Kenji Makiguchi’s Post

🚀 Global Startup Development in Tokyo! Exciting news from the venture capital world: U.S.-based SOZO Ventures has launched 11KS, a new organization in Tokyo aimed at nurturing global entrepreneurs and fostering startups. Their mission is to provide training, events, and education to help companies and individuals gain access to international capital markets. The initiative is spearheaded by SOZO’s co-founder, Phil Wickham, with academic support from leading Japanese universities like the University of Tokyo and Keio University. 🌍 This is a massive opportunity for startups in Japan to expand their reach and tap into global markets. We look forward to seeing more innovative ideas and talents emerge through this initiative. I am also planning something for the startups targeting the global market. #StartupEcosystem #VentureCapital #Entrepreneurship #GlobalMarkets #Innovation #SOZOVentures #JapanStartups

More Startups in Japan Need to Exit by M&A There are two common exit strategies for startups: M&A and IPO. 2021 data shows that 80% of startup exits in Japan are by IPO, while in contrast 90% of U.S. startup exits are by M&A. The difference matters, because early IPO exits in Japan usually result in reduced external funding opportunities and halted growth. Potential future value creation dries up, with negative ripple effects throughout the ecosystem. However, M&A exits in Japan should create much more long-term global value. For this reason, Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry launched an ambitious 5-year startup support plan in 2022. One key initiative of the plan is to create a funding and innovation ecosystem that supports M&A exits by startups. Hidetaka Kojima, co-founder and Director of Tokyo-based M&A firm @SHIFT Growth Capital, discusses the importance of strategic M&A exits for Japanese startups in a conversation with co-founder and CEO of decarbonization management company ASUENE Kohei Nishiwada. Here is a link to the conversation (in Japanese only): https://lnkd.in/g25Zs-us

Dinii Secures $48M Investment from Top Global VCs for its Digital Restaurant Solutions Dinii, a Tokyo-based startup founded by CEO Mao Yamada, has successfully raised 7.46 billion yen ($48 million) in funding from renowned international investors, including Bessemer Venture Partners and Hillhouse Investment Management. This marks Bessemer's historic first investment in a Japanese startup, and it is known for backing giants like Shopify, LinkedIn, and Box. With flagship services like Dinii POS, Dinii Mobile Order, and a newly launched cashless payment solution with industry-low fees, Dinii aims to empower restaurants with advanced digital infrastructure. Its focus isn’t just local; Dinii is strategically positioned to expand across the vast Asian market, leveraging cultural affinities and a unique approach tailored to the region. Yamada-san highlights a powerful takeaway for startups in Japan: “Mindset is key. By positioning ourselves as a global startup from the beginning, we were able to connect with global VCs via LinkedIn.” His efforts underscore the importance of seeing beyond borders and tapping into global networks to elevate Japanese startups on the world stage. #StartupFunding #GlobalExpansion #Dinii #RestaurantTech #JapaneseStartups #Innovation #DigitalTransformation #LinkedInSuccess #AsiaMarket #TechInvestment

The Forbes JAPAN Midas List (JPN) (Source: https://lnkd.in/gNt-K5bx) The list for most influential venture capitalists for Japan came out recently, and I thought it might be helpful to share! The list was completed from information obtained from the JVCA (Japan Venture Capital Association), and the ranking is based on capital gains made through IPO or MA between Nov 23~Oct 24. Capitalists from SBI Investment and JAFCO feature prominently this year. (Disclosure: the rankings are based on answers obtained by questionnaire through the JVCA - there may be capitalists who specifically do not wish to disclose their activities, just FYI) USD/JPY rate used is 150 for easier calculation. Interesting points: - More parity compared to last year Last year was the year of #space for this list, as ispace, inc. featured multiple times in the top 10. Thie year there is another space start up, Astroscale, that went public - but there are other companies such as Timee, Inc. (a spot gig-worker platform) and 17LIVE Inc. (livestreaming) which make this year's list a bit more interesting - #Timee goes big The Timee, Inc. IPO started out with a $1B market cap - a fine achievement for the 27 yr old founder. The job matching market is heating up in Japan with incubent P2P marketplace Mercari, Inc. jumping in with its own service, #hallo. The top 10 are as follows: 1. Shinji Oshige (#INCJ)   - Investments: Astroscale Holdings, WHILL   - Capital Gains: 15.96 billion yen ($106.4M) 2. Keisuke Miyoshi (#JAFCOGroup)   - Investment: Timee   - Capital Gains: 10.38 billion yen ($69M) 3. Yoshikazu Akagawa (JAFCO Group)   - Investments: (株) VRAIN Solution, #JSH   - Capital Gains: 7.68 billion yen ($51.2M) 4. Yusuke Matsumoto (#SBIInvestment)   - Investments: Heartseed Inc., Infcurion｜インフキュリオン, jinjer株式会社   - Capital Gains: 5.91 billion yen ($39.4M) 5. Akio T. (Headline - Asia)   - Investment: 17LIVE   - Capital Gains: 5.11 billion yen ($34M) 6. Satoru Kawamura (SBI Investment)   - Investment: Timee   - Capital Gains: 4.16 billion yen ($27.7M) 7. Tomoko Numata (JAFCO Group)   - Investments: Astroscale Holdings, #Marso   - Capital Gains: 2.97 billion yen ($19.8M) 8. Yutaro Kawanishi (#AngelBridge)   - Investment: Heartseed   - Capital Gains: 2.38 billion yen ($15.8M) 9. Tatsuya Nagaoka (JAFCO Group)   - Investment: Astroscale Holdings   - Capital Gains: 2.34 billion yen ($15.6M) 10. Keisuke Wada (Incubate Fund)   - Investments: #Schoo, #iCARE   - Capital Gains: 1.6 billion yen ($10.6M) Note: Capital gains are estimates by the editorial department. Hope you all found this helpful, and provide some insight into the Japanese venture capital market. #venturecapital #VC #CVC #capitalgains #forbes #midaslist #japan #ipo #exits #ma #investing #startups #japan

