Startup Funding Wrap-up in Japan – 13th-19th Oct

Welcome back to #008 of the Startup Funding Wrap-up in Japan. For the past week again, Japan continues to be consistent with ¥11.0 b (≈ A$ 112m | ≈ US$ 72 m).

Let’s have a look at what happened …

🇯🇵 Japan – Capital moves:

• UMIAILE Co., Ltd. – ¥1.575bn (≈ A$16.1m; ≈ US$10.4m) Seed (equity + debt) – Honda IGNITION spin-out building autonomous surface vessels (ASVs) + ocean data platform to “visualize the sea.” – The Bridge (Japanese only)
• The Chain Museum (ArtSticker operator) – Undisclosed Strategic/VC – Fresh funding from Resona Capital, Goldwin Play Earth Fund, Daibiru, NANKAI NEXT Ventures to expand the art platform & services – The Bridge (Japanese only)
• CELLORB – ¥1.0bn (≈ A$10.2m; ≈ US$6.6m) Equity – eSports company spins out from DONUTS; round led by UTEC with D4V、EX Innovation Fund、SMBC VC etc – The Bridge (Japanese only)
• NOMU ENTERPRISE – ¥450m (≈ A$4.59m; ≈ US$2.98m) Seed – Personalized drink machine delivering a “world-first” custom beverage experience; total raised now ¥750m – The Bridge (Japanese only)
• Leanmobility 極智移動 – ¥450m (≈ A$4.59m; ≈ US$2.98m) Pre-A – Scaling mass production of urban micro-EV Lean3; sets up Japan HQ – The Bridge (Japanese only)
• Kernel – US$22m (≈ ¥3.32bn; ≈ A$33.85m) Seed + Series A – “Browsers-as-a-Service” infrastructure for AI agents; round led by Accel – The Bridge (Japanese only)
• emole (“BUMP” short-drama app) – ¥690m (debt) (≈ A$7.04m; ≈ US$4.57m) Debt financing – Adds bank financing to push overseas/content expansion; cumulative funding now ¥1.85bn – The Bridge (Japanese only)
• TASKAJI Inc.｜株式会社タスカジ – Undisclosed Strategic – Housekeeping marketplace raises from Haseko & House Foods Group Innovation Fund to deepen AI-driven “in-home” data solutions – The Bridge (Japanese only)
• Linc – ¥200m (≈ A$2.04m; ≈ US$1.32m) Series B (2nd close) – AI hiring/retention platform for foreign workers; B round cumulative now ¥500m – PR Times (Japanese only)
• OOYOO Ltd. – ¥300m (≈ A$3.06m; ≈ US$1.99m) Seed extension – CO₂-separation membranes for lower-energy CCUS; adds MUFG Capital, Mizuho Capital, others – PR Times (Japanese only)
• Space Quarters – ¥750m (≈ A$7.65m; ≈ US$4.97m) Seed – In-orbit / lunar construction via welding robots; backers include KII, Global Brain, XTech, MUFG Capital, SMBC VC – PR Times (Japanese only)
• Soden (操電) – Seed (amount n/d) VPP builder; company says cumulative ¥2.26bn (≈ A$23.1m; ≈ US$15.0m) incl. debt, targeting a 2 GWh distributed-energy platform – PR Times (Japanese only)
• aba – raised an undisclosed amount – from the Japan Housing Guarantee Innovation Fund (Zenkoku Hosho × Spiral Capital) to expand its elder-care “Helppad” sensor business – PR Times (Japanese only)

Japan Total for the week – ¥11.0 b (≈ A$ 112m | ≈ US$ 72 m) – excellent work for all the founders that secured funding!

Headlines out of Japan:

• Japan Innovation leans toward ‘extra-cabinet cooperation’ with LDP – Nikkei Japan
• Scammers in Japan said to launder illicit funds as condo down payments – Nikkei Japan
• Sanrio weighs spending up to $660m on M&A by March 2027 – Nikkei Japan
• Japan to hike visa fees to US, Europe levels amid surging tourism – Nikkei Japan
• Investors call for greater disclosure in Toyota’s buyout of group company – Nikkei Japan
• Japanese engineering slashes cost of building floating wind farms by 20% – Nikkei Japan
• Indian tech talent to drive AI streamlining at Japanese PC retailer – Nikkei Japan
• Blackstone CEO donates $2.5m for Japan Nobel laureate’s stem cell research – Nikkei Japan
• Honda to debut self-driving riding lawn mower at US expo – Nikkei Japan
• Singapore lab-grown seafood startup to launch Japan plant in 2027 – Nikkei Japan
• Hitachi power grid arm to hire 15,000 to meet global AI demand – Nikkei Japan
• Japan bets on ‘physical AI’ with flurry of tech deals – Nikkei Japan
• Osaka Expo site redevelopment envisions global entertainment hub – Nikkei Japan
• Firms, researchers tout wider AI use at Japan electronics show – Kyodo News
• AI proving useful in Japanese education, despite overreach concerns – Kyodo News
• Japan to promote domestic AI development for national security – Kyodo News

SXSW Sydney Round-Up:

After visiting the Innovation Showcase last Saturday, there was one startup from Japan surprisingly there:

Future Zoetrope – it was cool to see a Japanese VR 3D Animator on display at the SXSW Sydney exhibition too.

Have another great week ahead from us @ Japan Angel Hub!

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