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FINOLAB
Promote FinTech ecosystem in Japan by supporting FinTech initiatives of both startup and corporate members. and accelerating open innovation.
FINOLAB
Promote FinTech ecosystem in Japan by supporting FinTech initiatives of both startup and corporate members. and accelerating open innovation.
General information
Firm type
Private Equity
Year founded
2019
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
Asia
Country
Japan
City
Tokyo
Corporate office
1-6-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan
Principals
Yasuaki Oda
Representative Director, Chief Executive Officer
Takeshi Ohara
Director, Chief Investment Officer
Makoto Shibata
Head of FINOLAB, Chief Community Officer
Kazuya Komon
Director, Chief Growth Officer, Investment Partner
Kakuta Inoue
Chief Operating Officer
Junji Hara
Director, Chief Administration Officer
Eiko Shimada
Director
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at FINOLAB?
Investment decisions fall under Takeshi Ohara, the firm's Director and Chief Investment Officer. He has been involved with FINOLAB since its 2016 launch and formally became Head of FINOLAB Fund in 2024, drawing on prior experience building market and risk systems at Dentsu Soken. Kazuya Komon also holds the Investment Partner title and joined the firm in 2025.
How does FINOLAB source proprietary deal flow?
Sourcing runs largely through FINOLAB's members-only FinTech community in Otemachi, Tokyo, where corporate partners and startups operate in close proximity. The firm also runs FINOPITCH, an annual startup pitch contest, and the Japan Financial Innovation Award, giving it visibility into early-stage FinTech across Japan.
Is FINOLAB structured as a venture firm or a corporate innovation hub?
It operates as both. FINOLAB is incorporated as a private-equity entity with an investment fund managed by Takeshi Ohara, but it is embedded inside a co-working community and open-innovation platform backed by Mitsubishi Estate and Dentsu Soken. The fund's investment activity is less visible than its ecosystem programs.
Who owns FINOLAB?
FINOLAB Inc. was established as a joint venture between Mitsubishi Estate Co., Ltd. and Dentsu Soken Inc., two of Japan's largest real estate and IT services firms, respectively. The parent companies use FINOLAB as a strategic channel into financial technology innovation.
Does FINOLAB invest outside Japan?
The firm's website and leadership biographies indicate a Japan-focused mandate based in Tokyo's Otemachi district. While Chief Growth Officer Kazuya Komon brings experience from San Francisco, no non-Japanese portfolio companies or offices appear in publicly available materials.
What investment stages does FINOLAB target?
FINOLAB's strategy spans early-stage seed, startup, and growth-equity venture, exclusively within the FinTech sector. The firm does not disclose the typical check size or whether it leads rounds.
What is FINOLAB's relationship to the FINOPITCH contest?
FINOPITCH is an annual FinTech startup pitch competition organized by FINOLAB. The February 2026 edition announced winners selected from the firm's community pipeline, reinforcing the contest as a sourcing and brand-building tool rather than a standalone event.
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