GLOBIS Capital Partners Celebrates 30th Anniversary

Total Investment Capital Across Seven Funds Attained ¥180B with 38 IPOs; Latest Fund VIII Targeted at Over ¥70B to Drive AI and Global Unicorn Growth

TOKYO (July 1, 2026)—GLOBIS Capital Partners (GCP) today marks its 30th anniversary of establishment. Since 1996, GCP has pursued a mission to “create world-class industries emerging from Japan.” As Japan’s first independent early-stage venture capital firm, GCP has gone beyond financing to create a management ecosystem of people, capital, and knowledge that reflects the ambitions of the founders.

This milestone today represents the dedication of the entrepreneurs who have partnered with GCP, the long-term commitment of its investors, and the support of stakeholders across the startup ecosystem. GCP expresses its deepest gratitude to everyone who has shared this journey.

GCP’s 30 Years and Journey of Seven Funds

Since its founding as Japan’s first independent early-stage venture capital firm, GCP has led the formation and growth of Japan’s startup ecosystem for 30 years. Staying close to entrepreneurs’ aspirations, the firm has refined businesses alongside them and worked to create society-transforming companies.

Drawing on insights accumulated  over these 30 years, GCP will continue to devote itself to advancing the venture capital industry and the startup ecosystem. The firm will support the creation of new industries that drive Japan’s future and press forward toward a more prosperous Japanese economy. The full record of GCP’s 30-year history and the seven funds established to date are available on its website.

URL: https://www.globiscapital.co.jp/en/about/history

GCP by the Numbers

Since Fund I: GLOBIS Incubation Fund (¥540 million), established in 1996, GCP’s cumulative assets under management (AUM) have grown to over ¥180 billion across seven funds. The latest Fund VIII is projected to exceed ¥70 billion.

Fund History and Growth

• GLOBIS Incubation Fund (GIF) (1996) ¥540M
• Apax GLOBIS Japan Fund (AGJF) (1999) ¥20B
• GLOBIS Fund III (2006) ¥18B
• GLOBIS Fund IV (2013) ¥11.5B
• GLOBIS Fund V (2016) ¥16B, GLOBIS Fund V-S (2020) ¥4B
• GLOBIS Fund VI & VI-S (2019) ¥40B
• GLOBIS Fund VII (GFVII) & GLOBIS Fund VII-S (GFVII-S) (2022) ¥72.7B

Cumulative Portfolio and Track Record

• Total Portfolio Companies: 230+
• IPOs: 38
• M&As: 30

To date, GCP has backed the ambitions of many entrepreneurs, including leading Japanese growth companies such as Visional, Inc., Yappli, Inc., and Mercari, Inc.

Message from Yoshito Hori, Founder and Managing Partner, GLOBIS Capital Partners

“In 1996, four years after founding GLOBIS, I set out to establish a venture capital firm. Since our founding, the vision of GLOBIS has been to ‘create and innovate societies by fostering a management ecosystem of people, capital, and knowledge.’ The ‘people’ pillar began with the launch of our business school in 1992. Four years later in 1996, we established the ‘capital’ pillar, launching a ¥540 million fund in November that year.

I would like to express my deepest gratitude to our investors, the entrepreneurs who entrusted us with their capital, and everyone who has supported our vision over the last 30 years.

In 1996, when ‘venture capital’ was still an unfamiliar concept in Japan, GLOBIS Capital took its first step as a division of GLOBIS. In 1999 we formed a joint venture with Apax Partners and raised a ¥20 billion fund, and in 2006 dissolved the joint venture to become independent as GLOBIS Capital Partners (GCP).

Thirty years have now passed since GLOBIS launched its venture capital business. This 30th anniversary is not a finish line for GCP, but a waypoint toward new challenges. GCP will remain a trusted partner to entrepreneurs through hands-on investment that offers multifaceted support— funding (capital), management know-how (knowledge), and network and human resources (people). Through our latest Fund VIII, GCP will assume even greater risk for further development of the startup ecosystem and the creation of new industries in Japan.

Please look forward to the next 30 years of innovation from GLOBIS.”

About GLOBIS Capital Partners

Established in 1996, GLOBIS Capital Partners (GCP) was Japan’s first full-scale hands-on venture capital company. GCP offers entrepreneurs and ventures in the seed and growth stages comprehensive support across the three elements essential to growing a strong company: people (human resources), capital (funds), and knowledge (management expertise). To date, GCP has grown its cumulative assets under management to over 180 billion Yen and invested in more than 230 companies, producing many of Japan’s leading public companies, including Visional, Inc., Yappli, Inc., and Mercari, Inc.

About GLOBIS

Since its foundation in 1992, GLOBIS has fostered a vision to create and innovate societies by fostering management ecosystems of people, capital, and knowledge. Today, the company is involved in a range of activities, from higher education and corporate training to venture capital. GLOBIS also operates the G1 Institute and the KIBOW Foundation, both non-profit organizations to promote creativity and innovation in society. The GLOBIS MBA and corporate training programs are offered both online and in person across Japan, China, Singapore, Thailand, the USA, Belgium, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Taiwan. GLOBIS University is one of Asia’s largest graduate business schools and aims to become the world’s No. 1 MBA in the Technovate Era.

GLOBIS Group

• GLOBIS Corporation
• Graduate School of Management, GLOBIS University
• GLOBIS Capital Partners & Co.
• GLOBIS Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd.
• GLOBIS Asia Campus Pte. Ltd.
• GLOBIS China Co., Ltd.
• GLOBIS Europe BV
• PT. GLOBIS Indonesia Hub
• GLOBIS Manila Inc.
• GLOBIS Taiwan Co., Ltd.
• GLOBIS Thailand Co., Ltd.
• GLOBIS USA, Inc.

Other Activities

• G1 Institute
• KIBOW Foundation
• Ibaraki Robots Sports Entertainment
• LuckyFM Ibaraki Broadcasting System

Contact

GLOBIS Corporate Communications
E-mail: Contact Form