Globis Capital Partners

Globis Capital Partners Co., Ltd.
Native name
グロービス・キャピタル・パートナーズ株式会社
Gurōbisu Kyapitaru Paatonaazu kabushiki gaisha
Company typeprivate
IndustryPrivate equity
Venture capital
Foundedcommenced operations 1996; 29 years ago (1996); incorporated July 2006; 18 years ago (July 2006)
FoundersYoshito Hori
HeadquartersTokyo, Japan
Key people
Yoshito Hori (Founding Partner)
Soichi Kariyazono (Co-Founding Partner)
ProductsInvestment
Private equity fund
AUM¥180 billion JPY (2023)[1]
ParentGlobis Edit this on Wikidata
Websitewww.globiscapital.co.jp/en

Globis Capital Partners Co., Ltd. (Japanese: グロービス・キャピタル・パートナーズ株式会社, Hepburn: Gurōbisu Kyapitaru Paatonaazu kabushiki gaisha, English: /ɡloʊbɪs/), commonly referred to as GCP, is a Japanese private hands-on venture capital firm headquartered in Banchō, Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan.[2] GCP is part of the Globis Group.[3] As of April 2023, GCP manages a cumulative fund size of over ¥180 billion JPY (approximately $1.3 billion USD).[1]

History

In 1996 Yoshito Hori founded Globis Capital Partners (GCP) as a hands-on venture capital business inside Globis Corporation to support Japanese startup portfolio companies [4][2] That same year an initial $5 million GLOBIS Incubation Fund was raised, with $1 million coming from Sega Enterprises’ chairman Isao Okawa.[5]

In 1999 Alan Patricof, the head of Apax Patricof selected Globis as a local partner in Japan to create Apax Globis Partners & Co. (AGP), a joint VC.[6] The resulting Apax Globis Japan Fund raised $187 million.[7]

In 2004, Apax Globis Partners & Co. changed its name to Globis Capital Partners.[8] In 2006, GLOBIS Fund III was raised. Globis Capital Partners Co., Ltd. was established as an independent advisory company to oversee the fund, becoming a separate entity from Globis Corporation.[9][10]

Four additional funds were raised in 2013, 2016, 2019 and 2022. Globis Capital Partners reached a cumulative fund size of over ¥180 billion JPY (approximately $1.3 billion) with investments in over 200 Japanese companies in 2023.[11]

In 2019 GCP established G-STARTUP, a startup accelerator program aimed at producing 100 unicorn companies. By 2023 the program had provided support to 173 startups.[12]

On January 14, 2020, GCP announced the formation of GCP X, a specialized value-added team tasked organizational development, CXO-level recruitment support, and operational support.[13]

Globis Fund VII LP became the biggest private equity fund launched in 2022 that includes Japan as geographic focus.[14] Japan's Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF) disclosed that same year that it would invest in Globis Capital Partners’ latest VC fund, a first in Japan.[15]

In April 2024 GCP established a local office in San Francisco to support the global expansion of its portfolio companies.[16]

Investments

1990s

2000s

2010s

  • In March 2015, GCP participated in a $10 million funding round in news app SmartNews.[19]
  • In March 2016, GCP joined a $75 million Series D fundraiser for peer-to-peer marketplace app Mercari[20]
  • In May 2016, GCP helped to raise 1.1 billion yen for handmade marketplace Creema.[21]
  • In October 2019, GCP joined a $42.9 million Series B for AI Medical Service, which develops AI-based software for gastric cancer detection.[22]
  • In November 2019, GCP participated in a $92 million funding round for news app SmartNews.[23]

2020s

  • In August 2021, GCP co-led a $73 million Series B round in B2B supply chain marketplace CADDi with World Innovation Lab.[24]
  • In July 2023, GCP joined a $170 million Series B round of funding in Japanese robotics startup Telexistence.[25] GCP increased its investment in B2B supply chain marketplace CADDi during a $89 million Series C round.[26]
  • In September 2023, GCP led a $93 million Series B round with Global Brain for Josys, a SaaS and device management platform startup.[27][28]
  • In August 2023, GCP joined the final close of the $100 million Series E fundraising for social impact and microfinancing startup Gojo & Company.[29]
  • In April 2024, GCP led a 2.92 billion yen pre-series A round in AI manga localization startup Orange.[30]
  • In October 2024, GCP joined a Series B funding round in Japanese real estate database provider estie. together with Vertex Growth, University of Tokyo Edge Capital, and Global Brain.[31] GCP led the funding of startup Ookuma Diamond Device (ODD), which raised a total of approximately $45 million (6.7 billion yen).[32] GCP joined a $21 million Series A funding round for Sun Metalon, a startup specialized in sustainable metal manufacturing.[33]

