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.
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 Digital Media
MOSH Japan
Series C in 2025
Mosh, Inc. is a company based in Tokyo, Japan, founded in 2017. It specializes in the development and management of internet-based business solutions. The company provides a marketplace that enables individuals to sell services online, primarily through smartphones. Mosh also offers web page creation services tailored for individual business owners, facilitating their online presence and service delivery.
Utaite
Series A in 2024
Utaite is a company that operates an entertainment platform. Its core business involves planning, producing, and developing entertainment content to support and promote content creators. The platform aims to enhance creators' self-actualization, improve fan experiences, and facilitate growth on social media. Utaite provides constant support to creators, maximizing opportunities to engage and satisfy their fan base.
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.
Pixie Dust Technologies
Post in 2023
Pixie Dust Technologies, Inc., founded in 2015 and based in Tokyo, Japan, specializes in the development of advanced phased array and digital fabrication technologies. The company’s flagship product is an ultrasonic phased array system that enables various innovative applications, such as generating force in mid-air, transporting objects without physical contact, and delivering targeted sounds to individuals in a crowd. Additionally, Pixie Dust Technologies creates devices like Sound Hug, which combines music with light and vibration, and Sonorepro, a hair care tool utilizing non-contact oscillating pressure stimulation. The company's offerings also include Vuevo, a service designed to visualize conversations among multiple people, and kikippa, a device focused on gamma wave sound care. Through its unique technological solutions, Pixie Dust Technologies aims to enhance social trust and improve user experiences across different domains.
Digital Entertainment Asset
Venture Round in 2023
Digital Entertainment Asset is an IT services company focused on the development of an entertainment platform that integrates web3 technologies. It specializes in creating crypto games and operates a marketplace for non-fungible tokens (NFTs), providing users with opportunities to engage in gamification while earning rewards. The company's offerings aim to enhance user engagement through innovative gaming experiences and a variety of crypto-related services.
foriio
Series A in 2023
Foriio is a digital platform that enables creators to share their work by allowing them to upload and manage their portfolios online. This platform serves as a space for digital creators to present their art, complete with detailed descriptions, and to connect with a community of users. By facilitating the sharing of creative work, Foriio provides a means for both creators and audiences to access and appreciate a diverse array of artistic expressions.
MOSH Japan
Series B in 2022
Mosh, Inc. is a company based in Tokyo, Japan, founded in 2017. It specializes in the development and management of internet-based business solutions. The company provides a marketplace that enables individuals to sell services online, primarily through smartphones. Mosh also offers web page creation services tailored for individual business owners, facilitating their online presence and service delivery.
Cinamon
Venture Round in 2022
Cinamon provides a visual story platform designed for casual games. In 2018, the company began as a joint venture with Naver Webtoon. Since our first project, an interactive stories app called "Maybe," the company has continued to broaden its scope in the field of visual storytelling. The company is currently working on two projects: a 2D and a 3D UGC story platform.
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.
Divido
Series B in 2021
Divido is a global white label consumer lending platform that enables financial institutions and multinational retailers to enhance their sales and customer experience by offering financing options at the point of purchase. Founded in 2014 and headquartered in London, Divido's omnichannel platform facilitates transactions online, in-store, and via mobile, allowing consumers to spread the cost of significant purchases through installments. The platform integrates seamlessly with multiple lenders, making it accessible across various countries with a single integration. With over 1,000 partners, including notable brands such as BMW and Lenovo, Divido aims to create new revenue streams for merchants and lenders by providing instant credit options to both consumers and corporate clients. The company has expanded its operations to nine countries, reflecting its growth and commitment to improving the retail finance landscape.
Noin
Venture Round in 2021
Noin, Inc. is a Tokyo-based company established in 2016 that specializes in online content creation and media development services, particularly in the cosmetics industry. The company focuses on delivering engaging content that resonates with contemporary trends, including videos that address common concerns among young women. In addition to content creation, Noin provides sales account management and social media management services for online businesses, helping clients enhance their digital presence and reach their target audiences effectively.
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.
Pixie Dust Technologies
Series A in 2019
Pixie Dust Technologies, Inc., founded in 2015 and based in Tokyo, Japan, specializes in the development of advanced phased array and digital fabrication technologies. The company’s flagship product is an ultrasonic phased array system that enables various innovative applications, such as generating force in mid-air, transporting objects without physical contact, and delivering targeted sounds to individuals in a crowd. Additionally, Pixie Dust Technologies creates devices like Sound Hug, which combines music with light and vibration, and Sonorepro, a hair care tool utilizing non-contact oscillating pressure stimulation. The company's offerings also include Vuevo, a service designed to visualize conversations among multiple people, and kikippa, a device focused on gamma wave sound care. Through its unique technological solutions, Pixie Dust Technologies aims to enhance social trust and improve user experiences across different domains.
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.
Sports Bull
Venture Round in 2016
Sports Bull is an internet sports media management company that operates an online news platform focused on publishing sports-related articles. The platform collaborates with various sports media outlets to provide a wide array of content, including news articles and videos on current events in the sports world. This allows sports fans to stay informed about diverse sports topics and developments, ensuring they have access to up-to-date information on various events and scenarios within the sports industry.
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.
