Global Brain

Global Brain Corporation, established in 1998, is a Tokyo-based venture capital firm that invests in technology-focused startups globally, from seed to pre-IPO stages. With a track record of 300+ investments, 25 IPOs, and 61 M&As, the firm provides hands-on support to its portfolio companies. Global Brain manages both independent and corporate venture capital funds, partnering with tier 1 public companies across various industries.

Kaori Akiba

Director

Hidetaka Aoki

Investment Group Partner and Fellow Chief of Space Lab

Tatsunori Arai

Director

Megumi Asatsuma

Director

Anjani Bansal

Partner / India Office Representative

Brooke Beers

Partner

Takuji Chida

Director

Hogil Doh

General Partner, Investment Group

Thomas Duong

Principal

Brian Flucht

Partner / US Division Head

Hajime Furuya

Venture Partner

Kenji Hayashi

Principal

Shohei Hayashi

Partner

Harue Hayashi

Partner / Vice Chief Fund Management Officer

Jie He

Director China office Representative

Yosuke Hirai

Director

Joopyo Hong

Partner Investment Group

Naoki Horie

Principal

Jang Hyeokjin

Principal

Shohei Ichimiya

Partner / US Office

Sho Ikeda

Partner / Indonesia Office Representative

Nozomu Ikuta

Principal

Kotona Inaida

Director

Tomoaki Ishikure

Partner

Yoshinari Ito

Venture Partner

Yuki Ito

Director

Hiroyuki Izumi

Partner

Ken Kajii

General Partner

Daisuke Kashiro

Partner, Investment Group

Kirin Kato

Principal

Takashi Kato

Partner, San Francisco Office Representative

Masaya Kawakami

Principal, Investment Group

Hiroyuki Kawamoto

Principal

Ko Kawaragi

Director

Maiko Kayata

Principal

ByeongJin Kim

Principal

Riichiro Kimura

Director / US NY Office

Issei Kokubu

Director

Yoshiomi Kubota

Principal

Jinya Kurita

Director, Investment Group

KyungHun Lee

Partner

YingQi Liang(Joy)

