venture capital
The University of Tokyo Edge Capital Partners (UTEC), one of Japan's premier science & technology venture capital firms, has raised its sixth fund, UTEC 6, with a size of JPY 47 billion (approximately USD 326 million). With the launch of UTEC 6, the firm has surpassed USD 1
Weekly
Welcome to the one hundred nineteenth edition of the Japan FinTech Observer. With the last update on the Shunto wage negotiations behind, and the Upper House elections ahead of us, it is worth taking another look at the situation the average Japanese consumer finds herself in. In September 2022, we
venture capital
Asu Capital Partners, a venture capital firm supporting entrepreneurs aiming for "Japan to Global" expansion, has completed the final close of the "Asu Capital Partners Fund No. 1". In this fourth round of fundraising, the company received investments from Yamanashi Chuo Bank, Yostar, Kashima Antlers FC,
venture capital
Japan Investment Corporation (JIC) has decided to make an LP investment of JPY3.5 billion in Genesia Venture Fund IV Investment Limited Partnership (“GV-4”), which is managed by Genesia Ventures. JIC’s mission is to create a virtuous cycle of risk capital that supports the next generation of domestic industries
corporate venture capital
Fukuoka Financial Group has established the "CVC Fund No. 2" with a total fund size of 3 billion yen, jointly with SBI Investment and FFG Venture Business Partners, in order to strengthen investment functions aimed at realizing alliances with promising startup companies.
venture capital
AN Venture Partners (ANV), a global biotech venture capital firm, announced the final close of its first fund, AN Venture Partners I, achieving its target of USD 200m (JPY 29bn), one of the largest Japan-focused biotech venture capital funds to date, and also one of the largest first-time biotech venture
Weekly
Welcome to the one hundred eighteenth edition of the Japan FinTech Observer. We are going to be a bit policy- and white paper-heavy this week. From a macro perspective, we have included the government's "Grand Design and Action Plan for a New Form of Capitalism, 2025 Revised
venture capital
SBI Investment, a subsidiary of SBI Holdings which manages and operates venture capital funds, has completed fundraising for the “SBI Digital Space Fund”, with total capital commitments reaching JPY 100 billion. In March 2023, the SBI Group established SBI PE Holding as an intermediate holding company to oversee its private
Weekly
Welcome to the - exceptionally late - one hundred seventeenth edition of the Japan FinTech Observer. At the Monetary Policy Meeting held last week, the Policy Board of the Bank of Japan decided, by a unanimous vote, to set the following guideline for money market operations for the intermeeting period:
venture capital
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation has entered into an investment agreement with AN Venture Partners I, operated by ANV Management, which invests in the biotechnology sector. ANV was established in 2022 with the purpose of creating global biotechnology companies based primarily on excellent research and drug discovery seeds from Japanese universities,
lending
Techfino, a FinTech non-banking financial company (NBFC), has announced that it has successfully secured INR 65 crore in equity funding. The investment comes from Stellaris Venture Partners and Saison Capital, the investment arm of Japan-listed Credit Saison. This capital infusion will enable the company to significantly enhance its secured lending
Weekly
Welcome to the one hundred sixteenth edition of the Japan FinTech Observer. We are back, and so is the Bank of Japan, with their June Monetary Policy Meeting. While a change in the policy rate is not expected, the Bank will update its plan for JGB purchases starting in April