MIRAISE

MIRAISE is a Tokyo-based seed venture capital firm that focuses on investing in early-stage technology companies founded by engineers. The firm provides hands-on support and mentorship to help these entrepreneurs grow their businesses. MIRAISE offers a 100-day mentoring program called On-Deck to assist entrepreneurs in transforming their ideas into reality and a Seed Fund that provides up to JPY 20 million in investments to early-stage startups, aiding them in achieving growth for their next funding round.

The firm's investment strategy centers on supporting engineer entrepreneurs who possess both technical skills and innovative ideas. By offering experienced mentors and resources, MIRAISE aims to foster the development of disruptive technologies and startups with high growth potential, particularly in fields such as AI, blockchain, and healthtech. The firm has invested in 49 startups located in Japan, the United States, Estonia, and other countries as of December 2022.

MIRAISE was founded in 2018 by Shin Iwata, formerly of Skype and Atomico. The firm is uniquely positioned to support engineer founders in Japan, leveraging deep technical and operational experience to back entrepreneurs with bold ideas. By focusing on engineer-led startups, MIRAISE seeks to contribute to the growth and success of the next generation of technology companies emerging from Japan.