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epiST Ventures
epiST Ventures is a venture capital firm focused on backing and building seed and early-stage technology startups in Japan. Founded in 2019, epiST Ventures is...
epiST Ventures
epiST Ventures is a venture capital firm focused on backing and building seed and early-stage technology startups in Japan. Founded in 2019, epiST Ventures is a Tokyo-based private equity firm that specialises in early-stage investments in technology-related companies across Japan.
General information
Firm type
Venture Capital
Year founded
2019
Location
Region
Asia
Country
Japan
City
Tokyo
Corporate office
3-8 Ichigayatamachi, Shinjuku City, Tokyo, Japan
Principals
Takashi Uemura
Representative Director, CEO / Managing Partner
Sho Sakisuka
Representative Director, COO / Managing Partner
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at epiST Ventures?
Co-founder and CEO Takashi Uemura leads investment decisions as Managing Partner. Uemura founded AI firm ALBERT in 2005 and took it public in 2015 before starting epiST Ventures in 2019. COO Sho Sakisuka, a former Recruit CVC investor and GREE new-business executive, co-manages the fund and portfolio operations.
Is epiST Ventures structured as a standalone venture firm?
No. epiST Ventures is the investment arm of epiST Inc., a larger operating company that runs corporate open-innovation programs, a university-matchmaking platform, and the epiST journal media property. CEO Takashi Uemura leads both entities, creating a hybrid structure where corporate partners act as limited partners and co-development collaborators.
Does epiST Ventures participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?
epiST Ventures invests directly in startups from its own limited-partnership funds. The firm operates a first fund and a second fund named Data Driven Innovation, which announced new positions in FACTORY X and New Space Intelligence in spring 2026. There is no public evidence that epiST commits capital to external funds.
How is epiST Ventures related to its corporate limited partners?
The LP base includes operating companies such as Sega Sammy Holdings, Digital Advertising Consortium, and Tokyo University of Science Investment Management. The parent company's open-innovation consulting practice often positions these LPs as potential commercial partners for portfolio companies, creating an ecosystem where capital allocation and corporate development overlap.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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