Seiho Investment Works

Hyoma Seki, as CEO and Representative Director, leads the investment team. The firm's weekly investment committee includes External Director Masaaki Nishiguchi — who brings M&A advisory expertise — and Auditor Takatomo Tanaka, a partner at Nakanoshima Chuo Law Office, who provides legal oversight during deal discussions.

Initial investments range from ¥10 million to ¥100 million, targeting seed to early-stage companies. The firm is sector-agnostic within technology, covering healthcare, biotech, consumer IT, enterprise IT, and deep tech, all within Japan.

Seiho describes its posture as 'hands-on,' providing operational support alongside capital. It also convenes a periodic portfolio meetup series called "Kyoto" and formed the Kyōtō Startup Community in May 2023 to facilitate networking among founders.

No. Seiho Investment Works is structured as an asset manager running venture capital funds. It operates under Japan's Qualified Institutional Investor exemption and is a registered member of the Japan Venture Capital Association.

Deal flow comes primarily through the team's networks in Kansai and Tokyo, anchored by the principals' long tenure at Osaka Small and Medium Business Investment & Consultation. External Director Masaaki Nishiguchi provides additional sourcing leverage through his M&A advisory relationships with large Osaka-based corporations.

Yes. The firm is accredited under Japan's Angel Tax System, certified for business incubation support programs, and selected as a designated VC for the Hamamatsu City Fund Support Project, indicating formal ties to regional startup development initiatives.

The firm maintains a formal governance structure with a finance director overseeing cash management and reporting, an external M&A advisor participating in weekly investment committees, and a statutory legal auditor who attends board and investment committee meetings. It also operates an external whistleblowing contact via its auditor for harassment reporting.