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Japan's startup environment is defined by its focus on deep technology and mobility. Companies are developing solutions in fields from autonomous vehicles to quantum computing.
Automotive software firm Tier IV has raised $457.8M to develop its technology. Newer entrants like Sakana AI, founded in 2023, have also attracted large investments for generative AI.
Below is our list of 100 Japan startups worth keeping an eye on.
Everything you need to raise funding for your startup, including 3,500+ investors, 7 tools, 18 templates and 3 learning resources.
Buy It For $97 $297 →Information about the industries, countries, and cities they generally invest in.
Get the Sheet for $50Information about their valuation, HQ's location, founded year, name of founders, funding amount and number of employees.
Get the Sheet for $50List of startup investors in the BioTech, Health, and Medicine industries, along with their Twitter, LinkedIn, and email addresses.
Get the Sheet for $50List of 250 startup investors in the AI and Machine Learning industries, along with their Twitter, LinkedIn, and email addresses.
Get the Sheet for $50List of 250 startup investors in the FinTech and Finance industries, along with their Twitter, LinkedIn, and email addresses.
Get the Sheet for $50Crunchyroll built the world's largest streaming destination for Japanese anime, manga, and dorama. Their subscription service offers a vast collection of content, connecting millions of fans with their favorite Asian media.
Tier IV develops open-source software for autonomous driving, creating the widely adopted Autoware platform. They provide a full suite of solutions and services to help partners build and deploy intelligent vehicles.
PayPay operates a digital platform that simplifies mobile payments and online transactions through a single smartphone app. The service is designed to provide a seamless cashless experience, making it a popular choice for consumers and merchants.
T2 develops and operates autonomous driving systems for highway transport trucks. Their technology is built to make long-haul shipping safer and more efficient, addressing key needs in the logistics industry.
Kyoto Fusioneering develops the specialized technology required to make commercial fusion energy a reality. They engineer and manufacture critical plant systems, including unique solutions for plasma heating and tritium fuel cycles.
Drawing inspiration from the collective intelligence of nature, Sakana AI develops novel generative AI models. These foundational models are capable of generating a wide range of multimedia content, including text, images, video, and code.
Thirdverse develops and operates multiplayer virtual reality games, blending immersive gameplay with Web3 technology. The game studio is focused on creating new virtual worlds where players can connect and explore.
FromSoftware develops critically acclaimed action role-playing games for major console and PC platforms. The Japanese studio is celebrated for creating immersive worlds and notoriously difficult gameplay that has defined a subgenre of its own.
SkyDrive develops and manufactures both flying cars for personal transport and heavy-lift drones for logistics. Their goal is to make air mobility a practical and accessible part of everyday life and commerce.
Nanofiber Quantum Technologies develops and manufactures hardware for quantum communications. Their research centers on using optical nanofibers to build the quantum memories and interfaces that power these networks.
Our top picks offer a small window into Japan's growing startup scene. New companies are appearing in many sectors, with a clear focus on AI and advanced manufacturing.
Together, they've brought in more than $10 billion in funding, a mix of early-stage rounds and major growth investments. Below are the other companies that are defining Japan's startup ecosystem.
