Naoki Aoyagi

Altos Ventures, a Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm founded nearly 30 years ago, recently raised $500 million for its latest fund, marking its largest to date. Known for early investments in companies like Coupang and Roblox, Altos focuses on high-growth, founder-led businesses in enterprise and consumer software, particularly in SaaS, consumer, and mobile sectors. With over $7 billion in assets under management, Altos manages multiple funds targeting both U.S. and global markets, including a specialized fund for South Korean startups. This new fund highlights Altos’ consistent, disciplined approach amid a challenging fundraising environment for newer managers and a cooler venture market overall. Learn More: https://lnkd.in/gSsZ6X_x AMOUNT: $500,000,000 HQ: #MenloPark #California #VentureCapital #AltosVentures #TradedVC

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Today, Sopoong Ventures held the "TYPHOON" Demo Day 2024 in Seoul, South Korea. They announced their investment philosophy and how to grow early-stage startups for 6 months. Seven startups debuted after completing the batch program with Seed-TIPS (Early-stage startups incubating program in collaboration with the government and companies). Choi Kyung-hee, a Partner at Sopoong, presented the keynote about Sopoong's vision. It is the 1st impact investment company in South Korea, established in 2008. They focus on social impact and climate change technology. You can find early access opportunities to make a huge impact lately. Tiny teams make a big bang. #climatechange #CCUS #sopoong #VC 최경희 Kyung-hee (Vesper) Choi https://lnkd.in/g8uJN4jT

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(CEO's Exclusive Behind-the-Scenes Highlights Part II) Another key highlight of this launch event was the potential of the international market. Many Taiwanese startups choose to enter the Japanese market. While you might see many success stories in presentations, the real challenge lies in this question: “Can you convince Japanese customers to step forward and let you shoot a testimonial video?” That is the ultimate proof of truly integrating into the Japanese market. To accommodate our client’s schedule and complete filming before their store opened at noon, we started preparations early in the morning. Although the video was only 3-5 minutes long, the preparation work, including aligning directions, translations, and scripts, had to adhere to the meticulous working style of Japanese clients. This experience was so meaningful that we decided to share a behind-the-scenes clip with everyone to commemorate this special moment. Super 8 Studio Japan Topologies Customer Case 👉 https://lnkd.in/gPzmR32t Production by: 喜多廣告 | Shannon hong Filming Location: Topologie Tokyo flagship store 〒150-0001 Tokyo, Shibuya, Jingumae, 6 Chome−13−4 ブルーパンサー

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UPSIDER Secures $104M in Series D Funding to Expand FinTech Innovations UPSIDER, a Tokyo-based FinTech startup, has successfully raised ¥15.4 billion (approximately USD 104 million) in Series D funding. This milestone includes ¥5.5 billion (USD 37 million) in equity financing and ¥9.9 billion (USD 67 million) in cumulative debt financing since early 2024. Key investors include Tencent, Global Brain, Japan Airlines, and SMBC Venture Capital. The funds will drive UPSIDER’s growth in existing services, such as its corporate card platform and payment solutions, and the development of AI-driven innovations like “UPSIDER Coworker.” Since its inception, the company has rapidly scaled, with over 60,000 corporate users and a payment volume exceeding ¥450 billion (USD 3 billion). This strategic move underscores UPSIDER’s mission to build a global financial platform that supports business innovators and accelerates corporate growth both domestically and internationally. This is a prime example of how Japan’s startups are evolving into global players with transformative technologies. #FinTech #Innovation #FundingNews #Startups #UPSIDER #AI #GlobalGrowth https://lnkd.in/gaW5yDdd