Eyeota
Series A in 2016
Eyeota is an audience technology platform founded in 2010 that specializes in the intelligent use of data for marketing purposes. The company collaborates with marketers, data owners, and research firms to provide comprehensive and qualified audience data. Its technology platform collects, analyzes, augments, and activates audience data, allowing organizations to make informed business decisions and enhance their marketing strategies. By enabling brands to target their campaigns with precision, Eyeota helps clients deliver relevant content to the right audiences, ultimately increasing revenue potential. The company operates across Europe, Asia, Australia, and the Americas.
Eyeota
Venture Round in 2015
Eyeota is an audience technology platform founded in 2010 that specializes in the intelligent use of data for marketing purposes. The company collaborates with marketers, data owners, and research firms to provide comprehensive and qualified audience data. Its technology platform collects, analyzes, augments, and activates audience data, allowing organizations to make informed business decisions and enhance their marketing strategies. By enabling brands to target their campaigns with precision, Eyeota helps clients deliver relevant content to the right audiences, ultimately increasing revenue potential. The company operates across Europe, Asia, Australia, and the Americas.
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
Issuu
Series B in 2014
Issuu, Inc. is a digital publishing and discovery platform founded in 2006, with headquarters in Palo Alto, California, and additional offices in Berlin and Copenhagen. The company offers a comprehensive suite of tools for digital publishing, allowing users to create and share a variety of content, including magazines, newspapers, catalogs, and portfolios. With a focus on enhancing the reader experience, Issuu supports over 17 million publications and serves more than 80 million active readers each month. The platform enables publishers, both large and small, to easily upload and distribute their work while maintaining the visual appeal associated with print media. Moreover, Issuu provides various features, such as custom viewer themes, API integrations, and monetization solutions, which facilitate seamless publication management and audience engagement across devices and social networks.
VentureBeat
Venture Round in 2014
VentureBeat, Inc. is an online technology news platform that provides comprehensive coverage of technology innovation through its blog. Established in 2006 and headquartered in San Francisco, California, the platform delivers news, analysis, and insights on a wide range of technology trends, including social media, mobile, health tech, cloud computing, and gaming. VentureBeat features research insights, long-form articles, interviews, and videos, all aimed at equipping executives, entrepreneurs, and tech enthusiasts with the context needed to make informed decisions. Additionally, the company hosts marketing events, mobile events, and webinars focused on innovative products and discussions, creating an engaging environment for advertisers to reach their target audience of tech leaders and business professionals.
Mbite
Seed Round in 2014
Mbite Inc. is a prominent platform based in Seoul, South Korea, that specializes in the sale and purchase of graphics and illustrations for the game industry. Founded in 2011 by entrepreneur Jung-Yong Kim, the company's primary offering is Rainbow.dot, a portal that allows game developers to choose from a diverse selection of artwork, including characters, items, and backgrounds in both 2D and 3D formats. This service aims to streamline the creative process for game developers by providing easy access to high-quality visual assets.
Rainbow
Venture Round in 2014
Founded in 1995, Rainbow is now a European leader in the production of children's animation. Rainbow has a unique ability to create content for all kinds of media, providing many different ways of communicating with the public: TV series, movies, events, the internet, DVDs, magazines, toys, video games, and all product categories subject to licensing. As a result, Rainbow is able to meet the demand for total family entertainment.
Moxo
Series A in 2013
Moxo is a client interaction platform that specializes in providing digital automation solutions across various industries, including consulting, accounting, logistics, healthcare, financial services, and legal sectors. The platform facilitates client engagement through embeddable omnichannel collaboration tools, enabling businesses to manage client accounts, automate routine tasks, and streamline business processes. Moxo offers cloud-based project binders that support the management, presentation, and sharing of files, photos, and videos. Additionally, its features include private group-sharing functions, voice and annotation recording, and real-time meeting capabilities, all designed to enhance productivity and improve communication with remote customers and employees.
Plumzi
Seed Round in 2013
Plumzi, Inc. is a provider of a story-driven entertainment technology platform designed for tablets and smartphones. Founded in 2012 and based in Redwood City, California, Plumzi enables children to engage with characters and influence the narrative through interactive features such as touch, voice, and tilt. The platform facilitates studios and creators in authoring and streaming appisodes, a novel form of interactive entertainment that can be experienced on various devices, including tablets, smartphones, smart TVs, and virtual reality headsets.
Moxo
Series A in 2013
Moxo is a client interaction platform that specializes in providing digital automation solutions across various industries, including consulting, accounting, logistics, healthcare, financial services, and legal sectors. The platform facilitates client engagement through embeddable omnichannel collaboration tools, enabling businesses to manage client accounts, automate routine tasks, and streamline business processes. Moxo offers cloud-based project binders that support the management, presentation, and sharing of files, photos, and videos. Additionally, its features include private group-sharing functions, voice and annotation recording, and real-time meeting capabilities, all designed to enhance productivity and improve communication with remote customers and employees.
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.
I-Freek Mobile
Series A in 2007
I-Freek Mobile Inc. is a company based in Fukuoka, Japan, that specializes in mobile content and e-commerce services for users both domestically and internationally. Founded in 2000, I-Freek develops, plans, and manages mobile sites while also engaging in promotional marketing and consulting. The company's offerings include digital content such as HTML emails, casual and social game applications, and picture book applications. Additionally, I-Freek provides e-commerce marketing solutions tailored for mobile platforms, enhancing the digital experience for its users. Alongside its core business, the company also offers temporary staffing services.
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