Universal Materials Incubator Co., Ltd.

Universal Materials Incubator Co., Ltd. (UMI) is a Japanese venture capital firm established in October 2015, focusing on early-stage investments in the materials and chemical sectors. The firm aims to strengthen Japan's technological capabilities by fostering outstanding material and chemical companies and cultivating an industry structure that can compete globally. UMI provides equity investments and management support to promising technologies and technologists originating from Japanese companies and academia, contributing to the creation of new businesses and the development of a globally competitive industry structure.

UMI manages several investment funds, including the UMI I Investment Limited Partnership, UMI II Investment Limited Partnership, and UMI III Investment Limited Partnership, with total commitments ranging from approximately 6 billion to 10 billion JPY. These funds focus on investing in and fostering venture companies in the materials and chemical industries. The firm has established strategic partnerships with organizations such as the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) in Taiwan and SOURCING BROTHERS Co., Ltd. to promote collaborations and support startup growth in the material and chemical fields.

UMI's investment portfolio includes companies like Ac-Planta Inc., which raised 480 million JPY in a Series A round in March 2024, with UMI participating as an investor. The firm also invested in Boost Biomes, a Y Combinator-backed agricultural biotech startup, in December 2020, contributing to its mission of developing microbiome-based bio-fungicides and bio-pesticides for agricultural applications. Through these investments and partnerships, UMI continues to support the growth and global competitiveness of Japan's material and chemical industries.