How many investments has TOHOKU University Venture Partners made?

TOHOKU University Venture Partners has 9 tracked investments, 1 of which have exited.

What stage does TOHOKU University Venture Partners invest at?

TOHOKU University Venture Partners invests at the Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A, Series B, Series C, Growth stages.

What sectors does TOHOKU University Venture Partners focus on?

TOHOKU University Venture Partners focuses on Biotech, Deep Tech, Sector Agnostic.

Where is TOHOKU University Venture Partners located?

TOHOKU University Venture Partners is headquartered in Sendai, JP.

TOHOKU University Venture Partners

Venture capital

Sendai · Pre-Seed–Growth · 14 people tracked

Also known as 東北大学ベンチャーパートナーズ株式会社

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414 people in our graph share verified history with the TOHOKU University Venture Partners team — schools, employers, funds. One of them is your warm intro.

Sarah Hollyheadunlockedknows Yoshiyuki Sakai · together at University of Bath (overlapped)

×2knows the team · via ETH Zürich

×7knows the team · via University of Bath

×2knows the team · via Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) / University of Karlsruhe (TH)

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Investment thesis

As the wholly university-owned venture capital arm of Tohoku University, the firm aims to translate academic research into social and industrial value, promoting innovation in Japanese industry. It supports university-originated startups through commercialization, helping founders build management structures so they can focus on growing their businesses. Its investment team is composed of professionals with deep expertise in deep tech and life sciences drawn from R&D and business development backgrounds in operating companies. Beyond backing individual companies, the firm seeks to act as a catalyst for regional revitalization, building an industry-academia-government-finance ecosystem centered on the Tohoku region in pursuit of a sustainable society and improved quality of life.

Invests inBiotech Deep TechSector AgnosticAsia-Pacific Japan

Source: firm website, verified Aug 3, 2026.

Stage

Pre-Seed–Growth

Sendai, JP

Instruments

Equity

Founded

2015

Tracked investments

Acquisitions

Team · 14 people

from the firm's website & curated

Koji Sato· Representative Director & President· Sendai

A 1985 graduate of Tohoku University's economics faculty who spent some 34 years at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation across corporate banking, HR, and private advisory roles, later serving as the first president of SMBC Human Career. He joined THVP in September 2025 and became president in February 2026.

Fumihiro Nakamori· Senior Vice President, Investment Department· Japan

Joined THVP in January 2022 covering life science investment. Spent over a decade at Astellas Pharma in nonclinical pharmacokinetics and later drug-discovery business development and alliance management.

Tsutomu Nagahama· Executive Officer & General Manager, Investment Department· Japan

Joined THVP in April 2018 covering deep tech investment. Previously at Sony and Dexerials developing semiconductor memory, CMOS sensors, and functional films, and led new business for a heat-reflective film (Albeedo).

Katsuya Akimoto· Vice President, Investment Department· Japan

Joined THVP investment team in April 2026, covering deep tech. Previously spent decades at Hitachi Cable/Proterial and Hitachi developing compound semiconductors, automotive sensors, and leading R&D strategy and new business creation.

Tomohiro Shigemori· Vice President, Investment Department· Japan

Joined THVP in March 2022 covering life science investment and advising university researchers on commercialization and gap-fund projects. Previously worked in pharma discovery research and at regenerative medicine startup Megakaryon on iPS-derived platelets.

Yoshiyuki Sakai· Vice President, Investment Department· Germanyin

Joined THVP in February 2022 covering deep tech investment. Background in foreign consulting (M&A, IT transformation), SaaS business development, and corporate/CVC work at J.Front Retailing.

Sayumi Hashimoto· Venture Partner, Investment Department / Staff, Corporate Planning Department· Tohoku, Japan

Joined THVP in October 2023 leading NEDO MPM management-talent sourcing and recruitment for early-stage startups, and supporting portfolio back-office setup. Spent about ten years as a medical rep at Takeda covering the Tohoku region.

Haruki Maki· Senior Associate, Investment Department· Japanin

Joined THVP in July 2025 covering deep tech. Previously worked in technology and application development and materials marketing at DuPont and Celanese, and in carbon-neutral technology development at Toyota.

