Drone Fund
Drone Fund is a Tokyo-based, drone-focused venture capital firm founded in 2017 that invests across aerial, maritime, and ground robotics startups in Japan and internationally, operating multiple dedicated funds and providing operational support to its portfolio companies.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersTokyo, Japan
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Drone Fund does
Drone Fund (DRONE FUND株式会社) is a Tokyo-based, drone-focused venture capital firm founded in 2017 that invests across the full spectrum of the unmanned systems industry — aerial, maritime, and ground robotics — covering hardware, software, core technologies, and services in both Japanese and international markets. The firm operates dedicated investment vehicles, including DRONE FUND 1号 and DRONE FUND 3号 (DRONE FUND No. 3 Investment Business Limited Partnership), from which it executes both initial and follow-on equity investments. Its disclosed portfolio spans roughly a dozen companies, including aerial operators and software firms (CLUE, DIPL, aeronext, irobotics, Liberaware, PRODRONE), underwater industrial drone developer FullDepth, ground mobility platform TriOrb, 3D positioning provider MetCom, control-AI firm Aising, and manufacturing platform MadeHere.
The firm's investment thesis is anchored by a long-term vision of a 'drone/air mobility prerequisite society' (ドローン・エアモビリティ前提社会) by 2050, which informs both its deal selection and its public-facing regulatory and policy work — including dedicated commentary on the 2022 Aviation Rulemaking Committee BVLOS report. Beyond capital, Drone Fund provides operational and management support to portfolio companies, exemplified by joint pitch events co-hosted with strategic partners such as UTEC (University of Tokyo Edge Capital Partners), Chiba Dojo (千葉道場), and Mori Building (森ビル) at the Tokyo Venture Capital Hub inside Azabudai Hills.
Drone Fund is privately held, headquartered in Minato-ku, Tokyo, employs 11–50 people, and is led by representative partners Chiba Koutaro (千葉功太郎) and Omae Soki (大前創希). Revenue is generated through conventional VC economics — management fees on committed capital and carried interest on realized exits — and is not publicly disclosed. Co-investment activity shows the firm operating alongside established Japanese financial and strategic investors (Sparx Asset Management, Mitsubishi UFJ Capital, Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Capital, Aozora Corporate Investment, Beyond Next Ventures), lending credibility to its position within Japan's deep-tech VC landscape.
Drone Fund firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Drone Fund
- Legal name
- DRONE FUND株式会社
- Website
- https://dronefund.vc
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Drone Fund is a Tokyo-based, drone-focused venture capital firm founded in 2017 that invests across aerial, maritime, and ground robotics startups in Japan and internationally, operating multiple dedicated funds and providing operational support to its portfolio companies.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Drone Fund industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Venture Capital
- NAICS
- All Other Financial Investment Activities (52399)
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Micro-VC & Angel Funds (FSANAAAI)
Keywords
Where Drone Fund is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tokyo
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
Drone Fund business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Others
Revenue model
- Investment Returns: Drone Fund generates returns through equity investments in drone startups, with exits realized through IPOs, acquisitions, or secondary sales.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
Drone Fund product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Drone Fund is a drone-focused venture capital firm that operates multiple investment funds (including DRONE FUND 1号 and DRONE FUND 3号) to provide equity capital and management support to drone-related startups across hardware, software, core technology, and services in Japan and internationally. The firm targets a 'drone-first society' (ドローン前提社会) and a 'drone/air mobility prerequisite society' by 2050.
Product overview
Drone Fund is a drone-focused venture capital firm (ドローン特化型ベンチャーキャピタル) that operates multiple investment funds to support companies aiming toward a 'drone-first society' (ドローン前提社会). The firm invests across the full spectrum of the drone industry including hardware, software, core technology, and services, providing not only capital but also management support and networking opportunities to its portfolio companies. The main products are the investment funds (DRONE FUND 1号, 3号) and associated portfolio support services including co-hosted pitch events with partner organizations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Companies that use Drone Fund
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Drone Fund technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Drone Fund partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- UTEC (東京大学エッジキャピタルパートナーズ)coreDrone Fund co-hosted a joint pitch event with UTEC at Tokyo Venture Capital Hub focusing on field-driven AI and real-world technology value creation. Both funds presented portfolio companies.
