Airbus Ventures sets up Japan office

The LPs include Development Bank of Japan (DBJ), Mitsubishi UFJ Lease & Finance, and Fuyo General Lease. DBJ, which has backed various aviation initiatives since the 1970s, said in a release that its participation was part of a plan to get more exposure to the space industry. The bank opened an aerospace office in 2017.

Airbus Ventures invests globally in early-stage start-ups in technologies impacting the aerospace landscape, including autonomous mobility, electrification, next-generation computing, and advanced materials. It typically co-invests with traditional venture capital firms and operates with substantive independence and autonomy from its parent company.

The firm’s decision to make Japan its core base of operations for Asia reinforces the country’s growing reputation as a regional leader in space tech innovation.

Airbus’s previous activity in this market includes leading a $7.3 million Series A round for satellite systems provider Infostellar in 2017 and joining a $3.5 million follow-up round earlier this year alongside Mitsubishi UFJ Capital. It has also backed Japanese materials player Carbon Fiber Recycle Industry, cloud services company Telexistence, and Trillium, a cybersecurity specialist focused on autonomous vehicles.

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• Topics
• North Asia
• Fundraising
• Venture
• Technology
• Japan
• The Development Bank of Japan (DBJ)