Global Brain Corporation, founded in 1998 and based in Tokyo, Japan, is a venture capital firm that focuses on investing in seed, early, and later-stage startups. The firm has a diverse portfolio, having invested in over 300 companies across various sectors, including e-commerce, software, gaming, media, IoT, disruptive technology, education, entertainment, and fintech. Global Brain is recognized for its hands-on support approach, which has contributed to 25 initial public offerings and 61 mergers and acquisitions among its portfolio companies. In addition to managing traditional investment funds, Global Brain also provides Venture Capital as a Service (VCaaS) solutions and collaborates with leading public companies in sectors such as telecommunications, real estate, financial services, beverages, agriculture, logistics, and electronic devices.
Investment Group Partner and Fellow Chief of Space Lab
Tatsunori Arai
Director
Megumi Asatsuma
Director
Anjani Bansal
Partner / India Office Representative
Brooke Beers
Partner
Takuji Chida
Director
Hogil Doh
General Partner
Thomas Duong
Principal
Brian Flucht
Partner / US Division Head
Hajime Furuya
Venture Partner
Kenji Hayashi
Principal
Shohei Hayashi
Partner
Harue Hayashi
Partner / Vice Chief Fund Management Officer
Jie He
Director China office Representative
Yosuke Hirai
Director
Joopyo Hong
Partner Investment Group
Naoki Horie
Principal
Jang Hyeokjin
Principal
Shohei Ichimiya
Partner / US Office
Nozomu Ikuta
Principal
Kotona Inaida
Director
Tomoaki Ishikure
Partner
Yoshinari Ito
Venture Partner
Yuki Ito
Director
Hiroyuki Izumi
Partner
Ken Kajii
General Partner
Kamimaeda, Naoki
Partner and Europe Division Head
Daisuke Kashiro
General Partner
Kirin Kato
Principal
Takashi Kato
Partner, San Francisco Office Representative
Masaya Kawakami
Principal, Investment Group
Hiroyuki Kawamoto
Principal
Ko Kawaragi
Director
Maiko Kayata
Principal
ByeongJin Kim
Principal
Riichiro Kimura Ph.D
Director / US NY Office
Kenta Kitsuka
General Partner
Issei Kokubu
Director
Yoshiomi Kubota
Principal
Jiro Kumakura
General Partner and Board Member
Jinya Kurita
Director
KyungHun Lee
Partner
YingQi Liang(Joy)
Principal
Chukaku Lin
Director
Matsuda, Atsushi
Venture Partner
Tatsuya Matsumoto
Partner / Singapore Office Representative
Akira Matsumoto
Principal
Yuki Matsuo
Director
Natsumi Matsuoka
Principal
Tomoko Minagawa
Director
Minamizaki, Ai
Principal
Shigeru Mitarai
Director
Miyama, Kazuhiko
General Partner
Shuhei Mori
Principal
Seiichiro Mukai
Director
Satoko Murata
Principal, Investment Group
Kohtaro Nagawa
Director
Mitsutaka Nakao
Principal, Investment Group
Shien Nakayama
Director
Yuya Namiki
Director
Ying Jian Ng
Director
Daisuke Nishida
General Partner
Yukari Nishiyama
Director, Investment Group
Akiko Noguchi
Director
Rina Obi
Investment Group Director, Berlin Office
Sho Ohtani
Principal
Tetsui Okada
Director
Mayu Okamoto
Director
Akane Okuyama
Director
Shingo Otaki
Partner
Rampalli Karthik
Principal
Naoki Sadakuni
Venture Partner
Enen Sai
Principal
Youichi Sakagawa
Director, Investment Group
Kazuki Sakuragawa
Partner / Editor in Chief
Masumi Sato
Principal
Naoki Sato
Principal, Investment Group
Tomoki Sekiguchi
Principal
Rie Shibata
Director
Takeru Shigemura
Director
Miku Shimamura
Principal
Shin, Masamune
General Partner
Ayu Shinoyama
CFO and Board Member
Shinsakaue, Chisa
Director
Divyansh Singh
Principal
Hiroto Sorita
Director
Sachiko Sugiura
Director
Yusuke Suzuki
Partner
Kazumo Tachibana
Director
Mana Takabayashi
Director
Hiroki Takai Ph.D
Director
Toko Takao
Principal
Hideyuki Tanaka
Director
Marika Tazaki
Partner
Hirotaka Togashi
Director
Haruka Tsujii
Director
Atsushi Ueda Ph.D
Principal, Investment Group
Takuya Ukai
Principal, Investment Group
Tetsuya Urimoto
Director
Noriko Usui
Partner / Chief Fund Management Officer
Keita Washizu
Principal
Masao Yamada
Senior Partner
Kazunori Yamaguchi
Partner, Investment Group
Kazunor Yamaguchi
Partner
Ryozo Yamamoto
Partner
Michiko Yamazaki
Principal, Investment Group
Takuro Yoda
Principal, Investment Group
Sayaka Yoshino
Director
Yoshio, Miku
Partner
Miyazawa Yusuke
Venture Partner
Lusheng Zou
Director
Takuya Hosomura
Partner
Sho Ikeda
Partner / Indonesia Office Representative
Past deals in Lending
HAKKI AFRICA
Series C in 2025
HAKKI AFRICA Co., Ltd. is a microfinance company based in Kamakura, Japan, with a focus on providing small business loans to small and medium-sized enterprises in emerging markets, particularly in Kenya. Founded in 2018, the company aims to foster independence among local businesses by offering financial support and creating sustainable systems. HAKKI AFRICA develops credit scoring technology and APIs for credit as a service, catering to the needs of microfinance institutions and gig workers in Africa. Through its services, the company facilitates access to short-term and small-size loans, enabling businesses to secure the funding necessary for their operations and growth.
