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 Retail

Patra

Series D in 2022
PATRA is a marketplace that sells multiple corporate brand products produced by influencers in addition to brands originating in-house. PATRA provides a trend media for women who sends the latest in girl trends, watched by more than one million women in the middle of Instagram.

KAUCHE

Series B in 2022
Developer of a social commerce application designed to help users to shop together. The company's application employs a group buying model where customers are asked to bring in other users in order to purchase a product or service, enabling users to buy products at a discount by inviting friends, family, and others.

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.

iPrice Group

Venture Round in 2022
iPrice Group Sdn Bhd operates an e-commerce platform. The company offers electronics, clothing, shoes, bags, watches, jeweler, kids and toys, sports and outdoors, and home and living products. The company also provides products in various categories, such as kitchen and dining, cooling, women’s ethnic wear, skin care, men’s sneakers, strollers and carriers, makeup, backpacks, women’s dresses, accessories, food supplements, hair care, smartphones, LED, cases and covers, men’s shoes, gadgets, women’s heels, sport, fashion watches, travel, headphones, bedroom, casual, beauty and health, medical equipment, and cycling products. It serves clients in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Thailand, and Vietnam. The company was founded in 2014 and is headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

iPrice Group

Corporate Round in 2022
iPrice Group Sdn Bhd operates an e-commerce platform. The company offers electronics, clothing, shoes, bags, watches, jeweler, kids and toys, sports and outdoors, and home and living products. The company also provides products in various categories, such as kitchen and dining, cooling, women’s ethnic wear, skin care, men’s sneakers, strollers and carriers, makeup, backpacks, women’s dresses, accessories, food supplements, hair care, smartphones, LED, cases and covers, men’s shoes, gadgets, women’s heels, sport, fashion watches, travel, headphones, bedroom, casual, beauty and health, medical equipment, and cycling products. It serves clients in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Thailand, and Vietnam. The company was founded in 2014 and is headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Rentio

Series E in 2021
Rentio Inc. is an online platform based in Tokyo, Japan, that specializes in the leasing and rental of cameras and home appliances. Founded in 2015, the company offers a subscription-based service that allows customers to access a wide range of products without the need for outright purchases. Users can rent various items, including cameras and strollers, through monthly subscription packages, which also include options for unlimited exchanges. This model enables customers to try products before committing to a purchase, reducing the risk of buying items that may not meet their needs. Rentio aims to provide an affordable and flexible consumption system, making it easier for individuals to access high-quality equipment and appliances.

KAUCHE

Seed Round in 2021
Developer of a social commerce application designed to help users to shop together. The company's application employs a group buying model where customers are asked to bring in other users in order to purchase a product or service, enabling users to buy products at a discount by inviting friends, family, and others.

Touch To Go

Series B in 2021
Operator of unmanned payment stores intended to eliminate labor shortage. The company offers full-scale commercialization of unmanned artificial intelligence payment stores that solves solve issues such as labor shortages at retail stores and maintenance of regional stores, thus improving customer service, reforming employee work styles.

iStore iSend

Series B in 2021
iStore iSend is a comprehensive fulfillment solution provider that specializes in warehouse management systems. The company develops software designed to automate eCommerce operations, streamlining the logistics process for sellers. By offering an omnichannel experience, iStore iSend enables businesses to enhance their market entry capabilities and expand regionally with ease. The advanced technology and services provided by iStore iSend facilitate efficient inventory management and order processing, positioning the company as a key player in the eCommerce logistics sector.

KAUCHE

Seed Round in 2020
Developer of a social commerce application designed to help users to shop together. The company's application employs a group buying model where customers are asked to bring in other users in order to purchase a product or service, enabling users to buy products at a discount by inviting friends, family, and others.

SHOWROOM

Series B in 2020
SHOWROOM Inc. is a Tokyo-based company that operates a live video streaming platform, primarily focused on Japanese idols and voice actors. Founded in 2015, it functions as a subsidiary of DeNA Co., Ltd. The platform allows users to watch live shows, engage in real-time communication through features like gifting and comments, and offers a diverse range of video content across various genres. SHOWROOM aims to create an environment where users' efforts are recognized and rewarded, enhancing the entertainment experience through professional-quality streaming and innovative features like virtual and augmented reality.

SHOWROOM

Venture Round in 2020
SHOWROOM Inc. is a Tokyo-based company that operates a live video streaming platform, primarily focused on Japanese idols and voice actors. Founded in 2015, it functions as a subsidiary of DeNA Co., Ltd. The platform allows users to watch live shows, engage in real-time communication through features like gifting and comments, and offers a diverse range of video content across various genres. SHOWROOM aims to create an environment where users' efforts are recognized and rewarded, enhancing the entertainment experience through professional-quality streaming and innovative features like virtual and augmented reality.

REGALI

Seed Round in 2020
REGALI, Inc. develops, offers, and operates a social network and fashion e-commerce application “PARTE”, to share shoppable photos of the outfits and items that are tagged and directly linked to e-commerce stores. REGALI, Inc. was founded in 2017 and is based in Tokyo, Japan.

