Fundraising FoxaSTART
Venture capitalTokyo · Seed–Late Stage
Also known as 株式会社エースタート
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Investment thesis
aSTART is an independent VC that describes itself as an 'entrepreneur-family' firm, drawing on its own principals' experience as business operators and IPO veterans. It invests in tech-focused ventures that use advanced technology in each field to build new services, content, and products. The firm supports founders as hands-on partners, addressing the management issues they face and helping prepare for pre- and post-IPO stages. It invests across all stages, from seed through later stage, aiming to grow together with its portfolio companies.
Source: firm website, verified Aug 3, 2026.
What they invest in
from 19 of 32 portfolio companiesDeep Tech ×5AI & Machine Learning ×4SaaS ×4Digital Health ×3Hardware ×3Healthtech ×3Space Tech ×3Biotech ×2
HQs:Japan×19
Investments · 32 tracked
founders shown can be your intro pathOokuma Diamond Device develops diamond semiconductor technology, aiming to apply diamond-based devices across various fields.
Deep TechHardwareSemiconductorsSapporo, JP
星川 尚久(代表者 (Representative))
Co-investorsCoral CapitalGlobis Capital PartnersFFG Venture Business PartnersHokuhoku CapitalMitsui Sumitomo Insurance CapitalSMBC Venture Capital+1 more
Astroscale develops on-orbit servicing solutions, providing end-to-end services covering mission licensing, spectrum acquisition, insurance, and operations to support the circular space economy.
Circular EconomyDeep TechSpace TechTokyo, JP
Nobu Okada(Founder)in
Co-investorsEnergy & Environment InvestmentSMBC Venture CapitalSumitomo Mitsui Trust nvestment Co. Ltd.UTokyo Innovation Platform Co. Ltd.Seraphim Space
GLM is a Japanese electric vehicle company that develops and sells environmentally friendly automobiles and related services, including EV sports cars and EV platforms.
CleantechEnergyHardwareMobility & TransportationKyoto, JP
宮下祐一(代表取締役 (Representative Director))
Co-investorsGlobis Capital PartnersUTEC
Japanese ocean-monitoring startup building fleets of unmanned surface vehicles with coordinating software.
Co-investorsCoral CapitalDBJ CapitalGlobis Capital PartnersJAFCO Group
Pale Blue develops and manufactures water-based propulsion systems for small satellites, serving satellite integrators and operators globally.
Deep TechHardwareSpace TechKashiwa, JP
Jun Asakawa(Founder)inKazuya Yaginuma(Founder)inHiro Koizumi(Founder)inHiroyuki Koizumi(Founder)
Co-investorsFull Commit PartnersGlobal BrainPARTNERS FUNDShizuoka CapitalZeroichi CapitalItochu Technology Ventures
Air Membrane manufactures and develops graphene and two-dimensional materials using CVD methods, producing high-quality products for electronics, medical, environmental, and telecommunications applications.
Deep TechNew Materials
Co-investorsGlobal Brain
ClinCloud provides cloud-based solutions for collecting clinical trial data, aimed at improving the efficiency of data collection in drug development for pharmaceutical companies and research institutions.
BiotechCloud ComputingDigital HealthHealthtechSaaSTokyo, JP
小坂 次郎(取締役会長 (Chairman, founding CEO))小山 佳克(代表取締役社長 (President & CEO))岩田 翼(取締役副社長 (Executive Vice President))
Connected Robotics develops robotics and AI-powered automation solutions for the food service and restaurant industry, addressing labor shortages and food handling challenges through computer vision and robotic control systems.
AI & Machine LearningFoodTechRetail TechRobotics
Tetsuya SawanoboriTaiki Satoin
Co-investors500 GlobalCoral CapitalDnx VenturesGlobal BrainJR East Start UPOpen Network Lab+4 more
Fast Accounting develops AI-powered automation software for accounting document processing and journal entry, serving accounting professionals and finance teams.
AI & Machine LearningEnterprise SoftwareFintechTokyo, JP
森 啓太郎(代表取締役社長)
Co-investorsGlobal Brain
Aufense provides a cybersecurity platform that visualizes and optimizes cyber risk across organizations, helping leadership and teams make aligned decisions based on quantified risk assessments and impact analysis.
CybersecurityEnterprise Software
Co-investorsAbies Ventures
DELIPICKS runs an online store selling frozen foods from producers across Japan, letting shoppers filter products by nutrients and ingredients with next-day delivery.
