Venture Capital

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Shochiku Ventures

Shochiku Ventures is a venture capital based in Tokyo, founded 2022; the Altss profile covers its classification, headquarters, registration, AUM band, and key...

Shochiku Ventures logo

Shochiku Ventures

Shochiku Ventures is a corporate venture capital arm of Shochiku Company. The firm prefers to invest in the entertainment industry.

General information

Firm type

Venture Capital

Year founded

2022

AUM

Undisclosed

Location

Region

Asia

Country

Japan

City

Tokyo

Corporate office

4-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Japan

Principals

Takahiro Inoue

Representative Director & President

Takahiro Morimoto

Director & Senior Managing Executive Officer

Hiroaki Ishige

Director & Senior Managing Executive Officer

Tomohiko Morikawa

Director & Managing Executive Officer

Ryosuke Namai

Executive Officer

Sector focus

Media & EntertainmentGaming & eSportsWeb3 & NFTsAI/MLSpaceTech

Frequently asked questions

How does Shochiku Ventures source its deals?

Deal flow is generated by Shochiku Ventures' own accelerator programs — including the Shochiku Accelerator and the Shochiku Game Accelerator — and through collaborative events with outside venture firms like Z Venture Capital. The firm also runs an incubation studio, EIGHT, which provides workspace and commercial-collaboration opportunities with Shochiku's operating divisions before an equity investment is made.

Is Shochiku Ventures a fund or a balance-sheet investor?

Shochiku Ventures invests directly from Shochiku's corporate balance sheet rather than raising third-party capital. It does not market itself as a fund manager and carries no disclosed AUM, consistent with a single-LP corporate venture structure.

Which sectors does Shochiku Ventures explicitly target?

The firm invests across entertainment broadly, including game development and e-sports, virtual production, Web3/NFT applications, and DX tools for the theater and cinema industries. It also looks at adjacent areas — mobility, tourism, metaverse, and creator-economy platforms — that can plug into Shochiku's physical venues and IP catalog.

What investment stages does Shochiku Ventures typically participate in?

Shochiku Ventures targets early-stage, pre-seed to Series A startups. Its accelerator programs work with very young companies, and its headline equity investments — such as Turing, Brave group, and Sally — reflect a mix of incubation, seed, and early venture rounds.

Does Shochiku Ventures co-invest alongside other VCs?

Yes. Its first disclosed equity investment in stu was made alongside KDDI Open Innovation Fund 3, and the firm regularly co-hosts startup scouting events with external venture-capital firms. The corporate structure does not prevent syndication with independent VCs.

How is Shochiku Ventures related to the broader Shochiku group?

Shochiku Ventures is a wholly owned subsidiary of Shochiku Co., Ltd., the publicly listed entertainment company founded in 1895. Its president, Takahiro Inoue, concurrently serves as a senior managing director of the parent. The CVC's investment team is staffed by Shochiku group veterans, including executives who previously ran the parent's game-business unit and its theater operations.

Who makes investment decisions at Shochiku Ventures?

Representative Director and President Takahiro Inoue leads the firm, supported by a board that includes Directors Takahiro Morimoto, Hiroaki Ishige, and Tomohiko Morikawa. Inoue is the ultimate decision-maker; Morikawa brought direct venture-capital experience from a prior secondment to Drone Fund.

Profile maintained by 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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