SMBC Venture Capital
VCs commit $15m to Japanese AI specialist
A group of venture capital firms, including SBI Investment, have invested $15 million in a Series B round for Cinnamon, a Japanese artificial intelligence (AI) company focused on office automation.
Japan hiking app provider gets Series B
Japan-based hiking app provider Yamap has raised a JPY1.2 billion ($11.1 million) Series B funding round from a group of domestic investors including Advantage Partners-owned outdoor sports equipment retailer Ishii Sports.
VCs invest $25m in Japan's Plaid
Japanese digital marketing services provider Plaid has raised JPY1.5 billion ($25.1 million) from a group of VCs including existing investor Eight Roads Ventures Japan and Femto Partners.
VCs back $41m investment in Japan's WealthNavi
Japanese financial technology company WealthNavi has raised JPY4.5 billion ($41.3 million) through a combination of domestic venture capital funding and loans from financial institutions.
Japan’s Folio gets $63m in extended Series A
A group of investors including Goldman Sachs have invested JPY7 billion ($63 million) in Japanese stock trading app operator Folio.
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.
Japan's Moneytree raises $9m Series B
Japan-based SBI investment has led a JPY1 billion ($9 million) Series B funding round for domestic financial technology services company Moneytree.
Japan's Mercari buys VC-backed e-commerce player
Japanese e-commerce company Mercari has agreed to acquire domestic competitor Zawatt, setting up an exit for a number of venture capital backers.
Japan's VC-backed Anydoor acquired by Rosetta
Anydoor, which operates Japanese crowdsourced translation platform Conyac, will be acquired by Tokyo-listed translation services business Rosetta in a cash-plus-stock deal.
INCJ leads $16m investment in Japan's Atonarp
Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ) has led a $16 million funding round for Tokyo-based chemical sensor developer Atonarp.
Japan's SmartNews secures $38m Series D
Tokyo-based news discovery app SmartNews has raised $38 million in a Series D round led by Development Bank of Japan.
Japan's Creema raises $10m round
Globis Capital Partners has led a JPY1.1 billion ($10 million) round for Japan-based Creema, the operator of an online consumer-to-consumer (C2C) marketplace specializing in handmade items.
Gree, GMO in $4.6m round for Japan's Sorabito
Sorabito, the Japanese operator of an online marketplace for heavy machinery, has received JPY500 million ($4.6 million) from investors including Gree Ventures and existing backer GMO Venture Partners.
Japan design firm Goodpatch raises $3.5m
Goodpatch, a Japan-based user interface design company that focuses on digital products, has received a Series A round of funding worth JPY400 million ($3.5 million).
Japan's ChatWork raises $12.5 Series B round
Japan-based business chat platform ChatWork has raised $12.5 million in Series B funding from Jafco, SMBC Venture Capital and GMO Venture Partners.
Japan skills platform gets $4.4m in funding
Coconala, a Japanese skills marketplace formerly known as WelSelf, has raised JPY540 million ($4.4 million) in funding from Jafco, Nissay Capital, SMBC Venture Capital and Voyage Ventures.
Japanese mobile games developer MyNet raises $6.2m
MyNet, a Japanese mobile games developer, has raised JPY730 million ($6.2 million) from a slew of investors including B Dash Ventures, SMBC Venture Capital, Shinsei Corporate Investment, and Sumitomo Mitsui Bank.
Globis invests $6.7m in Japan's Neo Career
Globis Capital Partners has led a JPY800 million ($6.7 million) round of investment in Neo Career, a Japanese firm that offers online staffing and recruitment services.
Japan mystery shopper company raises $2.2m
Mizuho Capital, Jafco Ventures and DBJ Capital have invested JPY220 million ($2.1 million) in Research and Innovation, a Tokyo-based internet market research company.
Nissay, SMBC, Incubate invest $1m Japan budget app
Nissay Capital, SMBC Venture Capital and Incubate Fund have together invested JPY100 million ($955,000) in BearTail, the Japanese start-up behind the cloud-based household accounting app Dr. Wallet.
Japan’s VC-backed Oncolys Pharma raises $64m in Tokyo IPO
Oncolys Pharma, a VC-backed developer of drugs targeting cancer and serious infectious diseases, saw its stock open at JPY3,500 per share - a 34.6% premium on the offering price - on its first day of trading in Tokyo. This followed a JPY6.6 billion ($64.4...
SMBC, NEC-backed VC fund backs US semiconductor firm
Innovative Venture Fund, an early stage investment fund set up by Japan's NEC Capital and SMBC Venture Capital, has a led a round of investment in SiTime Corp, a US-based semiconductor company. Additional participants in the round included Hercules Technology...