Yokohama Capital

What Yokohama Capital does

Yokohama Capital Co., Ltd. (横浜キャピタル株式会社) is a Japan-based venture capital and private equity firm founded in March 1984 as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Yokohama Bank (Bank of Yokohama), now operating under Yokohama Financial Group. The firm provides equity investment and management support across three core strategies: venture and growth-stage investment for startups, business succession and buyout investment for small and medium-sized enterprises, and business regeneration (turnaround) investment for companies requiring restructuring. Its primary catchment is Kanagawa Prefecture and the Tokyo metropolitan area, supplemented by a cross-regional partnership with Chiba Bank covering Chiba Prefecture.

The firm operates a multi-vehicle fund platform totaling roughly ¥210B in disclosed AUM, anchored by Yokohama Growth1号 (¥30B, venture/growth, established September 2024), Yokohama Next (¥60B, versatile VC and succession, March 2023), Yokohama Next2号 (¥50B, buyout/succession/regeneration, September 2024), the Chiba-Yokohama Partnership 1号 Fund (March 2021), and the Kanagawa SME Support Fund (¥20B, January 2019), plus legacy vehicles including Mirai Regional Activation and Kanagawa Tourism Activation. LPs include Yokohama Bank, Hamgin Finance, Hamgin Sogo Research Institute, Chiba Bank, the Development Bank of Japan, and the Organization for Small & Medium Enterprises. Co-investment with regional financial institutions and policy-aligned agencies is a structural feature rather than an exception.

Portfolio construction spans seed-to-Series A opportunities across biotech/pharma (Reborna Biosciences, Eurus Therapeutics, PURMX Therapeutics, Lekmed), clean energy/GX (PXP perovskite-chalcopyrite tandem solar, EV Motors Japan), space tech (Pale Blue water-propellant ion thrusters, Iwaya Giken high-altitude balloons), AI/data services (NABLA Mobility for aviation decarbonization, any Inc./Qast knowledge management, GVA TECH legal AI), Web3 (JPYC yen stablecoin), IoT (Nature Remo), cultivated meat (Integriculture), and agricultural robotics (Regmin). Revenue mechanics consist of traditional VC management fees on committed/invested capital across active funds and capital appreciation/realized carry from exits. The firm references an IPO track record of more than 100 companies between 1988 and 2024 across TSE (First Section, Growth/Mothers) and JASDAQ venues. Distribution relies almost exclusively on parent-bank channel — Yokohama Bank's Kanagawa/Tokyo branch network drives deal origination, post-investment business matching, and limited-partner support; the firm operates from a single headquarters in Minato Mirai, Yokohama, and joined the Japan Venture Capital Association in June 2023.

Name

Yokohama Capital

Legal name

横浜キャピタル株式会社 (Yokohama Capital Co., Ltd.)

Website

https://yokohama-capital.co.jp/

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Yokohama Capital is a Yokohama-headquartered venture capital and private equity firm, wholly owned by Yokohama Bank (Yokohama Financial Group), providing equity investment, business succession/buyout financing, and turnaround support for startups and SMEs across Kanagawa and Tokyo.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Yokohama

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Fund Management Fees: Yokohama Capital earns management fees from operating investment funds. The firm manages multiple funds with total AUM of 210 billion yen across active funds including Yokohama Growth1号 (30 billion yen), Yokohama Next2号 (50 billion yen), and Yokohama Next (60 billion yen).
2. Investment Returns / Capital Gains: The firm generates returns through equity investments in portfolio companies, benefiting from IPO exits and capital appreciation. Historical IPO track record includes over 100 companies that have gone public.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Yokohama Capital provides equity investment and post-investment management support to startups, growth-stage companies, and SMEs through multiple dedicated investment funds. Core activities span three categories: venture/growth investment supporting startup expansion, business succession and buyout investment enabling ownership transition, and business regeneration investment supporting corporate turnaround scenarios. Total assets under management amount to 210 billion yen across active funds, with a historical track record of over 100 portfolio company IPOs since 1988.

