Fundraising FoxTokyo · Series B–Late Stage · 24 people tracked
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Investment thesis
Funds Startups focuses on building financial infrastructure for the sustainable, optimal growth of mid- to later-stage startups, with its core business being venture debt. It argues that as exit strategies diversify, startups should not rely on equity alone but combine multiple funding methods, since capital strategy shapes growth flexibility. Through proprietary scoring models and startup-specialized lending expertise, it structures tailor-made financing aligned with each company's capital policy and business characteristics. Its funds provide several-hundred-million to up to one-billion-yen venture debt, and for deep tech startups it combines grant bridges, convertible bonds, and venture debt to support them across growth stages.
Source: firm website, verified Sep 6, 2026.
Team · 24 people
from the firm's websiteCo-founder and director. A University of Tokyo economics graduate and ex-McKinsey serial entrepreneur behind several popular apps who co-founded Crowdport (now Funds, Inc.) in November 2016.
Co-founder and CEO. A Waseda University commerce graduate who worked at CyberAgent, founded a marketing-support company (sold to a listed company in 2012), helped launch a major social-lending service, and co-founded Crowdport (now Funds, Inc.) in November 2016.
Director and CFO with a background in corporate planning, finance and IPO preparation across HR-industry startups and large companies.
Director, CTO and head of product development; a Kyoto University engineering background web engineer experienced in UI, architecture and infrastructure.
Director overseeing overseas business (COO/CLO) and a licensed attorney; led financial licensing and Funds product design and drove the group's first cross-border acquisition in Taiwan.
Outside director who built Itochu's venture investment foundation and launched Itochu Technology Ventures, later serving as its president.
Advisor and former Vice Minister of Finance who now serves as advisor to several companies including Suntory Holdings.
Executive officer (VPoA) heading corporate management, with HR and administration experience across listed companies including Snow Peak.
Executive officer heading the marketplace division, with an equity capital markets background at SMBC Nikko Securities.
Special advisor in the risk management division; a longtime credit analyst at Daiwa Securities and author on the corporate bond market.
Outside director and attorney with experience in financial-institution supervision and compliance at the Kanto Local Finance Bureau.
Head of the risk management division; a New York-licensed attorney with legal experience at Daiwa Securities and fintech roles at Fintertech.
Head of internal audit, a certified internal/systems auditor and US CPA with audit experience at Deloitte Tohmatsu and insurance firms.
Advisor and attorney (Japan and New York) who led drafting of Japan's Financial Instruments and Exchange Act at the FSA.
Advisor; chairman of Topaz Capital, which he founded in 2012 after senior roles at Mizuho and Unison Capital.
Full-time corporate auditor with a background in international banking, internal control and compliance at Asahi Bank, Lone Star and Unison Capital.
Executive officer (VPoF) and deputy head of corporate management; a University of Tokyo and INSEAD MBA with consulting and CFO experience at DEEPCORE and MNTSQ, joining Funds in May 2026.
Full-time corporate auditor experienced in structured finance, securitization and M&A, and in compliance leadership at multiple securities firms.
Outside director and General Partner at ANRI with a long career in Japanese venture investing and fund management at JAFCO and Itochu Technology Ventures.
Outside director who founded Global Brain Corporation in 1998 and serves as its president.
Executive officer, CHRO and head of HR; previously led HR at IT ventures and served as CHRO at Tsukuruba, joining Funds in June 2026.
Advisor and representative director of Arco Partners with a structured finance and capital markets background at Deutsche and HSBC.
Outside auditor and former Ministry of Finance/FSA official who held senior financial-regulatory and government posts.
Executive officer heading the AI promotion division, a former SONICJAM director with a planning and creative-direction background in digital advertising.
What they invest in
from 10 of 27 portfolio companiesAI & Machine Learning ×5Consumer ×2Data & Infrastructure ×2Healthtech ×2IoT ×2PropTech ×2SaaS ×2Cleantech ×1
HQs:Japan×11
Investments · 27 tracked
founders shown can be your intro pathAillis is a Japanese healthcare technology company developing medical devices and technology aimed at making medical expertise more widely shared and accessible.
AI & Machine LearningHealthtechMedical Devices
Sho Okiyama(Founder)in
Co-investorsBeyond Next Venturesi-nest capitalSTRIVEZ Venture CapitalAozora Corporate InvestmentPegasus Tech Ventures
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CLAS operates a circular subscription platform for monthly rentals of furniture and home appliances in Japan.
Co-investorsCanal VenturesChishima Real Estate — Startup InvestmentGlobis Capital Partners
X&Management Japan is an independent venture capital firm led by Keisuke Honda, investing actively in startups from the seed to Series A stage with the stated mission of creating Japan's first decacorn.
HR TechSaaSSector AgnosticNot stated, JP
BoardKeisuke Honda
Fufu Color is a specialized hair coloring salon chain in Japan offering affordable professional hair coloring services with quick turnaround times and a focus on accessible beauty care.
