Led · Equity · Jul 2024

Kumonos Corporation develops and deploys high-precision 3D measurement systems and 3D digital-data services for infrastructure inspection and spatial digitalization. Its offerings include a proprietary measurement system (KUMONOS) capable of detecting 0.2mm cracks at 100m and has been adopted for roads, bridges, dams and large facilities. The company promotes wider use of 3D digital data, a 3D space platform, and the remote digital inspection of social infrastructure. Kumonos says it will use newly raised funds to strengthen its business base and collaborate with Pasona Group’s facility management and BPO services to accelerate adoption. The company highlights awards and government recognitions and a long history of 3D laser scanner deployment and over 3,000 measurement projects and roughly 300 equipment installations. As of January 2024 it reports capital of ¥100M and cumulative funding of ¥1.5B following the latest round. KUMONOS Corporation specializes in construction surveying, exterior wall diagnosis and structural inspections and has developed spatial surveying and monitoring capabilities using 3D laser scanners. The company applies these skills and technologies to support Japan's physical and social infrastructure, including roads, tunnels and bridges. KUMONOS aims to promote digital transformation (DX) in the construction and civil engineering industries by expanding the use of 3D spatial data. It plans to broaden 3D laser scanner usage beyond narrowly specialized entities into a wider variety of companies and organizations. The firm intends to proactively integrate newly created forms of 3D content into various applications for Japanese society. With external investment, KUMONOS seeks to strengthen and scale up its business foundation and establish a firm position as a platformer for 3D spatial data.

Participated · Series A · Mar 2024

IDDK has developed a novel Micro Imaging Device (MID) that fuses optical and semiconductor technologies to enable a fundamentally different form of microscopic observation. The company is building automated space bio-experiment equipment centered on MID as its core technology. IDDK aims to create Japan’s first privately led low‑Earth‑orbit (LEO) space bio-experiment platform, with demonstration flights planned in 2024 and service launch targeted for 2025. It plans to offer MID-based microscopy "anytime, anywhere, by anyone," extending capabilities into microgravity and other special environments. IDDK is pursuing partnerships to expand applications into education, medical and healthcare fields and is also considering commercial space-station platforms in view of the ISS retirement around 2030. The company says it will use new funding to develop next‑generation MID devices and to strengthen its organizational capabilities to scale the business. IDDK has developed a novel Micro Imaging Device (MID) that fuses optical and semiconductor technologies to enable a compact, one-chip microscopy approach used as the core of automated space-bio experiment hardware. The company is building a private-led low-Earth-orbit space bio-experiment platform and plans an in-orbit demonstration in 2024 with commercial services starting in 2025. MID is designed to be lightweight and compact so microscopy can be performed aboard small satellites, enabling lower-cost experiments outside special facilities like the ISS. IDDK also targets commercial space-station platforms after the ISS retirement around 2030 to expand customers and applications. Financially, IDDK completed a pre-Series A first close of ¥240M and has raised a cumulative ¥450M in equity from the seed round through this close. The company plans to use the funds to develop next-generation MID devices, strengthen its organization, and accelerate business and partnership development domestically and internationally.

Participated · Equity · Dec 2021

Vitaars provides remote-ICU telemedicine services, delivering diagnosis support, medical information, and safety consulting backed by a team of intensivists and certified critical-care nurses. The company positions itself as Japan’s only business-focused provider of remote ICU services and aims to expand those services to more medical institutions. Vitaars plans to use recent financing to accelerate R&D on remote-ICU systems and to strengthen its service operations and nationwide staffing/collaboration. It also intends to expand into adjacent medical areas and deepen partnerships across a broad range of fields. The company highlights goals of promoting medical DX, equalizing the quality of medical care in Japan, and contributing to healthcare workers’ work-style reform. Financially, Vitaars has received venture-debt financing to support these operational and R&D initiatives. T-ICU Co., Ltd. announced it received ¥570 million in funding on December 28, 2021. The financing was an equity round raised via a third-party allotment capital increase. Participating investors included Pasona Group Inc., Beyond Next Ventures Co., Ltd., and SMBC Venture Capital Co., Ltd. The article identifies SMBC Venture Capital and Beyond Next Ventures as existing investors. The announcement specifies the transaction method but does not detail use of proceeds or operating metrics.

Led · Equity · Nov 2015

Monstar Lab develops custom consumer and enterprise mobile applications, business software, and IoT and AR/VR solutions, offering end-to-end services from design and digital strategy to product development and marketing. The company provides localization and go-to-market support and uses flexible delivery models (Time & Material, local, offshore, or hybrid teams) to match client needs and control costs. It serves multinational clients and emphasizes placing the right development team and location under its Global IT Sourcing concept. Monstar Lab employs over 800 people across nine countries and 17 cities, with offices listed in Tokyo, Osaka, Matsue, Chengdu, Qingdao, Shanghai, Beijing, Hanoi, Da Nang, Singapore, San Francisco, Dhaka, Cebu, Manila, Copenhagen, Aarhus and London. The firm has a strong presence in Asia and plans to leverage new funding to expand further into European and North American markets. The company announced a recent investment and partnership with Denmark’s Nodes Group ApS to strengthen its Northern European and UK capabilities. Monstar Lab is a Japan’s leading mobile and web application development company offering a wide array of software development and related services. Its core offerings include mobile application development, web application development, enterprise applications, IoT, AR and VR, with turnkey services from planning to development, marketing and localization. The company operates in 7 countries across 12 cities (Tokyo, Osaka, Matsue, Chengdu, Qingdao, Shanghai, Hanoi, Da Nang, Cebu, Singapore, San Francisco and Dhaka) and maintains multiple offshore development centers. Monstar Lab employs over 600 software engineers across its offices and has a partner network of 10,000+ software developers, enabling rapid team assembly at lower cost. The company recently completed a ¥250 million (USD 2.5M) capital increase to fund continued global expansion and M&A aimed at becoming one of the world’s biggest software development arms for new and upcoming technologies. Monstar Lab cites more than 10 years of industry experience as a core value proposition. Monstar Lab provides Sekai Lab, a crowdsourced offshore app-development service that arranges engineering teams in Asia and assigns project directors or bridge engineers to manage client projects. The service claims access to more than 10,000 engineers across Sekai Lab locations in 15 countries and a Da Nang center with about 200 engineers. Sekai Lab says offshore outsourcing can reduce app-development costs to one-half or one-third of typical in-house schemes while keeping delivery oversight via local project directors. The company has expanded internationally, incorporating Sekai Lab as a Singapore subsidiary and establishing U.S. operations based in San Francisco and Los Angeles. Leadership emphasizes improving local engineer quality and retention by offering higher-skill work and a performance-oriented culture. Sekai Lab targets demand from fintech and digital-marketing clients, leveraging partnerships to source projects and sales channels.