility, Drone Tech, DaaS, SaaS)
Number of investments: 89
Number of exits: 7
Check size: $250k – $8m
Notable investments: TeTra aviation, SkyDrive
Founders/Key People: Soki Omae, Miki Temmyo
Website: https://dronefund.vc/en/
Globis Capital Partners
Globis Capital Partners, established in 1996 by Yoshito Hori, is a Japanese venture capital firm based in Tokyo. As a significant player in the venture capital space, Globis has a focused approach toward investing in companies, predominantly taking on the role of a lead investor. Its success is reflected in its involvement with numerous IPOs, with 36 of its investments reaching IPO status. Moreover, Globis Capital Partners manages a substantial fund size, with its assets under management (AUM) exceeding $1 billion.
Headquarters: Japan
Investment Geography: Japan, USA, Singapore, Malaysia, United Kingdom, Israel
Operating since: 1996
Stages: Seed,Series A,Series B
Investment Focus: Consumer Marketplaces, HealthTech, E-commerce, FinTech, InsurTech, IoT, EdTech, Games,Digital Media,Social,Mobile,PropTech,FoodTech,Enterprise Software,AI,Data Analytics,Mobility,Cloud Infrastructure, ConstructionTech, Logistics, HRTech, MarTech, Drones, SalesTech, Robotics, Semiconductors,Hardware, Advanced Manufacturing
Number of investments: 193
Number of exits: 62
Check size: $1m – $50m
Notable investments: Mercari, Telexistence,
Founders/Key People: Emre Yuasa, Kosuke Fukagawa
Website: https://www.globiscapital.co.jp/en/
Hike Ventures
Hike Ventures, founded in 2018, is a venture capital firm based in San Francisco, California, specializing in early-stage investments. The firm focuses on innovative companies across various sectors, including artificial intelligence, healthcare, information technology, and financial services. Hike Ventures actively participates in funding rounds, with notable investments ranging from $950K to $22M in companies such as RadarFit, Defog, Tradespace, and Mesh, demonstrating its commitment to supporting the growth of emerging tech startups.
Headquarters: Japan
Investment Geography: USA, Brazil, Canada, Israel, Japan, Singapore
Operating since: 2018
Stages: Seed, Series A
Investment Focus: Artificial Intelligence/AI, Machine Learning/ML, Applied AI (Software, Automation, Business Intelligence, Cyber Security, Digital Health, HealthTech, MedTech, AgTech, LegalTech, Retail, Logistics, Mobility, Real Estate, Marketplaces)
Number of investments: 60
Number of exits: 4
Check size: $500K to $25M
Notable investments: Paladin, Mesh Connect
Founders/Key People: Mikihiro Yasuda, Takahiro Shoji
Website: https://hikevc.com/english
Kepple Africa Ventures
Kepple Africa Ventures, established in 2018 and based in Tokyo, Japan, is a venture capital firm that focuses on investing in startups across Africa. It targets companies in the early stages of development, including seed-stage, early-stage, and later-stage financing. The firm primarily invests in sectors such as information technology, fintech, and B2C. It operates with a mission to support startups and has engaged in significant activities such as partnering with Nigeria-based Private Equity Firm Verod Capital Management to form Verod-Kepple Africa Ventures, which has a corpus of USD 100 million. Additionally, Kepple Africa Ventures has been instrumental in investing in and supporting African tech startups, highlighting its commitment to nurturing the continent’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Headquarters: Japan
Investment Geography: Nigeria, Kenya, United States, Egypt, South Africa, Ghana, France, Côte d’Ivoire, Mauritius, Tunisia, Japan, United Kingdom.
Operating since: 2019
Investment Focus: Africa (FinTech, EdTech, Digital Health, HealthTech, Digital Media, E-commerce, AgTech, FoodTech, Automotive, Enterprise Software, Real Estate, PropTech, Logistics, HRTech, MarTech, Marketplaces).
Stages: Pre-Seed, Seed, Post-Seed, Series A, Series B+.
Number of investments: 70
Number of exits: 3
Check size: $500K – $3M
Notable investments: Moove, PEG Africa
Founders/Key People: Takahiro Kanzaki
Website: https://kepple-africa-ventures.com/
Rakuten Capital (CVC)
Rakuten Capital is the corporate venture capital arm of Rakuten Group, a major global internet services company based in Tokyo, Japan. Established in 2014, Rakuten Capital focuses on fostering growth and providing operational support to its portfolio companies around the world. It has a diverse investment portfolio, including sectors like fintech, mobility, digital media, and healthcare. The firm has made significant investments in various notable companies and is known for its strategic support in various global industries.