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First, a big thanks to Edgar Chiu, our Managing Partner at SparkLabs Taiwan, for investing into Kneron a few years ago and bringing Albert, Roger, Hsiang Tsun, and team into our ecosystem. Second, we are excited that Kneron is one of the companies that signed a non-binding letter of intent with our SPAC entity. 2025 looks to be an exciting year 🔥 UPDATED since some pinged me about the paywall. Here is the full article after the 1st paragraph (Linkedin had a character limit which I didn't know about til this post): "... It was unclear who would be participating in the latest funding round or how much has been secured. Kneron has previously received funding from Qualcomm Ventures, Sequoia Capital China (now known as HongShan), iPhone maker Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. and Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-Shing’s Horizons Ventures. This is expected to be Kneron’s last funding round before going public, according to the presentation, which it plans to show during an Investor Day hosted under Saudi Arabia’s National Semiconductor Hub on Wednesday. Its listing is tentatively slated for 2025. Kneron signed a non-binding letter of intent to list on the Nasdaq through a special purpose acquisition company, Spark I Acquisition Corp., which is sponsored by one of its investors SparkLabs Group, according to a US securities filing on Monday. Negotiations are proceeding and the funding could still fall apart or fail to hit its target. Kneron is the latest AI chip firm to seek expansion in Saudi Arabia as the oil-rich nation builds up its digital economy. US-based SambaNova Systems and Groq, as well as South Korea’s Rebellions, are among the startups that have partnered with Saudi firms in the last year. Kneron was founded in 2015 by former Qualcomm Inc. engineer Albert Liu and has headquarters in San Diego and Taipei. It makes AI processors that power consumer goods like surveillance cameras and cars without needing to connect to the internet or use cloud-based systems. Its so-called neural processing unit, or NPU, is a versatile chip that can be composed like Lego blocks to support different purposes efficiently, and can be used in data centers to run or eventually train AI models, Liu previously told Bloomberg. Kneron’s chips are manufactured by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. and they are used in Hon Hai Precision’s electric cars as well as South Korean firm Hanwha Vision Co.’s surveillance cameras. While the AI investor frenzy has focused on Nvidia Corp., whose chips became coveted hardware for training advanced tools like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, a growing number of startups are targeting the market for running trained AI models on so-called edge devices, including smartphones, PCs, cameras, cars, drones and robots. Bloomberg Intelligence last year estimated that the edge AI chip market could be more than triple the size of cloud-based AI by the end of 2032." #AI #AIChip #startup #founders #venturecapital #taiwan #artificialintelligence #nasdaq

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"Michael Tong Shares Vision for AI-Enhanced Web3 Gaming at Xterio" Michael Tong, with over 25 years in the gaming industry, transitioned from his role as COO at NetEase to co-found Xterio, a Web3 gaming company. At NetEase, he contributed to the development of notable titles like "Dream of the Red Chamber" and "Westward Journey." At Xterio, Tong is pioneering the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into gaming. The company has partnered with Reka, an AI startup founded by researchers from DeepMind, Google Brain, and FAIR, to develop emotionally intelligent AI agents. These agents aim to offer personalized and immersive user experiences by adapting to players' emotions and behaviors. Looking ahead, Xterio plans to launch "Palio: Craft and Trade," a trading game featuring conversational AI gameplay, in the first quarter of 2025. Additionally, the company is developing on-chain AI agents to serve as personalized companions, enhancing user engagement across various platforms.

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Gov't-sponsored event held for int'l startups in Korea https://lnkd.in/gcwRmqZ4 _ To all the founders who have persevered and stayed committed throughout this long journey, thank you! Believing in Korea’s potential and bringing the solutions that Korea truly needs, you have come to this place. As the CEO of MYSC, I deeply thank you and am profoundly inspired by the entrepreneurial spirit and challenges you have demonstrated. Some teams may have achieved the results they hoped for, while others might have encountered outcomes they didn’t expect. Regardless of the results, I sincerely offer my encouragement and support to all of you. One of my favorite quotes is by Yvon Chouinard, the founder of Patagonia: "When the surf's up, ride it." It reminds me of what my surfing instructor once told me: "Half of surfing is about letting waves pass by without riding them." You don’t have to ride every wave. What you’ve experienced this time is just one wave you encountered while surfing. Tomorrow will bring tomorrow’s waves, and then another new wave will come. Some waves are meant to let go, but others become opportunities—and if you want to truly ride those waves, you must not miss them. What you’ve shown this week is just one part of your journey, not the end. Entrepreneurship is a continuous cycle of challenges and learning, and today’s experiences will serve as a valuable foundation for encountering bigger waves and riding them magnificently in the future. MYSC is here to journey alongside you, helping you go further.  We look forward to seeing the journeys you create make a positive impact not only in Korea but also across the globe. Once again, I deeply appreciate your hard work and passion, and I look forward to building even greater challenges and possibilities together. Wishing you success in your future endeavors and the new waves to come. Thank you. Jeongtae KIM Social Innovator, CEO of MYSC 