Upsider
Series D in 2024
Upsider is a provider of corporate cards and payment tools designed for fast-growing companies, including startups preparing for public raises. The company focuses on offering high spending limits and intuitive spending management features, which help clients manage their finances effectively. By integrating with external services such as accounting software, Upsider enhances governance and administration, addressing both financial and operational challenges faced by its customers. Additionally, Upsider aims to build trust among its users by organizing B2B transactions, thereby facilitating smoother business interactions.
Validus
Series C in 2022
Validus is a fintech company focused on providing growth financing solutions to underserved small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the ASEAN region, including Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand. The company employs data and artificial intelligence to facilitate access to short- and medium-term credit financing through its online marketplace, which operates on a peer-to-peer lending model. This platform connects SMEs with accredited investors, streamlining the financing process while minimizing costs associated with financial intermediation. Validus aims to foster inclusive growth for SMEs and the broader economy by partnering with corporations to enhance supply chain financing within SME ecosystems. The company is regulated by the Monetary Authority of Singapore and has also secured registration from Indonesia's OJK for its local operations.
AwanTunai
Series A in 2022
AwanTunai is a fintech company based in Jakarta Timur, Indonesia, founded in 2017. It focuses on transforming the Indonesian banking sector by providing a mobile application that grants micro merchants access to loans for working capital, particularly targeting those who lack access to traditional banking products. The platform digitizes the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) supply chain by facilitating online ordering, customer management, payment acceptance, and inventory management. AwanTunai monetizes its services primarily through embedded financing for inventory purchases within its integrated ecosystem, which connects borrowers with lenders. As a regulated fintech institution, it manages the full lifecycle of bank-compliant loan assets and collaborates with global insurance companies to offer micro-insurance protection. This approach aims to enhance financial accessibility and improve the welfare of consumers in Indonesia.
Plum Fintech
Series A in 2021
Plum Fintech Limited, based in London and founded in 2016 by Victor Trokoudes and Alex Michael, develops the Plum app, an artificial intelligence-based money tracking application that integrates with messaging platforms. The app automates personal finance tasks, enabling users to save effortlessly, manage their spending, and invest easily. Plum offers a range of financial products designed to help customers grow their wealth over time, including pensions and tax-efficient investment options. With a user base of over 2 million people across Europe, Plum has expanded its services to 10 countries and operates with a team of more than 200 employees across its offices in London, Athens, and Nicosia.
Upsider
Series B in 2021
Upsider is a provider of corporate cards and payment tools designed for fast-growing companies, including startups preparing for public raises. The company focuses on offering high spending limits and intuitive spending management features, which help clients manage their finances effectively. By integrating with external services such as accounting software, Upsider enhances governance and administration, addressing both financial and operational challenges faced by its customers. Additionally, Upsider aims to build trust among its users by organizing B2B transactions, thereby facilitating smoother business interactions.
AwanTunai
Venture Round in 2021
AwanTunai is a fintech company based in Jakarta Timur, Indonesia, founded in 2017. It focuses on transforming the Indonesian banking sector by providing a mobile application that grants micro merchants access to loans for working capital, particularly targeting those who lack access to traditional banking products. The platform digitizes the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) supply chain by facilitating online ordering, customer management, payment acceptance, and inventory management. AwanTunai monetizes its services primarily through embedded financing for inventory purchases within its integrated ecosystem, which connects borrowers with lenders. As a regulated fintech institution, it manages the full lifecycle of bank-compliant loan assets and collaborates with global insurance companies to offer micro-insurance protection. This approach aims to enhance financial accessibility and improve the welfare of consumers in Indonesia.
