Innovation Network Corp. of Japan (INCJ)
Japan's JPIC backs $33m round for Atonarp
Japan Post Investment Corporation (JPIC) has backed a $33 million Series C round for Atonarp, a Tokyo-based molecular diagnostics systems developer that uses artificial intelligence (AI).
Panasonic, VCs back Series B for Japan robotics player
Panasonic Corporation has joined a group of Japanese venture capital firms in a JPY900 million ($8.3 million) Series B round for local industrial robotics systems developer Linkwiz.
SBI joins $35m Series B for Japan's Pixie Dust
SBI Investment, the VC arm of Japan’s SBI Holdings, has joined a JPY3.8 billion $35 million Series B round for Pixie Dust Technologies, a local company developing novel uses for ultrasonic waves.
Japan's PE-backed Sansan files for IPO
Sansan, a PE-backed company that specializes in cloud-based business card digitization, has filed for a domestic IPO that is expected to generate around JPY35.2 billion ($321 million).
INCJ-backed Japan Display agrees $2.1b foreign bailout
Japan Display, an electronics supplier backed by Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ), has agreed a JPY232 billion ($2.1 billion) bailout, including an approximately $714 million investment from China’s Harvest Fund Management.
Japan's Astroscale expands Series D by $30m
Astroscale, a Japan-based space technology company focused on debris removal, has announced a $30 million extension to its Series D round, bringing the total raised to $80 million.
INCJ leads $230m round for Japan's JOLED
Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ) has led a JPY25.5 billion ($230 million) round for domestic display screen manufacturer and technology developer JOLED.
Japan launches space start-up accelerator
Several venture capital firms, including Global Brain, are participating in a Japanese government-backed accelerator program for space start-ups.
Japan's Axelspace gets $23m Series B
Axelspace, a Japanese start-up focused on ready-to-launch microsatellite technology, has raised a JPY2.6 billion ($23 million) Series B round led by Global Brain and property developer Mitsui Fudosan.
Google joins Series C round for Japan's Abeja
Google has participated in a Series C round for Japanese corporate analytics player Abeja, taking the company's cumulative funding to JPY6 billion ($53 million).
INCJ leads $50m round for Singapore's Astroscale
Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ) has led a $50 million Series D round for Astroscale, a Singaporean space technology company focused on orbital debris removal.
Japan Post backs $94m round for US-based Cloudian
Japan Post Investment Corporation (JPIC), a direct investment unit launched by Japan Post Bank and Japan Post Insurance earlier this year, has joined a $94 million round for Japan-founded and US-based data company Cloudian.
VCs invest $8m in Singapore's Umitron
Innovation Network Corporation of Japan and D4V, a Japanese seed-stage investor set up by Genuine Startups and US design consultancy Ideo, have joined a S$11.2 million ($8.2 million) investment in Singaporean agricultural technology company Umitron.
Japan robotics: Friendly faces
Japan’s home robotics industry is still in its early stages, and considerable work is required to create devices that can both appeal to everyday consumers and meaningfully contribute to their lives
Bain-led Toshiba carve-out approved by Chinese regulators
A consortium led by Bain Capital Private Equity has won approval for the acquisition of Toshiba Memory Corporation (TMC) from China’s antitrust authorities, clearing the last major obstacle to the JPY2 trillion ($17.8 billion) transaction closing.
VCs back $12m Series B for Japan's Optical Comb
Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ) has joined a group of VCs in a JPY1.3 billion ($12 million) Series B round for Optical Comb, a Tokyo-based auto industry supplier that uses advanced 3D scanning technology.
INCJ joins $33m Series C for Japan's Megakaryon
Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ) has joined a JPY3.7 billion ($33 million) Series C funding round for Megakaryon, a domestic medical research company.
Japanese start-up gets $90m for space trips
Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ) has joined a $90.2 million round for Japanese lunar exploration company iSpace. It is said to be the largest Series A raised in the country to date.
Western Digital drops challenge to Bain consortium’s Toshiba deal
Western Digital Corporation has dropped its legal challenge to the acquisition of Toshiba Memory Corporation (TMC), the Nand flash memory unit of Toshiba Corporation, by Bain Capital Private Equity-led consortium.
Deal focus: GPs smile at emotive robots
Kaname Hayashi, development leader of SoftBank's Pepper, is working on his own line of emotive robots. Few details have been disclosed but investors were happy enough to commit $57 million in funding
Japan household robot maker secures $57m round
Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ) and Tokyo-based asset manager Sparx Group have agreed to invest at least JPY6.4 billion ($57 million) in household robot maker Groove X.
Toshiba shareholders approve $18b TMC sale to Bain consortium
The shareholders of Japanese conglomerate Toshiba Corporation have approved the sale of the company’s Nand flash memory unit Toshiba Memory Corporation (TMC) to a consortium led by Bain Capital for JPY2 trillion ($17.6 billion).
INCJ, Konica Minolta acquire Ambry Genetics for $1b
Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ) and imaging giant Konica Minolta have completed a $1 billion joint acquisition of US-based Ambry Genetics, with a view to growing the company in Japan.