Draper Nexus raises $175m for US-Japan fund

LPs are said to be primarily Japan-based technology conglomerates, including Panasonic, Hitachi and Canon. This investor base is expected to facilitate customer sourcing for portfolio companies as the vehicle pursues funding rounds in start-ups across the seed, Series A and B stages.

"We invest in companies that are not just exciting to us, but where we know we can bring some customer or channel partnership advantages to them," Q. Motiwala, a managing director at Draper Nexus, told TechCrunch. "The large corporations in our fund have skin in the game."

Fund II will concentrate on the transportation, cybersecurity and big data sectors. Within Japan, it is expected to target companies developing marketing technology. 

Draper Nexus operates from offices in Japan and the US, with a focus on promoting cross-border marketing opportunities for start-ups in IT sectors. Previous investments include online ticketing platform Peatix, travel site Trippiece and software testing service provider Shift. The firm closed its first fund at $50 million in 2013, according to AVCJ Research.

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• Topics
• North Asia
• Technology
• Fundraising
• Venture
• Japan
• USA
• Venture
• Draper Nexus Venture Partners
• TMT