Innovation Engine

Innovation Engine, established in 2001, is a Tokyo-based venture capital firm. It invests in early-stage technology companies across diverse sectors such as energy, healthcare, consumer goods, and information devices, with a focus on Japan. The firm aims to foster and grow promising businesses that leverage technology to drive innovation.

Takashi Matsumoto

Investment Partner

Kazuhiko Ota

Investment Partner

Mutsunori Sano

President and CEO

34 past transactions

Drone Show Japan

Series A in 2024
Drone Show Japan specializes in creating innovative drone shows for various events, including outdoor and indoor exhibitions, as well as aerial photography services. The company aims to promote a drone-based society by leveraging advanced drone technologies. In addition to its show offerings, Drone Show Japan provides educational workshops focused on drone operation and technology, catering to event organizers, educators, and innovators. By combining entertainment with education, the company seeks to transform the experiences of its clients and leave a significant impact on their respective markets.

Ranimaru

Series A in 2024
Ranimaru is pet service providing company that offers pet sitting, care of your pet dog in events, professional course about pet sitting.

Asilla

Series C in 2024
Asilla, Inc. is a technology company specializing in artificial intelligence-based image and video analysis. Established in 2015 and headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, with an additional office in Hanoi, Vietnam, Asilla develops a range of applications that leverage AI for various purposes. Its offerings include an AI-OCR (Optical Character Recognition) system that facilitates the extraction of text from images and videos, enabling the digitization of visual content into actionable data. The company also provides services for recognizing vehicles by make and model, as well as a censorship tool that identifies inappropriate content, including copyright violations and obscene material. Furthermore, Asilla's technology is designed to detect human behavioral anomalies, supporting applications in security, facility management, mobility, smart cities, and smart agriculture, thereby enhancing safety and crime prevention measures across multiple sectors.

Astroscale

Series F in 2021
Astroscale, established in 2013, is a Singapore-based company that specializes in developing technologies to address the growing issue of space debris. It offers two primary services: End-of-Life Service by Astroscale (ELSA), a spacecraft retrieval service for satellite operators, and Active Debris Removal (ADR), which focuses on clearing larger, more dangerous debris. Additionally, Astroscale designs and manufactures the Lunar Dream Capsule, a time capsule intended for delivery to the moon. The company's mission is to create sustainable space systems and mitigate the hazards posed by orbital debris through innovative and scalable solutions.

BraveSoft

Venture Round in 2021
BraveSoft is a software company specializing in contract development services and event management. They offer UI/UX design, application development, app push notifications, and technical research services.

Ispace Technologies

Series C in 2021
Ispace Technologies is a Tokyo-based company specializing in space resource exploration, particularly focused on developing micro-robotic technology to facilitate the identification, extraction, and transportation of lunar resources, such as ice, essential for sustaining human life in space. Founded in 2013, Ispace is recognized for its innovative approach, utilizing 3D printing and commercially available products to create efficient and cost-effective solutions. The company is also involved in the Google Lunar XPRIZE Competition through its Team HAKUTO, which has gained recognition for its advancements in mobility and aims to land a privately funded robot on the Moon. Ispace’s micro-robots are designed to explore larger lunar areas quickly and economically, making significant strides towards establishing a sustainable presence in outer space.

Life is Beautiful

Venture Round in 2021
Life is Beautiful develops iOS and Android mobile apps, web apps, and Facebook apps. The company’s portfolio of services includes development and consultation with Natural Language Processing, smartphone app development, social app development, web service development, UI/UX design, character design, and consultation. Life is Beautiful was founded on September 29, 2010, and is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.

POWERNEXT

Seed Round in 2021
POWERNEXT provides supply, demand management, power generation management, balancing group, power source procurement and interchange agency, fee calculation, sales support, legal record, non-fossil value trading, and customer management system services.

iYell

Venture Round in 2020
iYell Inc. is a Tokyo-based company that specializes in providing mortgage solutions for real estate companies. Incorporated in 2016, iYell has developed a comprehensive mortgage platform that facilitates mortgage analysis and improves the efficiency of the mortgage process. The platform integrates media and technology to enhance marketing efforts and streamline procedures, allowing users to access vital information about the mortgage market and various closing rates. By collaborating with financial institutions, iYell empowers both businesses and individuals to make informed mortgage decisions with ease.

