• Industrial-X

  Participated · Series B · Apr 2024

  INDUSTRIAL-X is a Tokyo-based firm founded in 2019 that provides Resource as a Service to drive industrial-structure transformation through DX. The company operates three domains: a consulting-led professional services practice using a proprietary DX methodology; a solutions platform called Resource Cloud that aggregates DX knowledge, tools and case studies; and DX talent services for recruitment and reskilling. Resource Cloud allows online procurement of DX resources—from strategy and IoT/digital solutions to training—reducing the need for frequent in-person contact. INDUSTRAIL-X has worked with established manufacturers, trading houses, media, HR firms, ICT vendors and local governments across regions including Nagoya, Fukuoka, Hiroshima, Kochi, Niigata and Okinawa. The newly raised funds will be used to strengthen the professional-services team, enhance platform functionality, and bolster resources for the DX talent business. The company aims to expand a nationwide regional network to support DX adoption among mid-sized and small companies as well as large enterprises, and to build a shared, jointly usable platform for market-wide structural change.

• Chai

  Participated · Equity · Aug 2023

  Chai provides BuyChat, a LINE-native online-shop platform designed to let merchants open and operate EC stores fully within LINE. The product targets Japanese small businesses and aims to improve customer experience and drive fan formation to help merchants grow and compete more broadly. Current users include over 30% who are opening an EC shop for the first time, and some single-operator shops report monthly sales exceeding ¥700,000. Founder Nishizawa, who has a mathematics background, emphasizes data analysis and plans to build features that automatically propose message-distribution designs and other operational suggestions based on shop data. Chai says it will continue expanding service offerings to lower operational hurdles and better support small-business merchants across Japan.

• Wovn Technologies

  Participated · Equity · Jul 2021

  Wovn Technologies, Inc. announced it received ¥3.6 billion in funding. The funds were raised through a third-party allotment of shares on July 28, 2021. Named investors include Tybourne Capital Management Limited, MPower Partners GP Limited, Eight Roads Ventures Japan, Incubate Fund, Toppan Inc., and SMBC Venture Capital Co., Ltd. The article does not disclose the company's product details, operating metrics, or planned use of proceeds. No past rounds, founding year, or location were provided in the article.

• DeCurret

  Participated · Equity · Jul 2019

  DeCurret provides financial services involving transactions and settlements of digital currency and operates a virtual currency exchange service. The company positions itself as the “Main Bank of Digital Currency” and intends to extend its services beyond virtual currency to broader digital currency use. DeCurret is developing a new settlement platform designed to enable real-time, direct exchange of value with superior traceability, aiming to reduce social costs and invigorate economic activity. To accelerate that development it is acquiring corporate partnerships and strengthening its development system. Following a private placement that raised ¥3.4 billion, the company’s capital (including capital reserve) stands at ¥8.63 billion. Founded in January 2018 and based in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, DeCurret is an equity-method investee of Internet Initiative Japan and is a member of the Japan Virtual Currency Exchange Association.

• Kyash

  Participated · Series B · Jul 2019

  Kyash operates a mobile-first banking app that enables consumers to make online and offline payments, remit money, withdraw from ATMs, and use virtual and physical prepaid Visa debit cards. The company carved out its white-labeled card-issuing platform to infcurion last year and is now focused on direct-to-consumer channels. Kyash holds a fund transfer license (2017) and a prepaid debit card license (2020) from Japanese authorities. Management says the business has achieved unit-economics positivity, and the company saw roughly 22% growth from January to May 2020 per a Fincog report. Kyash plans to use the new proceeds to double headcount and accelerate product growth, and it may consider overseas expansion in the mid- to long term. Total funding to date is about $107.7 million since the company was founded in 2015. Kyash operates a consumer payment app that connects to a prepaid Visa card, offering instant payment notifications, clear balances and lower fees for overseas spending. Founded in 2015 by Shinichi Takatori, the company built its own payment processing system and, through a tie-up with Visa, issues and processes prepaid Visa cards for other fintechs. Beyond the consumer product, Kyash has a B2B payments business that sells issuing and processing capabilities to companies in Japan. It is applying for banking licenses that could enable checking accounts, ATM withdrawals and money remittance, and Mitsubishi UFJ has said it will integrate its card with the Kyash app. Kyash declined to share user numbers; financially it just closed a $14M Series B to fund expansion. Management says it is in discussions with crypto companies, is eyeing overseas expansion (potentially after the 2020 Olympics), and expects to raise a "pretty quick" Series C to accelerate growth.

No current team members are available.