Who invests in startups in Japan
55 investors back startups in Japan: funds, accelerators and angel networks with at least two portfolio companies there, 664 portfolio startups in all. The most active here are Global Brain (136), Plug and Play (100) and Globis Capital Partners (69). 11 of them are accelerators.
Investors by their portfolio companiesRebuilt 8 Nov 2026
investors
55
portfolio startups
664
accelerators
11
Investors backing startups in Japan
| Investor | Startups here | Portfolio rounds, 12 mo | Latest activity |
|---|---|---|---|
 Global BrainVenture capital · Japan · Kinish, Materia Connect, Moneytree | 136 | 30 | Oct 2026 |
 Plug and PlayAccelerator · United States · Aeterlink, Araya, ElevationSpace | 100 | 152 | Nov 2026 |
 Globis Capital PartnersVenture capital · Japan · Mercari, FLYWHEEL, Telexistence | 69 | 4 | Sep 2026 |
 Z Venture CapitalVenture capital · Japan · ElevationSpace, Shippio, Mirrativ | 57 | 7 | Jun 2026 |
 JIC Venture Growth InvestmentsVenture capital · Japan · Monstarlab, GMO, Nyle | 53 | 6 | Sep 2026 |
 Genesia VenturesVenture capital · Japan · amptalk, ElevationSpace, Sukedachi | 47 | 7 | Aug 2026 |
 TechstarsAccelerator · United States · Listenfield, Kyoto Fusioneering, Sagri | 45 | 98 | Nov 2026 |
 NTT Docomo VenturesVenture capital · Japan · Authlete, ELEMENTS, WHILL | 45 | 6 | Aug 2026 |
 Coral CapitalVenture capital · Japan · Henry, Authlete, Ookuma Diamond Device | 44 | 8 | Oct 2026 |
 GMO VenturePartnersVenture capital · Japan · NOT A HOTEL, Moneytree, Mercari | 34 | 2 | Jul 2026 |
 Daiwa Corporate InvestmentVenture capital · Japan · Rapyuta Robotics, GITAI, Kyoto Fusioneering | 33 | 4 | Aug 2026 |
 Incubate FundVenture capital · Japan · newmo, Zen Intelligence, Zene | 30 | 1 | May 2026 |
 UTECVenture capital · Japan · ELEMENTS, Microwave Chemical, Mujin | 28 | 6 | Aug 2026 |
 500 GlobalAccelerator · United States · Authlete, Sakana AI, Infostellar | 27 | 35 | Oct 2026 |
 STRIVEVenture capital · Japan · KAKEHASHI, Asuene, SkyDrive | 25 | 2 | Jul 2026 |
 Open Network LabAccelerator · Japan · Connected Robotics, WHILL, Digital Garage | 20 | – | – |
 AntlerAccelerator · Singapore · KanjuTech, Refined Robotics Pte Ltd, Avete | 18 | 52 | Nov 2026 |
 Skyland VenturesVenture capital · Japan · Ailead, GITAI, Aidemy | 18 | 1 | Apr 2026 |
 NVCCVenture capital · Japan · UPWARD, WHILL, Awarefy | 16 | 3 | Jul 2026 |
 SPROUNDVenture capital · NaLaLys, Beatrust, FLUX | 16 | 1 | Dec 2025 |
 Eight RoadsVenture capital · United Kingdom · Mico, MeetsMore, WHILL | 15 | 9 | Oct 2026 |
 BetavcVenture capital · Japan · AGRIST, QUANDO, inaho | 15 | – | – |
 Miyako CapitalVenture capital · Japan · Sakana AI, Orange, Sukedachi | 14 | 2 | May 2026 |
 Keio Innovation InitiativeVenture capital · Japan · Aeterlink, Orbital Lasers, DigitalArchi | 13 | 3 | Jul 2026 |
 University of Tokyo Innovation PlatformAccelerator · Japan · Logomix, Orbital Lasers, WealthNavi | 13 | 1 | Apr 2026 |
 Universal Materials IncubatorVenture capital · Japan · Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, AIST, Shin-Etsu Chemical | 12 | – | – |
| EERAAccelerator · Closer, RevComm, Boostdraft | 10 | 4 | Jul 2026 |
 Salesforce VenturesVenture capital · United States · Goodpatch, freee, Helpfeel | 9 | 22 | Sep 2026 |
 HeadlineVenture capital · Taiwan · freee, WealthNavi, Jimoty | 9 | 22 | Sep 2026 |
 Kyoto University Innovation CapitalVenture capital · Japan · Kyoto Fusioneering, kaonavi, Yaqumo | 9 | 5 | Aug 2026 |
 Nippon Technology Venture PartnersVenture capital · Japan · DeNA, JPYC, APTO | 8 | – | – |
 Pegasus Tech VenturesVenture capital · United States · Money Forward, Arithmer, Cinnamon AI | 7 | 6 | Nov 2026 |
 Tohoku University Venture PartnersVenture capital · Japan · ispace, ElevationSpace, SUSMED | 7 | 2 | Sep 2026 |
 Polaris Capital GroupPrivate equity · Japan · Stockmark, Works Applications, CARTA HOLDINGS | 6 | – | – |
 IntegralPrivate equity · Japan · At Home, Asahi Kasei, oliverinc.co.jp | 6 | – | – |
 EndeavorAccelerator · United States · Unifa, WHILL, Sansan | 5 | 54 | Oct 2026 |
 JAFCOVenture capital · Japan · Gunosy, note, Finatext Holdings | 4 | – | – |
 Kleiner PerkinsVenture capital · United States · Takeda Pharmaceutical, DeNA, REEVO | 3 | 47 | Nov 2026 |
 NEAVenture capital · United States · Sakana AI, Murata Manufacturing, Tokenz# FinTech# Japan | 3 | 37 | Oct 2026 |
 TransLink CapitalVenture capital · United States · PowerX, Sakana AI, Appier | 3 | 11 | Oct 2026 |
The most backed startups in Japan
| Startup | Investors in this list |
|---|---|
 newmo | 8 |
 WHILL | 8 |
 Sakana AI | 7 |
 Kyoto Fusioneering | 6 |
 ElevationSpace | 6 |
 GITAI | 6 |
 Asuene | 6 |
 freee | 5 |
 Tokenz# FinTech# Japan | 5 |
 Photosynth | 5 |
 KAKEHASHI | 5 |
 TRUSTDOCK | 5 |
 Alphaus | 5 |
 Stockmark | 5 |
 REEVO | 4 |
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Who invests in startups in Japan?
55 investors back startups in Japan: funds, accelerators and angel networks with at least two portfolio companies there, 664 portfolio startups in all. The most active here are Global Brain (136), Plug and Play (100) and Globis Capital Partners (69). 11 of them are accelerators.
How is this list built?
From what each investor holds: the portfolio page it publishes, the Y Combinator directory and the announced rounds that name it. An investor counts for Japan when at least two of its portfolio companies are based there; the list is rebuilt every night from 2,417 portfolios.
Source: investors' portfolio pages and announced rounds, 2,417 portfoliosUpdated 8 Nov 2026MethodologyJSONCC BY-SA 4.0