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

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

General Partner

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

KyungHun Lee

Partner

YingQi Liang(Joy)

Principal

Chukaku Lin

Director

Atsushi Matsuda

Venture Partner

Tatsuya Matsumoto

Partner / Singapore Office Representative

Akira Matsumoto

Principal

Yuki Matsuo

Director

Natsumi Matsuoka

Principal

Tomoko Minagawa

Director

Ai Minamizaki

Principal

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

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

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 Industrial Automation

IONATE

Series A in 2025
IONATE develops an innovative hardware-software system for smart grids, centered around its Hybrid Intelligent Transformer (HIT). This advanced device replaces traditional transformers, integrating the control of voltage, harmonics, and reactive power into a single unit. By utilizing magnetics, the HIT enables users to manage these critical power characteristics simultaneously, enhancing efficiency and minimizing energy loss. The technology is designed to stabilize power distribution across various applications, including power generation, industrial facilities, and data centers, while facilitating real-time control capabilities.

Basetwo AI

Series A in 2025
Basetwo AI offers an artificial intelligence platform designed to assist process engineers in optimizing manufacturing processes. By connecting to production and lab databases, the platform generates explainable hybrid AI models that provide actionable recommendations aimed at enhancing production yield, reducing cycle times, and lowering operational costs. Basetwo has demonstrated its effectiveness in various industries, including pharmaceuticals, materials, chemicals, and aerospace, helping Fortune 500 manufacturers worldwide achieve significant reductions in scale-up time and operational expenses. The company's low-code solution enables real-time optimization, ultimately fostering efficiency throughout the global supply chain.

Beacon Power Services

Series A in 2024
Beacon Power Services, founded in 2013 and based in Lagos, Nigeria, specializes in energy management solutions for commercial and industrial facilities. The company employs a data-driven approach, utilizing its AI-enabled grid management platform, Adora, to provide real-time visibility into network performance for power distribution companies. This software connects to utility assets and customer nodes, enabling energy providers to anticipate outages, identify network losses, and enhance electricity distribution efficiency. Beacon Power Services develops comprehensive power generation and management plans tailored to clients' specific needs, incorporating generator resizing, peak shaving, automation, appliance upgrades, and renewable generation installations. The company's mission is to improve the quality and reliability of electricity supply in African cities by building smart grids and addressing inefficiencies in electricity distribution systems, ultimately reducing energy costs for its clients.

Rutilea

Series D in 2024
Rutilea is an IT company focused on addressing social challenges through open-source solutions. It specializes in developing a zero-code task recognition system that enhances operational efficiency, quality, and safety across various industries. Utilizing multimodal artificial intelligence, Rutilea's system accurately identifies tasks in diverse environments, facilitating automation in factories and retail settings. This approach empowers businesses to make data-driven decisions and significantly improve productivity. By advancing the concept of "AI teaching AI," Rutilea aims to redefine automation and operational processes, contributing to a more efficient and effective work environment.

Rutilea

Series C in 2023
Rutilea is an IT company focused on addressing social challenges through open-source solutions. It specializes in developing a zero-code task recognition system that enhances operational efficiency, quality, and safety across various industries. Utilizing multimodal artificial intelligence, Rutilea's system accurately identifies tasks in diverse environments, facilitating automation in factories and retail settings. This approach empowers businesses to make data-driven decisions and significantly improve productivity. By advancing the concept of "AI teaching AI," Rutilea aims to redefine automation and operational processes, contributing to a more efficient and effective work environment.

Rutilea

Series C in 2023
Rutilea is an IT company focused on addressing social challenges through open-source solutions. It specializes in developing a zero-code task recognition system that enhances operational efficiency, quality, and safety across various industries. Utilizing multimodal artificial intelligence, Rutilea's system accurately identifies tasks in diverse environments, facilitating automation in factories and retail settings. This approach empowers businesses to make data-driven decisions and significantly improve productivity. By advancing the concept of "AI teaching AI," Rutilea aims to redefine automation and operational processes, contributing to a more efficient and effective work environment.

