What Scrum Ventures does

Scrum Ventures is a private early-stage venture capital firm founded in February 2013 by Tak Miyata, headquartered in San Francisco with a regional headquarters in Tokyo and satellite offices in Minneapolis, New York, and Illinois. The firm operates a hybrid model combining direct venture investment with a co-creation platform (Scrum Studio Co., Ltd., a wholly-owned Japanese subsidiary established August 2020) that connects global startups to Japanese corporate partners, municipalities, and academic institutions. As of 2026 the firm has invested in over 140 portfolio companies across AI, robotics, climate tech, mobility, healthcare, commerce, and sports & entertainment, supported by a 200+ mentor network and anchor corporate LPs including Panasonic, Biprogy, Fujitsu, DeNA, Yamato Holdings, Tokyu Land, SoftBank, and Microsoft Japan.

The firm's core offerings are organized into two tracks: an investment platform that provides seed-to-Series A capital alongside hands-on portfolio support (hiring, fundraising, strategic advice, global expansion via the US-Japan corridor); and a studio platform running named co-innovation programs including Hokkaido F Village X (HFX, launched March 2025), Full Bloom at Sakura Deeptech Shibuya (launched January 2026), SmartCityX, Well-BeingX, AgeTechX, GreenX, and the Sports Innovation Studio. Annual SCRUM CONNECT conferences and Tackle! seminars serve as ecosystem convening events. The firm relies on physical co-creation studios (at Hokkaido Ballpark F Village and Sakura Deeptech Shibuya) for proof-of-concept work with municipal and academic partners including Kitahiroshima City, Hokkaido Prefecture, Shibuya City, MIT, and Hokkaido University.

Scrum Ventures generates revenue through traditional VC fund economics: management fees on committed capital and carried interest on fund profits from portfolio exits, accruing over typical 7–10 year fund lifecycles. The firm does not publicly disclose fund sizes, management fee schedules, or revenue. It was recognized in TIME magazine's America's Top Venture Capital Firms of 2025. Recent disclosed co-investments in 2025–2026 include Circulate Health (seven-figure, December 2025), Tradespace ($15M Series A, January 2026), GlobalComix ($13M, March 2026), and Sequential ($3.5M seed, March 2026).

Name

Scrum Ventures

Legal name

Scrum Ventures LLC

Website

https://scrum.vc

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Scrum Ventures is a private, US-Japan cross-border early-stage venture capital firm and co-creation platform founded in 2013, investing in 140+ startups across AI, robotics, climate tech, mobility, healthcare, commerce, and sports, and operating studio programs like HFX and Full Bloom to connect global founders with Japanese corporates, municipalities, and academic partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Venture Capital and Startup Co-Creation

NAICS

All Other Financial Investment Activities (52399)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Corporate Venture Studios & Incubators (Build/launch ventures) (FSANAHAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Corporate Accelerators & Startup Programs (FSANAHAD)

Keywords

• Venture capital investing
• Early-stage startups
• Corporate-startup co-creation
• Startup acceleration programs
• Cross-border US-Japan investments

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Venture Capital Fund Management: Scrum Ventures generates returns through traditional VC economics — management fees on committed capital and carried interest on fund profits from portfolio company exits. Revenue accrues to fund Limited Partners over the typical 7–10 year fund lifecycle.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Scrum Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm that invests capital in industry-changing startups across AI, robotics, climate tech, mobility, healthcare, commerce, and sports & entertainment. Through its wholly-owned subsidiary Scrum Studio, it runs co-creation and acceleration programs that connect global startups with Japanese corporations and regional governments for proof-of-concept, open innovation, and market entry into Japan.

