• Mechano Cross

  Participated · Series A · Sep 2025

  Mekanocross focuses on mechanochemical conversion of solution-phase organic synthesis reactions and the development of insoluble high-performance materials. The company provides mechanochemical organic-synthesis process technology and works with domestic and international pharmaceutical and chemical manufacturers to introduce those processes. It aims to support adoption of mechanochemical organic-synthesis processes across industry partners. Mekanocross is headquartered in Sapporo, Hokkaido and was founded in November 2023. Its stated paid-in capital is ¥3 million. In September 2025 the company completed a pre-Series A financing that brought cumulative funding to approximately ¥1 billion. Mechanocross commercializes a mechanochemical organic synthesis process that drives reactions via mechanical stirring, allowing reactions with extremely small or no solvents. The technology claims higher productivity, much lower CO2 emissions versus conventional solvent‑based processes, and compact, lower‑capex equipment. It also enables synthesis of previously insoluble or hard‑to‑make functional materials used in pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, displays, battery materials and other high‑performance applications. The company is working with pharmaceutical and chemical manufacturers on process introduction proofs and aims for full market entry after 2026. Mechanocross intends to establish domestic mass‑production technology (currently demonstrated up to several kilograms) and accelerate commercial expansion into Europe. Financially, the company completed a ¥200M seed raise to support scale‑up and international expansion; the company was founded in November 2023 and is headquartered in Sapporo, Hokkaido, with research ties to Hokkaido University.

• Sagri

  Participated · Series A · Aug 2024

  Sagri analyzes satellite and other remote sensing data with AI to provide high‑precision insights on cultivation, crop planting, soil analysis, and water management. Its product suite includes agricultural management solutions such as アクタバ, デタバ, ニナタバ and the Sagri farming support solution. The company aims to expand into private‑sector farmland matching and decarbonization businesses while accelerating hiring for product engineering and research & development. Proceeds from the recent fundraise will be used to develop decarbonization products, strengthen engineering and R&D teams, and build a global organizational structure. Sagri was founded in 2018 and is headquartered in Tamba, Hyogo; it maintains local entities in Singapore and India and runs pilots and deployments across India, Vietnam, Thailand, Bangladesh, Kenya, Tanzania, Peru and Brazil. The company positions its technology as a tool to advance sustainable agriculture and greenhouse‑gas emissions reductions through improved farm management.

• Aruya Umu

  Participated · Series A · May 2024

  Alyawmu provides NFT- and DAO-based products and consulting aimed at local government and public-sector use, including a furusato-nozei NFT portal and regional-DAO initiatives. The company has delivered projects such as a Takikawa-city limited illustration NFT combined with VTuber promotions and runs a “regional revitalization cooperation隊 DAO” to support urban-to-rural migration and community formation. It has a capital base reported at ¥122,000,000 and announced a ¥117,000,000 pre-Series A extension raise. Alyawmu has a strategic partnership with JPYC to enable JPYC stablecoin payments on its furusato-nozei NFT portal and is exploring JPYC-based proposals for municipal tax payments. The firm plans nationwide expansion of its NFT/DAO solutions, further VTuber and idol projects, and broader deployment across public services to create new value from regional assets.

• Iwaya Giken

  Participated · Equity · Dec 2023

  Iwaya Giken designs, develops and manufactures high‑altitude gas balloons and airtight cabins intended for balloon‑based space sightseeing. The company positions its offering as a transformative ‘journey’ that expands awareness rather than merely traveling to space. It aims to enable broad public access to a near‑space experience via tethered or free‑flying high‑altitude balloon systems. The firm is headquartered in Sapporo, Hokkaido, and is led by CEO Keisuke Iwaya. Financially, the company reported a new ¥400M financing in December 2023 and said this brought its fundraising for the fiscal year to ¥970M. Since its seed round in August 2020, cumulative funding totals about ¥2.0B. Iwatani Giken designs, develops and manufactures high-altitude gas balloons and airtight pressurized cabins aimed at offering stratospheric sightseeing flights. The company was founded in April 2016 by Keisuke Iwatani, who studied aerospace engineering at Hokkaido University. Its test program has carried more than 35 staff in an experimental cabin for flight training and data collection, and it runs near-monthly tethered flight training at various sites. In February 2022 the company completed a 30m manned tethered flight test in Soma, Fukushima, and on July 23, 2023 executed a manned flight test that reached a maximum altitude of 6,072m with a flight distance of 26.35km and flight time of 131 minutes. Financially, the company has raised a total of about ¥1.6 billion to date, including a prior ¥400M round disclosed in June 2022 and the recent ¥570M round. Iwaya Giken (岩谷技研) is a passenger-technology development company based in Sapporo, Hokkaido, led by CEO Keisuke Iwaya. The company designs and develops high-altitude gas balloons and airtight passenger cabins aimed at enabling “NearSpace” travel experiences. Its stated mission frames space travel as a journey that expands people’s consciousness and perspective rather than merely transporting people outside the atmosphere. The company announced a third-party allotment financing on November 30, 2021. Following this round, Iwaya Giken has raised a cumulative total of about ¥600 million since its seed round. The firm is focused on continuing development of passenger systems and flight hardware for balloon-based NearSpace journeys.

• Letara

  Participated · Convertible Note · Feb 2023

  Founded in 2020, Letara commercializes hybrid rocket combustion technology originating from work at Hokkaido University by its co-CEOs Shota Hirai and Landon Thomas Kamps. Its hybrid engines use a plastic-based fuel (HTPB) paired with an oxidizer, which the company says is safer to handle than many conventional fuels while maintaining performance. Letara initially focused on miniaturized in-space thrusters but has expanded ambitions to build both satellite thrusters and scalable launch-class hybrid engines. Its in-development product lines include two spacecraft thrusters for satellite propulsion and one hybrid engine designed for launch vehicles and point-to-point logistics. The company raised ¥2.6B ($16M) in a pre-Series A to advance these development efforts, backed by a mix of U.S. and Japanese venture and strategic investors.

No current team members are available.