Venture Labo Investment

Venture Labo Investment is a venture capital firm based in Tokyo, Japan. Founded in 2000, it provides financial support to portfolio companies at growth stages and targets investments in artificial intelligence, fintech, robotics, information technology services, cloud services, and the bio and medical sectors.

Tadayoshi Yamanaka

Founder

Past deals in Japan

HashPort

Series C in 2023
HashPort, founded in 2018, supports new web3 businesses by offering development and financing solutions, including Initial Exchange Offerings (IEOs). The company specializes in creating crypto-asset products such as digital wallets and provides consulting services aimed at digitalizing assets. HashPort also focuses on wallet systems and non-fungible token platforms, helping cryptocurrency exchange firms implement blockchain technologies. Its subsidiary, HashPalette, established in 2020, made notable strides by conducting Japan's first approved IEO, developing a blockchain tailored for NFTs, and operating one of the country's largest NFT marketplaces. In April 2023, HashPort secured over 1.2 billion yen in a Series C funding round involving six underwriters.

ReadyFor

Venture Round in 2021
ReadyFor Inc. is a Tokyo-based company established in 2014 that operates a cloud funding platform specializing in crowdfunding for the service sector. The platform connects investors with various projects, facilitating short-term fundraising campaigns aimed at generating pre-sales and gathering feedback from early adopters. ReadyFor enables clients, including charities and startups, to solicit and raise funds efficiently, streamlining the process of collecting support for their initiatives.

Gift Pad

Venture Round in 2020
Gift Pad Co., Ltd. is a company based in Nishinomiya City, Japan, specializing in an online catalog gift service that supports the local retail industry. It offers a diverse selection of gift categories, including gourmet food, sweets, home appliances, and experience gifts, suitable for various occasions such as weddings, childbirth celebrations, birthdays, and moving celebrations. Gift Pad's platform enables both corporations and individuals to send gifts remotely through social media, email, and text messaging. This innovative approach aids in the recovery of the local retail industry, particularly through initiatives like online coupon and point exchange programs.

WealthNavi

Venture Round in 2020
WealthNavi Inc., established in 2015 and based in Tokyo, Japan, specializes in developing and delivering a cloud-based online platform for asset management and risk management. This platform offers robo-advisory services, enabling users to discover diversified investment opportunities globally. The company's core offering is a risk management algorithm-driven platform designed to assist asset managers in their decision-making processes.

Kringle Pharma

Venture Round in 2020
Kringle Pharma is a Japanese biopharmaceutical company focused on the research and development of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)–based protein medicines and NK4 therapies. The company aims to leverage HGF’s regenerative properties and NK4’s antiangiogenic activity to address organ repair and cancer indications. Its pipeline includes recombinant human HGF for acute renal failure, spinal cord injury, and CNS diseases, as well as recombinant NK4 and NK4 gene therapies for cancer. Founded in 2001, the company operates in the Japanese market.

MIL

Venture Round in 2020
MIL Inc., founded in 2018 and based in Tokyo, Japan, specializes in interactive video and movie production as well as product development services. The company focuses on a variety of video marketing solutions, including video commerce, online-to-offline (O2O) initiatives, recruitment videos, and landing videos. By integrating innovative video content into marketing strategies, MIL aims to enhance engagement and drive results for its clients.

First Group

Venture Round in 2020
First Group Inc. is a company based in Japan that specializes in car life technology services. Founded in 1960, it aims to enhance the overall experience of car ownership through its global platform, "cars." The company offers a range of services including car sales, maintenance, repair, accessories, and sharing solutions, while also developing innovative mobility services that leverage autonomous driving technology. First Group Inc. is committed to becoming an essential provider of car life technology, seeking to bring joy and excitement to customers as they navigate the evolving landscape of automotive technology.

iYell

Venture Round in 2019
iYell Inc. is a Tokyo-based company that specializes in providing mortgage solutions for real estate companies. Incorporated in 2016, iYell has developed a comprehensive mortgage platform that facilitates mortgage analysis and improves the efficiency of the mortgage process. The platform integrates media and technology to enhance marketing efforts and streamline procedures, allowing users to access vital information about the mortgage market and various closing rates. By collaborating with financial institutions, iYell empowers both businesses and individuals to make informed mortgage decisions with ease.

Yoriso

Series D in 2019
Yoriso Co., Ltd., established in 2009 and previously known as Minrevi Co., Ltd., is a Tokyo-based company that operates a funeral planning platform. This platform connects bereaved families with funeral homes and other end-of-life service providers, offering online reviews and pricing information. It aims to empower individuals to arrange funerals according to their specific needs and preferences.

Nightley

Venture Round in 2019
Founded in Tokyo, Japan in 2011, Nightley offers a geo-analytics platform that collects and analyzes location data worldwide. Its primary service is visualizing human movement patterns to provide insights into visiting foreign tourists' behaviors and preferences for businesses and local governments.

Tech Ocean

Seed Round in 2019
Founded in 2018, Tech Ocean operates an AI-driven virtual recruitment platform focused on science and engineering students. It offers job hunting services for graduates and undergraduates, along with recruitment consulting services. The company aims to create optimal matches between candidates and tech companies, fostering a society where engineers can actively contribute.

Enechange

Series B in 2018
Enechange Co., Ltd. is a Japan-based company that specializes in providing an electricity plan comparison website, helping consumers select their electricity providers. Established in April 2015, the company offers online switching services for energy and gas. Enechange also operates various cloud-based platforms aimed at supporting electricity and gas retailers, including the Energy Marketing Acceleration Platform (EMAP) for marketing and customer acquisition, and the Smart-Meter Analytics Platform (SMAP) for profitability analysis and demand response services. Additionally, the company employs artificial intelligence technologies to enhance deregulation efforts in the energy sector, facilitating optimized energy usage and smoother transitions for consumers switching providers. Through its innovative solutions, Enechange plays a critical role in promoting energy efficiency and consumer choice in Japan's liberalized electricity market.

