NTT Investment Partners

Takashi Hiroi serves as President and CEO (per Nikkei, 2019). Investment decisions are made by the internal team in coordination with NTT Group's corporate development and R&D leadership, reflecting the firm's mandate as a strategic corporate venture capital unit rather than an independent fund manager.

NTT Investment Partners operates as the central corporate venture capital entity for the NTT Group, with NTT DOCOMO serving as the primary limited partner. The firm manages a core venture investment program rather than a family of separately branded funds, though it may structure specific co-investment vehicles for larger transactions.

Deal flow originates through NTT's global R&D outposts in Silicon Valley and Europe, business-unit relationships across the NTT Group's enterprise services divisions, and co-investment networks with Japanese financial institutions. The firm also leverages NTT's participation in the World Economic Forum's Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution for early visibility into emerging technology trends.

Yes. While Japan remains the anchor geography, the firm has invested in startups across the United States, Israel, and Western Europe, consistent with NTT's strategy of sourcing technology that can be integrated into its global enterprise and infrastructure businesses.

As a fully captive corporate venture unit, all investment decisions must demonstrate strategic alignment with NTT Group's technology and business roadmaps. The firm does not manage outside LP capital, and its mandate prioritizes long-term corporate value creation over pure financial returns, enabling patience with extended deep-tech development cycles but restricting opportunistic, non-strategic deals.

The firm pursues both direct venture investments and fund commitments, though its publicly visible activity emphasizes direct and co-investment positions. The fund-of-funds activity serves as a supplementary channel for accessing deal flow and manager relationships in markets where NTT lacks a direct sourcing presence.

NTT DOCOMO, the mobile carrier subsidiary of NTT Group, functions as the primary capital provider and a key strategic partner for portfolio companies that intersect with telecommunications, mobile platforms, and consumer digital services. The subsidiary's business priorities heavily influence the firm's sector focus.