KDDI Open Innovation Fund

What is KDDI Open Innovation Fund?

The KDDI Open Innovation Fund is a corporate venture capital fund based in Tokyo, Japan, dedicated to fostering business co-creations and collaborations with startups by leveraging the diverse resources of the KDDI group. The fund primarily targets IT venture businesses across Japan and other countries, aiming to support and invest in promising startups with innovative technologies and business models.

They manage a series of funds, including KDDI Open Innovation Fund III, which was established in 2018 in collaboration with Global Brain Corporation.

With a total managed amount of thirty (30) billion yen for this fund, they focus on investments in wide-ranging fields drawing on KDDI's expertise in business and technology sectors such as AI, IoT, Data Marketing, Fintech, B2B SaaS, healthcare, robotics, home technology, financial services, sports, entertainment, and new space technologies.

They provide not just funding but also aim to facilitate business growth through strategic partnerships.

The management period for the various funds extends for twelve years, with each period corresponding to the specific arm of the fund, such as KDDI Open Innovation Fund II aiming for June 2026. They have a diverse portfolio of investments, including startups in consumer services, enterprise solutions, IoT/AI innovations, and other digital transformation enabling companies. Examples from their portfolio include Bounce, Inc., QunaSys Inc., Groq, Inc., THINKR inc., DATAMESH PTE.

LTD., UTAITE Co., Ltd., Chemix, Inc., KaiOS Technologies, SPeak Corporation, and Sakana AI Co., Ltd. They remain open to inquiries regarding the KDDI Open Innovation Program and encourage contact for further information.