Fundraising FoxD4V (Design for Ventures)
Venture capitalTokyo · Seed–Series A · 32 people tracked
Also known as D4V合同会社
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Investment thesis
D4V invests in early-stage Japanese consumer and enterprise startups from seed to Series A across multiple industries. Its distinguishing approach centers on design as a driver of business success, drawing on its partnership with IDEO to provide hands-on help with design sprints, design research and user interviews, first-designer hiring, and building design-driven cultures. The firm emphasizes human-centered customer experience, positive social impact, and a global perspective that informs its view of market trends even for startups launching initially in Japan. Its name reflects a commitment to designing for ventures, treating design as an enabler and differentiator throughout a company's life cycle.
Source: firm website, verified Oct 2, 2026.
Team · 32 people
from the firm's website
What they invest in
from 5 of 7 portfolio companiesCleantech ×2New Materials ×2Advanced Manufacturing ×1Circular Economy ×1Consumer ×1Data & Infrastructure ×1Developer Tools ×1Energy ×1
HQs:United States×3Japan×1
Investments · 7 tracked
founders shown can be your intro path
Alpaca provides brokerage infrastructure APIs that enable fintechs and financial institutions to build investing applications and platforms with access to stocks, options, crypto, and other asset types.
Data & InfrastructureDeveloper ToolsFintechSaaSSan Francisco, US
Yoshi Yokokawa(CEO)inHitoshi Harada(CTO)inKaren Borchert(Executive Officer, Director)inRaja Bhatia(Vice President of Engineering)Kevin Chandra(Software Engineer)inAbbey Gless(HR Manager)
Co-investorsAbstract VenturesBreakpoint CapitalDiagramElefundEndeavor CatalystHorizons Ventures+24 more
AndGAMER is a Japanese gaming lifestyle company that develops, manufactures, and sells gaming peripherals through three brands: Void Gaming (custom controllers), AIM1 (FPS-focused peripherals), and VIZARD CLUB (custom controllers for Nintendo titles).
ConsumerGamingHardwareNagoya, JP
上森 翼(代表取締役CEO)石井 拓人(取締役COO)
Co-investorsAPOLLO CAPITALLotte Ventures Japan
Miku Hirano(Founder)inHajime Hotta(Founder)
Co-investorsSony Ventures CorporationGolden Gate Ventures
Sun Metalon develops sustainable metal manufacturing processes to reduce the environmental impact of metal production.
Advanced ManufacturingCircular EconomyCleantechNew MaterialsWood Dale, US
Kazuhiko Nishioka(CEO Co-Founder)inKei Takizawa(Co-Founder, President at Sun Metalon Japan)in
BoardTatsuya Nakamura(Director)inNoriaki Sakamoto(Director)
Co-investorsGlobal BrainGlobis Capital Partnersi-nest capitalISVJIC Venture Growth InvestmentsScrum Ventures+7 more
Thermalytica develops advanced aerogel-based thermal insulation materials and EB-PVD coatings used to improve energy efficiency and protect components in high-temperature environments.
CleantechEnergyNew Materials
Kota Kubo(Founder)Yoshinori Abe(Founder)
Co-investorsJapan Post Capital Co. Ltd.K4 VenturesRakuten Capital
Other
Tracked investments with no reachable website or further public details — typically companies that wound down, renamed, or were absorbed.
Portfolio news
latest coverage across their companiesAlpaca · finsmes.com · Jul 16, 2026
Frequently asked questions
- How many investments has D4V (Design for Ventures) made?
- D4V (Design for Ventures) has 7 tracked investments.
- What stage does D4V (Design for Ventures) invest at?
- D4V (Design for Ventures) invests at the Seed, Series A stages.
- What sectors does D4V (Design for Ventures) focus on?
- D4V (Design for Ventures) focuses on Consumer, Crypto & Web3, Data & Infrastructure, EdTech, Enterprise Software, Fintech, Hardware, Healthtech, Impact & Social Good, Media & Entertainment, SaaS, Sector Agnostic.
- Where is D4V (Design for Ventures) located?
- D4V (Design for Ventures) is headquartered in Tokyo, JP.
- Does D4V (Design for Ventures) lead rounds?
- D4V (Design for Ventures) typically participates in rounds rather than leading them.
Images
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