Headquarters: Japan (Setagaya-ku, Tokyo)
Investment Geography: Various regions globally, including Japan, North America, Europe, and Asia
Operating since: 2014
Investment Focus: FinTech, Mobility, Consumer, E-commerce, Travel, Digital Media & Sports, Marketplaces, Enterprise Software/SaaS, Blockchain, Data & AI, Digital Health/HealthTech
Stages: Series A, Series B, Series C
Number of investments: 120
Number of exits: 29
Check size: $250k – $3m, $3m – $20m
Notable investments: Carousell, Cabify, Gojek
Founders/Key People: Oscar Miel, Nicole Jang, Regina Ho
Website: http://capital.rakuten.com/
Rebright Partners
Rebright Partners is an Asia-focused early-stage venture capital firm, established to invest in technology startups across the region. With prominent Japanese corporate and institutional backers, the firm specializes in nurturing early-stage tech startups. It leverages a robust network spanning South East Asia, India, and Japan, providing a platform for startups aiming to expand and build partnerships in these markets. The leadership team at Rebright Partners includes seasoned professionals with diverse expertise.
Headquarters: Japan (Tokyo)
Investment Geography: South East Asia, India, and Japan
Operating since: 2008
Investment Focus: Consumer Internet, FinTech, EdTech, HealthTech/Digital Health, E-commerce, Media & Entertainment, Mobility, Enterprise/B2B, SaaS/Software, AI/Data Analytics, Blockchain, DeepTech, AdTech, Logistics, AgTech
Stages: Seed, Series A
Number of investments: 65
Number of exits: 17
Check size: $1m – $5m
Notable investments: Inshorts, Essenvia, Monster API
Founders/Key People: Takeshi Ebihara, Bindu Eswara Reddy
Website: http://www.rebrightpartners.com/
Sony Innovation Fund
The Sony Innovation Fund (SIF), established by Sony Corporation in 2016, operates as its venture capital arm focusing on early-stage technology startups. Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, SIF invests across various sectors, including entertainment, fintech, healthcare, the Internet of Things (IoT), mobility, deep tech, and sensor technologies. Beyond providing financial investment, SIF aims to foster collaboration between startups and Sony, offering access to Sony’s global network and resources to support business creation in related lines of business.
Headquarters: Japan
Investment Geography: Japan, United States, United Kingdom, India, Germany, Switzerland, Israel, Canada, Ireland, Taiwan, Singapore, Belgium.
Operating since: 2016
Investment Focus: Entertainment, FinTech/InsurTech, Health Care, Mobility, SportsTech, FoodTech, AgTech, EdTech, SaaS/Software, Deep Tech, Sensor Tech, IoT, Robotics, AI, Drone, Environment.
Stage: Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A, Series B.
Number of investments: 190
Number of exits: 11
Check size: $10M – $50M
Notable investments: Trax, Slice
Founders/Key People: Joseph Tou
Website: https://www.sonyinnovationfund.com/
Strive Ventures
Strive Ventures, previously known as GREE Ventures, is a venture capital firm headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, with an additional office in Singapore. Founded on November 11, 2011, the firm rebranded in May 2019 to better reflect its independent investment strategy and address confusion regarding its financial and management structure unrelated to its initial parent company, GREE, a Tokyo-based mobile game developer. Strive specializes in seed-stage investments, focusing on startups across various Asian markets.
Headquarters: Singapore
Investment Geography: Japan, Singapore, United States, India, Indonesia, Philippines, Czech Republic, Malaysia, Mexico, China, Nepal.
Operating since: 2011
Investment Focus: B2B/Enterprise, Software/SaaS, Cloud, Data Analytics, AdTech/MarTech, Construction, Consumer Internet, FinTech, EdTech, Digital Health, E-commerce, Digital Media, Sports, TravelTech
Stage: Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A, Series B.
Number of investments: 148
Number of exits: 26
Check size: $100K – $2M
Notable investments: Grab, Hasura
Founders/Key People: Yusuke Amano
Website: https://strive.vc/en/
Z Venture Capital
Z Venture Capital, established in 2012, is the venture capital arm of Z Holdings. It primarily invests in companies operating in the insurance and finance industries. The firm was formed following the merger of Line Ventures and Yahoo Japan Capital (YJ Capital) in April 2021. Z Venture Capital is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.
Headquarters: Japan
Investment Geography: Japan, United States, South Korea, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Germany, China, Philippines, India, Vietnam.
Operating since: 2012
Investment Focus: Software, Commerce, Media, FinTech, SaaS,AI,Data, Crypto, Healthcare/Digital Health,HRTech,EdTech,Cyber Security.
Stage: Seed, Series A, Series B.
Number of investments: 49
Number of exits: 1
Check size: $10K – $1M
Notable investments: NinjaVan, SoundHound.
Founders/Key People: Shinichiro Hori
Website: https://zvc.vc/en/
Conclusion
Selecting the right VC firm in Tokyo can significantly impact your startup’s trajectory. The VC firms we’ve highlighted are top players, each with a strong record of supporting startups with potential. Consider each firm’s focus areas and how they align with your business goals. Partnering with the right VC firm can provide the resources and guidance necessary to thrive in Tokyo’s competitive market.