Principal

Chukaku Lin

Director

Atsushi Matsuda

Venture Partner

Akira Matsumoto

Principal

Yuki Matsuo

Director

Natsumi Matsuoka

Principal

Tomoko Minagawa

Director

Ai Minamizaki

Principal, Investment Group

Shigeru Mitarai

Director

Shuhei Mori

Principal

Seiichiro Mukai

Director

Satoko Murata

Principal, Investment Group

Kohtaro Nagawa

Director

Tasuke Nakagawa

Partner, M&A

Mitsutaka Nakao

Principal, Investment Group

Shien Nakayama

Director

Yuya Namiki

Director

Ying Jian Ng

Director

Daisuke Nishida

General Partner

Yukari Nishiyama

Director, Investment Group

Akiko Noguchi

Director

Rina Obi

Investment Group Director, Berlin Office

Sho Ohtani

Principal

Tetsui Okada

Director

Mayu Okamoto

Director

Akane Okuyama

Director

Shingo Otaki

Partner, Investment Group

Rampalli Karthik

Principal

Naoki Sadakuni

Venture Partner

Enen Sai

Principal

Youichi Sakagawa

Director, Investment Group

Kazuki Sakuragawa

Partner / Editor in Chief

Masumi Sato

Principal

Naoki Sato

Principal, Investment Group

Tomoki Sekiguchi

Principal

Rie Shibata

Director

Takeru Shigemura

Director

Miku Shimamura

Principal

Hiroshi Shimazu

Managing Director

Masamune Shin

General Partner

Ayu Shinoyama

CFO and Board Member

Chisa Shinsakaue

Director

Divyansh Singh

Principal

Hiroto Sorita

Director

Sachiko Sugiura

Director

Yusuke Suzuki

Partner

Kazumo Tachibana

Director

Mana Takabayashi

Director

Hiroki Takai

Director

Toko Takao

Principal

Hideyuki Tanaka

Director

Marika Tazaki

Partner

Hirotaka Togashi

Director

Haruka Tsujii

Director

Atsushi Ueda Ph.D

Principal, Investment Group

Takuya Ukai

Principal, Investment Group

Tetsuya Urimoto

Director

Noriko Usui

Partner / Chief Fund Management Officer

Keita Washizu

Principal

Masao Yamada

Senior Partner

Kazunori Yamaguchi

Partner, Investment Group

Kazunor Yamaguchi

Partner

Ryozo Yamamoto

Partner

Michiko Yamazaki

Principal, Investment Group

Takuro Yoda

Principal, Investment Group

Sayaka Yoshino

Director

Miku Yoshio

Partner

Yasuhiko Yurimoto

Founder, Owner, CEO and General Partner

Miyazawa Yusuke

Venture Partner

Lusheng Zou

Director

Takuya Hosomura

Partner

Past deals in Advertising

LOOV

Seed Round in 2025
LOOV is a video platform that focuses on enhancing the connection between buyers and sellers through the creation of professional, data-driven videos. Designed specifically for sales and marketing professionals, LOOV's products adapt video content based on viewer attributes, enabling the collection of valuable viewing and customer data. This personalized approach not only improves engagement but also aims to boost conversion metrics, facilitating more effective sales strategies. By providing tailored information to each customer, LOOV empowers businesses to increase both sales and customer engagement.

Thinkr

Series A in 2024
Thinkr provides advertising, video production, content, UX design, and animation services.

Modhaus

Series A in 2023
Modhaus is a pop entertainment agency that specializes in managing K-pop artists and enhancing fan engagement. The company operates a fan entertainment platform that utilizes non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and blockchain technology to create an open architecture entertainment ecosystem. This innovative approach allows fans to actively participate in the management and operation of global K-pop artists and their performances, fostering a more interactive and immersive experience for audiences. By combining entertainment with advanced technology, Modhaus aims to redefine the relationship between artists and their fans in the rapidly evolving landscape of pop culture.

Lokal

Series B in 2023
Lokal is a news platform focused on delivering local news and information to Indian communities. It aggregates and publishes a wide range of content, including news on politics, sports, education, and entertainment, as well as government job notifications and classifieds such as job and matrimonial ads. The platform aims to provide authentic and relevant news in native languages, helping readers stay informed about current affairs and issues that affect their local towns and cities. Through its comprehensive approach, Lokal serves as a vital resource for individuals seeking localized content and services.

iPrice Group

Corporate Round in 2022
iPrice Group operates as an online price comparison platform in Southeast Asia, aimed at enhancing the shopping experience by offering a wide selection of products and brands from numerous partners. The company allows consumers to compare prices, discover products, and secure the best deals from thousands of online retailers, catering to various categories including electronics, fashion, home improvements, and baby products. Founded with the goal of increasing transparency, convenience, and trust in the e-commerce market, iPrice has expanded its reach across seven markets, including Indonesia, Vietnam, Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, and the Philippines. Supported by investments from the Asia Venture Group, iPrice has developed expertise in technology, online marketing, and business operations, positioning itself as a key player in the region's online shopping landscape.

JX Press

Series C in 2021
JX PRESS Corporation operates as Japan's virtual news agency, specializing in delivering real-time news through its "FASTALERT" service. This service provides breaking news bulletins on urgent incidents, such as accidents and natural disasters, utilizing artificial intelligence to monitor and disseminate information. It serves all six major television broadcast stations in Japan, including NHK, as well as over 100 local stations. JX PRESS also offers "NewsDigest," a popular app with over 1 million downloads, designed for consumers to receive AI-generated news alerts. The platform is increasingly used by journalists as a standardized service for reporting. In addition to its news services, JX PRESS employs technology to filter misinformation, allowing companies to access reliable data for digital marketing. Key stakeholders include prominent entities like KYODO NEWS, TV Asahi, Fuji TV, and the Nikkei Group, highlighting its significant role in Japan's media landscape.

FIREBUG

Venture Round in 2020
FIREBUG Inc., established in Tokyo, Japan in 2016, specializes in media content creation and marketing services. The company offers comprehensive solutions including marketing planning for mass and digital platforms, public relations support, TV commercial production, media buying, event planning, and smartphone video distribution. FIREBUG also facilitates talent development for comedians, actresses, models, artists, and creators by arranging production plans and creating IP and advertising items based on their social networking sites. Additionally, they provide basic marketing assistance and advertising services for businesses.

Lanchester

Series A in 2020
Lanchester Co. Ltd., founded in 2007 and based in Tokyo, Japan, specializes in web integration and web media services. The company operates the Engagement Application Platform (EAP), which delivers comprehensive marketing, customer relationship management, and e-commerce solutions. EAP's pricing model is based on the number of monthly active users rather than app downloads, reflecting its focus on user engagement. In addition to EAP, Lanchester offers a variety of services that encompass the planning, development, and operation of web and smartphone sites, as well as applications for both iOS and Android platforms.

