Incubate Fund
Japan's SMBC, Incubate set up USD 200m Asia VC fund
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) has established a USD 200m growth and late-stage pan-Asian VC fund in partnership with Japan’s Incubate Fund, which will co-manage the vehicle.
Japan VC: Global appetites
The relatively recent advent of sizeable VC funds and high-profile start-ups in Japan has exposed long-simmering ambitions to be more international. This could be a breakout moment
Japan's EV Motors raises $27m in extended Series C
Japanese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer EV Motors has completed an extended Series C round, raising JPY 3.6bn (USD 27.1m) from at least 23 investors.
Japan VC: Late-stage crossroads
Japan’s late-stage technology start-ups are finally beginning to attract meaningful attention from global investors. They should not pop open the champagne
Vision Fund backs Japan's AI Medical Service
SoftBank Vision Fund 2 has led a JPY 8bn (USD 70m) Series C funding round for AI Medical Service, a Tokyo-based medical technology company that has developed an artificial intelligence-enabled (AI) endoscopy diagnostic solution.
Bain leads $69m Series C for Japan's Linc'well
Bain Capital has led a JPY8 billion ($69 million) Series C round for Linc’well, a Japan-based software-as-a-service (SaaS) provider that caters to medical institutions.
Japan's iSpace raises $46m Series C
Japan’s Incubate Fund has led a JPY5.1 billion ($46.5 million) Series C round for iSpace, a local lunar exploration technology developer firming up an ambitious calendar of missions.
Deal focus: VR gaming comes of age
Japanese videogame publishing company Thirdverse believes the time is right to bring virtual reality entertainment to the masses. VCs with expertise in the sector are beginning to agree
Jafco backs Japan VR game developer
Japan’s Jafco has led an $8.5 million Series A round for local virtual reality (VR) game developer Thirdverse.
Japan's iSpace raises $28m Series B
Japanese lunar exploration company iSpace has raised $28 million Series B round led by Incubate Fund.
Globis backs two Japan marketing services companies
Japan’s Globis Capital Partners has invested in two marketing services providers in separate transactions, including web conferencing player BellFace and data-focused Flywheel.
Home automation: Digital digs
Home automation has graduated from a hobbyist niche to a sprawling, multifaceted consumer market that mobilizes a suite of cutting-edge technologies. Asian investors are identifying the early entry points
Japan’s Incubate Fund forms $92m Internet of Things vehicle
Tokyo-based early-stage VC firm Incubate Fund has raised JPY11 billion ($91.2 million) for a vehicle that will support Japanese companies involved in the Internet of Things (IoT).
Japan online home-hunter service bags $2m from VCs
Japan's YJ Capital and Incubate Fund have invested JPY200 million ($1.9 million) in Ietty, a Tokyo-based start-up that runs an online platform for home-hunters.