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 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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