Investment funds

Fund Vintage Year Capital (¥ JPY)
GLOBIS Incubation Fund[5][11] 1996 ¥540 million
Apax GLOBIS Japan Fund (joint fund with Apax Partners[7][34] 1999 ¥20 billion
GLOBIS Fund III[35] 2006 ¥18 billion
GLOBIS Fund IV[11] 2013 ¥11.5 billion
GLOBIS Fund V[11] 2016 ¥20 billion
GLOBIS Fund VI[36][37] 2019 ¥40 billion
GLOBIS Fund VII[38][39] 2022 ¥72.7 billion

Notable investments

See also

Yoshito Hori

References

  1. ^ a b "Announcement of Final Close of Fund VII and Launches New Base in San Francisco to Support Globalization". Globis Capital Partners. April 25, 2023. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
  2. ^ a b "History". Globis Capital Partners. December 17, 2018. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
  3. ^ "Corporate Profile". Globis Corporation. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
  4. ^ Kushida, Kenji (October 17, 2022). "Japan's Venture Capital Industry: Snapshot of Growth and Transformation". Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
  5. ^ a b Kelly, Tim (February 13, 2006). "Venture Professor". Forbes. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
  6. ^ Takezaki, Noriko (February 1, 2000). "Venture Watch: A hot venture company working in a cool climate". Japan Inc. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
  7. ^ a b Spindle, Bill (July 2, 1999). "Yoshito Hori Quits Career Track, Turns Night School Into Riches". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
  8. ^ "Changes name of its venture capital business from Apax Globis Partners to Globis Capital Partners". Globis Capital Partners. April 9, 2004. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
  9. ^ Kirihata, Tetsuya (2015). "hanzuon shikōgata benchaa kyapitaru – kabushiki kaisha gurōbisu kyapitaru paatonaazu" ハンズオン志向型ベンチャーキャピタル ― 株式会社グロービス・キャピタル・パートナーズ ― [Hands-On Oriented Venture Capital - Globis Capital Partners Co., Ltd.] (PDF). The Ritsumeikan Business review (in Japanese) (53): 113. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
  10. ^ Torney, Chris (May 17, 2022). "GCV Powerlist 2022: Soichi Kariyazono". Global Corporate Venturing. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
  11. ^ a b c d "dai 161 kai gurōbisu kyapitaru paatonaazu 7 gō fando (727 oku en) ga mezasu tōshi senryaku" 【第161回】【グロービス・キャピタル・パートナーズ】7号ファンド（727億円）が目指す投資戦略 [[161st Edition] [Globis Capital Partners] The Investment Strategy Targeted by Fund 7 (72.7 billion yen)]. MARR Online (in Japanese). August 18, 2023. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
  12. ^ Mine, Ryuichi (April 28, 2023). "Gurōbisu, kako saidai 727 oku en fando wo sosei – akuserareeshon keiei sapōto gurōbaruka suishin no 3 bon hashira de shien" グロービス、過去最大727億円ファンドを組成──「アクセラレーション」「経営サポート」「グローバル化推進」の3本柱で支援 [Globis forms the largest fund so far valued at 72.7 billion yen – drives support through three pillars of acceleration, managerial support, and globalization]. Diamond Online (in Japanese). Retrieved December 28, 2024.
  13. ^ Iizuka, Nao (January 14, 2020). "Gurōbisu, tōshisaki kigyō no "kachi kōjō" senmon chiimu GCP X wo sōsetsu" グロービス、投資先企業の“価値向上”専門チーム「GCP X」を創設 [Globis establishes specialized GCP X team to increase the value of its portfolio companies]. CNET Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved December 28, 2024.
  14. ^ Shahid, Kiran; Yamaguchi, Yuzo; Sabater, Annie (October 25, 2022). "US private equity investment in Japan rises". S&P Global. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
  15. ^ "Pension giant GPIF to invest in Japanese startups for first time". Nikkei, Inc. July 4, 2022. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
  16. ^ "Gurōbisu no 7 gō fando, 727 oku en ni beikoku ni shien kyoten" グロービスの7号ファンド、727億円に　米国に支援拠点 [GLOBIS Fund 7 Reaches 72.7 Billion Yen, Support Base Created in the US]. The Nikkei (in Japanese). April 25, 2023. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
  17. ^ "Selling Them The Works". Forbes. November 28, 2005. Retrieved December 28, 2024.
  18. ^ "Venture Professor". Forbes. February 13, 2006. Retrieved December 28, 2024.