Product overview

Yokohama Capital (横浜キャピタル株式会社) is a venture capital and private equity firm established in 1984 as a subsidiary of Yokohama Bank (now part of Yokohama Financial Group). The company operates a diversified portfolio of investment funds including venture capital funds (Yokohama Growth1号, Yokohama Next), buyout/succession funds (Yokohama Next2号), and regional partnership funds. Their investment focus areas span startups, growth companies, and companies requiring business succession support across Kanagawa Prefecture and Tokyo. The portfolio includes knowledge management platforms (Qast), aviation optimization AI solutions (NABLA Mobility), renewable energy technology (PXP solar cells), and biotech/pharmaceutical ventures (Reborna Biosciences, Eurus Therapeutics, PURMX Therapeutics, Recmed, Varinos).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Yokohama Growth 1号 Fund (横浜キャピタル Growth 1号投資事業有限責任組合) A venture capital and growth support fund targeting startups and growth-stage companies seeking equity capital in Kanagawa Prefecture and surrounding areas. Fund size 3 billion yen; 10-year investment period.
• Yokohama Next 2号 Fund (Yokohama Next 2号投資事業有限責任組合) A buyout, business succession, and business revitalization fund providing equity capital for SMEs requiring ownership transition or turnaround support. Fund size 5 billion yen.
• Yokohama Next Fund (Yokohama Next投資事業有限責任組合) A versatile investment fund supporting venture capital, growth equity, and interim ownership arrangements for business succession or transfer purposes. Fund size 6 billion yen.
• Chiba-Yokohama Partnership 1号 Fund (千葉・横浜パートナーシップ1号投資事業有限責任組合) A regional partnership fund co-established with Chiba Bank targeting business succession and growth investment opportunities for SME customers of both banks across Kanagawa and Chiba prefectures.
• Kanagawa SME Support Fund (かながわ中小企業支援ファンド投資事業有限責任組合) A 2 billion yen fund providing medium-to-long-term equity participation support to SMEs in Kanagawa Prefecture, in collaboration with regional financial institutions and the SME Agency.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 100 IPO successes spanning 1988-2024
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 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

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Mizuho Capital: VC subsidiary of Mizuho Financial Group. Directly comparable bank-affiliated VC with multi-fund strategy across venture, growth, and succession investments in Japan.
• Chiba Capital: Investment arm of Chiba Bank, which is itself an LP partner of Yokohama Capital in the Chiba-Yokohama Partnership Fund. Comparable as a regional bank-affiliated VC operating in adjacent Japanese geography.
• DBJ Capital: VC arm of the Development Bank of Japan. Notably DBJ is already an LP partner of Yokohama Capital in the Tsunagu Business Succession Fund, making this a co-LP and direct operational peer.
• Daiwa Corporate Investment: Investment arm of Daiwa Securities Group, providing equity capital to Japanese startups and SMEs including succession/MBO deals. Comparable as a financial-group-affiliated VC/PE firm with diversified strategy.
• Nissay Capital: Wholly-owned VC subsidiary of Nippon Life Insurance, providing equity capital and management support to Japanese startups and growth companies. Closest structural analogue — a large insurance/financial group's VC arm — making it a directly comparable bank/insurer-affiliated VC.
• Mitsubishi UFJ Capital: VC arm of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, one of Japan's mega-banks. Comparable bank-affiliated VC operating multiple funds targeting venture and growth-stage Japanese companies.
• SMBC Venture Capital: VC arm of Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation. Comparable as a bank-affiliated VC with national deal flow and multi-fund operations targeting startups and growth-stage companies.

Broad incumbents

• SBI Investment: One of Japan's largest VC/PE managers, operating numerous venture, growth, and buyout funds with a national footprint. Comparable in strategy but materially larger in AUM and brand recognition.
• JAFCO Group: Japan's largest venture capital and buyout firm with >¥500B AUM. Directly comparable as it operates VC, growth, and buyout/succession funds across Japan; far larger scale but same multi-strategy VC/PE model.

Emerging players

• Globis Capital Partners: Independent VC firm affiliated with the Globis group, focused on Japanese growth-stage startups. Comparable as a Japanese VC investor but operates independently rather than as a bank subsidiary.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments54 records

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

Frequently asked questions about Yokohama Capital