In our coverage of the startup space, we frequently mention Japanese seed accelerators and venture capital firms. We thought it might be useful for you the reader if we presented them all here as one handy reference. We’ll continue to update this page when necessary, so please bookmark it or tell your friends about it if you think it’s useful. In addition to the list below, we’ve also mapped most of them above. Accelerators are marked red, and VCs are appropriately green!
If you’d like to further explore prominent Japanese tech companies and startups, feel free to check out our database as well. We encourage you to add your own company and service profiles too.
Japanese Seed Accelerators
Open Network Lab
Open Network Lab is a seed acceleration program based in Tokyo, similar to Y Combinator and TechStars, established by Netprice.com, Digital Garage, and Kakaku.com.
MOVIDA JAPAN
A seed accelerator by Taizo Son, the younger brother of Masayoshi Son of Softbank. Their ultimate goal is to build an eco-system in Japan and Asia that allows startups to grow.
Samurai Incubate
Samurai Incubate Inc was founded in 2008 to support early-stage startups in the areas of management, marketing, sales, human resources, and finance. The company invests in start-up ventures, and they also hold advisory posts and serve as external directors of some venture companies.
KDDI Mugen Labo
A tech startup incubator founded in May of 2011 by Japan’s second largest Telco, KDDI.
Docomo Innovation Village
An NTT Docomo incubator that focus on startups and venture companies primarily in Japan that possess business models, services or technologies related to mobility, and have the potential to be developed as new or upgraded offerings by NTT Docomo.
Early Stage VC Firms
ANRI
An independent venture capital based in Japan. The fund size is about 500 million yen and their typical investment size is between 10 million and 30 million yen.
CyberAgent Ventures
CyberAgent Ventures is a venture capital firm headquartered in Tokyo. It has a presence in South Korea, China, Indonesia, Taiwan, Vietnam, and India, and invests in startups in those countries.
VOYAGE VENTURES
VOYAGE GROUP’s VC, investing in internet technology startups. They are active in Japan, Vitenam, and Indonesia, helping student entrepreneurs, and providing office space and mentoring services.
KLab Ventures
A Japanese joint venture capital that was founded by KLab and SBI Investments. It invests in early stage internet-focused startups.
insprout
A Japanese venture capital company that runs several kinds of business: venture incubation, investment, and corporate venturing support.
EastVentures
East Ventures is an early stage venture capital for consumer web and mobile startups. The company invests in Singapore, Jakarta, and Tokyo.
ITOCHU Technology Ventures
ITOCHU Technology Ventures (ITV), based in Tokyo, is the venture capital arm of ITOCHU Corporation.
Globis Capital Partners
Globis Capital Partners (GCP) is one of Japan’s leading venture capital firms. Globis boasts a unique combination of local presence and Western experience.
Global Brain
Global Brain (GB) is an early stage venture capital firm based in Tokyo, expanding its investment activities in the US and Asia.
CYBRiDGE Ventures
CYBRiDGE group’s venture capital arm. It typically invests 100 million to 150 million yen in early stage startups in Japan.
Femto Startup
A Japanese venture capital that typically invests 200 to 300 million yen in internet business related startups.
GREE Ventures
The venture capital arm of Japanese social gaming giant GREE.
Incubate Fund
Incubate Fund is the largest and best known seed to early stage focused venture capital fund in Japan.
B Dash Ventures
B Dash Ventures does seed to late stage tech investments in Japan, Asia, and the US.
KDDI Open Innovation Fund
KDDI Corporation’s corporate venture capital fund that supports promising startup companies.
docomo Innovation Fund
A fund of Japan’s largest mobile carrier, NTT Docomo.
Infinity Venture Partners
Infinity Venture Partners Incubator Fund is a $5 million venture fund focusing on seed and early stage investments in the digital media sector.
YJ Capital
Yahoo Japan’s corporate venture capital fund. Founded in 2012, the fund manages 10 billion yen and invests in startups in Japan.