Z Ventures

Z Venture Capital (ZVC) is the corporate venture capital arm of LY Corporation, a prominent Japanese internet services conglomerate. The firm is dedicated to empowering humanity through innovation by investing in and supporting innovative startups that drive transformative societal changes. ZVC focuses on a broad range of sectors including B2B and B2C services, media, healthcare, information technology, e-commerce, financial technology, mobility technology, cybersecurity, blockchain, artificial intelligence, space technology, and robotics. They aim to create the future alongside startup companies, leveraging the extensive resources, expertise, and assets of the LY Corporation Group.

Z Venture Capital was established in 2021 through the strategic merger of YJ Capital and LINE Ventures, both corporate venture capital units of entities that later formed LY Corporation. YJ Capital itself was founded in August 2012, giving ZVC a deep-rooted history in venture investing. This merger positioned ZVC to support startups with global potential, combining the strengths of its predecessors to offer comprehensive backing to its portfolio companies.

The firm has made numerous investments across its target sectors, with a focus on backing startups at their earliest stages, including seed and early-stage investments. ZVC also provides follow-on funding to support the growth of existing portfolio companies through to later stages. Notable investment areas include financial software, BPO/outsource services, and educational and training services.

Z Venture Capital boasts a team of experienced professionals, including Managing Partners In Joon Hwang, James Lim, Kay (Eunkyu) Lim, and Koichi Matsudaira, as well as Partners Hyung Kim and Masaki Yuda. The team members bring diverse backgrounds, with expertise in areas such as business development, strategy, corporate development, financial analysis, and investment operations across various tech and venture capital sectors in Asia and the US. For instance, James Lim has extensive experience at LINE and in management positions at consumer and B2B startups, while Kinuko Kitabatake focuses on US investment opportunities in interactive media and AI-driven innovation.