SMBC Venture Capital

SMBC Venture Capital is the corporate venture capital arm of Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, established in 2005 and headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. The firm focuses on investing in companies across various sectors, including information technology, life sciences, services, and manufacturing. SMBC Venture Capital leverages its parent company's extensive financial services experience to identify and support innovative startups and growth-stage companies, aiming to foster advancements in these key industries. By providing not only capital but also strategic guidance and resources, SMBC Venture Capital seeks to drive growth and create long-term value for its portfolio companies.

Furuta Daiji

Managing Director

Akira Ochiai

President and CEO

Hiroya Ota

Managing Director

Yamaguchi Masahiro

Managing Director

Past deals in Beverages

Clear

Venture Round in 2025
Clear Inc. is an IT corporation based in Tokyo, Japan, that specializes in web media services with a focus on the sake brewing industry. Founded in 2013, the company provides comprehensive information about the sake market, including trends, legal developments, and challenges faced by brewers both domestically and internationally. Clear aims to enhance understanding of the sake business by offering insights into various aspects such as liquor tax law revisions, overseas brewing opportunities, and marketing strategies. Through its services, the company enables stakeholders to access valuable information, thereby contributing to the growth and innovation within the sake industry.

Kamereo

Series B in 2024
Kamereo is a B2B distributor specializing in providing innovative solutions to food and beverage businesses aimed at optimizing their supply processes. The company operates a sourcing and ordering platform that serves as a one-stop marketplace, connecting restaurants with suppliers. By utilizing technology, Kamereo simplifies the supply chain process and offers well-designed order forms along with order tracking and analysis capabilities. This approach enables restaurant owners to save both time and money while enhancing customer satisfaction through more efficient purchasing and sourcing. Kamereo distinguishes itself as the first B2B food supplier to leverage technology in this manner, providing a diverse range of competitively priced products tailored to the needs of the F&B industry.

MOON-X

Series C in 2024
MOON-X Inc, founded in 2019 and based in Tokyo, Japan, operates under the brand CRAFT X, producing and selling craft beer. The company focuses on co-creating consumer products in collaboration with communities and manufacturing partners. In addition to craft beer, MOON-X offers a diverse range of products across several categories, including baby and maternity items, leather accessories, business goods, and skincare for both men and women. By leveraging partnerships and community engagement, MOON-X aims to enrich lives and serve as a launch pad for innovative brands.

Misaky Tokyo

Seed Round in 2023
Misaky.Tokyo specializes in food and beverage services, focusing on the production of unique Japanese confectionery. The company creates edible crystal sweets using processed seaweed agar, which results in vegan, gluten-free, and non-additive delicacies. Misaky.Tokyo aims to delight consumers with its innovative approach to traditional sweets, providing options that cater to various dietary preferences while maintaining a commitment to quality and taste.

Wakaze

Series B in 2023
Wakaze Inc. is a Japanese company that specializes in the development and manufacturing of craft sake and related products. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Tsuruoka, Japan, with an additional office in Tokyo, the company markets its sake under the brands ORBIA and FONIA. Wakaze focuses on producing high-quality, affordable sake that can be enjoyed with a variety of cuisines, utilizing unique brewing techniques such as oak barrel aging and the incorporation of botanical ingredients and tea leaves. The company also offers a concierge service for sake, enhancing customer engagement. Additionally, Wakaze provides an online platform for consumers to purchase its products, which include various alcoholic beverages and snacks.

MOON-X

Series B in 2022
MOON-X Inc, founded in 2019 and based in Tokyo, Japan, operates under the brand CRAFT X, producing and selling craft beer. The company focuses on co-creating consumer products in collaboration with communities and manufacturing partners. In addition to craft beer, MOON-X offers a diverse range of products across several categories, including baby and maternity items, leather accessories, business goods, and skincare for both men and women. By leveraging partnerships and community engagement, MOON-X aims to enrich lives and serve as a launch pad for innovative brands.

Clear

Venture Round in 2021
Clear Inc. is an IT corporation based in Tokyo, Japan, that specializes in web media services with a focus on the sake brewing industry. Founded in 2013, the company provides comprehensive information about the sake market, including trends, legal developments, and challenges faced by brewers both domestically and internationally. Clear aims to enhance understanding of the sake business by offering insights into various aspects such as liquor tax law revisions, overseas brewing opportunities, and marketing strategies. Through its services, the company enables stakeholders to access valuable information, thereby contributing to the growth and innovation within the sake industry.

Clear

Venture Round in 2020
Clear Inc. is an IT corporation based in Tokyo, Japan, that specializes in web media services with a focus on the sake brewing industry. Founded in 2013, the company provides comprehensive information about the sake market, including trends, legal developments, and challenges faced by brewers both domestically and internationally. Clear aims to enhance understanding of the sake business by offering insights into various aspects such as liquor tax law revisions, overseas brewing opportunities, and marketing strategies. Through its services, the company enables stakeholders to access valuable information, thereby contributing to the growth and innovation within the sake industry.

Cake.jp

Venture Round in 2013
Cake.jp is an e-commerce company that focuses on the baking and delivery of customized cakes for various occasions, including parties and celebrations. The company operates an online bakery that allows customers to order a wide selection of freshly baked cakes through its website. With an extensive catalogue of around five thousand types of custom cakes, Cake.jp caters to a range of clients, including restaurants, hotels, wedding venues, and individual households. By providing home delivery services, the company aims to ensure that customers receive cakes tailored to their specifications and delivered fresh.
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