Keio Innovation Initiative
Venture capitalTokyo · Seed–Late Stage · 11 people tracked
Also known as 株式会社慶應イノベーション・イニシアティブ
Investment thesis
KII focuses on backing research-and-development-oriented ventures, helping translate technologies, inventions, and innovations from academic labs into products with social impact. While originally tied to Keio University, from its second fund onward the firm expanded support beyond Keio to a wide range of R&D-focused startups. KII invests across stages from seed through post-IPO, drawing on a team with diverse backgrounds to refine each business. The firm describes itself as an impact-oriented VC aiming to change society through deeptech, actively pursuing impact-driven activities to fulfill its mission.
Source: firm website, verified Aug 3, 2026.
Team · 11 people
from curated & public directories
What they invest in
from 21 of 72 portfolio companiesDeep Tech ×10Medical Devices ×7Healthtech ×6AI & Machine Learning ×5Biotech ×5Cleantech ×4Energy ×4Climate Tech ×3
HQs:Japan×21
Who they back
founder profiles across 13 portfolio companiesFounding team size:solo founder×92 founders×33 founders×1
Investments · 72 tracked
founders shown can be your intro pathCuebus builds CUEBUS, an urban three-dimensional robotic warehouse system that stores goods vertically and retrieves them on demand from any chosen point.
HardwareLogistics & Supply ChainRoboticsTokyo, JP
Katsuhiro Okubo(代表取締役社長兼CEO (President & CEO))Ryota Fujinami(取締役副社長兼CTO (Vice President & CTO))
Co-investorsAbies VenturesMitsubishi HC CapitalMLC Ventures
Luxonus develops photoacoustic (optical ultrasound) 3D imaging devices and services for visualizing blood and lymphatic vessels, building on technology from Japan's Cabinet Office ImPACT program.
Deep TechHealthtechMedical DevicesKawasaki, JP
Sadakazu Aiso(代表取締役 (Representative Director))Taro Terashi(COO)Yoshiharu Takahashi(Executive Officer, Sales & Marketing)in
BoardOsami Kono(Director)Tomokatsu Hongo(Director)inLiu Bingxian(Director)
Co-investorsKyoto University Innovation CapitalMIRAI SOUZOU
Co-investorsDBJ Capital
BackofficeForce provides back-office business process services to companies through a browser-based platform.
AI & Machine LearningEnterprise SoftwareFuture of WorkSaaSTokyo, JP
筧 智家至(代表取締役社長)
CureApp HT is a smartphone application that helps patients manage hypertension through self-monitoring of blood pressure and lifestyle changes, with supporting guidance from physicians.
AI & Machine LearningDigital HealthHealthtechMedical DevicesTokyo, JP
Co-investorsBeyond Next Ventures
Co-investorsHulic Startup
Heartseed develops cardiac regenerative medicine, creating heart muscle cells from iPS cells for transplantation to treat heart failure, with its lead pipeline HS-001 nearing clinical trials.
BiotechHealthtechMedical Devices
Keiichi Fukuda(代表取締役社長 (President & CEO))
Co-investorsAngel Bridge Co.,Ltd.Astellas Venture Management LLCMedical Incubator Japan K.K.SMBC Venture CapitalSumitomo Mitsui Trust nvestment Co. Ltd.UTokyo Innovation Platform Co. Ltd.
JCCL develops carbon dioxide capture and resource recovery technology for achieving carbon neutrality.
Advanced ManufacturingCleantechClimate TechTokyo, JP
Co-investorsInclusion Japan
Miresso develops beryllium materials and supply chain solutions for fusion energy applications.
Deep TechEnergyNew MaterialsMisawa, JP
Masaru Nakamichi(CEO)Yu Nakano(Technical Development Director)
Co-investorsGlobal BrainMPowerNTT DOCOMO VenturesSpiral CapitalSpiral Innovation PartnersGenesia Ventures+1 more
Japan's first quantum computing hardware startup, developing gate-based quantum computers using a unique nanofiber-cavity QED (quantum electrodynamics) architecture, and aiming to build quantum networks by integrating quantum computing with quantum communication.
Co-investorsPhoenix Venture PartnersWaseda University Ventures
Neusignal Therapeutics develops novel drugs for central nervous system disorders, including dementia and psychiatric conditions, with research focused on calcium signaling in neurons and target discovery for brain diseases.
BiotechDeep TechDigital HealthMedical DevicesTokyo, JP
有本 達(代表取締役 (Representative Director/CEO))
Co-investorsAngel Bridge Co.,Ltd.Red CapitalFast Track InitiativeNippon Venture CapitalThe Gogin Capital
Newmo operates taxi services and autonomous taxi operations in Japan, serving regional transportation needs in areas facing labor shortages and declining population.
B2B MarketplacesMobility & TransportationSaaSTokyo, JP
松本 龍祐(Founder)inKentaro M.(Founder)in松本龍祐(Founder)
Co-investorsBonds Investment GroupCoral CapitalDCM VenturesDIMENSIONGlobal BrainGlobis Capital Partners+6 more
Co-investorsOSAKA University Venture Capital
Tokyo-based provider of video search and analysis software for sports, education and enterprise, including FL-UX and PITCHBASE.
Tokyo
Co-investorsKDDI Open Innovation FundSony Ventures CorporationTechstarsW Inc.
Starlight Engine develops fusion energy technology and aims to demonstrate commercial fusion power generation using advanced superconducting tokamak (FAST) technology.
