Global Brain Corporation
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1998
- HeadquartersTokyo, Japan
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
Global Brain Corporation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Global Brain Corporation
- Legal name
- Global Brain Corporation
- Website
- https://globalbrains.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1998
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Global Brain Corporation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Venture Capital
- NAICS
- Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940)
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Corporate Venture Capital (CVC) (FSANAAAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Corporate Venture Studios & Incubators (Build/launch ventures) (FSANAHAC), Corporate Strategic Partnership & Ecosystem Investment Arms (FSANAHAF)
Keywords
Where Global Brain Corporation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tokyo
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices10 records
Markets served
Global Brain Corporation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Fund Management Fees: Recurring management fees earned on Assets Under Management (AUM) of $2.7B+ across flagship and CVC funds, including dedicated corporate venture capital funds with partners like KDDI, Mitsui Fudosan, Sony Financial Ventures, and 18+ other major corporates. Fees are typically a percentage of committed capital during the investment period and invested capital thereafter.
- Carried Interest and Capital Gains: Performance-based returns from successful exits, including 42 IPOs and 89 M&A events to date across the portfolio. Realized through direct equity stakes in startups and carried interest in fund performance beyond hurdle rates.
- Advisory and Hands-on Support Services: Value-added services provided to portfolio companies including hands-on mentoring, business development support, talent placement (via GB Innovators Lounge), PR/branding, and strategic introductions. These are typically bundled within fund management rather than charged separately.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Investment range per deal: JPY 30M to 5B, with investment decisions possible in as little as 1 month |
| Other | Multi-year contract | GB Xlimit accelerator baseline investment: JPY 10M per selected startup, with continued fundraising support in subsequent rounds |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels10 records
Global Brain Corporation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Global Brain Corporation is an independent venture capital firm that invests in seed to pre-IPO startups and provides hands-on operational support to portfolio companies. The firm manages $2.7B+ in assets across flagship funds and more than 22 corporate venture capital (CVC) funds jointly established with major Japanese and global corporates. In addition to capital deployment, Global Brain runs the GB Xlimit accelerator program for pre-Series A startups and offers post-investment support spanning strategy, business development, talent acquisition, PR, and IPO/M&A exit preparation.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- GB Xlimit: Accelerator / open innovation program (rebranded from XLIMIT in June 2026) connecting startups with corporate partners.
- GB Innovators Lounge
- GB Universe
- GB Pit In
Products and services
- Direct Venture Capital Investment
- GB Xlimit Accelerator Program
- CVC Fund Management Services
- Hands-on Portfolio Support Services
- GB Innovators Lounge
- Global Brain x Techstars Partnership Platform
Quantifiable outcome
- 42 portfolio IPOs and 89 M&A exits to date
- +6 more outcomes
Companies that use Global Brain Corporation
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Global Brain Corporation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Global Brain Corporation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and moderate.
- TechstarsflagshipStrategic partnership with Techstars (one of the world's largest accelerators) to connect the Japanese startup ecosystem with the global market. Includes a joint venture capital fund with a target size of $200M, plus introduction of Techstars' Corporate Accelerator and Founder Catalyst programs to companies, municipalities, and universities across Japan and Asia. Aims to accelerate globalization of Japanese startups while providing Techstars portfolio companies with Asia market access.
- Astellas Pharma, Maruho, Ono Pharmaceutical (via MSS Korea-Japan pharma R&D framework)moderateKorea-Japan pharmaceutical and bio R&D cooperation framework involving Korea's Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS) and three major Japanese pharmaceutical companies. Global Brain and DCI Partners announced investment plans for Korean bio ventures at the event, supporting joint R&D and commercialization.
- TAKANAWA GATEWAY CITY (East Japan Railway Company and partners)flagshipManages TAKANAWA GATEWAY Global Co-Benefits Fund L.P. (around JPY 10B) with LPs including East Japan Railway Company, Akita Bank, Fuyo General Lease, Mitsubishi UFJ Trust, SEIBU HOLDINGS, Daiwa Securities, DENTSU, ITO EN, JTB, Nippon Steel Kowa Real Estate, TOTO. Targets environment, mobility, and healthcare sectors and supports Proof of Concepts at TAKANAWA GATEWAY CITY.