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📣Attention all LinkedIn users! 📣 Sharing my first column for our owned media DIMENSION NOTE, on how founders (especially in Japan) can effectively & strategically leverage this incredible platform that you're now using, LinkedIn! While the full article is in Japanese, I've included a brief summary in the comments for my international connections. Hope you find it useful! --- This article introduces LinkedIn as a powerful tool for Japanese founders, especially those looking to expand globally. Key points include: 1. 🌐 It's more than just job-hunting! 2. 📸 Build impact with a professional profile: professional photos, concise headlines, compelling summaries. 3. 🎯 Purpose-driven networking: Use LinkedIn's advanced search for co-founders, advisors, investors. 4. 🤝 Connect strategically: Understand 'connecting' vs. 'following' for building relationships. 5. 🚀 Long-term perspective: Align LinkedIn efforts with startup stage and growth needs. I emphasize the importance of LinkedIn for Japanese entrepreneurs as its adoption in Japan's startup ecosystem is still growing, but there are elements within this article that could be useful to anyone who wants to bring their LinkedIn game to the next level. How do you use LinkedIn to grow your business or network? Feel free to comment below as I'd love to hear your strategies! --- Read the full article here : https://lnkd.in/gByd2Gz8 & a special shout out to Yudai Miyazaki, our editor-in-chief (and intern), for putting this together! #DIMENSIONNOTE #DIMENSION #Entrepreneurship #VentueCapital #Networking

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📢 Announcement: UB Ventures Releases Japan SaaS Annual Report 23-24 We are thrilled to announce the publication of our third annual SaaS report! Key insights from the 2023 report include: 1. SaaS startups in Japan raised a total of 134.8 billion yen in 2023, marking a 41% decrease from the previous year. 2. The number of SaaS companies securing funding also declined by 37%, with 247 companies raising funds. Despite the low valuations of listed SaaS companies causing many investors to exit the SaaS market, the growth of SaaS companies continues to accelerate. The top companies have achieved an Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) of 30 billion yen, and six companies have surpassed an ARR of 20 billion yen. In Japan, which is facing a rapidly declining population, there is a pressing choice between increasing the working population or enhancing productivity per capita. The expectations for vertical SaaS to improve productivity in legacy industries are higher than ever. Our report is divided into three sections: -Overview: A summary of the latest data on the SaaS market. -Vertical SaaS: An analysis of the growth factors driving the vertical SaaS market. -Depopulating Society: A deep dive into the hot topics in a society with a declining population. We invite you to read the full report! 📄 Download the report here: https://lnkd.in/ez57d_3Z

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#SaaSBooms - #AI has created another window of opportunity for transforming all business processes - here’s looking forward to the next wave of SaaS plays!

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Since Decagon started in 2023, we hit 7-figures in ARR in the first 6 months. In the first year, we raised $100M in funding and landed partnerships with some of the biggest players in the space. Jesse Zhang, our CEO and co-founder, just spoke about our growth with the folks at EO STUDIO, sharing the story of how he built Decagon and his earlier startup, LowKey—all before turning 30—along with all the learnings and challenges that came with both. He also shared: → How Decagon started and how we landed our first enterprise customers. → Lessons learned from Jesse's first startup, LowKey, and how they shaped his approach to building Decagon. → Common mistakes first-time founders make—and how to avoid them. → The driving principles that have made Decagon stand out among incumbents and competitors. → How a culture based on speed and intensity sets us up for success. If you’re a founder, an engineer, or just curious about how AI is transforming industries, make sure to check out the video. Link to the full episode in the comments below!

