YJ Capital merges with Line Ventures, launches new $271m fund

Z Holdings announced that its subsidiary YJ Capital has merged with Line Ventures Corporation, with YJ Capital as the succeeding company.

Moving forward, YJ Capital rebrands as  Z Venture Capital, with operations commencing today. It serves as the corporate venture capital arm of Z Holdings.

Z Venture Capital president and representative director Shinichiro Hori / Photo credit: Z Venture Capital

Z Venture Capital has also launched a 30 billion Japanese yen (US$271.2 million) ZVC 1 Investment Partnership fund, which it claims to be one of the largest corporate VC funds in Japan.

The fund will focus on investment opportunities in Japan across healthcare, cybersecurity, and B2B software, as well as complement Z Holding’s three core business areas of commerce, media, and fintech.

It will also invest in global markets South Korea, Southeast Asia, the US, and China, with a focus on the consumer internet, ecommerce, fintech, and mobility sectors. It will also analyze the fields of AI, robotics, deep tech, and blockchain in advanced markets such as the US.

Z Venture Capital’s management team consists of former YJ Capital CEO Shinichiro Hori, who now serves as the new entity’s president and representative director, and In Joon Hwang as its chairman and director. Hwang had worked as a chief global investment officer at Z Holdings as well as Line Ventures’ representative director.

Other team members are director and chief operating officer Hogil Doh (former YJ Capital director) and director Bora Choi (corporate officer and head of global business and investment strategy at Z Holdings).

Currency converted from Japanese yen to US dollar: US$1 = 110.6 yen.