NEXTBLUE

Full House at Our Women's Health Event in Tokyo🇯🇵! Yesterday, we hosted a packed event on Women's Health Trends in the US, bringing together over 80 attendees—including investors, corporate executives, and founders—to explore the business models and scalability of women's health startups During the session, Saki Oshima shared insights into the US market, highlighting key trends and innovative startups, including those in our portfolio Teal Health Elektra Health Eli Health Bloomlife Inc 🚀 The discussion underscored the rapid growth of the sector and the opportunities for global collaboration 🌍. Thank you to everyone who joined! More to come! Kanako Inoue Yuichi Kori Hiroko Mochizai Vincent Y. Tan CAIA

🚀 NEXTBLUE is proud to lead the pre-Series A round for Josan-she’s, Japan’s first and only platform connecting families with midwives for 24/7 support, online consultations, and early childcare services. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gjn-MWHk 💡 Why this matters: Japan faces critical gaps in maternal care, with suicide being the leading cause of death among pregnant and postpartum women. Josan-she’s is tackling this head-on by modernizing support systems and empowering midwives to provide personalized, flexible care. 📌 What they’re building: ✅ Newborn Babysitting & Personalized Care – Midwife-led, tailored support for families ✅ OB Hospital Support – Digital health solutions to improve efficiency ✅ Postnatal Care Facilities & Staffing – Expanding work opportunities for midwives, nurses, and childcare specialists At NEXTBLUE, we invest in bold founders transforming women’s health, and Josan-she’s is leading the way in reimagining maternal care in Japan. We can’t wait to see their impact grow!

We are excited to share that NEXTBLUE has invested in Teal Health, revolutionizing cervical cancer screening with the Teal Wand™, an at-home self-collect cervical cancer screening device 🚀 👏 Huge congratulations to Kara Egan and the Teal team as they prepare for FDA approval and the launch of their innovative screening solution 🎉 📢 Read the full release:: https://lnkd.in/gy_EsnfD 🌏 While Teal’s first focus is the US market, as Asia's first fund dedicated to women's health and female founders, we at NEXTBLUE believe their technology has immense potential in Japan and other Asian markets. 📊 Cervical cancer stats in Japan: Incidence rate: On the rise. The age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR) is 11.1 per 100,000 women, nearly double that of other high-income countries in the Asia-Pacific region 📈 Screening rate: Only 43.7% of women undergo cervical cancer screening, much lower than in developed countries (Germany: 77.9%, UK: 74.0%, USA: 72.6%). Women in their 20s are even less likely to get screened, with a rate of just 26.5% ❗ HPV vaccine: Following the temporary suspension of active recommendations in 2013, vaccination rates fell below 1%. Thankfully, with active recommendations resumed in 2022, awareness and vaccination rates are slowly improving 💉

🎉 Happy New Year from the NEXTBLUE Team! 🎉 As we close the chapter on another incredible year, we want to take a moment to express our deepest gratitude to everyone who has been part of our journey in 2024. Your support, collaboration, and shared vision for Fund 2 mean the world to us—and we’re just getting started! In 2025, our mission remains steadfast: advancing equity in healthcare, femtech, fintech and beyond—championing female founders and fostering innovation, while continuing to serve as the bridge for global companies entering the Japanese market. We asked our partners what they’re most excited about for the coming year in healthcare and femtech, and—no surprise—it’s how AI continues to reshape and elevate our investment thesis. Here’s a sneak peek into their 2025 outlook: 🎯 Kanako Inoue's vision for 2025 1️⃣ Personalized health insights through AI-driven analysis of wearable and diagnostic data (think hormone tests and beyond)—unlocking new possibilities for women’s health. 2️⃣ Agentic AI to empower better decision-making in healthcare, transforming how individuals and providers address complex health issues. 🎯 Vincent Y. Tan's vision for 2025 3️⃣ Faster symptom-to-diagnosis journeys through AI-powered diagnostic platforms and advanced imaging tools—not just for femtech challenges like adenomyosis, but across diverse health concerns. 4️⃣ Gen AI to make significant strides by enabling hyper-personalized user experiences across industries. From tailored content and recommendations in health apps to individualized learning or financial tools, it will help businesses address unique user needs at scale, driving both engagement and outcomes. 🎯 Saki Oshima's vision for 2025 5️⃣ Menopause management solutions leveraging AI and wearable tech to provide personalized symptom tracking, treatment recommendations, and community-driven support—bringing attention and innovation to a historically underserved market. 6️⃣ AI-enhanced mental health support addressing challenges tied to hormonal cycles, pregnancy, and postpartum. These tools, ranging from virtual counseling bots to mood-tracking apps, will offer holistic solutions for mental and physical health needs. Finally, a big thank you to the inspiring startups we had the privilege to invest in this year—you’re the heart of everything we do. We can’t wait to see what you’ll achieve in 2025! 💡 Exactly.ai & Tonia Samsonova, Nūmi & Eden Banon-Lagrange, Daya & Malin Frithiofsson Jenny Lundkvist Jennifer Grönqvist, Teal Health & Kara Egan, UnitPlus & Fabian Mohr Kerstin Schneider , Anise Health & Alice Zhang, Bloomlife Inc & Eric Dy From all of us at NB, we wish you a joyful and restful holiday season. Let’s continue this important work together in 2025 and beyond. #HappyNewYear #Femtech #HealthcareInnovation #AI #HealthEquity #2025Vision #FemaleFounders #Japan #NEXTBLUE

