# Yasuda Enterprise Development

Yasuda Enterprise Development is an Asset Manager based in Japan.

## Overview

- **Organization type:** Asset Manager
- **Headquarters:** Japan
- **Region:** Asia
- **Assets under management:** $200M – $500M (Altss estimate)
- **Website:** http://www.yedvc.co.jp

## Regulatory record

- **Reports private funds:** No

## About

Yasuda Enterprise Development specializes in information technology, medical device, and biotechnology investments. The firm has made 173 investments and 48 portfolio exits. Their latest investment was in Universal View in 2015, and their latest exit was Groundhog Technologies in 2024.

## Sectors

- Enterprise Software
- Digital Health
- AI/ML
- Industrial Tech

## People

- Satoru Shigematsu — President
- Hiroshi Sasamoto — Managing Director

## Questions

### Who runs investment decisions at Yasuda Enterprise Development?

Satoru Shigematsu serves as president and leads investment operations. The firm operates within the asset management division of Yasuda Mutual Life Insurance, with managing directors like Hiroshi Sasamoto overseeing day-to-day deal execution. Investment committee processes are not publicly disclosed, but the parent company's balance-sheet backing gives the team authority to deploy without external LP constraints.

### How is Yasuda Enterprise Development related to its parent, Yasuda Mutual Life Insurance?

Yasuda Enterprise Development is a fully captive subsidiary — the venture capital division of Yasuda Mutual Life Insurance. Unlike independent VCs that raise blind-pool funds, this unit draws its capital directly from the insurer's general account. The parent company's 2016 acquisition of a stake in Westfield Capital Management (per Pensions & Investments, 2016) illustrates the broader asset-management strategy that houses this VC arm.

### Does Yasuda Enterprise Development invest outside Japan?

Yes. The firm maintains a presence in Palo Alto alongside its Tokyo headquarters, reflecting a mandate to invest in Silicon Valley startups. This cross-border strategy lets it source enterprise software and deep-tech companies with global ambitions, while also helping portfolio firms access the Japanese market through the parent insurer's corporate relationships.

### Which sectors does Yasuda Enterprise Development explicitly avoid?

Public disclosures do not list explicit sector exclusions. However, the firm's observed activity centers on enterprise software, digital health, industrial technology, and AI — sectors aligned with the parent insurer's strategic interests. Real estate, infrastructure, and commodities appear outside the venture unit's mandate, residing instead in other parts of the parent company's asset allocation.

## Related profiles

- [JBF Partners](https://altss.com/profile/jbf-partners)
- [Japan Extensive Infrastructure](https://altss.com/profile/japan-extensive-infrastructure)

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Last updated: 2026-06-03T20:00:00.000Z

Canonical page: https://altss.com/profile/yasuda-enterprise-development

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