Kobe University Capital
Corporate VCKobe · Pre-Seed–Growth · 10 people tracked
Also known as 株式会社神戸大学キャピタル
Investment thesis
KUC invests in ventures that create new value by leveraging research results from Kobe University and other universities and research institutions in the Kobe and broader Kansai region. It also backs ventures whose management includes Kobe University alumni. The firm focuses on deep-tech startups built on outstanding research seeds from Kobe and the wider Kansai/domestic ecosystem, aiming to translate university intellectual assets into economic value, jobs, and industrial transformation.
Source: firm website, verified Aug 3, 2026.
Team · 10 people
from the firm's website
What they invest in
from 11 of 36 portfolio companiesDeep Tech ×8Biotech ×7Medical Devices ×7Healthtech ×5AI & Machine Learning ×2Advanced Manufacturing ×1AgTech ×1Cleantech ×1
HQs:Japan×11
Investments · 36 tracked
founders shown can be your intro pathCelaid Therapeutics develops hematopoietic stem cell expansion technology, including a method to replace albumin with polyvinyl alcohol and to expand human hematopoietic stem cells ex vivo in large quantities.
BiotechDeep TechHealthtechMedical Devices
Nobuyuki Arakawa(Co-founder & Representative Director, President & CEO)Yusuke Inoue(Director, COO & CFO)Asako Uchiyama(Director, CDO (Chief Development Officer))Motoo Watanabe(Co-founder / Advisor (former Chairman & CSO))Hiromitsu Nakauchi(Co-founder)Masatoshi Sakurai(Co-founder)
MiCAN Technologies produces immortalized blood cells (erythroid and myeloid-lineage cells) using regenerative medicine technology, supplying research-use blood-like cells, evaluation kits, and contract testing services.
AI & Machine LearningBiotechDeep TechHealthtechMedical DevicesKyoto, JP
Kazuo Miyazaki(代表取締役CEO (Representative Director & CEO))Kazuhisa Fushihara(取締役CFO (Director & CFO))Yasuhiro Natsume(取締役 (Director))
A company KUC newly invested in through its KUC No.1 fund (Kobe University Fund).
Sinumy develops hands-free authentication technology, described as a first-of-its-kind in Japan and globally.
AI & Machine LearningCybersecurityDeep TechEnterprise SoftwareHardwareMobility & TransportationOsaka, JP
Ryoya Kurauchi(代表取締役CEO (Representative Director & CEO))Tomoya Yonaga(取締役COO (Director & COO))
Synplogen is a synthetic biology startup spun out of Kobe University that offers custom artificial gene synthesis and DNA library construction services using its proprietary OGAB and Combinatorial-OGAB (Combi-OGAB) DNA assembly methods.
BiotechDeep TechMedical DevicesKobe, JP
柘植謙爾(取締役 / Founder (Executive Research Fellow))山本一彦(代表取締役社長 兼 CEO)山田尚之(常務取締役 CTO)岩田清和(取締役 COO)齋藤俊介(取締役 医療ビジネスユニット長)
TCN Prime develops medical devices for cardiovascular applications, including innovative catheter systems for treating aortic stenosis and ECMO support.
Deep TechHealthtechMedical DevicesTokyo, JP
小西明英(CEO / Representative Director)岩崎正道(Director / CMO)八木隆浩(Director / CTO)三池信也(Director / CFO)
VC Gene Therapy develops gene therapies, with a first pipeline using genome editing to treat autosomal dominant inherited retinal degenerative diseases and aiming to begin clinical trials.
BiotechDeep TechHealthtechMedical DevicesKobe, JP
Masashiro TakahashiMasayo Takahashi(President & CEO (代表取締役社長 CEO))Takuma Fukuda(Director & CFO (取締役 CFO))Yuji Inomata(Director (取締役))Tsuyoshi Chiwata(Outside Director (社外取締役))Yoshinori Nishikawa(Auditor (監査役))
Alpha Fusion is a Japanese biotechnology company developing targeted alpha therapy drugs based on Astatine-211 (211At) to treat cancer with reduced side effects to healthy tissue.
BiotechDigital Health
Works on targeted alpha-particle radionuclide therapy for cancer using astatine.
eSep Inc. develops and provides nanoceramics membrane separation technology and related equipment and systems for chemical processes and energy applications.
Advanced ManufacturingCleantechNew MaterialsKyoto, JP
Kenichi Sawamura
Develops carbon-neutral processes using nano-ceramic separation membranes.
Optieum develops next-generation CAR-T cell therapies using a proprietary CAR discovery platform to optimize immune cell activation for treating solid tumors and hematological malignancies.
BiotechDeep TechMedical Devices
Develops regenerative medicine products for blood and hereditary diseases via ex vivo hematopoietic stem cell expansion.
PtBio develops genome editing technology and bio-DX tools for analyzing the genomes of industrially used organisms, positioning itself as a platform provider.
AgTechBiotechDeep Tech東広島市, JP
奥原 啓輔(代表取締役 (Representative Director))Keisuke Okuhara(Representative Director & CEO)Takashi Yamamoto(Director & CTO)Atsuhiro Ishii(COO)Hidemasa Bono(CSO (Chief Scientific Officer))Yumiko Kusakabe(Chief Strategy Officer)
Provides research blood cells using proprietary immortalized blood cell production technology to support drug and vaccine development.
Develops safe and effective nucleic acid medicines based on nucleic acid chemistry from Osaka University.
Visualizes skin and muscle condition by analyzing amino acids in sweat using proprietary trace biomolecule analysis.
Kobe University spinout developing innovative ECMO and BAV catheters.
TearExo develops a non-invasive breast cancer screening solution using tear fluid analysis to detect cancer-related biomarkers, targeting Japanese corporations seeking to improve women's health outcomes and reduce work-related absences from delayed diagnosis.
FemTechHealthtechMedical DevicesKobe, JP
Research and development of gene therapy technologies.
Develops oral cancer treatment vaccines and COVID-19 preventive vaccines using a novel oral vaccine platform.
Develops AI smart air-conditioning systems to reduce energy costs and promote carbon neutrality.
Runs a CMO/CDMO business specialized in gene and cell therapy products.
Offers contract long-chain DNA synthesis and gene therapy biofoundry services.
Research on AI ethics and sustainable operation, and development of AI services.
Integrated foundry business offering contract services and products for microbial production of useful substances.
Medical startup developing apps aiming for medical device approval, including a migraine treatment app.
Frequently asked questions
- What stage does Kobe University Capital invest at?
- Kobe University Capital invests at the Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A, Series B, Series C, Growth stages.
- What sectors does Kobe University Capital focus on?
- Kobe University Capital focuses on Biotech, Deep Tech, Sector Agnostic.
- Where is Kobe University Capital located?
- Kobe University Capital is headquartered in Kobe, JP.
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