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 Space Industry

Metro Weather

Series A in 2022
Metro Weather Co., Ltd., founded in 2015 and headquartered in Uji, Japan, specializes in the development of advanced Doppler lidar technology. This high-performance system measures wind direction and speed at distances of several tens of kilometers by detecting minute movements of fine atmospheric particles. Originating from research at Kyoto University, Metro Weather aims to enhance aviation safety by creating a comprehensive three-dimensional wind map, a capability that has not been achieved previously. The company's innovative approach combines years of academic research with practical applications to address critical needs in meteorological monitoring.

Pale Blue

Series A in 2021
Pale Blue Inc. manufactures thrusters for microsatellites. The company offers water propulsion systems, including water resistojet thruster, water ion thrusters, and hybrid thrusters for satellites. The company was founded in 2020 and is based in Kashiwa, Japan.

SiLC

Series A in 2021
SiLC Technologies is a Silicon Photonics start up focusing on photonic Sensor and 3D imaging applications. It develops new and novel technologies and integrated solutions to address the growing needs of an autonomous and smart new world.

Axelspace

Series C in 2021
Axelspace Corporation is a Tokyo-based company specializing in the design, manufacture, and sale of micro-satellites and their components. Founded in 2008, Axelspace develops various micro-satellite projects, including GRUS, a remote-sensing satellite aimed at creating an Earth observation constellation, and WNISAT-1, which monitors sea ice distribution to enhance vessel navigation in polar regions. The company also produces essential micro-satellite components such as sensors for attitude determination, GPS receivers for positioning, and high-speed data transmitters. Axelspace's mission includes constructing a global monitoring platform that provides daily coverage at a low cost, ensuring clients have access to high-quality satellite imagery. In addition to its satellite technology, Axelspace arranges satellite launches and offers operational support, contributing to a broader understanding and utilization of micro-satellites in various applications.

GITAI

Series B in 2021
GITAI Inc. is a Tokyo-based robotics company that specializes in manufacturing humanoid telepresence robots aimed at enhancing space exploration and development. Founded in 2016, GITAI develops a range of robots including the G1, a general-purpose robot designed for task automation internally and externally on space stations and lunar bases; the S1, which focuses on automating specific tasks in similar environments; and the H1, a robot manipulation system that allows for teleoperation of robots working in space. The company's technology enables remote control of robots, facilitating long-duration tasks in low Earth orbit while alleviating the workload on human astronauts, thereby reducing operational costs and improving efficiency in space missions.

Psychic VR Lab

Venture Round in 2021
Psychic VR Lab is a startup company that handles fashion VR and MR shopping service STYLY. They are creating a future where they will live in space.

Swift Navigation

Series B in 2021
Swift Navigation, Inc., founded in 2012 and based in San Francisco, California, specializes in developing precise and affordable global positioning system (GPS) technology. The company is known for its low-cost, high-accuracy real-time kinematics (RTK) receivers, which provide centimeter-level positioning. Its product offerings include the Piksi Multi GNSS Module and the ruggedized Duro Receiver, designed for various applications such as agriculture, robotics, maritime, and industrial use. Additionally, Swift Navigation provides the Skylark cloud corrections service and the Starling GNSS positioning engine, targeting markets like autonomous vehicles and unmanned aerial vehicles. The company has established a reputation for innovation, delivering positioning solutions that significantly outperform traditional GPS accuracy. Swift Navigation's technology supports a wide range of industries, promoting advancements in automation and precision across diverse sectors.

Swift Navigation

Series C in 2021
Swift Navigation, Inc., founded in 2012 and based in San Francisco, California, specializes in developing precise and affordable global positioning system (GPS) technology. The company is known for its low-cost, high-accuracy real-time kinematics (RTK) receivers, which provide centimeter-level positioning. Its product offerings include the Piksi Multi GNSS Module and the ruggedized Duro Receiver, designed for various applications such as agriculture, robotics, maritime, and industrial use. Additionally, Swift Navigation provides the Skylark cloud corrections service and the Starling GNSS positioning engine, targeting markets like autonomous vehicles and unmanned aerial vehicles. The company has established a reputation for innovation, delivering positioning solutions that significantly outperform traditional GPS accuracy. Swift Navigation's technology supports a wide range of industries, promoting advancements in automation and precision across diverse sectors.

