Global Brain

Global Brain is a Tokyo-based venture capital firm founded in 1998, specializing in early-stage investments across various sectors, including e-commerce, software, gaming, media, IoT, education, entertainment, and fintech. The firm has expanded its investment activities to the US and Asia, targeting series A-stage technology companies. Since its inception, Global Brain has invested in approximately 30 companies, achieving seven initial public offerings and seven mergers and acquisitions. The firm supports its portfolio companies by providing not only capital but also strategic guidance, partnerships, and team-building resources to help them reach their milestones. Global Brain is particularly adept in e-commerce, operating a platform called EC-PLANET, which encompasses several group companies, including a large online sports goods store and a logistics firm offering comprehensive fulfillment services. This network, along with Global Brain's connections to established Japanese companies, facilitates market entry for US and Asian businesses into Japan.

Kaori Akiba

Principal, Corporate Management Group

Tatsunori Arai

Director, Investment Group

Megumi Asatsuma

Corporate Management Group, Director

Anjani Bansal

Partner, India Office Representative

Brooke Beers

Partner

Takuji Chida

Director, Investment Groups

Hogil Doh

General Partner, Investment Group

Thomas Duong

Principal

Brian Flucht

Partner and Head, US Division

Daisuke Furukawa

Venture Partner

Hajime Furuya

Venture Partner

Kenji Hayashi

Principal, Investment Group

Shohei Hayashi

Partner

Harue Hayashi

Partner and Vice Chief Fund Management Officer

Yosuke Hirai

Director

Joopyo Hong

Partner Investment Group

Naoki Horie

Principal, Investment Group

Jang Hyeokjin

Principal, Investment Group

Shohei Ichimiya

Partner, US Office

Nozomu Ikuta

Principal

Kotona Inaida

Director, Fund Management Group

Tomoaki Ishikure

Investment Group Partner

Yoshinari Ito

Venture Partner

Yuki Ito

Director

Hiroyuki Izumi

Partner, Investment Group

Ken Kajii

General Partner, Investment Group

Naoki Kamimaeda

Partner and Europe Division Head

Masaru Kaneshiro

Principal

Daisuke Kashiro

Partner, Investment Group

Kirin Kato

Principal

Takashi Kato

Partner, San Francisco Office Representative

Masaya Kawakami

Partner

Hiroyuki Kawamoto

Principal

Ko Kawaragi

Director

Maiko Kayata

Principal

ByeongJin Kim

Principal, Fund Management Group

Jungyong Kim

Principal, Investment Group

Riichiro Kimura Ph.D

Director, Investment Group

Kenta Kitsuka

General Partner

Issei Kokubu

Principal, Investment Group

Yoshiomi Kubota

Principal

Jinya Kurita

Director

KyungHun Lee

Partner, South Korea Office Representative

YingQi Liang(Joy)