B2B MarketplacesDirect to ConsumerE-commerceFoodTechYokohama, JP
Harumi Moroishi(代表取締役CEO (Representative Director & CEO))Yohei Suga(執行役員 (Executive Officer))
Co-investorsFuture Food FundAG Capital Co. Ltd.Canal VenturesSamurai IncubateXTech Ventures
Yourkins is a Japanese beauty and wellness brand offering cleansing oils and probiotic drinks (BIO DRINK) focused on skincare and gut health.
ConsumerWellness & Fitness
Co-investorsRakuten CapitalShizuoka CapitalAbies Ventures
Liquid Mine develops MyRD®, a liquid biopsy-based genomic testing system that creates personalized diagnostic tests for leukemia and other cancers by analyzing individual patient genetic mutations.
AI & Machine LearningBiotechMedical DevicesTokyo, JP
岸本 倫和(代表取締役社長)
REXEV is a Japanese company that provides electric vehicle services, including the "eemo" EV car-sharing service and an e-mobility management platform, as well as "Flemobi," an EV fleet conversion service for corporations, businesses, and municipalities.
CleantechEnergyMobility & TransportationSaaSTokyo, JP
Co-investorsZENRIN FUTURE PARTNERSJAFCO Group
Synspective develops SAR (synthetic aperture radar) satellite solutions and geospatial data services for government and commercial clients, with applications in disaster management, environmental monitoring, and national security.
Climate TechData & InfrastructureDeep TechGovTechSpace Tech
Dr. Motoyuki Arai(Founder & CEO)Motoyuki Arai(Founder)Seiko Shirasaka(Founder)
Co-investorsEnergy & Environment InvestmentJapan Post Capital Co. Ltd.Keio Innovation InitiativeMIRAI SOUZOUSumitomo Mitsui Trust nvestment Co. Ltd.UTokyo Innovation Platform Co. Ltd.+2 more
LTB (株式会社エルティービー) provides foreign worker employment support in Japan, including recruitment placement, visa/residence-status compliance, and employment management tools.
Future of WorkHR TechSaaSTokyo, JP
鈴木 晴美(代表取締役 (CEO))
Co-investorsGxPartners
Jolly Good Inc. develops VR-based technology and content for healthcare and education, including medical training VR, social skills training VR for developmental disorders and schizophrenia, elderly-care training VR, and digital therapeutics (DTx) for psychiatric conditions.
AI & Machine LearningDigital HealthEdTechHealthtechTokyo, JP
Kensuke Joji(代表取締役CEO (Representative Director & CEO))in
Bizpa operates an advertising platform (Adcro) that allows companies to search, compare, and request information about advertising placements across various media types including outdoor, transit, newspapers, magazines, and digital.
AdTechMarketing TechTokyo, JP
石井 俊之(代表取締役)
Plusmedi Corp. develops patient-facing smartphone apps ("wellcne" and "MyHospital") and operates a personal health record (PHR) business.
Digital HealthHealthtechHamamatsu, JP
永田 幹広 (Mikihiro Nagata)(代表取締役社長 兼 CEO (President & CEO))宮内 恒 (Hisashi Miyauchi)(取締役 兼 CEO補佐 (Director & Assistant to CEO))西本 良介 (Ryosuke Nishimoto)(執行役員ビジネスソリューション本部長 (Executive Officer))朴 仁喆(執行役員社長室長兼FAROme事業部長 (Executive Officer))
Board坂田 健太郎 (Kentaro Sakata)(取締役 (Director))
Co-investorsDIMENSION
Log Note provides an electronic receipt platform (iReceipt) that digitizes paper receipts for retail stores, enabling store digital transformation and new customer engagement experiences.
Retail TechSaaS
Other
Tracked investments with no reachable website or further public details — typically companies that wound down, renamed, or were absorbed.
Air MembraneAsillaBizpaClinCloudDaylight Diamond DevicesFirst AccountingJolly GoodLognoteLTBPlusMediZeamiCyberSecurity株式会社株式会社アジラ
Portfolio news
latest coverage across their companiesPale Blue · pale-blue.co.jp · Aug 7, 2025
Frequently asked questions
- How many investments has aSTART made?
- aSTART has 32 tracked investments, including 1 dated in the last 24 months.
- What stage does aSTART invest at?
- aSTART invests at the Seed, Series A, Series B, Series C, Growth, Late Stage stages.
- What sectors does aSTART focus on?
- aSTART focuses on Deep Tech, Sector Agnostic.
- Where is aSTART located?
- aSTART is headquartered in Tokyo, JP.
- Who does aSTART co-invest with?
- aSTART most often shares deals with Global Brain, Coral Capital, Globis Capital Partners, among 31 tracked co-investors.
Images
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