  19. ^ Lunden, Ingrid (March 30, 2015). "Japan's SmartNews Raises Another $10M At A $320M Valuation To Expand In The U.S." TechCrunch. Retrieved December 28, 2024.
  20. ^ Shu, Catherine (March 1, 2016). "Marketplace app Mercari nabs $75M to become Japan's first startup unicorn". TechCrunch. Retrieved December 28, 2024.
  21. ^ Shu, Catherine (May 27, 2016). "Japanese handmade marketplace Creema raises $10M". TechCrunch. Retrieved December 28, 2024.
  22. ^ Shu, Catherine (October 4, 2019). "AI Medical Service raises $42.9 Series B for AI-based software that checks endoscopy scans for signs of cancer". TechCrunch. Retrieved December 28, 2024.
  23. ^ Ha, Anthony (November 18, 2019). "SmartNews raises $92M at a $1.2B valuation". TechCrunch. Retrieved December 28, 2024.
  24. ^ Park, Kate (August 23, 2021). "Japan's B2B ordering and supply platform CADDi raises $73 million Series B funding". TechCrunch. Retrieved December 28, 2024.
  25. ^ Park, Kate (July 6, 2023). "SoftBank backs Japanese robotics startup Telexistence in $170M funding round". TechCrunch. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
  26. ^ Park, Kate (July 5, 2023). "CADDi raises $89M Series C to scale its B2B supply chain marketplace for manufacturing parts". TechCrunch. Retrieved December 28, 2024.
  27. ^ Chowdhry, Amit (September 7, 2023). "Josys: SaaS And Device Management Company Secures $93 Million In Funding". Pulse 2.0. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
  28. ^ Niessner, Justin (September 7, 2023). "Global Brain, Globis lead $93m round for Japan's Josys". AVCJ. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
  29. ^ Niessner, Justin (August 18, 2023). "Japan VCs back $100m round for local impact investor Gojo". AVCJ. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
  30. ^ "Orange raises $19M in pre-series A to boost localization effort of Japanese manga titles". The Bridge. May 7, 2024. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
  31. ^ Suruga, Tsubasa (October 8, 2024). "Singapore's Vertex invests in Japanese real estate data provider". Nikkei, Inc. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
  32. ^ Park, Kate (October 16, 2024). "ODD taps $27M for diamond chips to clear radioactive debris at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant". TechCrunch. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
  33. ^ Tyrer-Jones, Alex (October 19, 2024). "Sun Metalon Raises $21 Million to Enhance Its New Metal Recycling Technology". 3D Printing Industry. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
  34. ^ "Funds". Apax Partners. September 30, 2024. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
  35. ^ Nagai, Michiko (November 9, 2006). "Gurōbisu kyapitaru paatonaazu, 7 nen buri ni fando wo sosei – 180 oku en kibo ni" グロービス・キャピタル・パートナーズ、7年ぶりにファンドを組成--180億円規模に [Globis Capital Partners establishes a new fund after seven years, valued at 18 billion yen]. CNET Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved December 27, 2024.
  36. ^ Niessner, Justin (April 18, 2019). "Globis raises $321m for Japan VC fund". AVCJ. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
  37. ^ Yuan, Chin (April 18, 2019). "Globis Capital Partners raises $322m". Private Equity International. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
  38. ^ Burroughs, Tim (April 27, 2023). "Japan's Globis closes Fund VII on $544m". AVCJ. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
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  40. ^ Lavine, Robert (February 15, 2016). "Akatsuki starts IPO game". Global Corporate Venturing. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
  41. ^ Coe Smith, Claire (August 1, 2022). "The Japanese venture market comes of age". Venture Capital Journal. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
  42. ^ Park, Kate (October 12, 2024). "The most interesting unicorns to come out of Japan". TechCrunch. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
  43. ^ Deck, Andrew (October 14, 2021). "Behind SmartNews, the $2 billion unicorn trying to fix the news algorithm". Rest of World. Retrieved December 27, 2024.