JIC and Transpose hold event to support overseas expansion of Japanese startups: "Tokyo Founders' Day 2025"

Tokyo, November 25, 2025 – Japan Investment Corporation (“JIC”)has announced that on November 14, 2025, it co-hosted the “Tokyo Founders’ Day2025” event together with Transpose Platform Management, LLC (“Transpose”) *and IVS, the organizer of a leading startup conference in Japan. The event alsofeatured graduates of Y Combinator (“YC”), a world-leading accelerator based in Silicon Valley and Transpose investee. Approximately 180 participants attendedthe event, including entrepreneurs, students interested in entrepreneurship,and Japanese startup professionals.

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■ About the event

Under the theme “Go Global From Day 1,” the eventhighlighted the importance of shifting the mindset of many domesticentrepreneurs from “you should first build a track record in the domestic market” toward the idea of “challenging the global market from the first day ofyour venture.” Representatives from JIC, which has designated “Go Global” asone of its key support areas and actively promotes collaboration with overseas VCs, and Transpose, a U.S.-based fund-of-funds that has supported the creationof numerous unicorns and decacorns. Both organizations emphasized thatapproaching ventures with a global market perspective also contributes toentrepreneurs’ personal growth.

In his opening remarks, Transpose founder Alex Bangashsaid: “Younger founders are winning because they don’t ask permission.” He alsoencouraged attendees to apply to the YC program. During his keynote speech, JICMember of the Board and CIO Toshiyuki Kumura expressed expectations forJapanese startups while emphasizing the advantage of challenging overseasmarkets “from Day 1.” YC alumni later took the stage during a roundtablediscussion facilitated by JIC Senior Managing Director and Head of FundInvestments, Yuka Hata; they exchanged views on addressing challenges faced bystartups and about building strategic partnerships with investors. Event participantsasked a variety of questions about YC’s selection process, demonstrating intenseinterest in the program.

■ About JIC’s “Go Global” strategy

To foster the development of Japan’sstartup ecosystem, JIC is advancing the following initiatives:

- Investmentin overseas VCs to strengthen collaboration between domestic VCs/startups andoverseas VCs
- Promotionof collaboration between domestic and overseas VCs through investment inleading overseas VC firms
- Transferof global knowledge and expertise back to Japan’s startup ecosystem

JIC leverages the expertise of majoroverseas VCs in nurturing entrepreneurs and fund professionals. Incollaboration with portfolio VCs, JIC is committed to providing networkingevents and opportunities for domestic VCs and entrepreneurs to deepen theirunderstanding of best practices. JIC will continue to focus not only on LPinvestments in private funds and investments in companies by funds under itsumbrella, but also on creating opportunities, like this event, for sharingadvanced knowledge from overseas and networking activities.

Event overview

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* Transpose is a portfolio company of JIC.For details, please refer to the following press release:
JIC makes LPinvestment in Transpose Platform BOV II, L.P.

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■ About Japan Investment Corporation (JIC)

Japan Investment Corporation (“JIC”) was established in September 2018under the Industrial Competitiveness Enhancement Act. JIC’s investment focusareas are creating a virtuous cycle of domestic investment and innovation;creating and fostering startups; leveraging promising untapped managementresources lying dormant in local areas, including startups from academia andmedium-sized companies; and promoting business restructuring in response tochanges in market and business environments. JIC provides risk capital to theseareas through funds independently established by JIC and LP investment inprivate funds to promote open innovation in Japan, strengthen thecompetitiveness of Japanese industries, and contribute to expansion of Japan’sinvestment ecosystem.