Principal, Investment Group

Chukaku Lin

Principal

Atsushi Matsuda

Venture Partner

Akira Matsumoto

Principal, Investment Group

Natsumi Matsuoka

Principal

Hiroshi Mihayashi

Principal

Tomoko Minagawa

Director, Investment Group

Ai Minamizaki

Principal, Investment Group

Shigeru Mitarai

Principal

Kazuhiko Miyama

General Partner

Shuhei Mori

Principal

Seiichiro Mukai

Director

Satoko Murata

Principal, Investment Group

Kohtaro Nagawa

Director, Investment Group

Tasuke Nakagawa

Partner / M&A

Mitsutaka Nakao

Principal, Investment Group

Shien Nakayama

Director, Investment Group

Yuya Namiki

Director

Ying Jian Ng

Director, Investment Group

Daisuke Nishida

Partner, Investment Group

Akiko Noguchi

Director, Corporate Management Group

Rina Obi

Investment Director

Sho Ohtani

Principal, Investment Group

Tetsui Okada

Director, Investments Group

Mayu Okamoto

Principal

Akane Okuyama

Director

Shingo Otaki

Partner, Investment Group

Naoki Sadakuni

Venture Partner

Enen Sai

Principal, Fund Management Group

Kazuki Sakuragawa

Partner and Editor in Chief, Corporate Management Group

Masumi Sato

Principal

Naoki Sato

Principal, Investment Group

Tomoki Sekiguchi

Principal

Rie Shibata

Director, Fund Management Group

Takeru Shigemura

Director

Miku Shimamura

Principal

Hiroshi Shimazu

Managing Director

Masamune Shin

General Partner, Investment Group

Ayu Shinoyama

CFO and Board Member

Chisa Shinsakaue

Director

Divyansh Singh

Principal

Hiroto Sorita

Director, Investment Group

Sachiko Sugiura

Principal

Yusuke Suzuki

Partner

Kazumo Tachibana

Director

Mana Takabayashi

Director, Investment Group

Hiroki Takai

Director, Investment Group London Office

Toko Takao

Principal

Hideyuki Tanaka

Principal

Marika Tazaki

Partner

Hirotaka Togashi

Director, Investment Group

Haruka Tsujii

Principal

Atsushi Ueda

Principal, Investment Group

Takuya Ukai

Principal, Investment Group

Tetsuya Urimoto

Director, Investment Group

Noriko Usui

Partner and Chief Fund Management Officer

Keita Washizu

Principal

Hirokazu Watanabe

Partner

Keita Wazhizu

Principal, Investment Group

Masao Yamada

Senior Partner, Investment Groups

Kazunori Yamaguchi

Partner, Investment Group

Ryozo Yamamoto

Partner, Investment Group

Michiko Yamazaki

Principal, Investment Group

Isao Yasuda

Senior Partner

Takuro Yoda

Principal, Investment Group

Sayaka Yoshino

Director

Miku Yoshio

Partner, Investment Group

Yasuhiko Yurimoto

Founder and President and CEO & Board Member

Miyazawa Yusuke

Venture Partner

Lusheng Zou

Director, Investment Group

Past deals in Digital Marketing

Super Studio

Series C in 2022
Provider of D2C consulting services specializing in product planning and development. The company provides consulting services concentrating on product manufacturing, sales promotion activities, supply chain optimization, and CRM after-sales as well as offering an enterprise collaboration platform for sales and marketing, enabling businesses to maximize their revenue and customer experience.

MOV

Series C in 2022
Mov is a Web Design company.

BitStar

Series E in 2021
BitStar Inc. specializes in influencer marketing and support services, catering to a diverse range of industries including travel, gaming, cosmetics, and consumer goods. The company offers a variety of promotional services, including analytics through an in-house developed tool, event management for pop-up stores, and merchandising solutions. Additionally, BitStar provides specialized support services such as VTuber and music production, along with fan club services through its platform called Costa. The company also facilitates media exposure for influencers, including appearances on television and in magazines, while enabling overseas casting opportunities. Founded in 2014 and based in Tokyo, Japan, BitStar aims to empower individuals, particularly content creators on platforms like YouTube, to showcase their creativity and flourish in a supportive environment.

DataX

Venture Round in 2019
DataX is a business that specializes in providing an integrated digital marketing platform known as B-dash, developed by from scratch Co., Ltd. Established in 2010 and headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, the company offers a range of services including support for business strategy planning, new business development, analytical services, and business process construction. B-dash is notable for its ability to accumulate and utilize vast amounts of data, featuring 32 million unique customer IDs and a significant financial data component amounting to 92 billion yen. The platform's capabilities are enhanced through strategic partnerships, including a notable contract with KKR and Goldman Sachs in 2019, which underscores its importance in the IT and marketing sectors.

SMARTCAMP

Venture Round in 2019
Smart camp is a company that manages Internet services and this company is good at B2B marketing.

SMARTCAMP

Series B in 2019
Smart camp is a company that manages Internet services and this company is good at B2B marketing.

BitStar

Series C in 2018
BitStar Inc. specializes in influencer marketing and support services, catering to a diverse range of industries including travel, gaming, cosmetics, and consumer goods. The company offers a variety of promotional services, including analytics through an in-house developed tool, event management for pop-up stores, and merchandising solutions. Additionally, BitStar provides specialized support services such as VTuber and music production, along with fan club services through its platform called Costa. The company also facilitates media exposure for influencers, including appearances on television and in magazines, while enabling overseas casting opportunities. Founded in 2014 and based in Tokyo, Japan, BitStar aims to empower individuals, particularly content creators on platforms like YouTube, to showcase their creativity and flourish in a supportive environment.

PORT

Venture Round in 2018
They operate several vertical media specialized in various fields and develop content marketing that meets user needs. Since it is a vertical media, the content that meets the needs of the user and the advertising that promotes it are very effective, and the user's actions within the media become active, so a lot of behavior data can be obtained. By collecting, integrating, and utilizing that data, they not only expand the vertical media entry territory, but also develop real products in-house and provide a consistent service with “media x real”.

