Global Brain

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.

Kaori Akiba

Director

Hidetaka Aoki

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

Naoki Kamimaeda

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

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

Atsushi Matsuda

Venture Partner

Tatsuya Matsumoto

Partner / Singapore Office Representative

Akira Matsumoto

Principal

Yuki Matsuo

Director

Natsumi Matsuoka

Principal

Tomoko Minagawa

Director

Ai Minamizaki

Principal

Shigeru Mitarai

Director

Kazuhiko Miyama

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

Masamune Shin

General Partner

Ayu Shinoyama

CFO and Board Member

Chisa Shinsakaue

Director

Divyansh Singh

Principal

Hiroto Sorita

Director

Sachiko Sugiura

Director

Yusuke Suzuki

Partner

Kazumo Tachibana

Director

Mana Takabayashi

Director

Hiroki Takai

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

Miku Yoshio

Partner

Miyazawa Yusuke

Venture Partner

Lusheng Zou

Director

Takuya Hosomura

Partner

Sho Ikeda

Partner / Indonesia Office Representative

Past deals in Real Time

RLWRLD

Seed Round in 2025
RLWRLD specializes in "Physical AI" by creating robotics foundation models (RFMs) designed to enable robots to function autonomously in real-world environments.

SiLC

Series A in 2023
SiLC Technologies is a startup specializing in silicon photonics, focusing on photonic sensors and 3D imaging applications. The company develops innovative technologies and integrated solutions that cater to the increasing demands of an autonomous and intelligent environment. SiLC's products are designed to enable machines to perceive their surroundings similarly to humans, offering long-range, interference-free operation and instantaneous velocity for low-latency object classification and threat detection. This capability allows for accurate diagnostics and measurement of moving objects, as well as effective human detection and analysis.

Cluster

Series D in 2023
Cluster, Inc., based in Tokyo, Japan, specializes in developing a virtual meetup application known as Cluster. This platform facilitates the organization of various events, including live music performances and conferences, within a virtual environment. It allows thousands of participants to connect simultaneously, creating opportunities for large-scale virtual events. Users can engage in activities such as attending talks, watching videos, and enjoying live performances, all from the comfort of their own locations. Cluster, Inc. aims to enhance its offerings through continued investment in product development and marketing efforts, further expanding its presence in the virtual event space.

nearMe

Series B in 2023
NearMe Inc. is a Tokyo-based company that specializes in a mobile application designed for taxi ride-sharing services. Founded in 2017, the application facilitates instant matching of individuals traveling in the same direction, addressing inefficiencies in transportation and commuting. By enabling users to share taxi rides in real time, NearMe aims to improve the commuting experience and promote a more sustainable community. The platform addresses social inefficiencies by connecting users with similar travel interests, ultimately contributing to a more comfortable and efficient commuting solution.

Estate Technologies

Series B in 2022
Estate Technologies Inc. operates a data utilization platform focused on real estate analysis, providing tools for property valuation, life cycle assessment, and risk evaluation. Founded in 2019 and based in Tokyo, the company offers a suite of services, including the Dr. Asset checker for real-time property value analysis and the Dr. Asset Recommender for investment suggestions. Utilizing artificial intelligence, the platform aggregates extensive data on properties, considering factors such as room size, proximity to transportation, and property age to deliver objective insights. Estate Technologies aims to enhance transparency in real estate transactions and foster individual asset formation, ultimately increasing the global value of Japanese real estate. The company also specializes in information system design, development, and consulting services, leveraging its IT expertise and real estate knowledge.

RUN.EDGE

Venture Round in 2022
RUN.EDGE Inc. is a Tokyo-based company that specializes in SaaS-based image search and data analysis services for the sports sector. Founded in 2018, the company operates as a subsidiary of Fujitsu Limited. RUN.EDGE offers advanced video analysis tools, including FL-UX, which facilitates real-time video analysis and team collaboration by synchronizing tagged scenes with play video data for immediate feedback. The company's Pitchbase app provides a platform for analyzing baseball pitching scenes, featuring fast-scene playback technology that allows users to review and compare different pitching and batting forms efficiently. With a focus on enhancing communication and collaboration among sports teams, RUN.EDGE aims to transform sports scenes into actionable insights through its innovative video analysis solutions.

Balance Re

Series A in 2021
Balance Re is a life reinsurance startup that specializes in quantitative asset-liability management. The company offers reinsurance services aimed at managing both insurance and financial risks, along with their complex interactions. Utilizing proprietary technology, Balance Re consistently assesses and measures risks over time, enabling real-time data analysis. This capability allows clients to release capital for growth, support product repositioning, and enhance their competitive advantage.

