Japan’s corporate venturing ecosystem never slowed down through the covid-19 crisis last year and has been increasingly aggressive in its international investment strategy, with insurer Sompo’s $540m investment in US-based data analytics firm Palantir a notable example as well as cross-border specialist firms, such as Pegasus and Nobuyuki Akimoto’s new fund of funds, AT Partners, gaining investor backing.
The latest move comes Fujitsu, a Japan-listed information and communication technology (ICT) company, which has set up its fourth corporate venture capital (CVC) fund with ¥10bn ($90.3m).
Fujitsu Ventures under its president and CEO, Hideaki Yajima, will manage the fund, which will target investments in technology companies globally, including in Japan, the US, Europe and Israel.
Fujitsu’s first three CVC funds were set up in 2006, 2010 and 2015. In 2015, Fujitsu additionally initiated its accelerator programme to boost co-creation venture activities with more than 100 startups.
Last year, Fujitsu set up its Strategic Growth and Investment team to lead inorganic activities, which include investments into startups and its accelerator alumni through Ventures and hence the latest fund.
It is a joined-up approach built over the past 15 years through leaders, such as Sony, TDK, Hitachi and Toyota, and an experience that will stand the firm and ecosystem in good stead.
Sony’s Tokyo headquarters will be the venue for our fifth annual GCV Asia Congress on 11 November so for more information reach out to our Asia president, Tim Lafferty.
