Meet 6 top investors giving you money at Tech in Asia Tokyo 2017

Setting up an investor partnership can be quite tedious. Never mind the actual paperwork; just getting an investor to say yes can take several months. In the business world, not a lot of processes can be slashed by shortcuts. Luckily, forging a startup-investor partnership can be shortened significantly at Tech in Asia Tokyo 2017’s Startup-Investor Speed Dating event. From September 27 to 28, you can meet 40 potential investors in just two days.

Still unconvinced? Take a look at these six top investors you might be missing if you skip out on participating in this event.

500 Startups Japan

Don’t let the name fool you. The global investment firm doesn’t boast a portfolio of 500 startups – it’s closer to 1,800. Investments include Grab, Udemy, and Credit Karma. 500 is based originally in Silicon Valley, but now also have a strong presence in the ASEAN region.

If you catch them at the event, a quick tip they offer prospective partners is to “let them know your business’s ‘why this, why now, and why you.’”

Preferred investment size (in USD): 50K – 500K
Countries of interest: Japan
Verticals of interest: Bio-Technology, Hardware, Logistics & Transportation, Software as a Service (SaaS), Any startup that shows good potential

BEENEXT

An investor’s bottom line is a startup’s return on investment. BEENEXT, however, has an additional promise. “A partnership of the founders, by the founders, and for the founders,” says Managing Partner Teruhide Sato. The firm is managed by fellow entrepreneurs like Hiro Maeda, founder of Japan’s first accelerator Onlab and a member of Forbes’ 30 Under 30 in Asia. He has since made over 100 investments in successful companies like Instacart, Tokopedia, and Japan’s first Y Combinator company, Anyperk.

You can also catch Maeda’s Startup Strategy Workshop on Day 1. His session on “How to conduct user interviews” will teach you how to design products and experiences that are “user-first” through effective user interviews.

Preferred investment size (in USD): 50K – 500K
Countries of interest: Japan, SEA
Verticals of interest: Bio-Technology, Hardware, Logistics & Transportation, Software as a Service (SaaS), Any startup that shows good potential

D4V

Design for Ventures is the brainchild of Genuine Startups and IDEO. They promise to help Japanese ventures succeed on a global scale through design thinking, investment expertise, and global networking. Further, D4V’s investments access to IDEO – the brilliant minds that designed the first modern mouse for Apple.

If you’re a startup who wants to charm them for a second date, D4V suggests that you should “articulate a clear vision and [your] solution’s competitive differentiation.”

Preferred investment size (in USD): 200K – 500K
Countries of interest: Japan, Global
Verticals of interest: Clean Tech, Fintech, Lifestyle, Music & Entertainment, Any startup that shows good potential

DG Incubation

Short for Digital Garage, DG Incubation holds quite a high-profile portfolio. Who else can boast that they invested in Twitter and LinkedIn before they became famous? Currently, DG Incubation continues to operate Japan’s oldest incubator Onlab (as mentioned above). Today, DG Incubation is still enthusiastic about supporting Japan’s most promising startups like Smart HR, the country’s fastest growing HR startup.

For hopeful startups, DG Incubation suggests to “be pessimistic in [the] short term, [but] be optimistic in [the] long term.”

Preferred investment size (in USD): 50K – 1 Million
Countries of interest: Japan, Global
Verticals of interest: Cloud Computing, E-Commerce, Fintech, Logistics & Transportation, Travel

Rakuten Ventures

A part of the global Rakuten Group, Rakuten Ventures dedicates itself to improving the startup ecosystem in the internet, fintech, and mobility sectors. Their portfolio includes investments in Lyft, Carousell, and Currencycloud. More than a fund injection, startups under Rakuten Ventures also enjoy access to Japan’s largest digital commerce conglomerate’s network around the world.

When you meet them at Tech in Asia Tokyo 2017, remember to “ask questions that matter most to you and demand clarity in every response.”

Meet them all in one place

Besides these six, there are almost 40 international investors ready to give you money during the Startup-Investor Speed Dating Session at Tech in Asia Tokyo 2017. The event, which happens from September 27 to 28, will feature the world’s hottest startups and investors. This could be your chance to gain potential funding, professional advice, and a lasting business partnership for your company.

If you have a Startup Pass or Bootstrap Alley Exhibitor Pass, you can pre-register for your slot today! Pre-registration closes on September 14, so don’t miss out.

For those of you who haven’t got your passes, it’s not too late. You can apply for your Bootstrap Alley booth below and get 10 percent off your purchase until September 8.

If you prefer to go as an attendee instead, use this offer code tiatokyo10 at checkout to shave 10 percent off your Startup Pass until September 8.

September 8, 2017 Note: We are rescheduling our 6th investor and will update this page soon!