GeoSpock

Venture Round in 2020
GeoSpock Limited is a spatial big data platform company based in Cambridge, United Kingdom, with additional offices in Tokyo and Singapore. Founded in 2013, it specializes in developing a data indexing platform that provides analytics, visualization, and insights across various scales of data. The company offers products such as GeoSpock DB Discovery and GeoSpock DB Enterprise, which are cloud-based services designed to manage and analyze location-tagged information. These tools facilitate dynamic data fusion and enable users to perform complex queries for performance analytics. GeoSpock's platform can be utilized in a range of applications, from real-time tracking of logistics fleets to optimizing operations in smart cities, helping to uncover hidden patterns and improve decision-making. By harnessing trillions of data points in seconds, GeoSpock aims to transform business operations and contribute to sustainability efforts, such as reducing traffic congestion.

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.

GeoSpock

Series B in 2019
GeoSpock Limited is a spatial big data platform company based in Cambridge, United Kingdom, with additional offices in Tokyo and Singapore. Founded in 2013, it specializes in developing a data indexing platform that provides analytics, visualization, and insights across various scales of data. The company offers products such as GeoSpock DB Discovery and GeoSpock DB Enterprise, which are cloud-based services designed to manage and analyze location-tagged information. These tools facilitate dynamic data fusion and enable users to perform complex queries for performance analytics. GeoSpock's platform can be utilized in a range of applications, from real-time tracking of logistics fleets to optimizing operations in smart cities, helping to uncover hidden patterns and improve decision-making. By harnessing trillions of data points in seconds, GeoSpock aims to transform business operations and contribute to sustainability efforts, such as reducing traffic congestion.

Axelspace

Series B in 2018
Axelspace Corporation is a Tokyo-based company specializing in the design, manufacture, and sale of micro-satellites and their components. Founded in 2008, Axelspace develops various micro-satellite projects, including GRUS, a remote-sensing satellite aimed at creating an Earth observation constellation, and WNISAT-1, which monitors sea ice distribution to enhance vessel navigation in polar regions. The company also produces essential micro-satellite components such as sensors for attitude determination, GPS receivers for positioning, and high-speed data transmitters. Axelspace's mission includes constructing a global monitoring platform that provides daily coverage at a low cost, ensuring clients have access to high-quality satellite imagery. In addition to its satellite technology, Axelspace arranges satellite launches and offers operational support, contributing to a broader understanding and utilization of micro-satellites in various applications.

GeoSpock

Series A in 2018
GeoSpock Limited is a spatial big data platform company based in Cambridge, United Kingdom, with additional offices in Tokyo and Singapore. Founded in 2013, it specializes in developing a data indexing platform that provides analytics, visualization, and insights across various scales of data. The company offers products such as GeoSpock DB Discovery and GeoSpock DB Enterprise, which are cloud-based services designed to manage and analyze location-tagged information. These tools facilitate dynamic data fusion and enable users to perform complex queries for performance analytics. GeoSpock's platform can be utilized in a range of applications, from real-time tracking of logistics fleets to optimizing operations in smart cities, helping to uncover hidden patterns and improve decision-making. By harnessing trillions of data points in seconds, GeoSpock aims to transform business operations and contribute to sustainability efforts, such as reducing traffic congestion.

Axelspace

Series A in 2015
Axelspace Corporation is a Tokyo-based company specializing in the design, manufacture, and sale of micro-satellites and their components. Founded in 2008, Axelspace develops various micro-satellite projects, including GRUS, a remote-sensing satellite aimed at creating an Earth observation constellation, and WNISAT-1, which monitors sea ice distribution to enhance vessel navigation in polar regions. The company also produces essential micro-satellite components such as sensors for attitude determination, GPS receivers for positioning, and high-speed data transmitters. Axelspace's mission includes constructing a global monitoring platform that provides daily coverage at a low cost, ensuring clients have access to high-quality satellite imagery. In addition to its satellite technology, Axelspace arranges satellite launches and offers operational support, contributing to a broader understanding and utilization of micro-satellites in various applications.
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.