JX Press

Series C in 2021
JX PRESS Corporation operates as Japan's virtual news agency, specializing in delivering real-time news through its "FASTALERT" service. This service provides breaking news bulletins on urgent incidents, such as accidents and natural disasters, utilizing artificial intelligence to monitor and disseminate information. It serves all six major television broadcast stations in Japan, including NHK, as well as over 100 local stations. JX PRESS also offers "NewsDigest," a popular app with over 1 million downloads, designed for consumers to receive AI-generated news alerts. The platform is increasingly used by journalists as a standardized service for reporting. In addition to its news services, JX PRESS employs technology to filter misinformation, allowing companies to access reliable data for digital marketing. Key stakeholders include prominent entities like KYODO NEWS, TV Asahi, Fuji TV, and the Nikkei Group, highlighting its significant role in Japan's media landscape.

SiLC

Series A in 2021
SiLC Technologies is a startup specializing in silicon photonics, focusing on photonic sensors and 3D imaging applications. The company develops innovative technologies and integrated solutions that cater to the increasing demands of an autonomous and intelligent environment. SiLC's products are designed to enable machines to perceive their surroundings similarly to humans, offering long-range, interference-free operation and instantaneous velocity for low-latency object classification and threat detection. This capability allows for accurate diagnostics and measurement of moving objects, as well as effective human detection and analysis.

RUN.EDGE

Series A in 2020
RUN.EDGE Inc. is a Tokyo-based company that specializes in SaaS-based image search and data analysis services for the sports sector. Founded in 2018, the company operates as a subsidiary of Fujitsu Limited. RUN.EDGE offers advanced video analysis tools, including FL-UX, which facilitates real-time video analysis and team collaboration by synchronizing tagged scenes with play video data for immediate feedback. The company's Pitchbase app provides a platform for analyzing baseball pitching scenes, featuring fast-scene playback technology that allows users to review and compare different pitching and batting forms efficiently. With a focus on enhancing communication and collaboration among sports teams, RUN.EDGE aims to transform sports scenes into actionable insights through its innovative video analysis solutions.

Repro

Series C in 2020
Repro Inc. is a Tokyo-based company that specializes in mobile analytics solutions aimed at helping businesses convert and retain mobile users. Founded in 2014, Repro provides a platform that delivers insights into user behavior through detailed analytics and play-by-play videos. The company offers comprehensive application growth support, assisting clients in strategy planning, development, and in-app messaging to enhance conversion rates. By utilizing real-time data streaming and analytics, Repro enables businesses to optimize user communications across various channels, including push notifications, applications, websites, and email. This approach helps clients foster lasting customer relationships and create personalized, engaging experiences for their users.

Araya

Series B in 2019
Araya Inc. is a Tokyo-based company that specializes in developing artificial intelligence software solutions. Founded in 2013, the company focuses on deep learning algorithms that facilitate real-time image recognition and processing services, enabling the identification of various individuals and objects in images and videos. Araya's technology also includes deep reinforcement learning, allowing for the autonomous movement of drones and robots. Additionally, the company has developed a unique deep learning compression technology that enhances the efficiency of its algorithms, making them smaller and faster while maintaining accuracy. By aiming to advance the capabilities of artificial intelligence towards potential artificial consciousness, Araya seeks to address the diverse needs of its clients through innovative AI services.

JX Press

Series C in 2019
JX PRESS Corporation operates as Japan's virtual news agency, specializing in delivering real-time news through its "FASTALERT" service. This service provides breaking news bulletins on urgent incidents, such as accidents and natural disasters, utilizing artificial intelligence to monitor and disseminate information. It serves all six major television broadcast stations in Japan, including NHK, as well as over 100 local stations. JX PRESS also offers "NewsDigest," a popular app with over 1 million downloads, designed for consumers to receive AI-generated news alerts. The platform is increasingly used by journalists as a standardized service for reporting. In addition to its news services, JX PRESS employs technology to filter misinformation, allowing companies to access reliable data for digital marketing. Key stakeholders include prominent entities like KYODO NEWS, TV Asahi, Fuji TV, and the Nikkei Group, highlighting its significant role in Japan's media landscape.

Araya

Series C in 2019
Araya Inc. is a Tokyo-based company that specializes in developing artificial intelligence software solutions. Founded in 2013, the company focuses on deep learning algorithms that facilitate real-time image recognition and processing services, enabling the identification of various individuals and objects in images and videos. Araya's technology also includes deep reinforcement learning, allowing for the autonomous movement of drones and robots. Additionally, the company has developed a unique deep learning compression technology that enhances the efficiency of its algorithms, making them smaller and faster while maintaining accuracy. By aiming to advance the capabilities of artificial intelligence towards potential artificial consciousness, Araya seeks to address the diverse needs of its clients through innovative AI services.