Caddi

Series C in 2023
Caddi, Inc. is a technology company based in Tokyo, Japan, that specializes in providing solutions for the manufacturing sector. It operates an online ordering platform that facilitates the management of custom-made processed products and connects orders with processing plants. By utilizing a proprietary costing algorithm, the platform automatically identifies the most suitable factory for production, thereby helping businesses to reduce procurement costs and optimize quality, cost, and delivery (QCD). Additionally, Caddi offers an AI-driven data platform that enhances procurement intelligence and supply chain management, enabling companies to improve operational efficiency and expand their capacity.

SCADAfence

Venture Round in 2023
SCADAfence Ltd. develops cybersecurity solutions specifically designed to protect the industrial Internet of Things (IoT) in manufacturing industries and critical infrastructure. Founded in 2014 and based in Be'er Sheva, Israel, SCADAfence serves various sectors, including power, oil and gas, water, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and manufacturing. The company's comprehensive platform provides network monitoring, asset discovery, governance, remote access, and IoT device security, effectively addressing the unique challenges faced by large-scale operational technology networks. By enhancing visibility and enabling proactive security measures, SCADAfence helps organizations mitigate risks associated with operational downtime, data theft, and cyber-attacks, allowing them to operate securely and efficiently. Recognized as a leader in the field, SCADAfence has been acknowledged for its innovative contributions to OT and IoT cybersecurity.

Toggle

Series A in 2023
Toggle is a company based in the United States that specializes in robotics and automation solutions for the construction industry. It offers a robotics as a service (RaaS) platform specifically designed for assembling rebar cages used in reinforced concrete applications. Utilizing advanced two-arm robotic platforms and proprietary jig designs, Toggle's technology enables the construction of rebar structures directly from computer blueprints, allowing for precise and efficient pre-assembly services.

Mazin

Series A in 2022
Mazin is a company focused on providing artificial intelligence and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies tailored for manufacturing facilities, product development, and sales. It specializes in automating machining operations through AI and developing industrial IoT services that assess the digital transformation of factories. By addressing the shortage of technicians, Mazin aims to enhance the efficiency of manufacturing processes, enabling factories to operate more effectively.

RightHand Robotics

Series C in 2022
RightHand Robotics, Inc. specializes in the manufacturing of robotic order-picking systems designed to enhance supply chain logistics and order fulfillment across various industries, including e-commerce, food handling, and flexible manufacturing. Founded in 2015, the company is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with an additional office in Frankfurt, Germany. RightHand Robotics offers innovative solutions like the ReFlex SF, which features a 3D-printed palm equipped with advanced servos and compliant fingers, and the ReFlex TakkTile, a tactile sensor that aids in gentle object handling. Their technology enables robots to automatically grasp a wide range of items from bins and cases without the need for extensive data entry or parameter tuning, making their systems cost-effective and adaptable to changing business needs.

Caddi

Series B in 2021
Caddi, Inc. is a technology company based in Tokyo, Japan, that specializes in providing solutions for the manufacturing sector. It operates an online ordering platform that facilitates the management of custom-made processed products and connects orders with processing plants. By utilizing a proprietary costing algorithm, the platform automatically identifies the most suitable factory for production, thereby helping businesses to reduce procurement costs and optimize quality, cost, and delivery (QCD). Additionally, Caddi offers an AI-driven data platform that enhances procurement intelligence and supply chain management, enabling companies to improve operational efficiency and expand their capacity.

SCADAfence

Series B in 2021
SCADAfence Ltd. develops cybersecurity solutions specifically designed to protect the industrial Internet of Things (IoT) in manufacturing industries and critical infrastructure. Founded in 2014 and based in Be'er Sheva, Israel, SCADAfence serves various sectors, including power, oil and gas, water, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and manufacturing. The company's comprehensive platform provides network monitoring, asset discovery, governance, remote access, and IoT device security, effectively addressing the unique challenges faced by large-scale operational technology networks. By enhancing visibility and enabling proactive security measures, SCADAfence helps organizations mitigate risks associated with operational downtime, data theft, and cyber-attacks, allowing them to operate securely and efficiently. Recognized as a leader in the field, SCADAfence has been acknowledged for its innovative contributions to OT and IoT cybersecurity.