One Media

Venture Round in 2019
One Media, Inc. is a Tokyo-based company established in 2014 that specializes in visual storytelling through animated messages. The company offers a comprehensive suite of services, including YouTube channel production, social media video creation, marketing, and live stream planning. One Media focuses on transforming client messages into engaging video content, emphasizing in-house capabilities for video distribution, viewing data analysis, and creative planning. By maintaining control over the entire production process, One Media aims to deliver distinctive and valuable video content tailored to its clients' needs.

JX Press

Series C in 2019
JX PRESS Corporation operates as Japan's virtual news agency, specializing in delivering real-time news through its "FASTALERT" service. This service provides breaking news bulletins on urgent incidents, such as accidents and natural disasters, utilizing artificial intelligence to monitor and disseminate information. It serves all six major television broadcast stations in Japan, including NHK, as well as over 100 local stations. JX PRESS also offers "NewsDigest," a popular app with over 1 million downloads, designed for consumers to receive AI-generated news alerts. The platform is increasingly used by journalists as a standardized service for reporting. In addition to its news services, JX PRESS employs technology to filter misinformation, allowing companies to access reliable data for digital marketing. Key stakeholders include prominent entities like KYODO NEWS, TV Asahi, Fuji TV, and the Nikkei Group, highlighting its significant role in Japan's media landscape.

Realeyes

Series B in 2019
Realeyes is a pioneering company specializing in computer vision and emotion AI. It helps businesses enhance customer experiences and drive growth by measuring human responses to video content at scale and speed. Using webcams and advanced machine learning techniques, Realeyes' platform analyzes facial expressions to quantify emotional reactions, enabling clients like Mars Inc., P&G, and Netflix to create targeted, optimized content. Over 200 leading brands and media companies rely on Realeyes for these insights.

Mirrativ

Venture Round in 2019
Mirrativ Inc. is a Tokyo-based company founded in 2015 that specializes in mobile game streaming services. Its application allows users to live-stream content directly from their smartphones and tablets, enabling real-time sharing of gameplay experiences. The platform incorporates user interaction features similar to those of established live-streaming services, allowing viewers to comment and show appreciation for streams. Although current broadcasts are not saved for later viewing, the application facilitates seamless communication among users through texting and sharing of videos during streams. In addition to gaming, Mirrativ is also focused on developing a game distribution platform and exploring innovative advertising solutions within the live gaming space.

Every

Venture Round in 2016
Every, Inc., established in 2015 and based in Minato City, Japan, is a media company specializing in video content production and distribution. It operates platforms such as Delish Kitchen, Kalos, Mammadays, and Timeline, offering a diverse range of videos including food recipes, makeup and fashion, family-oriented content, and entertainment. The company also provides advertising services on its platforms, reaching a wide audience with its lifestyle-oriented and smartphone-accessible content.

YouAppi

Series B in 2016
YouAppi Inc. specializes in mobile advertising technology aimed at acquiring and retaining mobile customers. Founded in 2011 and headquartered in San Francisco, the company offers a range of solutions including OneRun, a platform that incorporates video advertisements into user acquisition campaigns, and ReAppi, a managed programmatic retargeting service that enhances app retention for marketers and app developers. Additionally, YouAppi provides a Re-Engagement solution that facilitates real-time bidding and enables multiple interactions between brands and users. Its Software Development Kit extends the OneRun platform to support rewarded videos and video interstitials for publishers and app developers. The company operates not only in the United States but also has a presence in China and several countries across Asia, Europe, and beyond, helping clients effectively grow app revenue through targeted advertising strategies.

Wing Style

Series A in 2016
Wing Style is a marketing & advertising company.

Logly

Corporate Round in 2015
Logly, Inc. is a technology company based in Tokyo, Japan, focused on media technology, advertising technology, and data marketing. Founded in 2006, Logly operates several key products, including Logly Lift, an advertising service platform that enhances corporate content delivery through media and brand recognition. Additionally, the company offers Loyalfarm, a tool designed to analyze user engagement and repeat visits from site visitors, and Zenback, a widget that aggregates information about articles from various online sources. Logly primarily serves advertisers and distributors, providing them with innovative solutions to enhance their marketing efforts.

