venture capital

Cross Capital Expands LP Base as Precision Specialist Nippon Thompson Boards Global Fund of Funds

Norbert Gehrke

13 Apr 2026 — 2 min read

Cross Capital has announced that Nippon Thompson (IKO), a leading Japanese manufacturer of precision machinery components, has joined the "Cross Capital I Limited Partnership" (CC1). Nippon Thompson becomes the eighth corporate limited partner (LP) to join the specialized Fund of Funds (FoF), which focuses on implementing open innovation for Japanese enterprises.

The move aligns with Nippon Thompson’s long-term management strategy, "IKO VISION 2030," and its current medium-term business plan. By participating in CC1, Nippon Thompson aims to bridge the gap between its traditional expertise in precision machining and friction control with next-generation technologies—such as AI, sensors, and autonomous systems—developed by global startups.

Mikito Hosono, Representative Director and CEO of Nippon Thompson, noted that the partnership is a "powerful engine" for the company to tackle global demands for automation, labor reduction, and environmental sustainability.

Fund Mechanics and Objectives

Cross Capital, headquartered in Singapore and led by co-founders Takaki Nakamura and Fumi Takashima, operates CC1 with a 10-year term. The fund serves as a strategic infrastructure, providing Japanese corporations with access to top-tier global venture capital networks. Unlike traditional investment vehicles, Cross Capital offers "hands-on" support, facilitating everything from the initial scouting of partners to Proof of Concept (PoC) execution and full-scale business implementation.

Takaki Nakamura, Co-Founder and CEO of Cross Capital, highlighted that while Japanese manufacturing maintains world-class quality standards, B2B industrial sectors have historically struggled to generate successful open innovation cases due to a reliance on in-house R&D. CC1 is designed to break this cycle by integrating "on-the-ground" Japanese manufacturing data with external global solutions.

Expanding Ecosystem

Nippon Thompson joins a growing roster of major Japanese corporate LPs in the fund, which includes:

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