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🚀 Thrilled to Announce: ErudAite β4.1 is Now Officially Available! After months of rigorous testing with over 100 leading companies, including specialized firms, consulting giants, and major corporations, we're excited to launch the paid version of our revolutionary AI translation engine. ✨ What Makes ErudAite β4.1 Special: • Unprecedented coverage of 28 languages, from major business languages to vital regional ones • Specialized translation capabilities for patents, corporate disclosures, and technical documents • Context-aware translation that understands cultural nuances and industry-specific requirements 🎯 Key Features: • 4 innovative translation modes (Literal, Natural, Fluent, Transcreative) • Built-in custom dictionary function for enterprise users • Industry-specific optimization for legal, technical, and business documents 🌟 Real-world Validation: • Trusted by 100+ companies during closed beta • Showcased at Tokyo Innovation Base (TiB) to 700+ international visitors • Specialized in handling documents that previously required human expert translators 💡 Perfect for: • Listed companies requiring English disclosure documents • International patent applications • Technical documentation and academic papers • Cross-border M&A documentation • Global corporate communications We're not just translating words; we're bridging cultures and transforming how global business communicates. Whether you're filing patents internationally, preparing disclosure documents, or handling technical translations, ErudAite β4.0 delivers precision and cultural awareness at scale. Ready to revolutionize your global communication? Let's connect! #AITranslation #Innovation #GlobalBusiness #TechInnovation #ErudAite #LanguageTechnology https://lnkd.in/gW8_maJs

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New AI business ideas are coming from China.  Check out China's AI rollout. The Miilk 더밀크 reporter Kim Gi-rim covered MWC Shanghai 2024 on-site.  We've been reading about China's AI and IT (telecommunications) services, but now we've seen them in action. Due to the U.S.-China disconnect, there is a limit to utilizing open source in the U.S., so we focused on developing our own LLM, which we used to develop AI services. Realized that many of the new AI service ideas could come from China.  In the past, in the 'mobile' era, many new business ideas came from Korea (webtoon, Food delivery, emoji, chat, social media), but I thought that the AI era would come from China not Korea. In fact, Honor, a Chinese smartphone, emphasized human-centered on-device AI and unveiled AI defocus eye protection to prevent the population from becoming 'myopic' by looking at smartphones too much. It was refreshing.  Of course, the Chinese idea is a state surveillance-type idea that openly discloses personal information, so there are obvious limits to expansion. We can't take it at face value, but... The Miilk 더밀크 is an official media partner of #MWC2024Shanghai. https://lnkd.in/gexhEbER

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Congratulations to Sean (Xiang) Ren, Tyler Z. and Sahara AI team for a successful Series A fundraising. SCB 10X is excited to participate in this strategic funding round, co-led by Pantera Capital and Polychain Capital, along with Samsung Next, Matrix Partners, Nomad Capital, Tangent Ventures and others. Founded in 2023, Sahara AI is developing a decentralized AI platform that offers high performance, provenance, data privacy and security. The network allows both individuals and businesses to deploy proprietary data and build personalized AI models. Additionally, it leverages blockchain technology to enable incentive distribution to data and model contributors, creating a collaborative ecosystem for AI development. SCB 10X is looking forward to working with Sahara AI team for a future of open and inclusive AI. https://lnkd.in/g5jqCm7p #artificialintelligence #generativeai #ai #startups #vc

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Hong Kong Monetary Authority Launches Phase Two of Digital Hong Kong Dollar Pilot Plan 📢 On September 23th, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) launched the second phase of its Digital Hong Kong Dollar pilot, now renamed "CyberHKD+." This phase explores new digital currencies for individuals and businesses, including the Digital Hong Kong Dollar and tokenized deposits. 📢 About 11 selected groups will research use cases in three key areas: tokenized asset settlement, programmability, and offline payments. The project will help HKMA address design and operational challenges in the public-private digital currency ecosystem, laying the groundwork for potential future issuance of the "Cyber Hong Kong Dollar" for broader use. Results are expected by the end of 2025. LINK (https://lnkd.in/gZx9M8sM)

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［Nikkei Xtrend × Final Aim］※Japanese only On December 2, 2024, Final Aim was selected as one of the “100 companies that will create the market of the future” by “Nikkei Xtrend.” I want to thank Team Final Aim and everyone supporting us for being selected for this beautiful feature. Final Aim will continue to build on our achievements one by one. About the 2025 Nikkei Xtrend's “100 companies Nikkei Xtrend's “100 companies that will create the market of the future” feature is an annual project published every December since 2019. The list of companies includes interviews with several venture capitalists (VCs) and other experts from various fields, as well as companies that appeared in the “Startup Awards 2024” feature in the November 2024 issue of Nikkei Trendy. From these companies, Nikkei Xtrend editors evaluated them from the three perspectives of “new market (novelty),” “sales (growth potential),” and “lifestyle change (social impact),” and selected Final Aim as the 100 companies that will usher in a new era and are expected to take off in 2025. https://lnkd.in/gZgU7dGS

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