▶︎▶︎Exciting News from Antler Japan ! Our Venture Partner, Jordan Fisher was recently featured on Abema Hills, AbemaTV, leading news program on Japan’s largest video streaming platform, discussing the critical challenges in creating and growing startups in Japan. ▶︎▶︎Feautured on Yahoo ! News https://lnkd.in/gQbMad7a ▶︎▶︎ You can watch the archived here https://lnkd.in/gN3TdkCJ This time, with over 900 applications already received from both Japan and abroad, about 20% of them are from Japanese applicants. While this may seem like a small number, it’s important to note that the barriers to entrepreneurship and language are still significant challenges that need to be overcome in Japan, as Jordan also mentioned in the interview. At Antler, we are committed to breaking down these barriers through our unique program, which is designed to empower founders and accelerate growth. If you’re looking to transform your startup idea into reality, don’t miss this opportunity. Applications are closing this week on the 7th, and only a few spots remain. #Startups #Founders #VentureCapital #Residency

In April 2024, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in Japan released "Guidance on Entrepreneur-Led Carve-Out Practices". This guide explains how to leverage technologies developed in corporate R&D that are not commercialized by their companies to create startups, introducing new methods and practices. It is expected to accelerate carve-outs, spin-offs, and spin-outs, potentially adding a new dimension to Japan's startup ecosystem. At an upcoming event, Mr. Ueda from the Industrial Technology Environment Bureau and Mr. Hamamiya from 01Booster Capital, which operates the investment and support program SPIN X10, will discuss this guidance in detail. For more information about the event, visit https://lnkd.in/dr_RV7FT

【Participated in Slush 2024 held in Helsinki, Finland!】 Fukuoka City participated in #Slush 2024, one of the largest startup events in the Nordics, with three startups from the city: "KOALA Tech Inc.", "Coastal Link Corp." and "Angoya LLC". During the side event "RAMEN TECH in Helsinki" on Day 1, we introduced Fukuoka City's global startup support initiatives and featured pitches from these three startups. Many local startups considering entering the Japanese market and people interested in Japan, attended the event. In connection with our participation, one of our international partners, Helsinki Partners, kindly published an article in Japanese. Please have a look! （Helsinki Partners official） 👉 https://lnkd.in/eTmYAF9k Fukuoka City has partnered with 16 startup organizations in 12 countries and regions including Europe, North America, Asia and Oceania to support the overseas expansion of Fukuoka startups and foreign founders who want to set up operations in Fukuoka City by strengthening and expanding ecosystem connections between the city and overseas. We will continue to participate in overseas startup events, especially in our partner countries and regions, to deepen cooperation and lead to business matching. #startupcityfukuoka #startupjapan #fukuokacity #RAMENTECH

Last week, we signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with “22@Network Barcelona,” an organization promoting the 22@ Innovation District in Barcelona. As the first step, we’re launching the “Overseas Market Exploration Program JAB (Journey to Alliance and Beyond),” which aims to connect Barcelona-based startups with Japanese companies. By working closely with both sides, we’ll explore opportunities for “market entry of overseas startups into Japan” and “business co-creation for Japanese companies” using lean startup. This time, we’re starting by testing the program on the Japanese side, but we seek vice-versa and plan to support Japanese startups in expanding overseas as well. It’s a step-by-step process, but I’m excited to see concrete collaborations taking shape with our friends overseas! Press Release in Japanese: https://lnkd.in/g2rBQu-R 22@ Press Release: https://lnkd.in/g8YYKqWJ

Boosting Japan’s Startup Ecosystem for Unicorn Growth The Japanese government is taking bold steps to elevate its startup ecosystem, focusing on supporting the growth of “unicorn” companies—startups with a valuation exceeding $1 billion. In a shift from previous policies centered primarily on early-stage funding, Japan’s new economic initiative includes comprehensive assistance for startups not only in R&D but also in scaling production to meet market demands. This policy adjustment aims to foster sustainable growth and global competitiveness. Key measures include: • Funding collaborations between startups and established corporations for product development. • Provide financial support for scaling production facilities and equipment and promoting readiness for mass production. With over 10 billion USD allocated in the past two years for startup support, Japan is committed to nurturing these emerging giants. This initiative is expected to bridge the gap in unicorn numbers compared to Western counterparts. #Innovation #Startups #UnicornCompanies #JapanEconomy #VentureCapital #EconomicGrowth #LinkedInUpdates https://lnkd.in/gK-u2nQC

Exciting News for JAPAN Startups! Coral Capital has just launched a new $1.85 billion fund to invest in Japanese startups. With backing from prominent investors like Japan Development Bank and Mizuho Bank, this fund will target early-stage companies, investing between $370,000 and $22.2 million per startup. Over the next five years, Coral Capital will support around 40 companies, especially in deep tech and biotech sectors. Noteworthy past investments include SmartHR and Kyoto Fusioneering. 📈 This is a significant boost for innovation and entrepreneurship in Japan. If you're in the startup ecosystem, keep an eye on Japanese startup new opportunities! #VentureCapital #Startups #Innovation #DeepTech #Biotech #Investment #Entrepreneurship #Japan #Funding #TechNews