Grooves

Corporate Round in 2018
Grooves is a Tokyo-based provider of a social recruiting platform that develops and operates software to connect engineers, candidates, recruiters, and agencies, aiming to streamline the recruitment process. The platform serves Japan and the Asia-Pacific region and has supported thousands of corporate customers since 2004.

TRUNK

Venture Round in 2018
Founded in Japan in 2014, TRUNK offers a monthly personal storage service. Customers can apply via app or web platform, store goods, and engage in buying/selling items stored by others. Additionally, TRUNK operates advertising agency and design work businesses.

PayPay

Venture Round in 2018
PayPay is a mobile payment application that enables users to make secure and convenient payments. It has a per-person granting limit of 15,000 yen for a single payment and 30,000 yen for the total monthly limit.

Gaia Japan

Venture Round in 2018
Gaia Inc. is a financial services company based in Chuo, Japan, established in 2017. It specializes in providing a cryptocurrency trading platform that facilitates virtual currency investments, including bitcoin. The company offers a unique follow-trade feature, allowing users to replicate the trades of successful investors easily. In addition to its trading platform, Gaia Inc. is involved in the development and operation of related digital services, including mobile applications and blockchain technologies, aimed at enhancing the user experience in the financial market.

Credit Engine

Seed Round in 2018
Credit Engine, founded in November 2018, is an innovative online lending service based in Japan, specializing in providing a lending platform for financial institutions. As a spinoff of LENDY, the company is unique in its offering, enabling banks and other financial entities to launch their own branded lending services with an advanced user interface and efficient operational processes. The platform is designed to facilitate real-time loan screening using a combination of sales data, bank data, and external online information, streamlining the borrowing process for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Credit Engine has garnered the trust of leading Japanese banks, including Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group and Mizuho Financial Group, making it a prominent player in the online lending sector.

SPLYZA

Venture Round in 2017
Founded in Japan in 2011, SPLYZA develops digital tools to help amateur athletes analyze and improve their performance across various sports such as golf, basketball, snowboarding, and windsurfing. Their primary offerings include Clipstro, a video recording and analysis tool, HaiLyts, an automated video editor, and spoch, a platform for recording, editing, and sharing sports scenes.

Safie

Seed Round in 2016
Safie specializes in cloud-based video asset management software, integrating security cameras and IoT devices for applications across surveillance, corporate operations, and marketing.

BitFlyer

Series C in 2016
BitFlyer, Inc. is a virtual currency exchange and blockchain development service provider based in Minato-ku, Japan. Established in 2014, it specializes in facilitating transactions in various digital currencies, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin, among others. BitFlyer offers a comprehensive platform that enables customers to buy, sell, and spend cryptocurrencies securely. It features multiple markets, including a Bitcoin marketplace and altcoin exchanges, along with advanced services such as an application programming interface for custom account management. Additionally, BitFlyer provides e-commerce payment solutions that allow businesses to accept Bitcoin, enhancing the overall trading experience. The company also operates fundFlyer, a crowdfunding platform designed to support projects through Bitcoin funding.

BitFlyer

Series B in 2015
BitFlyer, Inc. is a virtual currency exchange and blockchain development service provider based in Minato-ku, Japan. Established in 2014, it specializes in facilitating transactions in various digital currencies, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin, among others. BitFlyer offers a comprehensive platform that enables customers to buy, sell, and spend cryptocurrencies securely. It features multiple markets, including a Bitcoin marketplace and altcoin exchanges, along with advanced services such as an application programming interface for custom account management. Additionally, BitFlyer provides e-commerce payment solutions that allow businesses to accept Bitcoin, enhancing the overall trading experience. The company also operates fundFlyer, a crowdfunding platform designed to support projects through Bitcoin funding.

Cyberdyne

Venture Round in 2014
Cyberdyne Inc. is a Japanese company founded by Dr. Yoshiyuki Sankai from the University of Tsukuba, focusing on the research and development of advanced medical welfare equipment and systems. The company aims to enhance human capabilities through its innovative Robot Suit HAL®, which is designed for various applications including rehabilitation support, assistance for the elderly and disabled, disaster rescue, entertainment, and heavy labor tasks. Cyberdyne's product offerings include the Hybrid Assistive Limb (HAL) for lower limbs and single joints, along with lumbar support, a Table Interface, and cleaning robots. Additionally, the company provides services such as HAL therapy in the medical sector and non-medical services like HAL fit and Robo care, all contributing to improved quality of life and support in various fields.

Atonarp

Seed Round in 2012
Atonarp Inc. is a scientific instrumentation company based in Tokyo, Japan, with additional offices in Fremont, California, and Bengaluru, India. Founded in 2009, Atonarp specializes in the design and manufacture of advanced tools for molecular analysis, particularly in the pharmaceutical, semiconductor, petrochemical, and energy sectors. The company offers a range of products, including the AMS 1000, a cloud-connected and AI-enabled mass spectrometer capable of real-time chemical analysis, and the LyoSentinel, a miniaturized mass spectrometer focused on gas detection in lyophilization processes. Atonarp's innovative spectrometers enhance the monitoring of critical parameters, such as vacuum integrity and contamination, thereby ensuring compliance and process efficiency. By integrating advanced electronics and data processing algorithms, Atonarp aims to deliver significant improvements in cost, size, and accuracy for gas-composition analysis instruments.
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