NTT DOCOMO Ventures

NTT DOCOMO Ventures is the corporate venture capital arm of NTT Group, a leading Japanese telecommunications operator. Established in February 2008, the firm serves as the NTT Group's primary interface with the global startup and venture community. Its mission is to foster innovation and contribute to the sustainable growth of both the NTT Group and its portfolio companies by leveraging NTT's extensive resources, technological expertise, and market reach. The firm actively seeks out promising startups with high growth potential, aiming to create new business opportunities and transform the global landscape through strategic collaborations.

The firm's investment strategy is broad, covering early-stage to late-stage ventures across various sectors. NTT DOCOMO Ventures operates multiple funds, with a total committed capital exceeding JPY 105 billion across seven funds. Notable funds include the DOCOMO Innovation Fund series and the NTT Investment Partners Fund series. They provide comprehensive support beyond just capital, offering business development assistance, co-creation programs, and access to the NTT Group's vast network and deployment capabilities. This approach helps startups navigate challenges and accelerate their growth, while also enabling the NTT Group to integrate cutting-edge technologies and services.

NTT DOCOMO Ventures has a diverse portfolio with investments spanning technology, telecommunications, and both B2B and B2C sectors. Recent investments highlight their interest in emerging areas such as fusion energy (MiRESSO Co., Ltd.), location-sharing applications (LinQ inc.), and regulated stablecoin infrastructure (Bastion Platforms, Inc.). Other key investment areas include cybersecurity, healthcare, artificial intelligence (e.g., ElevenLabs), cloud computing, IoT, and e-commerce. The firm maintains a global presence with offices in Tokyo, Japan, and Silicon Valley, USA, reflecting its commitment to investing in innovative companies worldwide, including in Europe, Israel, and Southeast Asia.

The leadership team at NTT DOCOMO Ventures includes CEO & CCO Yuko Sasahara and COO Jun Yasumoto. The firm's team comprises experienced professionals like Neil Sadaranganey, Managing Director, who focuses on investments in cloud, IoT, and e-commerce, and other directors such as Yuuki Teranishi, Christopher Hermanowicz, Takuya Takagi, Katsutoshi Nishida, Shinji Morishita, Andy Kondo, Mirai Hara, and Takashi Hara. These team members bring diverse backgrounds and expertise, facilitating strong business support and collaboration between startups and the NTT Group to drive impactful innovations.