STRIVE

STRIVE invests primarily in seed and early-stage technology startups in Japan, with capacity for follow-on expansion and growth rounds. The firm targets enterprise software, HR tech, fintech, mobility, robotics, and digital health, among other sectors. Portfolio support includes recruiting, organizational design, and go-to-market execution rather than board-only oversight.

STRIVE’s website does not disclose a proprietary sourcing pipeline, but its model of embedding deeply with founding teams suggests deal flow comes through founder referrals, repeat entrepreneurs, and the firm’s operational reputation. The firm states it rides in the same boat with founders, indicating relationship-driven sourcing rather than a centralized lead-generation engine.

As of mid-2026, STRIVE has not publicly announced a second fund. Its first fund reached maturity and liquidated in March 2024, returning four times committed capital. The firm may be actively raising or deploying a successor vehicle, but no public confirmation exists.

Investment decisions are led by managing member 堤 (Tsutsumi), who authors the firm’s blog posts and serves as the primary public-facing principal. STRIVE’s site does not list a formal investment committee or additional managing partners, suggesting a decision-making structure concentrated in a small leadership team.

STRIVE provides hands-on operational support including talent acquisition, organizational design, and market-entry execution. In at least one published case, the firm co-led a multi-month recruiting transformation for portfolio company M&A Cloud, embedding its own resources to help the startup scale past 100 employees.