QB Capital
Venture capitalFukuoka · Pre-Seed–Series A · 17 people tracked
Also known as QBキャピタル合同会社
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Investment thesis
QB Capital targets university-derived and deep/real-tech startups centered on Japan's Kyushu region, aiming to counter the concentration of resources in Tokyo by leveraging academic knowledge for regional innovation. Recognizing that such startups face a scarcity of risk capital and often fail to cross the 'valley of death' or never launch at all, the firm raised its own fund to take on that risk. Seeing itself as entrepreneurial too, it partners closely with research-minded founders from the earliest technology-seed stage and provides commercialization support to help promising science reach the market.
Source: firm website, verified Oct 10, 2026.
Team · 17 people
from the firm's websiteHondo worked in systems and management consulting at a foreign consulting firm, then invested in European and Israeli ventures with NIF from 2000. He established the Fintech GIMV Fund ($55M) in 2008 and became a representative partner of QB Capital in April 2015.
Sakamoto worked at major and venture companies before supporting university-derived ventures at Kyushu University's IP division from 2004. He became CEO of a Kyushu industry-academia collaboration organization in 2010 and founded QB Capital in 2015.
Experienced at large corporations and startups, he supported university-originated ventures at Kyushu University's intellectual property division from 2004, became representative director of the Kyushu industry-academia collaboration organization in 2010, and founded QB Capital in 2015 to run QB Fund. Graduate of Kyushu University.
Former systems and management consultant at a foreign consulting firm, he invested in European and Israeli ventures via NIF Venture's international investment group from 2000 and established the Fintech GIMV Fund ($55M) in 2008. He became a representative partner of QB Capital in April 2015. He also holds several outside director roles.
Worked in new-business R&D at a glass manufacturer and later in managing a biotech subsidiary and energy-sector consulting at a consulting firm. At QB Capital he focuses on forming and managing commercialization projects. Graduate of Tokyo Institute of Technology.
Gushima worked on new-drug review at Japan's PMDA before joining QB Capital in September 2020.
Kawata worked in new-business R&D at a glass manufacturer and later at a consulting firm running a biotech subsidiary and advising on power and energy.
Kunizaki joined Nishi-Nippon City Bank in 2024.
Nagahama joined QB Capital in 2016 after assistant roles across sales and industry-academia collaboration organizations.
Shiomi worked in a trading company's automotive division on management support for overseas sales firms, setting up overseas plants, new model introductions, and M&A target evaluations.
Worked on new-drug reviews at Japan's Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA) before joining QB Capital in September 2020. Holds a doctorate from Kyushu University's graduate school of medical sciences.
Graduate of Kyushu University's economics faculty who joined Nishi-Nippon City Bank in 2024 and was seconded to QB Capital in 2026.
Worked in a trading company's automotive division on supporting overseas sales subsidiaries, launching overseas plants, new-model introductions, and M&A target valuations. Joined QB Capital in February 2024. Graduate of Kyushu University's aerospace engineering program.
After business development at a life-science reagent and instrument trading company, he worked on CVC setup and venture investment at SBI Investment and later on startup investment and acquisitions at Aflac's CVC. Joined QB Capital in May 2023.
Joined QB Capital in 2016 after assistant roles across various industries including sales and industry-academia collaboration organizations. Graduate of Seinan Gakuin University.
What they invest in
from 2 of 12 portfolio companiesDeep Tech ×2Hardware ×2Semiconductors ×2Advanced Manufacturing ×1AI & Machine Learning ×1Cleantech ×1Energy ×1
HQs:Japan×2
Investments · 12 tracked
founders shown can be your intro pathHoloway develops precision surface-shape measurement instruments based on its own digital holography technology, offering measurement solutions for lab experiments, offline quality control, and inline/in-process measurement.
Advanced ManufacturingAI & Machine LearningDeep TechHardwareSemiconductors
Co-investorsDBJ CapitalGlobis Capital Partners
Power Diamond Systems develops diamond semiconductor power and high-frequency devices, commercializing technology transferred from Waseda University research.
CleantechDeep TechEnergyHardwareSemiconductorsTokyo, JP
Tatsuya Fujishima(Co-Founder & CEO)inHiroshi Kawarada(Co-Founder)藤嶌 辰也(Co-Founder & CEO)川原田 洋(Co-Founder)
Co-investorsJIC Venture Growth InvestmentsWaseda University Ventures
Other
Tracked investments with no reachable website or further public details — typically companies that wound down, renamed, or were absorbed.
JCCLSPACE WALKERZip Infrastructureインフォステラ (Infostellar)サーブ・バイオファーマ株式会社ジェイファーマ (J-Pharma)メドテリア株式会社株式会社エイトノット株式会社エキュメノポリス株式会社メカノクロス
Frequently asked questions
- How many investments has QB Capital made?
- QB Capital has 12 tracked investments.
- What stage does QB Capital invest at?
- QB Capital invests at the Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A stages.
- What sectors does QB Capital focus on?
- QB Capital focuses on Biotech, Deep Tech, Energy, New Materials, Robotics, Sector Agnostic, Space Tech.
- Where is QB Capital located?
- QB Capital is headquartered in Fukuoka, JP.
- Who does QB Capital co-invest with?
- QB Capital most often shares deals with DBJ Capital, Globis Capital Partners, JIC Venture Growth Investments, among 4 tracked co-investors.
Images
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