AVCJ

SMBC Venture, Adways invest in Japan e-commerce site

  • Andrew Woodman
  • LinkedIn  
  • Google plus  
  • Save this article  

SMBC Venture Capital and strategic investor Adways have together backed Flask Park, a Japanese gift e-commerce company. Details of the transaction were not disclosed.

Headquartered in Tokyo, Flash Park was set up in 2009. Its flagship service is Birthday Press, an online marketplace where people can order personalized gifts including cards, cakes, confectionary, alcohol and various other small gift items from various local vendors.

According to a release, Birthday Press now has a network of around 1,680 partner stores across Japan fulfilling orders from over 150,000 users. The company also has a number of other supplementary services, including an e-payment platform and a professional photography service. The company currently employs 20 people.

SMBC VC is a member of Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group. Recent investments include US-based silicon timing solution provider, SiTime, and Japan translation service provider anydooR.

Adways, an internet marketing firm, has a track record of investing in Japanese interent start-ups. In September it joined Nissay Capital in committing JPY150 million ($1.5 million) in WelSelf, the Tokyo-based start-up behind online skils marketplace Coconala.

 

 

 

  • LinkedIn  
  • Google plus  
  • Save this article  

More on North Asia

Latest News

world-hands-globe-climate-esg
Asian GPs slow implementation of ESG policies - survey

Asia-based private equity firms are assigning more dedicated resources to environment, social, and governance (ESG) programmes, but policy changes have slowed in the past 12 months, in part due to concerns raised internally and by LPs, according to a...

  • GPs