Mirrativ

Venture Round in 2019
Mirrativ Inc. is a Tokyo-based company founded in 2015 that specializes in mobile game streaming services. Its application allows users to live-stream content directly from their smartphones and tablets, enabling real-time sharing of gameplay experiences. The platform incorporates user interaction features similar to those of established live-streaming services, allowing viewers to comment and show appreciation for streams. Although current broadcasts are not saved for later viewing, the application facilitates seamless communication among users through texting and sharing of videos during streams. In addition to gaming, Mirrativ is also focused on developing a game distribution platform and exploring innovative advertising solutions within the live gaming space.

Cluster

Series B in 2018
Cluster, Inc., based in Tokyo, Japan, specializes in developing a virtual meetup application known as Cluster. This platform facilitates the organization of various events, including live music performances and conferences, within a virtual environment. It allows thousands of participants to connect simultaneously, creating opportunities for large-scale virtual events. Users can engage in activities such as attending talks, watching videos, and enjoying live performances, all from the comfort of their own locations. Cluster, Inc. aims to enhance its offerings through continued investment in product development and marketing efforts, further expanding its presence in the virtual event space.

Araya

Series A in 2017
Araya Inc. is a Tokyo-based company that specializes in developing artificial intelligence software solutions. Founded in 2013, the company focuses on deep learning algorithms that facilitate real-time image recognition and processing services, enabling the identification of various individuals and objects in images and videos. Araya's technology also includes deep reinforcement learning, allowing for the autonomous movement of drones and robots. Additionally, the company has developed a unique deep learning compression technology that enhances the efficiency of its algorithms, making them smaller and faster while maintaining accuracy. By aiming to advance the capabilities of artificial intelligence towards potential artificial consciousness, Araya seeks to address the diverse needs of its clients through innovative AI services.

Araya

Venture Round in 2016
Araya Inc. is a Tokyo-based company that specializes in developing artificial intelligence software solutions. Founded in 2013, the company focuses on deep learning algorithms that facilitate real-time image recognition and processing services, enabling the identification of various individuals and objects in images and videos. Araya's technology also includes deep reinforcement learning, allowing for the autonomous movement of drones and robots. Additionally, the company has developed a unique deep learning compression technology that enhances the efficiency of its algorithms, making them smaller and faster while maintaining accuracy. By aiming to advance the capabilities of artificial intelligence towards potential artificial consciousness, Araya seeks to address the diverse needs of its clients through innovative AI services.

Live Aid

Venture Round in 2015
Live Aid is a provider of web and application services for smartphones, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. The company specializes in developing applications for devices such as iPhones and Androids, as well as web applications and system contract development. Live Aid enhances advertisement delivery services on smartphones through its product, AID, which focuses on delivering the latest information and engaging content across various genres, including virtual reality. Additionally, the company offers services that include verifying guest identities and managing check-in tasks.

Near Pte.

Series B in 2014
Near Pte. Ltd., also known as AdNear, operates a location-based intelligence platform that delivers real-time insights about places, people, and products. Founded in 2012 and headquartered in Singapore, the company specializes in data-driven solutions that help brands and publishers engage and analyze audiences. Its offerings include Allspark, a mobile-first audience cloud solution, and Carbon, which analyzes real-world consumer behavior across significant locations. Near's platform processes data from approximately 1.6 billion unique user IDs and 70 million points of interest across over 44 countries, enabling clients to better understand consumer behaviors and preferences. The company serves a diverse range of industries, including retail, technology, travel, telecommunications, and financial services, with additional offices in major global cities such as San Francisco, New York, London, Bengaluru, Tokyo, and Sydney.

Near Pte.

Venture Round in 2014
Near Pte. Ltd., also known as AdNear, operates a location-based intelligence platform that delivers real-time insights about places, people, and products. Founded in 2012 and headquartered in Singapore, the company specializes in data-driven solutions that help brands and publishers engage and analyze audiences. Its offerings include Allspark, a mobile-first audience cloud solution, and Carbon, which analyzes real-world consumer behavior across significant locations. Near's platform processes data from approximately 1.6 billion unique user IDs and 70 million points of interest across over 44 countries, enabling clients to better understand consumer behaviors and preferences. The company serves a diverse range of industries, including retail, technology, travel, telecommunications, and financial services, with additional offices in major global cities such as San Francisco, New York, London, Bengaluru, Tokyo, and Sydney.
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