#Japan #Tokyo #startups #Antler Japan #Inception Residency

Antler Japan Announces Major Investment in Startups

On January 27, 2026, Antler Japan, the Japanese arm of the global venture capital firm Antler, unveiled its plans to invest a total of 240 million yen in ten startups throughout 2025. This significant investment highlights Japan’s growing reputation as a robust hub for world-class entrepreneurs. To further accelerate this momentum, Antler has introduced its revamped six-week Inception Residency program for 2026, increasing the initial investment per startup to a net amount of 150,000 USD. This initiative aims to provide entrepreneurs focusing on building businesses in Japan with more capital and quicker opportunities for implementation and validation.

Jussi Salovaara, Antler’s Managing Partner and co-founder in Asia, shared his insights on the thriving entrepreneurial talent emerging from Japan. He remarked, "Japan continues to produce entrepreneurs with deep technical expertise. The country's talent pool and technology are exceptional, providing fertile ground for building businesses at the forefront of innovation. When combined with robust domestic and international entrepreneurship, this will accelerate the creation of startup teams that can meet the rising market expectations and sustain their existence."

Overview of Antler Japan’s 2025 Portfolio Companies

Antler Japan received over 2,100 applications from both domestic and international startups in 2025, investing in those that ranked among the top 0.5%. The selected companies are working across various sectors, including deep tech, entertainment, AI, robotics, logistics, compliance, and applied sciences, all with a global market perspective. Each startup received support through Antler's Inception Residency model, aiding in establishing their companies, validating their business models, planning strategies, and preparing for fund-raising with a pre-seed funding of 24 million yen.

Some key companies in Antler's portfolio include:

• - Refined Robotics Inc.: They provide hybrid technology-driven last-mile delivery robots with unprecedented energy efficiency, achieving up to 25 times that of conventional delivery robots.
• - Avete Inc.: Focused on enhancing safety and productivity at construction sites through real-time monitoring and hazard detection, helping to prevent potential accidents.
• - LOGISTICAL Inc.: Developing an AI platform to optimize collaborative transportation in the logistics sector while reducing costs, emissions, and addressing driver shortages.
• - Xenos Labs: Establishing a comprehensive visualization platform to monitor costs, latency, and quality of LLM in live environments.
• - TokumaLabs Inc.: A legal tech platform that automates time management intelligence, driving revenue growth for high-value legal professionals.
• - KanjuTech Inc.: Innovating an adaptive AI that mimics brain functions while using only one-hundredth of the data and energy of traditional physical AI models, enhancing real-time on-premises learning.

Additionally, several startups, such as Snappy Compliance and Smart Tissues, are poised to make significant impacts in compliance automation and chronic wound healing, respectively.

Upcoming Events and the Future of Antler Japan

On February 13, Antler Japan will host a Demo Day, allowing investors to directly engage with the carefully selected portfolio companies.

Florian Geier, Senior Director at Antler Japan, emphasized the increasing diversity of entrepreneurs choosing Japan as their base. He stated, “We collaborate with domestically and internationally sourced entrepreneurs who have chosen Japan as their starting point for business. Every company added to Antler Japan's portfolio in 2025 included at least one foreign national. The Japanese market shows promising indicators with access to globally renowned customers across various verticals, a robust and resilient supply chain, and a skilled workforce.” Geier further elaborated on how this landscape positions Japan to play a significant role in nurturing startups capable of competing on a global scale.

Antler is also focusing on the synergies between the Japanese and Southeast Asian markets. Early-stage Japanese startups increasingly recognize the need to expand into Southeast Asia for business growth and partnerships while also attracting interest from Southeast Asian firms seeking entry into the Japanese market.

Taking advantage of this two-way traffic, Antler facilitates access for startups to customers and investors across Asia from their inception.

With an adjustment in the Inception model effective from May 11, 2026, Antler Japan promises unparalleled support for startups dedicated to solving challenges at an accelerated pace. The initial investment amount will be lifted to a total of 150,000 USD, offering the potential for follow-on funding of up to 250,000 USD.

With planned investments totaling up to 400,000 USD (approximately 63 million yen), this reflects Antler’s philosophy of presenting transparent investment conditions to elevate long-term outcomes. The new program is designed to commence on May 11, 2026, closely collaborating with startups possessing a clear vision, technical depth, and the ambition to scale globally.

As Antler expands its activities in Japan, the firm is actively strengthening its recruitment in the region. Those passionate about identifying talented entrepreneurs and working together are encouraged to reach out.

For more information, visit: www.antler.co/japan

Conclusion

Antler is a venture capital firm committed to investing in startups that strive to advance further and faster. With a dedication to pre-seed to early-stage investments, it supports entrepreneurs from the process of business validation to scaling up. With bases in 27 cities worldwide, including New York, San Francisco, London, Berlin, Singapore, Sydney, and Tokyo, Antler offers a consistently supportive environment for fundraising. Antler's goals include supporting over 6,400 startups by 2030, building on its successful track record of over 1,600 startups across various fields.