Swift Navigation

Series C in 2021
Swift Navigation, Inc. is a technology company specializing in precise global positioning system (GPS) solutions, founded in 2012 and based in San Francisco, California, with an additional location in Melbourne, Australia. The company develops hardware and software that provide centimeter-level accuracy through real-time kinematics (RTK) technology. Its product lineup includes the Piksi Multi GNSS Module, a versatile RTK receiver, and the Duro Ruggedized Receiver, designed for various industrial applications such as agriculture and robotics. Additionally, Swift Navigation offers the Skylark cloud corrections service and the Starling GNSS positioning engine, which caters to automotive and autonomous vehicle needs. The company's innovative solutions, characterized by their affordability and high accuracy—100 times better than standard GPS—serve multiple industries, including unmanned aerial vehicles, surveying, and space applications. Swift Navigation's commitment to making advanced positioning technology accessible is recognized by notable accolades, including mentions in Inc. and Forbes 30 Under 30 lists.

LinkWiz

Series B in 2019
LinkWiz, Inc. is a Japanese company founded in 2015 and headquartered in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka. It specializes in developing and selling intelligent robot system software tailored for industrial and manufacturing applications. The company's flagship products include L-ROBOT, a control software that automates operations like welding and coating, and L-QUALIFY, a solution designed for production-line inspections. These products utilize proprietary algorithms to enhance robot functionality, facilitating visual inspections and quality assessments while optimizing automation processes. LinkWiz also offers technical consulting services to assist clients in implementing these solutions. The company has gained recognition in the industry, with its software being adopted by major players, including automobile manufacturers, to improve efficiency and productivity.

Caddi

Series A in 2018
Caddi, Inc. is a technology company based in Tokyo, Japan, that specializes in providing solutions for the manufacturing sector. It operates an online ordering platform that facilitates the management of custom-made processed products and connects orders with processing plants. By utilizing a proprietary costing algorithm, the platform automatically identifies the most suitable factory for production, thereby helping businesses to reduce procurement costs and optimize quality, cost, and delivery (QCD). Additionally, Caddi offers an AI-driven data platform that enhances procurement intelligence and supply chain management, enabling companies to improve operational efficiency and expand their capacity.

SCADAfence

Series A in 2017
SCADAfence Ltd. develops cybersecurity solutions specifically designed to protect the industrial Internet of Things (IoT) in manufacturing industries and critical infrastructure. Founded in 2014 and based in Be'er Sheva, Israel, SCADAfence serves various sectors, including power, oil and gas, water, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and manufacturing. The company's comprehensive platform provides network monitoring, asset discovery, governance, remote access, and IoT device security, effectively addressing the unique challenges faced by large-scale operational technology networks. By enhancing visibility and enabling proactive security measures, SCADAfence helps organizations mitigate risks associated with operational downtime, data theft, and cyber-attacks, allowing them to operate securely and efficiently. Recognized as a leader in the field, SCADAfence has been acknowledged for its innovative contributions to OT and IoT cybersecurity.

Enlighted

Series C in 2017
Enlighted Inc. is a company that specializes in manufacturing advanced lighting control systems for commercial environments, serving both domestic and international markets. Founded in 2009 and headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, Enlighted develops a range of products including Enlighted Sensors, which gather data on occupancy, ambient light, temperature, and energy consumption, and Enlighted Room Control devices that allow users to adjust lighting levels in their spaces. Additionally, the Enlighted Gateway aggregates data from multiple sensors, facilitating comprehensive energy management through a web-based interface known as the Energy Manager. The company's technology is designed to enhance operational efficiency, reduce energy costs—reportedly by up to 70% in some cases—and improve workspace comfort. Enlighted's solutions have been adopted by numerous Fortune 1000 companies, with sensors deployed in over 70,000 square feet of commercial real estate. As of May 2018, Enlighted operates as a subsidiary of Siemens Industry, Inc.

ARCSTONE

Seed Round in 2015
Arcstone Pte. Ltd. is a Singapore-based company that specializes in developing and marketing manufacturing software solutions. Founded in 2013, it offers a comprehensive platform known as the Arcstone Operations Platform (arc.ops), which integrates various data streams from IoT sensors, machines, ERPs, and workstation tablets. This platform enables manufacturers to monitor, track, visualize, and control production operations, facilitating both automated and manual processes in manufacturing, machine maintenance, and warehousing. By operationalizing data, Arcstone empowers facility managers to enhance visibility and control, leading to significant cost reductions and quality improvements across the manufacturing supply chain. The company also has a presence in India, Vietnam, and Indonesia, highlighting its regional commitment to optimizing operational efficiency.
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