Mitsutoshi Monma· Staff, Administration Department· Sendai

Joined THVP in 2023 handling general fund management operations. Previously at 77 Bank in corporate lending and business support, including post-earthquake regional recovery work.

Ryo Takahashi· Staff, Administration Department· Sendai

Joined THVP in 2023 handling accounting and fund back-office operations. Formerly worked in product planning, corporate sales, and direct financing at Orient Corporation, and finance at an operating company in Sendai.

Saki Machimoto· Staff, Administration Department

Joined THVP in 2021 handling fund management including asset management, legal, and government relations. Previously ran middle- and back-office functions as a manager at an ICT venture.

Shunsuke Ishiguro· Staff, Corporate Planning Department

Joined THVP in 2023 in corporate planning, handling mid-term business planning, industry-academia-government-finance outreach, and internal governance. Formerly a corporate lender at 77 Bank.

Tomoki Uchiya· General Manager, Administration Department / Senior Manager, Corporate Planning Department, Assistant to the President· Sendai

Oversees GP and fund management operations and corporate planning at THVP. Joined on secondment in 2020 and transferred in, previously investing in deep tech and now managing seven portfolio companies. Spent 14 years at Sakura/SMBC in SME finance.

Riley Waterous· シニアアソシエイトin

Previously an analyst in J.P. Morgan's energy investment banking group and a member of ARC Financial's energy private equity team, and worked at Pembina Pipeline. He is a CFA Charterholder and graduated from Harvard College in economics.

What they invest in

from 3 of 9 portfolio companies

Cloud Computing ×1Developer Tools ×1Digital Health ×1Enterprise Software ×1Healthtech ×1HR Tech ×1Media & Entertainment ×1SaaS ×1

HQs:Japan×2United States×1

Investments · 9 tracked

founders shown can be your intro path

By year:2024 · 1 2022 · 1 2020 · 13 dated

Azul (Linkazul.com in 𝕏Feb 2024 · $3.2M

Azul provides cloud application and DevOps solutions, particularly focused on cloud cost management and DevOps analytics for enterprise customers.

Cloud ComputingDeveloper ToolsEnterprise Software

Co-investorsLead Edge Capital Partners for Growth Partners for Growth (PFG)GS Futures Mitsubishi UFJ Capital Spiral Capital +3 more

Epignoepigno.jpApr 2020Acquired

Epigno develops management systems for medical and nursing care institutions and provides related consulting services.

Digital HealthHealthtechHR TechSaaSTokyo, JP

Fumiyoshi Inui(Representative Director)in

Co-investorsColopl Next Lifetime Ventures Capital Medica Ventures

Nikkan Kogyo Shimbunnikkan.co.jp 𝕏Nov 2022

Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun operates a Japanese-language news publication focused on industry, manufacturing, and business coverage in Japan, reporting on topics such as economic indicators, energy, and technology.

Media & Entertainment

Co-investorsWaseda University Ventures

Other

Tracked investments with no reachable website or further public details — typically companies that wound down, renamed, or were absorbed.

EpigeneronHGプレシジョンi-DRTs株式会社Merak-Dubhe Therapeuticsパンソリューションテクノロジーズ東北マグネットインスティテュート

Portfolio news

latest coverage across their companies

American Airlines Gets Green Light For $100M Stake In Brazil's Azul

Azul (Link · simpleflying.com · Aug 3, 2026

Frequently asked questions

How many investments has TOHOKU University Venture Partners made?: TOHOKU University Venture Partners has 9 tracked investments, 1 of which have exited.
What stage does TOHOKU University Venture Partners invest at?: TOHOKU University Venture Partners invests at the Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A, Series B, Series C, Growth stages.
What sectors does TOHOKU University Venture Partners focus on?: TOHOKU University Venture Partners focuses on Biotech, Deep Tech, Sector Agnostic.
Where is TOHOKU University Venture Partners located?: TOHOKU University Venture Partners is headquartered in Sendai, JP.

Images

TOHOKU University Venture Partners photo

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