World Innovation Lab (WiL)
Japan's WiL joins $27m round for health platform Micin
Japan-US cross-border investor World Innovation Lab (WiL) has joined a JPY 4bn (USD 27.3m) Series C round for Tokyo-based telemedicine and health platform Micin.
Global Brain, Globis lead $93m round for Japan's Josys
Global Brain and Globis Capital Partners have led a USD 93m Series B round for Josys, a Japan-based IT services provider specializing in helping companies manage devices.
Japan procurement marketplace secures $89m Series C
Six Japanese venture capital firms have led a Series C round of USD 89m for Caddi, operator of a B2B procurement marketplace that services the manufacturing sector.
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
Global Brain leads $30m Series A for Japan's Josys
Global Brain has led a JPY 4.4bn (USD 30.5m) Series A round for Japanese business automation and IT services platform Josys with plans for an international expansion.
Japan's WiL raises USD 1bn
US-Japan cross-border investor World Innovation Lab (WiL) has raised USD 1bn across its third flagship fund and several other vehicles.
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
DST, WiL lead Series C for Japan's Upsider
DST Global and World Innovation Lab (WiL) have led a JPY 15bn (USD 115m) Series C round for Upsider, a Japan-based corporate credit card issuer. It is said to be the first time DST has taken the lead role in a Japan deal.
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.
Japan voice AI player RevComm raises $14m Series A
RevComm, a Japan-based voice recognition artificial intelligence (AI) technology provider, has closed its Series A round at JPY1.5 billion ($14.2 million) with support from several local VCs.
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.
Globis, WiL, Japan Post back Series B for AI Medical
AI Medical Service, a Japanese healthcare technology start-up working on what it claims is the world’s first artificial intelligence-enabled endoscopic diagnosis system, has raised JPY4.6 billion ($43 million) in Series B funding.
Intudo closes second Indonesia fund at $50m
Intudo Ventures has closed its second fund focused exclusively on Indonesian early-stage companies at $50 million. The firm raised $20 million for its debut vehicle last year.
World Innovation Lab raises $521m for US-Japan fund
World Innovation Lab (WiL) has raised $521 million for a US-Japan venture capital fund.
Japan's Mercari set for $1.2b IPO
Japanese consumer-to-consumer marketplace Mercari – which has several VC backers – is set to raise JPY130.5 billion ($1.18 billion) in its domestic IPO after pricing the offering at the top end of the indicative range.
Japanese unicorn Mercari targets $1b IPO, VCs set for exits
Mercari, a venture capital-backed Japanese consumer-to-consumer marketplace that became the country’s first unicorn in 2016, plans to raise up to JPY110 billion ($1 billion) through a domestic IPO.
VCs invest $18m in Japan lifestyle media player
Every, a Japanese media company focused on lifestyle-oriented and smartphone-accessible content, has raised about JPY2.1 billion ($18.3 million) from a number of VCs, including World Innovation Lab.
Japan's KDDI to acquire VC-backed Soracom
Soracom, a Japanese internet of things (IoT) communications platform that has several VC backers, will be acquired by domestic telecom operator KDDI Corporation.
Japan VC: Culture club
The Cool Japan policy aims to internationalize a large but lagging economy beyond its manufacturing roots. Venture capital will be the key to reimagining unique overlaps of culture and technology
Eight Roads leads $12m round for Japan's Toreta
Eight Roads Ventures Japan has led a JPY1.2 billion ($11.8 million) investment in Toreta, a Tokyo-based reservation and customer management platform aimed at restaurants.
Green House, WiL partner on $52m India fund
India's Green House Ventures (GHV) Accelerator will partner with Japan and US-based early-stage investor World Innovation Labs (WiL) to launch a INR3.5 billion ($52 million) fund for investments in Indian start-ups.
WiL leads $10.6m round for Japan's Retty
World Innovation Lab (WiL) has led a JPY1.1 billion ($10.6 million) investment in Japanese social media-oriented restaurant guide operator Retty.
Pavilion invests $5.8m in Japan’s Soracom
Pavilion Capital, a private equity unit of Singapore’s Temasek Holdings, has committed JPY600 million ($5.8 million) to Japanese internet-of-things (IoT) company Soracom.
Japan VC: Outbound ambition
Japanese start-ups are looking to address global markets from day one, but few domestic venture capital firms are equipped to support cross-border strategies. Corporate VCs could provide the solution