Across Ventures Partners with SBI Holdings to Launch USD 100m U.S. Micro VC Fund-of-Funds
Across Ventures, a Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm, has announced a strategic alliance with Japanese financial services giant SBI Holdings to launch a new investment vehicle aimed at bridging the gap between U.S. innovation and Japanese industry.
The new fund, Across Ventures Fund I, L.P., is targeting a total of $100 million (approximately ¥16 billion). Operating as a fund-of-funds, the vehicle will focus on "specialized micro VCs"—a niche the firm identifies as increasingly vital within a "barbell" venture capital landscape where mega-funds have shifted toward later-stage, larger-scale investments.
Across Ventures, founded in 2025 by Managing Partner Emi Yoshikawa, intends to invest in a curated portfolio of more than 20 micro VC funds. These target funds typically range from $20 million to $50 million in size and focus on pre-seed and seed-stage startups. The investment strategy is sector-agnostic but emphasizes frontier technologies, including AI, fintech, blockchain, climate tech, health tech, and space.
SBI Holdings will serve as the anchor limited partner (LP) for the fund. The alliance leverages a long-standing relationship between SBI and Yoshikawa, who previously spearheaded strategic joint ventures with the Japanese group during her tenure at Ripple.
"Across Ventures' platform is designed with the goal of delivering early-stage insights and investment access that have been difficult to obtain through conventional models," said Yoshikawa in a statement.
For SBI Holdings, the partnership represents a strategic move to secure a foothold in the U.S. early-stage ecosystem. Yoshitaka Kitao, Representative Director, Chairman, and President of SBI Holdings, noted that the ability of Japanese companies to access cutting-edge developments, particularly in AI, will be a "key factor in determining their future competitiveness."
The fund aims to provide Japanese corporate partners with indirect access to hundreds of startups, facilitating strategic partnerships and providing data for mid- to long-term business development.
Norbert Gehrke