CleantechClimate TechDeep TechEnergyTokyo, JP
菊地 清貴 (Kiyotaka Kikuchi)(代表取締役社長CEO (CEO))
Co-investorsGlobal BrainKDDI Open Innovation Fund
Co-investorsBeyond Next Ventures
FingerVision develops and deploys robot systems equipped with vision-based tactile sensors to address industry-specific automation challenges, with a focus on food processing and handling applications that require flexible manipulation of soft or irregularly-shaped objects.
AI & Machine LearningDeep TechHardwareRobotics
Akihiko Yamaguchi(Director)
Co-investorsMonozukuri Ventures
BONX WORK is a workplace communication platform designed for frontline and deskless workers, offering hands-free voice calling, push-to-talk, team chat, and real-time transcription features.
Enterprise SoftwareFuture of Work
Co-investorsJR East Start UPOSS Ventures
Eco-Pork is a data company focused on improving pig farming production efficiency using AI, IoT, and ICT technologies, serving pig farmers in Japan and globally.
AgTechAI & Machine LearningIoTTokyo, JP
神林 隆
Co-investorsMIRAI SOUZOUUntroD Capital
EXORPHIA develops extracellular vesicle (EV) technology for assisted reproductive medicine, focusing on cell-free IVF culture medium additives to improve embryo development and fertilization success rates.
BiotechFemTechHealthtechMedical DevicesTokyo, JP
口石 幸治 (Kohji Kuchiishi)
Co-investorsCoral Capital
Helical Fusion is a company working in nuclear fusion technology, specifically developing magnetic confinement approaches to fusion energy.
CleantechDeep TechEnergyTokyo, JP
田口昂哉(代表取締役CEO)TaguchiYousuke Kubo(COO)
Co-investorsSony Ventures Corporation
iXgene develops regenerative medicine therapies using genome-edited induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to treat conditions including glioblastoma and traumatic brain injury.
BiotechDeep TechHealthtechMedical DevicesTokyo, JP
Toshiharu FurukawaAtsushi Mizuno
Co-investorsUTokyo Innovation Platform Co. Ltd.
Co-investorsKyoto University Innovation CapitalOSAKA University Venture Capital
LINEA Innovations is a fusion energy company developing commercial reactors based on advanced-fuel fusion reactions and related technologies.
CleantechDeep TechEnergyTokyo, JP
Tomohiko Asai(Co-founder & Director, CSO)Mizuki Sakamoto(Co-founder & Director, CTO)Yuta Nojiri(Representative Director & CEO)Ryo Tamaki(Director, CFO)
Co-investorsON&BOARDSpiral CapitalSpiral Innovation Partners
Mazin develops industrial equipment and provides staffing services in manufacturing sectors.
Advanced ManufacturingAI & Machine LearningEnterprise SoftwareHR TechTokyo, JP
Co-investorsGlobal Brain
Orbital Lasers develops space optical technology centered on satellite lasers, including systems aimed at addressing space debris, satellite bus, and mission instrument development.
Deep TechHardwareSpace TechTokyo, JP
Tadanori Fukushima(Representative Director & CEO)Yoshiyuki Muramatsu(Director & CFO)Teppei Kato(Executive Officer, CBO (Chief Business Officer))Masayuki Maruyama(CLTO (Chief Laser Technology Officer))
Co-investorsAngel Bridge Co.,Ltd.JIC Venture Growth InvestmentsOSAKA University Venture CapitalUTokyo Innovation Platform Co. Ltd.
PURMX Therapeutics develops nucleic acid medicines as anti-cancer drugs based on microRNA research and the concept of an "ageing switch" to induce ageing in cancer cells.
BiotechHealthtechLongevityMedical DevicesHiroshima, JP
Hidetoshi Tahara(CEO/Representative Director and President)
Co-investorsHiroshima Venture Capital Co. Ltd.OSAKA University Venture CapitalUTEC
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)
Co-investorsaSTARTJapan Post Capital Co. Ltd.MIRAI SOUZOUSumitomo Mitsui Trust nvestment Co. Ltd.UTokyo Innovation Platform Co. Ltd.Abies Ventures+1 more
Portfolio news
latest coverage across their companiesStarlight Engine · finsmes.com · Jul 16, 2026
CureApp · bitscale.ai · Mar 19, 2026
MiRESSO · thebridge.jp · Mar 5, 2026
Frequently asked questions
- How many investments has Keio Innovation Initiative made?
- Keio Innovation Initiative has 71 tracked investments.
- What stage does Keio Innovation Initiative invest at?
- Keio Innovation Initiative invests at the Seed, Series A, Series B, Series C, Growth, Late Stage stages.
- What is Keio Innovation Initiative's typical check size?
- Keio Innovation Initiative typically writes checks of $1.5M – $64M.
- What sectors does Keio Innovation Initiative focus on?
- Keio Innovation Initiative focuses on AI & Machine Learning, Biotech, Deep Tech, Healthtech, Impact & Social Good.
- Where is Keio Innovation Initiative located?
- Keio Innovation Initiative is headquartered in Tokyo, JP.
- Does Keio Innovation Initiative lead rounds?
- Keio Innovation Initiative typically participates in rounds rather than leading them.
- Who does Keio Innovation Initiative co-invest with?
- Keio Innovation Initiative most often shares deals with Global Brain, OSAKA University Venture Capital, UTokyo Innovation Platform Co. Ltd., among 45 tracked co-investors.
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