Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology has partnered Lifetime Ventures to raise a deep tech-focused fund with a target size of $40m.

Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology campus. Photo courtesy of OIST.

Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) joined forces today with Lifetime Ventures to create the OIST-Lifetime Ventures Fund with a target size of ¥5bn ($40m).

The fund will focus on early-stage deep tech developers emerging out of OIST, as well Japan and globally. It will aim to support founders beyond capital, helping them commercialise research through access to technical and domain experts.

The fund of funds arm of venture capital firm Incubate Fund is backing the vehicle.

Peter Gruss, president and chief executive of OIST, said: “There has never been a better time to start a company in Japan — venture capital available to startups in Japan has increased ten-fold in the last decade.

“OIST is excited to partner with Lifetime Ventures to build on this momentum.…

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Thierry Heles

Thierry Heles is the editor of Global University Venturing, host of the Beyond the Breakthrough interview podcast and responsible for the monthly GUV Gazette (sign up here for free).
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