Patra

Venture Round in 2019
PATRA is a marketplace that sells multiple corporate brand products produced by influencers in addition to brands originating in-house. PATRA provides a trend media for women who sends the latest in girl trends, watched by more than one million women in the middle of Instagram.

Creema

Series C in 2019
Creema Ltd. is an online marketplace based in Tokyo, Japan, that connects creators and consumers for the direct sale of handmade products. Founded in 2009, the platform offers a diverse range of categories, including accessories, jewelry, toys, bags, stationery, pet goods, fashion items, and furniture, among others. In addition to facilitating online transactions, Creema also organizes exhibitions and events to showcase creators' work. The company emphasizes social commerce and provides related services to enhance the buying and selling experience for its users.

Vue.ai

Series B in 2019
Vue.ai is an end-to-end retail automation platform that is redesigning the future of fashion retail with Artificial Intelligence. Using Image Recognition and Data Science - we extract catalog data, analyze it with user behavior and help your marketing, product and cataloging teams get actionable insights that improve customer experiences, drive conversions and reduce costs. We help you digitally maps your products' DNA to create one-of-a-kind retail experiences for your customers and translate product information into the language that your teams can understand and make business decisions with.

Patra

Venture Round in 2018
PATRA is a marketplace that sells multiple corporate brand products produced by influencers in addition to brands originating in-house. PATRA provides a trend media for women who sends the latest in girl trends, watched by more than one million women in the middle of Instagram.

Patra

Venture Round in 2018
PATRA is a marketplace that sells multiple corporate brand products produced by influencers in addition to brands originating in-house. PATRA provides a trend media for women who sends the latest in girl trends, watched by more than one million women in the middle of Instagram.

Creema

Venture Round in 2018
Creema Ltd. is an online marketplace based in Tokyo, Japan, that connects creators and consumers for the direct sale of handmade products. Founded in 2009, the platform offers a diverse range of categories, including accessories, jewelry, toys, bags, stationery, pet goods, fashion items, and furniture, among others. In addition to facilitating online transactions, Creema also organizes exhibitions and events to showcase creators' work. The company emphasizes social commerce and provides related services to enhance the buying and selling experience for its users.

Channel Talk

Series B in 2017
Channel Corporation Co., Ltd. develops and operates a platform, which offers live chat, marketing, and team chat services. It provides live chat, marketing, and team chat services. Channel Corporation Co., Ltd. is based in Seoul, South Korea.

Creema

Series B in 2016
Creema Ltd. is an online marketplace based in Tokyo, Japan, that connects creators and consumers for the direct sale of handmade products. Founded in 2009, the platform offers a diverse range of categories, including accessories, jewelry, toys, bags, stationery, pet goods, fashion items, and furniture, among others. In addition to facilitating online transactions, Creema also organizes exhibitions and events to showcase creators' work. The company emphasizes social commerce and provides related services to enhance the buying and selling experience for its users.

Loco Partners

Series B in 2016
Loco Partners, Inc. operates an online marketplace for Japanese inns, specifically through its accommodation reservation service known as Relux. Founded in 2011 and based in Tokyo, the company specializes in curating a selection of prestigious hotels and ryokans, allowing clients to search and book accommodations conveniently. In addition to its reservation platform, Loco Partners provides social media marketing services and media content consulting for hotels, further enhancing its offerings within the hospitality industry. The company's focus on high-quality inns and dining experiences positions it as a notable player in Japan's travel sector.

Creema

Venture Round in 2015
Creema Ltd. is an online marketplace based in Tokyo, Japan, that connects creators and consumers for the direct sale of handmade products. Founded in 2009, the platform offers a diverse range of categories, including accessories, jewelry, toys, bags, stationery, pet goods, fashion items, and furniture, among others. In addition to facilitating online transactions, Creema also organizes exhibitions and events to showcase creators' work. The company emphasizes social commerce and provides related services to enhance the buying and selling experience for its users.

Pricebook

Series B in 2015
Pricebook Co., Ltd. is a company based in Indonesia that provides a shopping search engine focused on gadgets for consumers in Southeast Asia. The platform aims to bridge the information gap between consumers and businesses by offering comprehensive price comparison services. Through its search engine, Pricebook aggregates product information, including reviews, specifications, and availability in both online and offline stores. This enables customers to make informed purchasing decisions by easily comparing products and prices across various retailers. The company is positioned to capitalize on the rapidly growing e-commerce market in the region, striving to become the leading platform for online shoppers.

QUEUE Japan

Seed Round in 2015
QUEUE is a sales of diamond jewelry,bridal business and Operation of original EC site & real showroom and brilliance is responsible for the main planning, quality control of all products, and web production and management.

4meee

Seed Round in 2014
4meee is an e-commerce and curated fashion site for young women. Tokyo-based Rocket Venture,

Creema

Series A in 2014
Creema Ltd. is an online marketplace based in Tokyo, Japan, that connects creators and consumers for the direct sale of handmade products. Founded in 2009, the platform offers a diverse range of categories, including accessories, jewelry, toys, bags, stationery, pet goods, fashion items, and furniture, among others. In addition to facilitating online transactions, Creema also organizes exhibitions and events to showcase creators' work. The company emphasizes social commerce and provides related services to enhance the buying and selling experience for its users.

