Kobe University Capital, the venture capital arm of Kobe University in Japan, has signed up UTokyo Innovation Platform as a limited partner for its second vehicle, the KUC2 Fund, targeting ¥6 billion.
The fund secured ¥1.5 billion from the sovereign wealth fund Japan Investment Corporation in mid-March, and Kobe University Capital has now confirmed the KUC2 Fund has nine LPs.
These also include financial services providers SBI Group, Kobe Shinkin Bank, Minato Bank, Ikeda Senshu Bank, Osaka Shoko Shinkin Bank, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, and Tajima Bank.
Kobe University Capital previously raised ¥2.2 billion for its first fund in 2023.
A key shift is the KUC2 Fund’s broadened mandate: alongside its traditional investment in university startups, the KUC2 Fund will actively develop new ventures from the ground up. This includes providing support for entrepreneurship, growth strategies, and international market entry – a model increasingly common among university venture funds.
The fund has a lifespan of 10 years, though this could be extended by up to two years.
“We are truly honoured to receive this investment from UTokyo IPC, one of Japan’s leading organisations supporting university-originated startups. This partnership represents a significant step forward in realizing our vision. By strengthening collaboration between eastern and western Japan’s academic ecosystems, we are confident that we can further accelerate the growth of Japan’s deep tech sector as a whole.”
Yoshifumi Mizuhara, managing director of Kobe University Capital
UTokyo Innovation Platform, affiliated with the University of Tokyo, made its commitment through a fund-of-funds, the Academic Startup Acceleration (ASA) Fund.
