Fundraising Fox

Tetsu Nakajima

Investor

General Partner at 15th Rock

Tokyo

Writes $100K – $5M checks Β· typically $1.5M

About

Tetsu Nakajima is Founder and General Partner of 15th Rock, a Japan-based venture capital fund investing across more than 30 startups in Japan, North America, the UK, and the Netherlands, with focus areas including human augmentation, robotics, AI, digital health, biotechnology, and consumer technologies. He is also founder of Spirete Inc., which supports entrepreneurs spinning out from Japanese enterprises. Nakajima brings over 15 years of venture capital experience across seed, early, and growth stage investments at INCJ, Mistletoe, and 15th Rock, with track records including one IPO exit and multiple M&A transactions, along with eight years of research engineering experience at Toshiba's Corporate R&D center, where he participated in IEEE 802.11n and Wi-Fi Alliance standardization efforts.

LinkedIn β†—X / Twitter β†—

Experience

  1. 15th RockFounder & General Partnercurrent2019 β€” present
  2. Spireteε…±εŒε‰΅θ¨­θ€…current2019 β€” present
  3. Mistletoe, Inc.Community Membercurrent2019 β€” present
  4. Mistletoe, Inc.Chief Investment Officer2017 β€” 2019
  5. Mistletoe, Inc.Senior Director2016 β€” 2017
  6. Innovation Network Corporation Of JapanVice President2009 β€” 2016
  7. WHILL, Inc.Board Observer2014 β€” 2016
  8. Wireless Glue Networks, Inc.Board Observer2013 β€” 2016
  9. Miselu Inc.Board Observer2011 β€” 2015
  10. Nakamura Choukou co. LtdBoard Observer2011 β€” 2014
  11. Toshiba CorporationResearcher2002 β€” 2009

Education

  1. Hokkaido UniversityMaster of Engineering (ME), System Control Engineering2000 β€” 2002
  2. GLOBIS University - Graduate School of ManagementMaster of Business Administration (MBA)2007 β€” 2009
  3. Hokkaido UniversityBachelor of Engineering (BE), System Control Engineering1996 β€” 2000

Skills & more

Japanese1Business Strategy1M&A experience1Due Diligence1Financial Modeling1Mergers1Corporate Finance1Entrepreneurship1Valuation1Strategy1Competitive Analysis2Business Development1
+9 moreStrategic PartnershipsMobile DevicesStrategic PlanningVenture CapitalProduct MarketingPrivate EquityMergers & AcquisitionsBusiness PlanningStart-ups

Languages ζ—₯本θͺž Β· θ‹±θͺž

From Tetsu's professional profile.

Same school

Also attended Hokkaido University8

Taruho KurodaImpact Partner at Fresco CapitalTakeshi MinamotoInvestor at 15th RockKota UnoPrincipal at GMO VenturePartnersSeiji MiyaharaSenior Investment Director at Taiho Ventures, LLCDalma RiczuSenior Recruiting & Organizational Development Specialist at MaximonIkkei MatsudaJapan Advisory Partner at Benhamou Global Ventures

+ 2 more

Also attended GLOBIS University - Graduate School of Management5

Natsuki TamuraInvestor at Inception Studio CapitalKyoko MatsumotoSenior Associate at RDiscoveryMasato ShimodairaGeneral Partner at ON&BOARDKengo SuzukiVenture Partner at Gobi PartnersYuki MizunoValue-up Professional at Globis Capital Partners

Shared employers

Also worked at Spirete1

Takeshi MinamotoInvestor at 15th Rock

Also worked at Mistletoe, Inc.3

Eriko SuzukiVenture Partner at Fresco CapitalMark CastlemanPartner at MistletoeTaizo SonManaging Partner at Visionaire Ventures

Also worked at Innovation Network Corporation Of Japan1

Takehiko SawabeDirector at Beyond Next Ventures

Also worked at Toshiba Corporation4

Karthee MadasamyManaging Partner at MFV PartnersMasahiro KanamaruInvestor at Beyond Next VenturesJeff BeckerGeneral Partner, US at AntlerJon ShalowitzManaging Director, Software at Union Square Advisors LLC

Colleagues at 15th Rock

Hiroki Nakajima
Investor at 15th Rock
Kimiyuki Suda
Investor at 15th Rock
Kiyoshi Kurokawa
Investor at 15th Rock
Satoshi Shimmyo
Investor at 15th Rock
Taizo Son
Investor at 15th Rock
Takeshi Minamoto
Investor at 15th Rock
Takuya Umeda
Investor at 15th Rock

Network1

Dakin SlossScout
Founder & General Partner at Prime Movers Lab

Investors connected to Tetsu in public investor directories β€” a warm-intro map.