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Graduate School of Management, Globis University
Yoshito Hori built Japan's largest MBA into a venture platform, with Globis Capital Partners backing over 200 startups since 1996.
Graduate School of Management, Globis University
Globis began in 1992 as a management school founded by Yoshito Hori, a Harvard MBA and former Sumitomo Corporation executive, who launched a one-room Tokyo classroom to teach entrepreneurial skills during Japan's post-bubble stagnation. By 1996, Hori extended that model into venture capital with Globis Capital Partners, creating a hybrid structure that combines a graduate business school, a corporate training business, and a multi-fund VC platform under a unified brand. The university now operates campuses in Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, and Fukuoka, plus a US office in San Mateo. Globis Capital Partners deploys across seed to late-stage venture, with sector exposure spanning enterprise software, AI/ML, fintech, digital health, and media. Confirmed exits and portfolio positions include Mercari, SmartNews, and freee K.K., all of which grew into publicly listed Japanese technology companies after receiving early backing from GCP funds (per public record). The firm operates a generalist venture strategy across Japan and select Southeast Asian opportunities, with fund commitments raised from institutional LPs, corporate partners, and the university's alumni network. In addition to direct venture investing, the group managed an incubation fund that drew early support from Isao Okawa, the late chairman of Sega Enterprises. Hori serves as founder and president of Globis Corporation, Globis University, and Globis Capital Partners, with Soichi Kariyazono as co-founding partner of the venture arm. The broader enterprise includes non-core assets such as the Ibaraki Robots professional basketball team and LuckyFM Ibaraki Broadcasting System, reflecting Hori's regional engagement beyond finance and education. The firm's professional network extends through Hori's roles with the World Economic Forum, Japan Venture Capital Association, and the Japan chapter of Entrepreneurs' Organization, which he founded. The Globis structure departs from standard VC models by embedding a degree-granting educational institution and corporate executive training business alongside fund management. Alumni from the MBA program become both potential founders and limited partners, while corporate training clients generate deal flow and strategic relationships. Hori has stated that the university's mission, to develop visionary leaders, directly feeds the venture pipeline, creating a self-reinforcing ecosystem that has outlasted multiple Japanese economic cycles.
General information
Firm type
Generalist
Year founded
—
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
Asia
Country
Japan
City
Tokyo
Corporate office
Tokyo, Japan
Additional offices
Osaka, Japan · Nagoya, Japan · Fukuoka, Japan · San Mateo, CA, USA
Principals
Yoshito Hori
Founder and President
Soichi Kariyazono
Co-Founding Partner, Globis Capital Partners
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
How does Globis Capital Partners' affiliation with Globis University affect deal sourcing?
The university's MBA program and corporate training division operate as a proprietary sourcing funnel. Alumni who launch companies often approach GCP for early funding, while corporate training clients and faculty provide direct exposure to emerging technology trends across Japanese industry. The campus network in Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, and Fukuoka gives the venture team physical proximity to founder communities outside the concentrated Tokyo VC market.
Who makes investment decisions at Globis Capital Partners?
Yoshito Hori, founder and president of the larger Globis group, oversees the venture franchise, with Soichi Kariyazono serving as co-founding partner of GCP. The partnership operates with a dedicated investment committee drawing on partners who have been with the firm through multiple fund cycles, though specific IC members beyond Hori and Kariyazono are not publicly listed.
Is Globis Capital Partners independent from the university financially?
GCP raises third-party capital from institutional investors and corporate LPs through traditional closed-end venture funds. The university and corporate training businesses are separate operating entities under the Globis Corporation umbrella, and the venture funds do not rely solely on university-generated capital, though alumni and affiliates may invest as limited partners.
What is Globis Capital Partners' track record with exits?
The firm has backed over 200 companies since 1996. Publicly traceable exits include Mercari, the consumer marketplace that listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange in 2018; SmartNews, the news aggregation app; and freee K.K., the cloud accounting platform that went public in 2019. These exits span consumer technology, media, and enterprise software sectors.
Does Globis invest outside Japan?
GCP's primary geographic focus is Japan, with selective Southeast Asian exposure. The San Mateo office, operating under Globis USA, provides a presence in Silicon Valley but does not appear to run a dedicated US-focused venture fund. Most portfolio companies have Japanese headquarters or significant Japanese market operations.
How does GCP's investment stage strategy work?
The firm operates as a generalist venture investor, deploying from seed through late-stage rounds. Early GCP fund vintages focused heavily on incubation and seed-stage Japanese internet companies. More recent fund vintages and public portfolio data suggest the firm has expanded into Series B and growth-stage checks, reflecting the maturation of Japan's venture ecosystem and the firm's own capacity.
What is the relationship between Globis and the G1 Institute or KIBOW Foundation?
Both are philanthropic and policy-focused entities connected to Yoshito Hori. The G1 Institute convenes Japanese business and political leaders for policy discussion, while the KIBOW Foundation supports disaster recovery and social innovation projects in Japan. These operate separately from Globis Capital Partners' investment activities but share Hori's personal involvement and the broader Globis network.
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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