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 Nanotechnology

Kyoto Fusioneering

Series C in 2023
Developer of a fusion technology intended to offer technical assistance to accelerate the practical realization of fusion energy. The company's technology offers liquid metal, molten salt, tritium treatment systems, high-frequency microwave gyrotron, fusion energy and exhaust systems, and is focused on developing advanced technologies for commercial fusion reactors, including gyrotron systems, tritium fuel cycle technologies and breeding blankets for tritium production and power generation, enabling companies to eliminate carbon dioxide emissions.

New Innovations

Series A in 2023
New Innovations Inc. is a Tokyo-based company that specializes in designing and developing artificial intelligence-driven robots for the café industry. Their flagship product, the robot known as "√C," is equipped with demand forecasting capabilities, allowing it to offer personalized coffee selections based on individual preferences, busy schedules, and even the customer's mood. This innovation aims to enhance the café experience without displacing human workers, as the robots are designed to assist rather than replace them. The company recognizes the challenges posed by a talent shortage in the industry and seeks to integrate technology into the offline experience of food and beverage service. In collaboration with Nankai Electric Railway, New Innovations began demonstration experiments of the √C robot at Namba Station in August 2019, marking a significant step in providing a unique coffee experience tailored to consumer needs.

EneCoat

Series B in 2022
EneCoat Technologies Co., Ltd., established in 2018 and headquartered in Kyoto, Japan, specializes in the manufacture and sale of perovskite solar cells and related materials. The company focuses on the development of materials for these solar cells and aims to commercialize their modules. EneCoat Technologies is dedicated to advancing thin-film solar technology, with a commitment to environmental sustainability and the efficient use of natural energy resources.

QunaSys

Series B in 2022
Quantum physics is a relatively new field built since the beginning of the 20th century, but we have used MRI (nuclear magnetic resonance equipment) and lasers used for close examinations in hospitals, and semiconductors mounted on computers. Supports the technology that supports the daily life of people.QunaSys was established to bring out the quantum physics that has been active behind the scenes to the front stage, and to make use of quantum properties to realize technologies that could not be achieved with existing technologies.

Cloudpick

Series B in 2022
Yuna Technology is a high-tech enterprise specializing in the development of computer vision and artificial intelligence applications. The company is committed to leading the technological breakthrough of the core knowledge of artificial intelligence, and building an overall application solution for artificial intelligence and big data analysis in multiple industries.

Kyoto Fusioneering

Series B in 2022
Developer of a fusion technology intended to offer technical assistance to accelerate the practical realization of fusion energy. The company's technology offers liquid metal, molten salt, tritium treatment systems, high-frequency microwave gyrotron, fusion energy and exhaust systems, and is focused on developing advanced technologies for commercial fusion reactors, including gyrotron systems, tritium fuel cycle technologies and breeding blankets for tritium production and power generation, enabling companies to eliminate carbon dioxide emissions.

Veritas In Silico

Series C in 2021
Veritas In Silico is a start-up to research and sales of pharmaceuticals.Veritas In Silico, target partial structures in messenger RNA (mRNA) by exploring the true form of RNA, the origin of life, based on in silico (computer-based computational science) technology Established a drug discovery system with a completely new concept.This mRNA-targeted drug has the potential to be applied to any disease, including those for which it has been difficult to develop therapeutic drugs using conventional protein-based drug discovery. Therefore, it is expected to be a favorite for next-generation drug discovery that will cause a paradigm shift in the pharmaceutical industry.

Two Cells

Series B in 2021
Two Cells is a Tokyo-based company founded in April 2003 that focuses on the research and development of regenerative medicine. The company specializes in using mesenchymal stem cells to regenerate tissues and organs that cannot naturally heal. Its approach involves extracting these stem cells, expanding their numbers outside the body, and then transplanting them back into the patient. This innovative method aims to provide patients with new treatment options through advancements in regenerative technology.

EditForce

Series A in 2021
EditForce Inc. is a biotechnology company based in Fukuoka, Japan, founded in 2015. The company specializes in genome editing alternatives and offers advanced tools for RNA molecule editing, utilizing pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) protein engineering technologies. EditForce's innovations focus on manipulating nucleic acids, specifically DNA and RNA, to facilitate research and development in various fields, including biological research, medicine, agriculture, and bio-production. Their technology allows for precise targeting of base sequences in nucleic acids, enabling significant advancements in drug development and seed research.

QunaSys

Series A in 2019
Quantum physics is a relatively new field built since the beginning of the 20th century, but we have used MRI (nuclear magnetic resonance equipment) and lasers used for close examinations in hospitals, and semiconductors mounted on computers. Supports the technology that supports the daily life of people.QunaSys was established to bring out the quantum physics that has been active behind the scenes to the front stage, and to make use of quantum properties to realize technologies that could not be achieved with existing technologies.

Pixie Dust Technologies

Series A in 2019
Pixie Dust Technologies, Inc. is a Tokyo-based company that specializes in the development of innovative technologies, particularly in phased array and digital fabrication. Founded in 2015, it has created an ultrasonic phased array system that enables the generation of force in mid-air, allowing for applications such as non-contact transportation of objects, targeted sound delivery among individuals in a crowd, and guidance for service animals. The company also offers various consumer products, including Sound Hug, a device that combines music with light and vibration; Sonorepro, a hair care tool utilizing non-contact oscillating pressure; Vuevo, which visualizes conversations for improved communication; and kikippa, a gamma wave sound care device. Through these technologies, Pixie Dust Technologies aims to enhance user experiences by integrating sound and light into everyday interactions.

Sonas

Series A in 2018
Sonas Inc., headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, specializes in the planning, design, manufacturing, and sale of hardware and software solutions focused on sensing and measurement technologies. The company is developing "UNISONet," a wireless sensing technology aimed at enhancing the Internet of Things (IoT) infrastructure. This innovative solution seeks to improve upon existing mesh network technologies by integrating features such as power saving, multihop communication, time synchronization, lossless data collection, high-speed acquisition, and low-latency bidirectional communication, all simultaneously. By prioritizing high-quality wireless sensing, Sonas aims to establish itself as a fundamental component of modern societal infrastructure.

Halo Neuroscience

Series B in 2018
Halo Neuroscience is a neurotechnology company based in San Francisco that focuses on enhancing human performance through innovative systems. Since its incorporation in 2013, the company has developed its flagship product, Halo Sport, which employs Neuropriming technology. This technology involves delivering electrical stimulation during physical training to enhance the brain's learning capacity, a state referred to as "hyperplasticity." By improving the connections between the brain and muscles, Halo Sport aims to accelerate skill acquisition and strength development, particularly for elite athletes. Through its advancements in neurotechnology, Halo Neuroscience seeks to help individuals maximize their potential in various performance domains.

NANOEGG

Series B in 2017
Nanoegg is aiming to create a medical breakthrough from skin research and to realize medical care without the use of needles.

Material Concept

Corporate Round in 2016
Manufacturer of copper paste intended for use in electrical components and solar panels. The company's paste has almost the same conductivity as silver and has a substantially lower raw material cost and can be used for forming wires and electrodes for solar cells and electronic equipment, providing industries with a substitute for silver pastes.

NANOEGG

Venture Round in 2015
Nanoegg is aiming to create a medical breakthrough from skin research and to realize medical care without the use of needles.

Nanapi

Series C in 2013
Nanapi Inc. owns and operates website nanapi which let users to introduce and share how-to in categories such as love, work, and hobby. The company, formerly known as Rocketstart Inc., is based in Japan.
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