Logly

Venture Round in 2015
Logly, Inc. is a technology company based in Tokyo, Japan, focused on media technology, advertising technology, and data marketing. Founded in 2006, Logly operates several key products, including Logly Lift, an advertising service platform that enhances corporate content delivery through media and brand recognition. Additionally, the company offers Loyalfarm, a tool designed to analyze user engagement and repeat visits from site visitors, and Zenback, a widget that aggregates information about articles from various online sources. Logly primarily serves advertisers and distributors, providing them with innovative solutions to enhance their marketing efforts.

Fronto

Series B in 2015
Fronto is the world’s first mobile lock screen media, which displays curated articles, hot new apps and deals & promos to mobile users through the everyday lock screen in a perfectly seamless way. By simply waking up your phone, you can read trending articles, earn rewards, download coupons, learn new promotional deals. Our first product, Cashslide, was launched in Korea in Nov 2012, and it now has 14 mil users, 2.5 mil DAU and 150 mil PV, which makes it as the most preferred mobile ad channel among local advertisers. In Jul 2013, just 8 months after the launch, we successfully raised $4 mil in Series-A funding. In Apr 2015, we raised $14 mil in Series-B funding. We launched Fronto in the US in May 2014 and hit #1 in New Top Free in Lifestyle. We are looking for experienced mobile media professionals. Join us as a founding member of Fronto based in the SF Bay Area. We are redesigning everyday mobile experience. For more details, visit www.fronto.co and check our app here bit.ly/1ocOJKg

Plucky

Venture Round in 2015
Plucky is a platform and Managed Service that empowers advertisers to better understand business metrics associated with customer segments, and measure risk for acquisition budgets. Managed service includes an agency-style managing performance marketing campaigns for startups

q CORPORATION

Venture Round in 2015
q CORPORATION is a soup and curry shop with advertising. Chicken vegetables, Shimeji chicken, shimeji chicken vegetables, sausage, cheese hamburger, Shimeji vegetables, minced meat natto, seafood, Chai, grain coffee, plain lassi, mango lassi, ice tea, iced grain coffee, apple juice, mango juice, and other beverages are on the menu.

Q

Venture Round in 2015
Q co. offers advertising, promotional planning, web design and web development services.

Live Aid

Venture Round in 2015
Live Aid is a provider of web and application services for smartphones, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. The company specializes in developing applications for devices such as iPhones and Androids, as well as web applications and system contract development. Live Aid enhances advertisement delivery services on smartphones through its product, AID, which focuses on delivering the latest information and engaging content across various genres, including virtual reality. Additionally, the company offers services that include verifying guest identities and managing check-in tasks.

Tapjoy

Seed Round in 2014
Tapjoy, established in 2007, is a global technology company specializing in mobile app engagement and monetization. It offers a diverse range of rewarded ads, such as video and rich media, to leading advertisers, helping them enhance brand performance. For app developers, Tapjoy provides technology and expertise to acquire and monetize users. With its SDK embedded in over 15,000 mobile apps, Tapjoy reaches 520 million monthly active users. It works with Fortune 500 brands and top-grossing app developers, delivering impactful advertising solutions. Headquartered in San Francisco, Tapjoy operates globally with offices in over a dozen locations.

Supership

Funding Round in 2013
Supership continuously develops optimized ad platform products and provides them to advertisers and publishers because they demand only the best advertising solutions. The most important thing for advertisers is a platform that can analyze data and achieve results through optimized promotions. Our platform offers a number of demand side solutions, such as, 「AppVador's Video Ad Network」 and 「ScaleOut DSP」 that targets users with precision based on advertiser goals, a DMP that contains a wealth of data which makes data-driven marketing a reality, a SSP(「Ad Generation」) that is highly valued for generating revenue, especially in the app business. The combination of these products provides our customers with a total advertising solution that can meet a wide range of digital marketing needs.

Jimoty

Venture Round in 2012
Jimoty Inc operates a classified advertisement platform that serves approximately 9 million users monthly. The site allows individuals to post a variety of advertisements, including buying and selling second-hand goods, event announcements, recruitment opportunities, and real estate listings. By offering a free bulletin board format, Jimoty facilitates the exchange of information across different categories, making it a versatile tool for users seeking to connect over various needs and interests. The company's focus is on planning, development, and the effective management of this classified site, ensuring that it remains user-friendly and accessible.