Luxola

Venture Round in 2014
Luxola Pte Ltd is an online retailer based in Singapore, specializing in a wide range of cosmetic and skincare products. Founded in 2011, Luxola has emerged as a prominent destination for beauty in Southeast Asia, offering over 4,000 products from more than 250 brands, including exclusive offerings. The company's extensive product range includes face, eye, and lip makeup, as well as skincare and hair care items, anti-aging solutions, and baby care products. Additionally, Luxola provides tools and accessories, ensuring a comprehensive shopping experience for both men and women. The platform emphasizes customer education by offering product reviews and 'how-to' advice tailored to various skin types. Luxola also engages its audience through LX Edit, a digital lifestyle magazine that features insights on makeup, skincare, and fashion trends. In 2015, Luxola became a subsidiary of Sephora Singapore Pte. Ltd., further enhancing its market presence.

Luxola

Series B in 2014
Luxola Pte Ltd is an online retailer based in Singapore, specializing in a wide range of cosmetic and skincare products. Founded in 2011, Luxola has emerged as a prominent destination for beauty in Southeast Asia, offering over 4,000 products from more than 250 brands, including exclusive offerings. The company's extensive product range includes face, eye, and lip makeup, as well as skincare and hair care items, anti-aging solutions, and baby care products. Additionally, Luxola provides tools and accessories, ensuring a comprehensive shopping experience for both men and women. The platform emphasizes customer education by offering product reviews and 'how-to' advice tailored to various skin types. Luxola also engages its audience through LX Edit, a digital lifestyle magazine that features insights on makeup, skincare, and fashion trends. In 2015, Luxola became a subsidiary of Sephora Singapore Pte. Ltd., further enhancing its market presence.

iRidge

Series A in 2013
iRidge is a company focused on providing online-to-offline (O2O) solutions through the development and management of internet services. One of its key offerings is popinfo, a platform-as-a-service (PaaS) designed to deliver location-based information to users via their smart devices. This service utilizes GPS and Wi-Fi technology to identify users' locations, enabling the dissemination of relevant information to those near specific shops. In addition to popinfo, iRidge is involved in O2O application development, big data analysis, position information marketing, and creating AI speaker skills, all aimed at enhancing next-generation O2O solutions.

LUXA

Series A in 2013
Luxa is a Japanese group coupon buying site. Luxa is similar to daily-deals site Groupon, but it positions itself towards the higher-income demographic by listing only premium items such as branded cosmetics and alcohol, and up-market restaurants. It says it has around 350,000 members in Japan. Swimmy Minami Profile PhotoIts headquarters is in Tokyo, and it just opened offices in Nagoya and Fukuoka, to add to its second office in Osaka, which it opened last year.

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.

iRidge

Series A in 2013
iRidge is a company focused on providing online-to-offline (O2O) solutions through the development and management of internet services. One of its key offerings is popinfo, a platform-as-a-service (PaaS) designed to deliver location-based information to users via their smart devices. This service utilizes GPS and Wi-Fi technology to identify users' locations, enabling the dissemination of relevant information to those near specific shops. In addition to popinfo, iRidge is involved in O2O application development, big data analysis, position information marketing, and creating AI speaker skills, all aimed at enhancing next-generation O2O solutions.

Retailigence

Series A in 2011
Retailigence Corporation is a hyperlocal marketing platform that focuses on converting online consumers into offline buyers by utilizing real-time inventory data from retailers. Founded in 2009 and based in Redwood City, California, the company provides a mobile advertising solution that enhances the shopping experience by delivering location-based user interactions through various digital advertising mediums. Its products include the adPOP Engine, which integrates data into programmatic advertising, and a mobile application that displays local store-level product availability. Retailigence serves a diverse clientele, including advertising solutions providers, application developers, marketing agencies, and brick-and-mortar retailers across the United States. The company operates as a subsidiary of ShopAdvisor, Inc. and has established a strategic partnership with Gimbal, Inc.

Retailigence

Seed Round in 2010
Retailigence Corporation is a hyperlocal marketing platform that focuses on converting online consumers into offline buyers by utilizing real-time inventory data from retailers. Founded in 2009 and based in Redwood City, California, the company provides a mobile advertising solution that enhances the shopping experience by delivering location-based user interactions through various digital advertising mediums. Its products include the adPOP Engine, which integrates data into programmatic advertising, and a mobile application that displays local store-level product availability. Retailigence serves a diverse clientele, including advertising solutions providers, application developers, marketing agencies, and brick-and-mortar retailers across the United States. The company operates as a subsidiary of ShopAdvisor, Inc. and has established a strategic partnership with Gimbal, Inc.

eSPORTS Japan

Seed Round in 2008
ESPORTS is a comprehensive shopping site for sports, outdoor, health products and health foods.
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