Toridori

Series A in 2020
Founded in Tokyo, Japan in 2016, Toridori Inc. specializes in influencer marketing services for individuals and businesses. It offers platforms like Toridori Base for job matching influencers with opportunities, Toridori Marketing to enhance corporate marketing activities, and a pay-for-performance advertising system.

Bonx

Series C in 2020
BONX Inc. is a Tokyo-based company that specializes in the design and development of wearable communication devices for outdoor sports enthusiasts. Established in 2014, BONX has created the BONX Grip, a Bluetooth earpiece designed to withstand water and shock, allowing athletes engaged in activities such as snowboarding, cycling, stand-up paddleboarding, and fishing to communicate seamlessly. The device supports group conversations, enabling users to stay connected with friends while participating in leisure and sporting activities. BONX sells its products online, catering to a niche market of outdoor sports participants seeking reliable communication solutions.

Power Sharing

Venture Round in 2020
Power Sharing, established in 2014, is a Japanese company headquartered in Asahi with an additional office in Tokyo. It specializes in providing contract services to new power companies, including power supply and demand management, customer management, fee calculation, and billing. The company also offers power generation management, demand and power generation balancing, power procurement and interchange agency services, sales support, home energy management systems, and business consulting.

GRCS

Venture Round in 2019
GRCS, formerly NANAROQ, is a Japan-based company focusing on security risk management and governance, risk and compliance (GRC) solutions. Established in March 2005, it serves businesses with security solutions, product sales, and consulting services. Its consulting offerings cover IT security design, regulations and policies construction, risk analysis, and operations improvement, as well as financial technology services. The company markets GRC solutions organized into Solutions and Products divisions. The Solutions division provides design and implementation support for GRC tools and in-house products, along with related consulting activities such as IT security design, regulatory framework development, and system analysis. The Products division delivers GRC related products to support governance and compliance in client operations.

TWO CELLS

Corporate Round in 2019
TWO CELLS is engaged in the research and development of regeneration technology. The company was founded in April 2003 and is based in Tokyo, Japan.

Leading Mark

Series B in 2019
Leading Mark Inc. is an employment agency based in Tokyo, Japan, specializing in human resources services. The company is focused on streamlining the recruitment process through its online platform, which aggregates job listings tailored to users' interests. This approach aims to enhance the job-seeking experience by prioritizing the needs of applicants, in contrast to larger, traditional agencies that may focus more on the hiring companies. Additionally, Leading Mark is expanding its operations to include mid-career and international hiring, with a dedicated team in China working to connect top Japanese-speaking Chinese students with domestic employers. By emphasizing a user-centric model, Leading Mark seeks to alleviate the frustrations often faced by job seekers, ensuring they receive the information and opportunities they need to advance their careers.

Tripla

Series C in 2019
Tripla provides AI-powered chatbot and hotel booking engine services as software as a service to improve customer satisfaction across hotels, transportation, travel-related sectors, and other industries. The company offers a suite of products including Tripla Book, Tripla Boost, Tripla Bot, Tripla Connect, Tripla Link, Tripla Analytics, and Tripla Success, designed to enable easy setup and rapid enhancement of customer interactions. Its chatbot solution combines learning AI with human support to reduce inquiry costs and offer multilingual assistance via chat and voice platforms, targeting a better guest experience. The hotel reservation engine includes OTA price comparison and automatic best-rate adjustment to increase in-house bookings and profitability. Based in Japan, Tripla serves hundreds of customers such as hotels, car rental and transportation providers, delivering an integrated platform that supports multilingual reservations and cross-channel engagement for tourists.

Live Smart

Venture Round in 2019
Live Smart is a start-up focused on creating a service platform for smart home management. The company develops an Internet of Things (IoT) platform that allows users to control various home appliances, such as air conditioners, televisions, lighting, and smart clocks, through mobile applications and voice-activated speakers. By utilizing artificial intelligence and IoT technology, Live Smart's platform aims to provide an operating system for homes, enabling housing manufacturers, utility companies, and other stakeholders in the living space sector to enhance property value. Additionally, it seeks to help homeowners create more efficient living environments, ultimately saving them time and energy.