Product overview

Scrum Ventures operates as a venture capital and co-creation platform with two core offerings: an investment platform for early-stage startups and Scrum Studio for corporate-startup collaboration. The investment platform provides capital and strategic support to startups across AI, robotics, mobility, healthcare, and sports technology sectors. Scrum Studio runs multiple co-innovation programs including Full Bloom (deeptech at Sakura Deeptech Shibuya), Hokkaido F Village X (Hokkaido-based acceleration), SmartCityX, Well-BeingX, AgeTechX, GreenX, and Sports Innovation Studio. The company also organizes SCRUM CONNECT events for networking and knowledge sharing. Together, these products form an ecosystem connecting global startups with Japanese corporations and regional partners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Scrum Ventures Investment Platform Thematic early-stage venture capital investment platform that sources industry-changing startups through trend research and supports portfolio companies with capital, hiring assistance, strategic advice, fundraising, and global expansion through the firm's US-Japan network. Invests in AI, robotics, mobility, healthcare, commerce, climate tech, and sports & entertainment sectors.
• Scrum Studio Co-creation platform operating open innovation programs that connect global startups with Japanese corporations and local governments for proof-of-concept, business development, and new venture creation. Operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Scrum Ventures LLC.
• Hokkaido F Village X (HFX) Acceleration program connecting global startups with Hokkaido for local technology implementation and strategic collaborations. Based at Hokkaido Ballpark F Village, partnering with Yamato Holdings, Tokyu Land, Fighters Sports & Entertainment, Kitahiroshima City, Hokkaido Prefecture, JTB, Hokkaido Bank, and Hokkaido University.
• Full Bloom Co-innovation program at Sakura Deeptech Shibuya, a deeptech innovation hub in Shibuya, Tokyo, supporting deeptech startups through partnerships with MIT, Breakthrough Energy Discovery, AWS, Tokyu Land, and Shibuya City. Offers up to $5,000 in AWS Activate credits and Breakthrough Energy Discovery Ecosystem Grants to participating startups.
• SmartCityX Global community program fostering innovation to make cities more livable through smart city technology initiatives.
• Well-BeingX Well-being innovation program focused on health and wellness technology solutions.
• AgeTechX Program focused on technology solutions for aging populations and senior care.
• GreenX Sustainability and green technology innovation program.
• SPORTS INNOVATION STUDIO Sports technology innovation program connecting sports tech startups with corporations and sports organizations, including the SPORTS TECH TOKYO program co-organized with Dentsu.