ConsumerWellness & FitnessTokyo, JP
Co-investorsAG Capital Co. Ltd.DBJ CapitalGlobal Brain
Hakki Africa develops credit scoring algorithms and APIs for microfinance institutions and emerging market financial services in Africa, serving underbanked populations lacking formal credit history.
AI & Machine LearningFintechImpact & Social GoodSaaSTokyo, JP
KOJI TOKIDA(Co-Founder/COO)inReiji Kobayashi(Founder)in
Co-investorsGlobal BrainGlobis Capital PartnersTIS VenturesHeadlineSMBC Venture CapitalSumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation
Landit builds an urban intelligence platform that collects and analyzes spatial supply-demand and movement data using satellites, physical AI, and IoT, offering parking-focused digital products such as reservation, payment, brokerage, management, and AI camera automation services.
AI & Machine LearningData & InfrastructureMobility & TransportationPropTechTokyo, JP
Kenta Fujibayashi(代表取締役 (Representative Director / CEO))
Co-investorsmint VCGingerbread CapitalNew Enterprise Associates (NEA)Valo VenturesWorkday Ventures
Linq is a communication company focused on getting large numbers of users to adopt its own applications, developing consumer communication apps that may be used worldwide.
ConsumerSocial
Co-investorsAPOLLO CAPITALNOW JapanNTT DOCOMO VenturesW Inc.
LocationMind provides location intelligence and spatial analysis services using GNSS positioning, satellite imagery, IoT sensing (LiDAR, UWB), and mobile big data to support urban planning, infrastructure, mobility, and commercial applications across multiple sectors.
AI & Machine LearningData & InfrastructureIoTTokyo, JP
Naoki Kiritani(Founder / CEO)inRyosuke Shibasaki(Founder / CTO)Dinesh Manandhar(Founder / CDO)in
Co-investorsHakuhodo DY VenturesHulic StartupMiyako CapitalShizuoka CapitalZENRIN FUTURE PARTNERS
PAPAMO operates an online movement therapy classroom for children with developmental concerns and provides program support services for therapeutic facilities.
EdTechHealthtechTokyo, JP
Sakiko Hashimoto(Representative Director)
Co-investorsGlobal BrainW Inc.Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance CapitalW ventures
AeterLink develops long-range wireless power transmission technology, including its "AirPlug" spatial wireless power system, and holds Japan's first WPT (wireless power transfer) radio station license.
CleantechDeep TechHardwareIoTTokyo, JP
Ryo Iwasa(Representative Director / CEO)inYuji Tanabe(Director / CTO)inKazuhiro Esashi(CAO (Chief Accounting Officer) / Head of Finance)
Co-investorsAozora Corporate InvestmentEnergy & Environment InvestmentKeio Innovation Initiative
Runs the 'SmartESG' sustainability data platform, the 'ESG Journal' media, and 'ESG Advisory' consulting to support corporate sustainability management.
Jun Sugimotoin
Co-investorsGlobal BrainX-HUB TOKYO Global Startup AcceleratorGenesia Ventures
Sumutasu operates an AI-based service for selling condominiums in Japan, providing an online price assessment in as little as one hour and cash payment in as little as two days.
AI & Machine LearningMarketplacesPropTechRetail TechTokyo, JP
角 (Sumi)(代表 (Representative/CEO))Ryo NakayamaTomoya Ito(Founder)in
Co-investors500 GlobalCoral CapitalGlobal BrainKiraboshi CapitalMobile Internet Capital, Inc.Plug and Play Ventures
Japanese manga publisher and Webtoon studio producing original vertical-scroll comics distributed in 11 countries.
Tokyo, JP
前田儒郎(Founder)in
Co-investorsAtinum Investment Co. Ltd.CyberAgent CapitalDBJ CapitalDentsu VenturesGlobal BrainHakuhodo DY Ventures+5 more
Offers the 'Confidential AI Suite' security product brand centered on confidential computing to safely connect data and AI.
Ryosuke Takahashi(Founder)inTakeharu Kondo(Founder)
Co-investorsBeyond Next VenturesCentral Japan Innovation CapitalDG Daiwa VenturesGlobis Capital Partners
Other
Tracked investments with no reachable website or further public details — typically companies that wound down, renamed, or were absorbed.
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Portfolio news
latest coverage across their companiesLocationMind株式会社 · locationmind.com · Oct 17, 2025
Frequently asked questions
- How many investments has Funds Startups made?
- Funds Startups has 27 tracked investments, including 1 dated in the last 24 months.
- What stage does Funds Startups invest at?
- Funds Startups invests at the Series B, Series C, Growth, Late Stage stages.
- What is Funds Startups's typical check size?
- Funds Startups typically writes checks of $66M.
- What sectors does Funds Startups focus on?
- Funds Startups focuses on Biotech, Deep Tech, Medical Devices, Sector Agnostic.
- Where is Funds Startups located?
- Funds Startups is headquartered in Tokyo, JP.
- Does Funds Startups lead rounds?
- Yes, Funds Startups leads investment rounds.
- Who does Funds Startups co-invest with?
- Funds Startups most often shares deals with Global Brain, Globis Capital Partners, DBJ Capital, among 37 tracked co-investors.
Images
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