DataMix

Venture Round in 2019
Founded in Tokyo, Japan in 2017, DataMix specializes in professional training programs for working adults aspiring to become data scientists or leverage data science skills in business. Its core offerings include the Data Scientist Training Program and Business Translator Training Program.

ZenmuTech

Venture Round in 2018
ZenmuTech specializes in information security solutions for enterprises. Founded in Tokyo, Japan in 2014, it offers thin client environments, data protection software (ZENMU), and strategic IT consulting services. The company serves sectors such as local government, finance, and education.

Uncover Truth

Venture Round in 2018
Uncover Truth is an analytics company that specializes in providing data visualization and content analytics services accessible through web and mobile platforms. The company develops tools designed to analyze customer behavior on websites using both quantitative and qualitative data. These tools include form analysis, session playback, and click heatmaps, which help identify user behaviors and pinpoint issues with the user experience. By offering these insights, Uncover Truth enables website operators to better understand their customers and enhance their websites accordingly.

HACARUS

Series A in 2018
Hacarus Inc. is a technology company based in Kyoto, Japan, that specializes in artificial intelligence solutions for the manufacturing and medical sectors. Established in 2014, Hacarus develops products that leverage its proprietary Sparse Modeling technology, which allows for efficient data analysis and decision-making. The company offers several key platforms, including SALUS, which caters to medical and life sciences applications, and COLIGO, a customizable application that supports various implementations in IoT and edge computing. Additionally, Hacarus provides SPECTRO, a tool for enhanced visual inspections, and offers data science consulting services along with an AI Academy for education in AI technologies. By focusing on small data and resource-efficient solutions, Hacarus aims to deliver insights that enable faster and more reliable decision-making compared to traditional deep learning approaches.

Tripla

Venture Round in 2018
Tripla provides AI-powered chatbot and hotel booking engine services as software as a service to improve customer satisfaction across hotels, transportation, travel-related sectors, and other industries. The company offers a suite of products including Tripla Book, Tripla Boost, Tripla Bot, Tripla Connect, Tripla Link, Tripla Analytics, and Tripla Success, designed to enable easy setup and rapid enhancement of customer interactions. Its chatbot solution combines learning AI with human support to reduce inquiry costs and offer multilingual assistance via chat and voice platforms, targeting a better guest experience. The hotel reservation engine includes OTA price comparison and automatic best-rate adjustment to increase in-house bookings and profitability. Based in Japan, Tripla serves hundreds of customers such as hotels, car rental and transportation providers, delivering an integrated platform that supports multilingual reservations and cross-channel engagement for tourists.

KIYO Learning

Venture Round in 2018
Founded in Tokyo in 2010, KIYO Learning specializes in planning, producing, selling, and operating educational content and services tailored for business professionals.

PicoCELA

Series B in 2018
Founded in Japan in 2008, PicoCELA specializes in wireless mesh networking solutions. It develops the PCWL series of mesh Wi-Fi access points using its proprietary PicoCELA Backhaul Engine technology, enabling multi-hop communication for stable broadband transmission with low latency. The company serves various sectors including enterprise, manufacturing, energy, and smart cities, with over 3,000 units operating daily worldwide.

Brain Magic

Venture Round in 2018
Brain Magic Ltd. is a technology startup based in Tokyo, Japan, founded in 2016. The company specializes in developing innovative input devices aimed at simplifying computer operations for left-handed creators, particularly illustrators and video editors. Its flagship product, the Orbital2, features a unique design that integrates multiple input systems, including an analog joystick, buttons, dials, and directional buttons. This device enables users to perform keyboard operations more efficiently with just one hand, thereby enhancing productivity and reducing the risk of repetitive strain injuries, such as tendonitis. Brain Magic's mission is to leverage technology to streamline workflows and reduce the inefficiencies that often accompany creative work.

Perseus Proteomics

Venture Round in 2018
Perseus Proteomics Inc. is a biotechnology company based in Tokyo, Japan, focused on drug discovery. Established in 2001, it specializes in antibody discovery, engineering, and research support activities. The company engages in target discovery and functional protein expression, offering services such as mouse hybridoma sequencing, recombinant protein production, and contract research for antibodies. Additionally, Perseus Proteomics develops, manufactures, and supplies a range of antibody products. By leveraging advanced antibody technology, the company aims to create innovative medicines that address the needs of patients worldwide seeking improved medical care.

