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Minrevi, end-of-life startup, secures $9M series C to disrupt Japanese funeral industry

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See the original story in Japanese. Tokyo-based Minrevi, a Japanese startup that connects bereaved families to funeral homes and other end-of-life service providers, announced on Monday that it has fundrased 1 billion yen (about $9 million) in a series C round. Participating investors are Globis Capital Partners, Spiral Ventures Japan, Mizuo Capital in addition to existing investors such as Global Brain and Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Venture Capital. The amount raised this time around includes 150 million yen (about $1.4 million) in loans from Japan Finance Corporation, one of state-run financial institutions aiming to back private sectors. Coinciding with the funding, Minrevi revealed that it has appointed Satoshi Shima as an external director, who previously worked fo the President’s office at SoftBank and subsequently served the firm and SoftBank Mobile as a special advisor. See also: Minrevi, Japan’s end-of-life startup, starts selling monk prayer service on Amazon Originally founded as a website reviewing funeral services back in 2009, Minrevi has released several services aiming at bringing more transparency into funeral planning. The firm has partnered with more than 500 funeral service providers and over 700 Buddhist monks across the country. They will use the funds to strengthen the development of new…

Image credit: stellar001 / 123RF

See the original story in Japanese.

Tokyo-based Minrevi, a Japanese startup that connects bereaved families to funeral homes and other end-of-life service providers, announced on Monday that it has fundrased 1 billion yen (about $9 million) in a series C round. Participating investors are Globis Capital Partners, Spiral Ventures Japan, Mizuo Capital in addition to existing investors such as Global Brain and Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Venture Capital.

The amount raised this time around includes 150 million yen (about $1.4 million) in loans from Japan Finance Corporation, one of state-run financial institutions aiming to back private sectors.

Coinciding with the funding, Minrevi revealed that it has appointed Satoshi Shima as an external director, who previously worked fo the President’s office at SoftBank and subsequently served the firm and SoftBank Mobile as a special advisor.

See also:

Originally founded as a website reviewing funeral services back in 2009, Minrevi has released several services aiming at bringing more transparency into funeral planning. The firm has partnered with more than 500 funeral service providers and over 700 Buddhist monks across the country. They will use the funds to strengthen the development of new services, hiring new people, and expanding their existing services.

The Minrevi management team – L to R: Satoshi Fukushima (newly-appointed external director), Satoshi Shima (newly-appointed external director), Masashi Akita (managing director), Masaharu Ashizawa (CEO), Kazuyoshi Yamada (CFO), Kazuhiko Miyama (external director)
Image credit: Minrevi

Minrevi, Japan’s end-of-life startup, starts selling monk prayer service on Amazon

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Tokyo-based Minrevi, a Japanese startup that connects bereaved families to funeral homes and other end-of-life service providers, has commenced accepting orders through Amazon for sending Buddhist monks for memorial services. The service is expected to be used by families without their temple or knowing no Buddhist monk to ask for sutra recitation for the deceased. It is available for a flat rate of 35,000 yen (about $280) each time regardless of location if in Japan for inviting a monk, such as their cemetery or home. anywhere in Japan users want to invite a monk, such as their cemetery or home. Since its launch back in 2009, Minrevi has been offering funeral home reviews and pricing information online aimed at bringing more transparency into funeral planning. Specialized in user introduction to funeral homes in eight Buddhist denominations nationwide in Japan, they also provide various types of memorial services like a burial at sea as well as a space burial in partnership with San Francisco-based Elysium Space. See also: San Francisco startup brings space funerals to Japan In August, Minrevi fundraised 285 million yen (about $2.3 million) in a series B round led by Japanese VC firm Global Brain with participation from…

buddihist-monk-praying

Tokyo-based Minrevi, a Japanese startup that connects bereaved families to funeral homes and other end-of-life service providers, has commenced accepting orders through Amazon for sending Buddhist monks for memorial services.

The service is expected to be used by families without their temple or knowing no Buddhist monk to ask for sutra recitation for the deceased. It is available for a flat rate of 35,000 yen (about $280) each time regardless of location if in Japan for inviting a monk, such as their cemetery or home. anywhere in Japan users want to invite a monk, such as their cemetery or home.

Since its launch back in 2009, Minrevi has been offering funeral home reviews and pricing information online aimed at bringing more transparency into funeral planning. Specialized in user introduction to funeral homes in eight Buddhist denominations nationwide in Japan, they also provide various types of memorial services like a burial at sea as well as a space burial in partnership with San Francisco-based Elysium Space.

See also:

In August, Minrevi fundraised 285 million yen (about $2.3 million) in a series B round led by Japanese VC firm Global Brain with participation from Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Venture Capital and SMBC Venture Capital.

Edited by “Tex” Pomeroy