| Startup | Industry | Year Founded | Amount Raised | Last Funding Round |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enterprise | 2022 | $218.2M | Debt Financing | |
| AI | 2019 | $61.5M | Series B | |
| Analytics | 2018 | $195M | Series F | |
| Infrastructure | 2015 | $138.8M | Series C | |
| AI | 2017 | ¥30B | Debt Financing | |
| AgTech | 2018 | $11.5M | Series B | |
| AI | 2017 | $197.4M | Series B | |
| Crypto | 2020 | $4M | Initial Coin Offering | |
| Retail | 2014 | $197M | Venture Round | |
| Marketing | 2018 | ¥10B | Series B | |
| Media | 2012 | $410.3M | Series F | |
| AI | 2020 | ¥120M | Series A | |
| AI | 2017 | $195.2M | Series E | |
| Mobility | 2007 | $1.4B | Grant | |
| Crypto | 2019 | $19.4M | Venture Round | |
| Mobility | 2019 | $8.3M | Series B | |
| Mobility | 2018 | ¥1.8B | Series A | |
| Analytics | 2020 | ¥1.8B | Series A | |
| Crypto | 2021 | $18M | Series A | |
| Manufacturing | 2021 | ¥2.8B | Series B | |
| Fintech | 1999 | ¥80B | Secondary Market | |
| AI | 2020 | ¥990M | Series A | |
| Hardware | 2019 | ¥5.4B | Debt Financing | |
| Hardware | 2022 | ¥308.3B | Corporate Round | |
| AgTech | 2015 | $17.2M | Venture Round | |
| Fintech | 2014 | $428.5M | Series F | |
| AI | 2018 | $34.8M | Series C | |
| AI | 2019 | ¥720M | Venture Round | |
| Enterprise | 1996 | ¥500M | Corporate Round | |
| AI | 2014 | ¥44.6B | Debt Financing | |
| Media | 2014 | ¥6.5B | Corporate Round | |
| Manufacturing | 2007 | $976.1M | Private Equity | |
| AI | 2017 | $125M | Debt Financing | |
| Healthcare | 2022 | ¥460M | Series A | |
| Biotech | 2022 | $15M | Series A | |
| Security | 2011 | ¥935M | Series B | |
| Media | 2013 | $30.5M | Series C | |
| Fintech | 2013 | ¥3.8B | — | |
| AI | 2018 | ¥3.3B | Seed | |
| Marketing | 2016 | ¥6B | Series E | |
| AI | 2018 | ¥2.9B | Series B | |
| AI | 2020 | $2.1M | Grant | |
| Fintech | 2016 | ¥2.4B | Series B | |
| AI | 2018 | $10.3M | Seed | |
| SaaS | 2020 | ¥2.7B | Corporate Round | |
| Media | 2019 | ¥830M | Series B | |
| Media | 2013 | ¥2.1B | Debt Financing | |
| Other | 2021 | ¥120M | Seed | |
| Cloud | 2006 | ¥4.8B | Corporate Round | |
| Retail | 2018 | $3B | Undisclosed | |
| Fintech | 2000 | ¥7.3B | Corporate Round | |
| Analytics | 2018 | $67M | Series C | |
| Manufacturing | 2020 | $600k | Convertible Note | |
| AI | 2022 | — | Debt Financing | |
| Enterprise | 2021 | ¥6.6B | Debt Financing | |
| Marketing | 2019 | ¥650M | Series A | |
| Manufacturing | 2018 | $11M | Venture Round | |
| Analytics | 2020 | ¥1.6B | Series B | |
| Media | 2017 | ¥2.7B | Venture Round | |
| Manufacturing | 2018 | ¥679M | Series B | |
| Hardware | 2013 | $25.7M | Series D | |
| Retail | 2016 | $162.6M | Corporate Round | |
| AI | 2013 | ¥1B | Series B | |
| AI | 2009 | ¥1.2B | Series A | |
| Marketing | 2019 | ¥100M | Seed | |
| Enterprise | 2015 | ¥2.7B | Venture Round | |
| Crypto | 2018 | ¥5.8B | Series C | |
| Media | 2015 | ¥8.2B | Corporate Round | |
| Marketing | 2015 | ¥1.3B | Venture Round | |
| Marketing | 2017 | $30M | Corporate Round | |
| Enterprise | 2015 | ¥1.1B | Series B | |
| Fintech | 2012 | ¥3.9B | Debt Financing | |
| Retail | 2012 | ¥2.5B | Venture Round | |
| Media | 1991 | ¥12.2B | Corporate Round | |
| Education | 2022 | ¥210.5M | Seed | |
| AI | 2020 | ¥1.6B | Series B | |
| Healthcare | 2016 | CN¥385M | Series B | |
| Enterprise | 2022 | ¥2.4B | Series B | |
| Manufacturing | 2000 | $210.3M | Venture Round | |
| Manufacturing | 2021 | ¥2.8B | Series A | |
| Education | 2019 | ¥2.2B | Series C | |
| Design | 2016 | ¥1.3B | Series C | |
| Energy | 2013 | $50M | Private Equity | |
| Mobility | 2011 | $48.1M | Series A | |
| AI | 2020 | ¥3.3B | Series B | |
| Energy | 2015 | $19.1M | Series B | |
| Media | 2018 | $14.2M | Series A | |
| Enterprise | 2016 | ¥2.6B | Venture Round | |
| Manufacturing | 2009 | ¥4.6B | Series C | |
| Retail | 2019 | ¥2.1B | Debt Financing |