Upsider
Series B in 2021
Upsider is a provider of corporate cards and payment tools designed for fast-growing companies, including startups preparing for public raises. The company focuses on offering high spending limits and intuitive spending management features, which help clients manage their finances effectively. By integrating with external services such as accounting software, Upsider enhances governance and administration, addressing both financial and operational challenges faced by its customers. Additionally, Upsider aims to build trust among its users by organizing B2B transactions, thereby facilitating smoother business interactions.
Upsider
Venture Round in 2020
Upsider is a provider of corporate cards and payment tools designed for fast-growing companies, including startups preparing for public raises. The company focuses on offering high spending limits and intuitive spending management features, which help clients manage their finances effectively. By integrating with external services such as accounting software, Upsider enhances governance and administration, addressing both financial and operational challenges faced by its customers. Additionally, Upsider aims to build trust among its users by organizing B2B transactions, thereby facilitating smoother business interactions.
Plum Fintech
Venture Round in 2020
Plum Fintech Limited, based in London and founded in 2016 by Victor Trokoudes and Alex Michael, develops the Plum app, an artificial intelligence-based money tracking application that integrates with messaging platforms. The app automates personal finance tasks, enabling users to save effortlessly, manage their spending, and invest easily. Plum offers a range of financial products designed to help customers grow their wealth over time, including pensions and tax-efficient investment options. With a user base of over 2 million people across Europe, Plum has expanded its services to 10 countries and operates with a team of more than 200 employees across its offices in London, Athens, and Nicosia.
Solaris
Series C in 2020
Solarisbank operates as a Banking-as-a-Service platform, holding a full German banking license and specializing in embedded finance. The company enables businesses to seamlessly integrate a range of financial services, including digital bank accounts, payment cards, consumer and SME lending, and identification services, through a suite of APIs. By leveraging blockchain technology, Solarisbank allows companies to customize their banking solutions, facilitating cashless payments and enhancing customer engagement. With a significant investment backing from notable shareholders, Solarisbank is committed to increasing accessibility and efficiency in the financial sector, driving innovation to empower businesses with comprehensive digital financial solutions.
UangTeman
Series B in 2019
UangTeman is an online lending service that specializes in providing instant short-term microcredit to consumers in Indonesia. Founded in 2014, it aims to offer a convenient alternative to traditional lending models by delivering online financing solutions accessible anytime and anywhere. The platform provides unsecured loans of up to 3.5 million Rupiah, with repayment terms of a maximum of 30 days. UangTeman operates in several key regions, including Greater Jakarta, Yogyakarta, Solo, Magelang, Klaten, Bandung, Surabaya, Semarang, Bali, Makassar, Palembang, Lampung, Jambi, and Balikpapan, making it a significant player in Indonesia's financial technology landscape.
Staked
Seed Round in 2019
Staked, LLC provides infrastructure for institutional investors in digital currencies to enhance their crypto holdings through staking and lending. Founded in 2018 and based in Becket, Massachusetts, the company operates secure and efficient block production nodes for decentralized proof-of-stake protocols. Its platform enables cryptocurrency holders to earn yields on their assets by running staking nodes, allowing investors to take advantage of rewards from various proof-of-stake currencies. Staked offers services such as Service Level Agreements for block rewards, automatic payouts, and comprehensive reporting, ensuring a combination of security, scalability, and decentralization for its clients.
AwanTunai
Series A in 2018
AwanTunai is a fintech company based in Jakarta Timur, Indonesia, founded in 2017. It focuses on transforming the Indonesian banking sector by providing a mobile application that grants micro merchants access to loans for working capital, particularly targeting those who lack access to traditional banking products. The platform digitizes the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) supply chain by facilitating online ordering, customer management, payment acceptance, and inventory management. AwanTunai monetizes its services primarily through embedded financing for inventory purchases within its integrated ecosystem, which connects borrowers with lenders. As a regulated fintech institution, it manages the full lifecycle of bank-compliant loan assets and collaborates with global insurance companies to offer micro-insurance protection. This approach aims to enhance financial accessibility and improve the welfare of consumers in Indonesia.
Coins.ph
Series A in 2016
Coins.ph is a blockchain-based financial platform that provides consumers with a variety of banking and digital payment services. Founded in 2014, the platform enables local and international remittances, bill payments, online shopping, and the purchase of game credits through a mobile wallet. Coins.ph facilitates frictionless money transfers by leveraging blockchain technology, making financial services more accessible to both customers and small businesses. The platform distinguishes itself by offering no minimum cash-in amounts and no monthly fees, allowing users to perform transactions conveniently from their mobile devices.
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