Quantifiable outcome

• 140+ portfolio companies invested across AI, robotics, climate tech, mobility, healthcare, commerce, and sports & entertainment
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Nippon HamcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 June 2026Joined as new corporate partner in Year 2 of Hokkaido F Village X, bringing baseball and sports operations expertise to the program alongside the existing partner network.
• Breakthrough Energy DiscoveryminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 January 2026Awarded an Ecosystem Grant to Full Bloom program, supporting deeptech startups in sustainability technology within the Sakura Deeptech Shibuya innovation hub.
• AWS (Amazon Web Services)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 January 2026AWS Activate Provider partner offering up to $5,000 in credits to startups affiliated with the Full Bloom program, supporting cloud infrastructure for deeptech development.
• Yamato HoldingscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Hokkaido F Village X (HFX) program, collaborating with global startups on logistics and delivery innovation projects. Yamato Holdings participated in Year 1 Demo Day showcasing co-creation outcomes.
• Tokyu Land CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey partner in both Hokkaido F Village X and Full Bloom (Sakura Deeptech Shibuya) programs. Collaborates with global startups on real estate innovation, smart city solutions, and deeptech co-creation.
• Fighters Sports & EntertainmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOperational partner for Hokkaido F Village X, enabling startups to deploy and test technologies at Escon Field Hokkaido stadium. Provides sports, entertainment, and stadium operations context for technology validation.
• JTBminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTravel and tourism partner in Hokkaido F Village X program, contributing to inbound tourism and travel-related innovation projects.
• Hokkaido BankminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional banking partner supporting Hokkaido F Village X program and local startup ecosystem development in Hokkaido.
• Kitahiroshima CitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal government partner providing the physical base for HFX at Hokkaido Ballpark F Village. Enables startups to conduct real-world testing and implementation in the regional community.
• Hokkaido PrefecturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional government partner (STARTUP HOKKAIDO execution committee) supporting HFX program with local resources, networks, and policy alignment.
• Hokkaido UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner contributing student collaboration and research support to HFX startup projects, particularly in food preservation and agricultural technology trials.
• MITminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner collaborating with Full Bloom (Sakura Deeptech Shibuya) program, bringing deeptech research expertise and global academic network to the co-innovation initiative.
• Shibuya CitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal partner collaborating with Scrum Studio and Tokyu Land Corporation to build a stronger startup ecosystem in Shibuya through deeptech, sustainability, pilot projects, and talent development initiatives.
• Dentsu Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizer of SPORTS TECH TOKYO program alongside Scrum Ventures, bringing advertising and sports marketing expertise and connecting the program with Japan's largest advertising network.
• SoftBank Corp.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGold partner in SPORTS TECH TOKYO, mentoring and supporting sports tech startups throughout the program and exploring proof-of-concept collaborations within the sports industry.
• Sony Music Entertainment (Japan)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGold partner in SPORTS TECH TOKYO, contributing music and entertainment industry expertise to sports tech innovation programs.
• Microsoft JapancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGold partner in SPORTS TECH TOKYO, providing technology infrastructure and cloud support for sports tech startup development.
• CBC Co., Ltd.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGold partner in SPORTS TECH TOKYO, contributing broadcast and media industry expertise to sports technology innovation.
• ITOCHU Corporation / ITOCHU Techno-Solutions CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPlatinum partners in SPORTS TECH TOKYO, providing trading company networks and IT solutions expertise for sports tech startup scaling.
• Titletown TechminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGreen Bay Packers and Microsoft partnership-based investment and innovation organization, featured at SCRUM CONNECT 2026 as a model for US-Japan regional innovation collaboration between HFX and Titletown Tech.
• Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResource partner in HFX program, providing international trade and investment support for global startups entering the Japanese market.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• World Innovation Lab (WiL): US-Japan cross-border venture capital firm headquartered in Silicon Valley and Tokyo with a similar mandate of connecting global startups with Japanese corporates. WiL is one of the most directly comparable firms to Scrum Ventures in geography, fund structure, and corporate partnership model.
• DCM Ventures: US-based venture firm with deep Japan operations (Tokyo office, Japanese LP base including NTT Docomo, Dai Nippon Printing). Comparable to Scrum in cross-border US-Japan investing, stage focus (early to growth), and emphasis on consumer/enterprise software and deeptech.
• Plug and Play Tech Center: Global startup accelerator and venture investor that runs industry-specific programs with corporate partners, including in Japan. Plug and Play's accelerator-plus-corporate-partnership model mirrors Scrum Studio's HFX, Full Bloom, and vertical programs.
• SOSV: Global venture capital firm operating multiple vertical accelerator programs (HAX, IndieBio, dlab, etc.). SOSV co-invested with Scrum Ventures in Sequential's $3.5M seed round and shares a comparable accelerator-plus-VC hybrid model.
• Draper Nexus: US-Japan cross-border venture capital firm with operations in Silicon Valley and Tokyo. Draper Nexus historically invested in early-stage startups connecting US innovation to Japanese corporates, making it one of the closest historical comparables to Scrum Ventures.

Broad incumbents

• Global Brain: One of Japan's largest independent venture capital firms with offices in Tokyo, Silicon Valley, and other Asian hubs. Global Brain invests across stages and verticals with strong corporate LP relationships, making it a broader incumbent comparable to Scrum's US-Japan platform.
• JAFCO Group: Largest independent VC in Japan, managing multiple early-to-growth funds with US and Asia offices. JAFCO is a broad incumbent comparable in fund structure and Japan market access, though at significantly greater AUM scale than Scrum Ventures.
• Techstars: Global accelerator network with industry-specific programs and corporate partnerships. Techstars is a broad incumbent comparable to Scrum in accelerator mechanics, though it operates at significantly greater global scale.
• 500 Global: Global venture capital firm and accelerator with strong Asia-Pacific presence. 500 Global's accelerator-plus-fund model and emerging-markets focus make it a broader incumbent comparable to Scrum's studio/accelerator platform.

Emerging players

• Antler: Global early-stage VC and founder residency program with active presence in Japan and Southeast Asia. Antler's day-zero accelerator approach and Asia focus partially overlap with Scrum's studio programs, particularly Full Bloom.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/scrumventures
• Xx.com/ScrumVentures
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/scrum-ventures

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments169 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Scrum Ventures