Scale indicators16 records
Recent moves11 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Global Brain Corporation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- JAFCO Group: Largest listed Japanese venture capital firm with broad early-to-growth stage investing across Japan and Asia. Most direct competitor to Global Brain in independent Japanese VC, with overlapping portfolio profiles and similar CVC fund management.
- World Innovation Lab (WiL): Japan-US cross-border VC firm that invests in enterprise and consumer tech startups with strong corporate LP base. Comparable business model combining independent VC fund management with strategic corporate partnerships, similar to Global Brain's CVC platform.
- University of Tokyo Edge Capital (UTEC): Tokyo-based deep tech and science-focused VC firm with university-linked LP base. Directly comparable to Global Brain in the deep tech segment, with similar seed-to-Series A check sizes and Japanese institutional investor base.
- ANRI: Tokyo-based early-stage VC firm focused on Japanese seed startups with strong founder community presence. Comparable in early-stage deal velocity and Japanese market focus, though narrower in sector breadth than Global Brain.
- Coral Capital: Bilingual Japan-US VC firm investing in Japanese startups with global ambitions. Comparable in cross-border orientation, pre-Series A focus, and partnership-driven value-add model.
- Headline (formerly Infinity Ventures): Global VC firm with Japan and Asia-Pacific roots investing in consumer internet and tech. Comparable in cross-border Japan-US deal flow, early-to-growth stage focus, and corporate ecosystem access.
Broad incumbents
- DCM Ventures: US-headquartered VC firm with significant Japan and Asia operations and long history of Japanese investments. Comparable in cross-border Japan focus and mid-stage check sizes, though broader in geographic mandate than Global Brain.
- Salesforce Ventures: Large corporate venture capital arm of Salesforce with global enterprise software focus. Comparable to Global Brain's CVC fund management model as a captive LP-style vehicle investing in enterprise SaaS and AI startups.
- SoftBank Vision Fund: Tokyo-headquartered mega-cap investment fund with massive global tech focus. Comparable as a Japanese-domiciled VC firm with cross-border operations, though materially larger and later-stage focused than Global Brain.
Emerging players
- Atomico: European-headquartered VC firm with growing Asia-Pacific presence and corporate partnership model. Comparable as an internationally-oriented independent VC with thesis-driven sector specialization, though smaller scale in Japan.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks4 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Global Brain Corporation social profiles
Digital presenceGlobal Brain Corporation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Global Brain Corporation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Global Brain Corporation subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries4 records
Global Brain Corporation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Global Brain Corporation M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments844 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Global Brain Corporation
What does Global Brain Corporation do?
Global Brain Corporation is an independent venture capital firm that invests in seed to pre-IPO startups and provides hands-on operational support to portfolio companies. The firm manages $2.7B+ in assets across flagship funds and more than 22 corporate venture capital (CVC) funds jointly established with major Japanese and global corporates. In addition to capital deployment, Global Brain runs the GB Xlimit accelerator program for pre-Series A startups and offers post-investment support spanning strategy, business development, talent acquisition, PR, and IPO/M&A exit preparation.
Is Global Brain Corporation a public or private company?
Global Brain Corporation is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Global Brain Corporation founded?
Global Brain Corporation was founded in 1998. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Global Brain Corporation based?
Global Brain Corporation is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, in the Asia region.
How does Global Brain Corporation make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Fund Management Fees are the primary driver. The others are carried Interest and Capital Gains and advisory and Hands-on Support Services.
Who are Global Brain Corporation's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are JAFCO Group, World Innovation Lab (WiL), University of Tokyo Edge Capital (UTEC), ANRI, Coral Capital and Headline (formerly Infinity Ventures). Broad incumbents are DCM Ventures, Salesforce Ventures and SoftBank Vision Fund. Atomico is listed as an emerging player.
Does Global Brain Corporation have an API?
No public API is recorded for Global Brain Corporation.
What industry is Global Brain Corporation in?
Global Brain Corporation's product category is Venture Capital. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSANAAAF, Corporate Venture Capital (CVC), with a secondary code of FSANAHAC, Corporate Venture Studios & Incubators (Build/launch ventures). Its NAICS code is 523940 and its SIC code is 6282.