📢 Exciting news! Anise Health has raised $3 million in seed funding, advancing culturally-responsive mental health care for the Asian American community🚀 NEXTBLUE is proud to back this female-founded team Alice Zhang Nisha Desai alongside Kicker Ventures, Authentic Heart, Change Paradox Ventures, Progression, How Women Invest, Celtic House Asia Partners and Gold House. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/gwYKvaer

We're thrilled to share that NEXTBLUE has invested in UnitPlus, the Berlin-based WealthTech startup redefining capital management through innovative AI-driven financial solutions🚀 Vincent Y. Tan, Partner at NEXTBLUE, shared: “UnitPlus is redefining capital management by expanding access to investment products that genuinely empower. Given their achievements to date with a lean, focused team, I am deeply impressed by their dedication and look forward to seeing how they execute their ambitious vision for accessible and intelligent finance in this next growth phase. Their commitment to financial inclusivity aligns with our vision for an empowered and equitable financial landscape.” Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/gaVp4QmS

【 📢イベント開催＠東京📢】 フェムテック・女性の健康領域に取り組むスタートアップ、同領域に関心のあるベンチャーキャピタルの方たちを対象に、フェムテック・女性の健康領域をリードする米国市場の最新情報をお届けするイベントを開催します。 当日は、米国における市場ドライバーと同領域特有のハードル、注目スタートアップとビジネスモデルなどについてお話しします。 お申し込みはこちらから 👇🏼 https://lnkd.in/gCMQV2af ※席数が限られておりますので、お早めのお申し込みをお願いいたします。 【開催概要】 🗓️日時：2024年7月9日（火）17:00-19:00 📍場所：NEXTHUB 〒103-0027　東京都中央区日本橋三丁目1番3号 👥対象：フェムテック・女性の健康領域に取り組むスタートアップの方、同領域の起業準備をされている方、同領域への投資に関心のあるベンチャーキャピタルの方 【登壇者紹介】 NEXTBLUE 米国拠点投資家 大嶋紗季 2018年より米国のベンチャーキャピタルにて、グローバルスタートアップへの投資および日系大企業との協業支援に従事。専門は女性の健康領域。業界の主要ピッチコンテストでは日本人で唯一の審査員を務めたほか、現地のVC複数社とともにコミュニティを立ち上げ、日本との橋渡し役として活躍。また欧米における複数のスタートアップコミュニティでメンターを歴任する傍ら、米国在住の日本人女性投資家としてイベント登壇やメディア寄稿を通じてスタートアップの最新情報を発信する。カリフォルニア大学サンディエゴ校経営大学院修了（MBA） https://lnkd.in/gCMQV2af

We are proud to share that NEXTBLUE has led the pre-seed investment round for DAYA, a pioneering women's health venture studio based in Sweden🚀 Excited to be part of the journey with DAYA founders Malin Frithiofsson Jennifer Grönqvist Jenny Lundkvist alongside prominent co-investors Vera Invest and Peter Strömberg Vincent Y. Tan Partner at NEXTBLUE, expressed,  “We invested in Daya because they are pioneering femtech innovation in the Nordics, addressing the long-overlooked needs of women’s health. Daya’s interdisciplinary approach, combining technology, design, and healthcare, promises to create impactful solutions for female health and wellbeing. Their vision aligns with our commitment to support ventures that drive inclusive healthcare and empower women globally.” At NEXTBLUE, we are deeply committed to fostering ventures that make a significant impact on women's health and wellbeing. Our investment in Daya marks a significant step towards creating a more equitable and inclusive healthcare system. Thank you Femtech Insider for covering the story! Check out the full article here: https://lnkd.in/g9yipybr

We are thrilled to announce our latest investment in Exactly.ai, a platform empowering artists to harness the power of AI while retaining full ownership of their creations! Excited to be part of the journey with founder, Tonia Samsonova, alongside prominent co-investors Speedinvest InReach Ventures Cornerstone VC Shio Capital GuruDev Capital Atomico Server Partners XTX Ventures. Learn more about how Exactly.ai is revolutionizing the art world and supporting artists in maintaining their creative integrity while embracing the future of AI. https://lnkd.in/gFYJfyiq

Yesterday, our General Partner, Kanako Inoue, had the incredible opportunity to speak at the culminating conference in Tokyo by SusHi Tech Tokyo 2024 Global Startup Program Official Account. The panel, titled "What Would the World Look Like if Half of All Entrepreneurs Were Women?" was a highlight of the event. Joining forces with two remarkable female entrepreneurs Erika Iwai and Leanne Robers, Kanako shared insights into the unique challenges female founders face in the entrepreneurial landscape. She also provided an overview of the female founders' landscape in Europe and the US, offering valuable perspectives to the Japanese audience. Kanako passionately highlighted the crucial role diversity in venture capital decision-makers plays in bridging these gaps and fostering a more inclusive and equitable environment for all. At NEXTBLUE, we are dedicated to empowering women's wellbeing and supporting the next generation of female leaders and innovators. Together, we can create a world where women's voices and visions lead the way.