Bonx

Series A in 2018
BONX Inc. is a Tokyo-based company that specializes in the design and development of wearable communication devices for outdoor sports enthusiasts. Established in 2014, BONX has created the BONX Grip, a Bluetooth earpiece designed to withstand water and shock, allowing athletes engaged in activities such as snowboarding, cycling, stand-up paddleboarding, and fishing to communicate seamlessly. The device supports group conversations, enabling users to stay connected with friends while participating in leisure and sporting activities. BONX sells its products online, catering to a niche market of outdoor sports participants seeking reliable communication solutions.

Mama Square

Venture Round in 2017
Mama Square Co., Ltd., established in 2014 and headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, specializes in operating co-working spaces equipped with integrated daycare facilities. This unique business model allows working mothers to balance their professional and parental responsibilities, as their children can be cared for on-site while they work. Additionally, Mama Square offers a range of services to its clients, including telemarketing, back office support, marketing research, and consulting.

Tranzax

Corporate Round in 2017
Tranzax Co., Ltd., founded in 2009 and based in Tokyo, Japan, specializes in commercial financing services aimed at enhancing cash management for primary manufacturers. The company offers various financial solutions, including accounts receivable financing, factoring, and supply chain finance, which help reduce financial costs across the supply chain. Tranzax also provides purchase order financing that leverages electronically recorded receivables to secure funding and a service called PayForward, which funds accounts receivable for ordering companies using the same electronic records. Additionally, Tranzax's fintech services facilitate the conversion of receivables into electronically recorded loans, allowing clients to manage and transfer their accounts securely.

Y's

Venture Round in 2016
Y's, Inc. is a Tokyo-based company that specializes in rehabilitation services for individuals affected by cerebrovascular disorders. Founded in 2014, the company distinguishes itself by providing unique rehabilitation offerings not typically available at standard hospitals or day care centers. In addition to its rehabilitation facilities, Y's operates an acupuncture osteopathic institute, a relaxation salon, and visiting massage services, catering to the diverse needs of its clients. As of August 30, 2018, Y's operates as a subsidiary of M3, Inc.

Tmsuk

Corporate Round in 2016
TMSUK is a robotic company dedicated to creating safe and comfortable societies where people and robots can coexist harmoniously through innovative robotic products. The company specializes in developing consumer robotics, particularly humanoid-type robots that are remotely controlled using mobile communications networks such as PHS. These robots are designed to enhance mobility for individuals with disabilities and are utilized for security and commercial purposes. By leveraging advanced technology, TMSUK aims to increase work efficiency and improve the quality of life for its users.

Delta-Fly Pharma

Venture Round in 2015
Delta-Fly Pharma, Inc. is a Japan-based biotechnology company focused on the discovery and development of gentle anti-cancer agents. Founded in 2010 and headquartered in Tokushima, the company utilizes innovative modular technology to create treatments aimed at minimizing side effects associated with traditional cancer therapies. The name "Delta-Fly" is inspired by the dragonfly, symbolizing resilience and progress, reflecting the company's commitment to advancing cancer care through its unique therapeutic approaches.

BrightPath Biotherapeutics

Venture Round in 2014
BrightPath Biotherapeutics Co., Ltd. is a biopharmaceutical company based in Kurume, Japan, specializing in the development of innovative cancer immunotherapy drugs. The company is advancing its lead candidate, ITK-1, a cancer peptide vaccine currently in Phase III clinical trials for the treatment of prostate cancer. Additionally, BrightPath is developing GRN-1201, which is in Phase II trials for non-small cell lung cancer and Phase I trials for melanoma. The company also has research-stage products, including GRN-1301, a neoantigen targeting drug-resistant tumors in non-small cell lung cancer, and iPS-NKT, a therapy utilizing induced pluripotent stem cell-derived NKT cells. Founded in 2003, BrightPath Biotherapeutics aims to stimulate potent immune responses to tumor-associated antigens through its peptide vaccine technology.

ZMP

Seed Round in 2003
Founded in Tokyo, Japan in 2001, ZMP specializes in developing humanoid robots and robotics. It offers products such as autonomous driving development tools, robotic camera solutions, sensors, and data loggers. The company also provides automatic operation technology for advanced driver assistance systems and supports logistics and research robots.
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