- 千葉道場株式会社coreDrone Fund co-hosted a joint pitch session with Chiba Dojo at Tokyo Venture Capital Hub. The event featured startups from both funds to foster collaboration between CVCs and startups.
- 森ビル株式会社coreDrone Fund partners with Mori Building Co., Ltd. to host joint startup pitch events at Tokyo Venture Capital Hub located in Azabu-do Hills Garden Plaza B.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Drone Fund competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- UTEC (University of Tokyo Edge Capital Partners): Japan's leading deep-tech-focused VC originating from the University of Tokyo. Highly comparable to Drone Fund as a Japanese deep-tech specialist and a frequent co-investment partner in drone and AI deals.
- Beyond Next Ventures: Tokyo-based deep-tech VC investing in robotics, hardware, and life sciences. Comparable as a Japanese deep-tech specialist and an active co-investor with Drone Fund in FullDepth.
- Lux Capital: US deep-tech VC with concentrated exposure to drones, aerospace, robotics and autonomy. Comparable as a thematic deep-tech specialist with drone/air mobility exposure that Drone Fund aspires to emulate at Japan scale.
- Chiba Dojo (千葉道場): Japan-based startup accelerator/CVC founded by Chiba Kotaro. Directly comparable as a Japan CVC co-hosting pitch events with Drone Fund, sharing leadership and overlapping LP base.
Broad incumbents
- Global Brain: One of Japan's largest independent VCs with broad sector coverage including deep tech and mobility. Comparable as a Japan-based VC operating at significantly larger AUM than Drone Fund.
- World Innovation Lab (WiL): Japan-US cross-border VC investing in enterprise, mobility, and deep tech. Comparable as a Japan-anchored VC with international mobility/deep-tech thesis overlap.
- JAFCO: Japan's largest VC firm with broad technology and growth-stage exposure. Comparable as a long-established Japan VC though operating at much larger scale and broader sector mandate.
- Khosla Ventures: US deep-tech VC with notable investments in autonomous systems, robotics, and aerospace. Comparable as a high-conviction deep-tech investor though with a much broader mandate than Drone Fund.
- DCVC (Data Collective): US deep-tech VC focused on computational and engineering-driven startups including autonomy and aerospace. Comparable as a deep-tech specialist with adjacent robotics/drone thesis.
Regional players
- Mitsubishi UFJ Capital: Japan corporate VC affiliated with MUFG. Comparable as a co-investor alongside Drone Fund in TriOrb and as a Japan institutional capital source into drone/deep-tech startups.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Drone Fund social profiles
Digital presenceDrone Fund financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Drone Fund leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Drone Fund funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Drone Fund M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments78 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Drone Fund
What does Drone Fund do?
Drone Fund is a drone-focused venture capital firm that operates multiple investment funds (including DRONE FUND 1号 and DRONE FUND 3号) to provide equity capital and management support to drone-related startups across hardware, software, core technology, and services in Japan and internationally. The firm targets a 'drone-first society' (ドローン前提社会) and a 'drone/air mobility prerequisite society' by 2050.
Is Drone Fund a public or private company?
Drone Fund is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Drone Fund founded?
Drone Fund was founded in 2017. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Drone Fund based?
Drone Fund is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, in the Asia region.
How does Drone Fund make money?
One revenue line is on record: investment Returns.
Who are Drone Fund's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are UTEC (University of Tokyo Edge Capital Partners), Beyond Next Ventures, Lux Capital and Chiba Dojo (千葉道場). Broad incumbents are Global Brain, World Innovation Lab (WiL), JAFCO, Khosla Ventures and DCVC (Data Collective). Mitsubishi UFJ Capital is listed as a regional player.
Does Drone Fund have an API?
No public API is recorded for Drone Fund.
What industry is Drone Fund in?
Drone Fund's product category is Venture Capital. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSANAAAI, Micro-VC & Angel Funds. Its NAICS code is 52399 and its SIC code is 6282.