Geniee

Seed Round in 2011
Geniee Inc. is a prominent player in the AdTech and MarTech sectors, founded in 2010 by Tomoaki Kudo. Headquartered in Japan, the company operates internationally with offices in Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam, while previously having a presence in the USA, China, and India. Geniee specializes in providing software-as-a-service solutions that enhance client success in digital advertising. Its offerings include the Geniee Supply-Side Platform (SSP), which facilitates comparisons of various advertising deals; the Geniee Trading Desk for integrated display ad operations; a Data Management Platform (DMP) that analyzes marketing and user data; and a Data Exchange service for delivering online and email ads using audience data. Through these services, Geniee helps clients optimize their advertising strategies and maximize revenue.

Retailigence

Series A in 2011
Retailigence Corporation operates an online-to-offline marketing platform that enhances in-store product sales through innovative technology. The company offers a software-as-a-service (SAAS) solution that utilizes machine learning for various applications, including store clustering, assortment optimization, in-store monitoring, and customer segmentation. Its adPOP Engine provides a seamless application programming interface that integrates data into programmatic advertising, enabling location-based user experiences across mobile and digital advertising channels. Additionally, Retailigence delivers a mobile application that displays local store-level product availability and serves as a central data distribution point for retailers, brands, and marketing solutions. The company caters to various clients, including advertising solutions providers, application developers, agencies, and brick-and-mortar stores in the United States. Founded in 2009 and based in Redwood City, California, Retailigence operates as a subsidiary of ShopAdvisor, Inc. after a strategic partnership with Gimbal, Inc.

Stipple

Seed Round in 2010
Stipple is an internet technology company based in San Francisco that specializes in enhancing the visual web by transforming digital images into interactive experiences. Its innovative marketing technology stack detects and identifies content within images, allowing advertisers and publishers to incorporate interactive and curated content seamlessly. Stipple's platform enables native advertising solutions and fosters organic connections to commerce, thereby driving discovery, engagement, and customer loyalty. The technology offers unique image analytics and advertising capabilities without the need for widgets or embed codes, making it scalable across the web. Stipple is backed by prominent investors, including Floodgate and Kleiner Perkins.

Retailigence

Seed Round in 2010
Retailigence Corporation operates an online-to-offline marketing platform that enhances in-store product sales through innovative technology. The company offers a software-as-a-service (SAAS) solution that utilizes machine learning for various applications, including store clustering, assortment optimization, in-store monitoring, and customer segmentation. Its adPOP Engine provides a seamless application programming interface that integrates data into programmatic advertising, enabling location-based user experiences across mobile and digital advertising channels. Additionally, Retailigence delivers a mobile application that displays local store-level product availability and serves as a central data distribution point for retailers, brands, and marketing solutions. The company caters to various clients, including advertising solutions providers, application developers, agencies, and brick-and-mortar stores in the United States. Founded in 2009 and based in Redwood City, California, Retailigence operates as a subsidiary of ShopAdvisor, Inc. after a strategic partnership with Gimbal, Inc.

Tri-Stage

Seed Round in 2007
Tri-Stage is a leading provider of direct marketing support services in Japan, specializing in assisting marketing companies. The company leverages its extensive experience to offer high-quality solutions aimed at enhancing client mail-order sales. Tri-Stage utilizes various media channels, including television and the Internet, to support product and service marketing, customer acquisition, and overall sales processes. By focusing on comprehensive customer management, Tri-Stage aims to maximize the effectiveness of its clients' marketing efforts.

Tri-Stage

Angel Round in 2006
Tri-Stage is a leading provider of direct marketing support services in Japan, specializing in assisting marketing companies. The company leverages its extensive experience to offer high-quality solutions aimed at enhancing client mail-order sales. Tri-Stage utilizes various media channels, including television and the Internet, to support product and service marketing, customer acquisition, and overall sales processes. By focusing on comprehensive customer management, Tri-Stage aims to maximize the effectiveness of its clients' marketing efforts.

Tri-Stage

Angel Round in 2006
Tri-Stage is a leading provider of direct marketing support services in Japan, specializing in assisting marketing companies. The company leverages its extensive experience to offer high-quality solutions aimed at enhancing client mail-order sales. Tri-Stage utilizes various media channels, including television and the Internet, to support product and service marketing, customer acquisition, and overall sales processes. By focusing on comprehensive customer management, Tri-Stage aims to maximize the effectiveness of its clients' marketing efforts.
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