BitStar

Series B in 2017
BitStar Inc. specializes in influencer marketing and support services, catering to a diverse range of industries including travel, gaming, cosmetics, and consumer goods. The company offers a variety of promotional services, including analytics through an in-house developed tool, event management for pop-up stores, and merchandising solutions. Additionally, BitStar provides specialized support services such as VTuber and music production, along with fan club services through its platform called Costa. The company also facilitates media exposure for influencers, including appearances on television and in magazines, while enabling overseas casting opportunities. Founded in 2014 and based in Tokyo, Japan, BitStar aims to empower individuals, particularly content creators on platforms like YouTube, to showcase their creativity and flourish in a supportive environment.

Every

Venture Round in 2016
Movie Media Business ,Talent Management Business ,Advertisement Business.

PORT

Venture Round in 2016
They operate several vertical media specialized in various fields and develop content marketing that meets user needs. Since it is a vertical media, the content that meets the needs of the user and the advertising that promotes it are very effective, and the user's actions within the media become active, so a lot of behavior data can be obtained. By collecting, integrating, and utilizing that data, they not only expand the vertical media entry territory, but also develop real products in-house and provide a consistent service with “media x real”.

Eyeota

Series A in 2016
Eyeota Pte Ltd is an audience technology platform that specializes in providing audience data to advertisers, publishers, and data suppliers across Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Americas. Founded in 2010 and headquartered in Singapore, with additional offices in major cities such as Berlin, London, Sydney, Melbourne, Tokyo, and New York, Eyeota enables clients to effectively reach their target online audiences, reducing campaign inefficiencies and enhancing monetization strategies. The company's technology collects, analyzes, and activates audience data, allowing organizations to make informed business decisions and improve their marketing approaches. By offering distinct and comprehensive audience insights, Eyeota helps brands connect with their audiences and maximize revenue potential.

MtGox.us

Seed Round in 2015
Logly is a demand-side platform that allows advertisers to distribute ads efficiently based on their unique technology that combines the context analysis of a website and the behavioral analysis of visitors.

DataX

Series B in 2015
DataX is a business that specializes in providing an integrated digital marketing platform known as B-dash, developed by from scratch Co., Ltd. Established in 2010 and headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, the company offers a range of services including support for business strategy planning, new business development, analytical services, and business process construction. B-dash is notable for its ability to accumulate and utilize vast amounts of data, featuring 32 million unique customer IDs and a significant financial data component amounting to 92 billion yen. The platform's capabilities are enhanced through strategic partnerships, including a notable contract with KKR and Goldman Sachs in 2019, which underscores its importance in the IT and marketing sectors.

Chikyu

Venture Round in 2015
Chikyu Inc. offers customer management, negotiation management, data analysis, and development of cloud-based marketing support software. The company is based in Tokyo, Japan.

Growth Hack Studio

Seed Round in 2015
Growth Hack Studio Inc., founded in 2015 and based in Tokyo, Japan, specializes in business management and development services. The company addresses the challenges of an increasingly automated and standardized business landscape by emphasizing the creation of new value and innovative business models. Its proprietary growth hack consulting platform is designed to assist new businesses in accelerating their growth by leveraging end-user data, identifying issues, and managing key performance indicators (KPIs). By fostering a forward-thinking approach, Growth Hack Studio aims to empower clients to enhance their productivity and overall business performance in a rapidly evolving digital environment.

Eyeota

Venture Round in 2015
Eyeota Pte Ltd is an audience technology platform that specializes in providing audience data to advertisers, publishers, and data suppliers across Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Americas. Founded in 2010 and headquartered in Singapore, with additional offices in major cities such as Berlin, London, Sydney, Melbourne, Tokyo, and New York, Eyeota enables clients to effectively reach their target online audiences, reducing campaign inefficiencies and enhancing monetization strategies. The company's technology collects, analyzes, and activates audience data, allowing organizations to make informed business decisions and improve their marketing approaches. By offering distinct and comprehensive audience insights, Eyeota helps brands connect with their audiences and maximize revenue potential.

Plucky

Venture Round in 2015
Plucky is a platform and Managed Service that empowers advertisers to better understand business metrics associated with customer segments, and measure risk for acquisition budgets. Managed service includes an agency-style managing performance marketing campaigns for startups

Richmedia

Venture Round in 2014
Rich Media offers media portal, Web creation, and search engine optimization (SEO) services.

PORT

Seed Round in 2014
They operate several vertical media specialized in various fields and develop content marketing that meets user needs. Since it is a vertical media, the content that meets the needs of the user and the advertising that promotes it are very effective, and the user's actions within the media become active, so a lot of behavior data can be obtained. By collecting, integrating, and utilizing that data, they not only expand the vertical media entry territory, but also develop real products in-house and provide a consistent service with “media x real”.

Apparel Web

Venture Round in 2013
Apparel-Web provides IT support and marketing support for the apparel and fashion industry. Its services include web marketing and access analysis, web production, web promotion, and Chosa. The company is driven by a mission to innovate the Japanese fashion industry, focusing on WEB marketing specializing in the apparel and fashion industry.

Apparel Web

Venture Round in 2013
Apparel-Web provides IT support and marketing support for the apparel and fashion industry. Its services include web marketing and access analysis, web production, web promotion, and Chosa. The company is driven by a mission to innovate the Japanese fashion industry, focusing on WEB marketing specializing in the apparel and fashion industry.

Supership

Funding Round in 2013
Supership continuously develops optimized ad platform products and provides them to advertisers and publishers because they demand only the best advertising solutions. The most important thing for advertisers is a platform that can analyze data and achieve results through optimized promotions. Our platform offers a number of demand side solutions, such as, 「AppVador's Video Ad Network」 and 「ScaleOut DSP」 that targets users with precision based on advertiser goals, a DMP that contains a wealth of data which makes data-driven marketing a reality, a SSP(「Ad Generation」) that is highly valued for generating revenue, especially in the app business. The combination of these products provides our customers with a total advertising solution that can meet a wide range of digital marketing needs.

Supership

Venture Round in 2013
Supership continuously develops optimized ad platform products and provides them to advertisers and publishers because they demand only the best advertising solutions. The most important thing for advertisers is a platform that can analyze data and achieve results through optimized promotions. Our platform offers a number of demand side solutions, such as, 「AppVador's Video Ad Network」 and 「ScaleOut DSP」 that targets users with precision based on advertiser goals, a DMP that contains a wealth of data which makes data-driven marketing a reality, a SSP(「Ad Generation」) that is highly valued for generating revenue, especially in the app business. The combination of these products provides our customers with a total advertising solution that can meet a wide range of digital marketing needs.

GENIEE

Seed Round in 2011
A member of SoftBank Group, GENIEE (TSE6562) is a public global AdTech/MarTech company listed in Tokyo stock exchange market. Geniee helps to maximize your Ad Revenue with High-end Technology. As a member of SoftBank Group, GENIEE and SoftBank Group are working closely together to lead the Digital Advertising and Marketing Technology and the further Global Expansion.

Tri-Stage

Seed Round in 2007
Tri-Stage is a direct marketing support company based in Japan, recognized as a pioneer in the industry. The firm specializes in offering comprehensive marketing services to enhance mail-order sales for its clients. Utilizing various media channels, including television and the Internet, Tri-Stage assists marketing companies in acquiring customers and promoting products and services effectively. The company’s extensive experience and proven track record enable it to provide high-quality solutions that support the entire customer management process, ultimately contributing to the success of its clients in the competitive market.

Tri-Stage

Angel Round in 2006
Tri-Stage is a direct marketing support company based in Japan, recognized as a pioneer in the industry. The firm specializes in offering comprehensive marketing services to enhance mail-order sales for its clients. Utilizing various media channels, including television and the Internet, Tri-Stage assists marketing companies in acquiring customers and promoting products and services effectively. The company’s extensive experience and proven track record enable it to provide high-quality solutions that support the entire customer management process, ultimately contributing to the success of its clients in the competitive market.

Tri-Stage

Angel Round in 2006
Tri-Stage is a direct marketing support company based in Japan, recognized as a pioneer in the industry. The firm specializes in offering comprehensive marketing services to enhance mail-order sales for its clients. Utilizing various media channels, including television and the Internet, Tri-Stage assists marketing companies in acquiring customers and promoting products and services effectively. The company’s extensive experience and proven track record enable it to provide high-quality solutions that support the entire customer management process, ultimately contributing to the success of its clients in the competitive market.
Spot something off? Help us improve by flagging any incorrect or outdated information. Just email us at support@teaserclub.com. Your feedback is most welcome.