News
2024.03.19 Global Hands-On VC Invests in Paronym, Inc.
GHOVC Fund I Investment Limited Partnership ("GHOVC Fund I"), the first fund managed by GHOVC, has invested as the lead investor in Paronym, a company that provides interactive video solutions.
GHOVC will continue to support Paronym's growth, especially in its overseas expansion plans, and will provide hands-on management support.
2024.03.19 Takeoff Tokyo, a GHOVC-supported Pitch Event for World-Class Entrepreneurs, will be Held at Tokyo Big Sight on April 10 and 11, 2024
Takeoff Tokyo, a pitch event for entrepreneurs aiming for the world, which GHOVC supports as KeyPartners, will be held at Tokyo Big Sight on April 10 and 11, 2024.
GHOVC will hold PICHI TRAINING (March 23) and HACKATHON (March 29-31) as side events of this event, and the GHOVC AWARD will be selected among the contestants at the Takeoff Tokyo (April 10-11) pitch event.
2023.10.04 Global Hands-On VC Invests in EdgeCortix, Japan-based Edge AI Fabless Semiconductor Company
Global Hands-On VC ("GHOVC") has co-led a $20 million financing round in EdgeCortix, a Japan-based edge artificial intelligence (AI) fabless semiconductor development and design company. The investment was made from its first fund, GHOVC Fund I Investment Limited Partnership ("GHOVC Fund I") managed by GHOVC. Funds managed by SBI Investment Corporation (co-lead investor) and Renesas Electronics Corporation also participated in this round. GHOVC will provide not only financial support, it will also provide management support to help accelerate EdgCortix's growth as it expands its business within Japan and globally.
2023.07.19 Forbes Japan published an interview about our fund
Ken Yasunaga and Shri Dodani were interviewed by Forbes Japan.
In the article we discuss:
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The Kishida Administration's "Five-Year Plan for Startup Development" and "Promotion of Globalization"
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The GHOVC team's support for companies to go global
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Japan's potential as seen by a Silicon Valley Serial Entrepreneur
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Our vision for Japan's startup ecosystem
2023.02.02 AI Capital invests in Global Hands-On VC's Fund I
Alternative Capital Investment Limited (President & CEO: Reijiro Samura, Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, hereinafter "AIC") has made capital commitment to GHOVC Fund I Investment Limited Partnership ("GHOVC Fund I") .
GHOVC Fund I has received approximately 5 billion yen commitment from Sojitz Corporation, Sompo Light Vortex Corporation, and SunBridge Corporation. We will raise money and raise funds.
2023.01.13 Ken Yasunaga presented at JVCA global seminar “Learning from global players’viewpoints”.
Ken delivered opening remarks and moderated the panel discussion titled “The possibilities for Japanese startups from the viewpoint of global accelerators”. Panelars included the head of Google Campus Tokyo and SAP.io program and there were practical and constructive discussions about how to bring Japanese startups to go global.
The event was attended by about 100 people, including online participants, and it shows the strong interest in the global expansion for Japanese startups.
2022.11.30 Our annoucement was piked up by 80 media!
2022.11.29 Global Hands-On VC establishes GHOVC Fund I
TOKYO, Nov. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Global Hands-On VC (GHOVC), a Tokyo, Japan and Palo Alto, CA based venture capital firm has successfully completed a 5 billion yen first-close toward a 15 billion yen fund, GHOVC Fund I Investment Limited Partnership. GHOVC will invest in Japanese technology startups and provide hands-on support for their global success.
2022.11.14 Pitch Session with Global CVCs
On November 14, 2022, we co-hosted a pitch event with Global Corporate Venturing (GCV), the world's largest CVC media outlet, where CVCs from around the world gathered to support the overseas expansion of Japanese technology startups.
Nearly 40 overseas VC/CVCs attended the event, where six companies that passed the application screening made pitches, and a lively Q&A session was held.
2022.03.28 Featured in Resona Collaborare "Innovation Forest”
Resona Bank’s “Resona Collaborare” featured Ken Yasunaga in the “Innovation Forest” series. With a theme about “How to invest to start-up and help the growth”, John Kojiro Moriwaka, an “innovation provider” made in-depth interview. The article talks about "Silicon Valley style hands-on investment", "Points necessary for successful overseas expansion", "Entrepreneurs and investor mindsets essential for startup growth" and other topics.
2022.02.21 "The Complete Book of Product Management" won the IT Engineer Book Award 2022 Business Book Category Grand Prize
Takuya Oikawa's second book, "The Complete Book of Product Management, from Business Strategy, IT Development, UX Design, Marketing to Team and Organization Management" was selected for the Shoeisha IT Engineer Book Award 2022 Business Book Category Grand Prize. This award is selected through a web voting by IT engineers and final vote at presentation competition by authors. Some of voters' comments include; "Product management was systematically written and this book can be used as a textbook.", "I strongly feel that our team members need to be on the same page. So all members should read this book."
2021.05.12 Ken Yasunaga joined panel discussion at Super Return Asia Virtual
Ken Yasunaga presented at the panel discussion titled “Innovating traditional business: finding pandemic proof unicorns” at Super Return Asia Virtual. Together with renowned venture capitalists in Asia, Ken discussed about the internationalization of the start-up as well as potential collaboration between “Advanced Asia” and “Emerging Asia”. Ken also showed the attractiveness of Japanese tech start-up to those LPs interested in Asian market.
2021.03.03 Takuya Oikawa published a new book "The Complete Book of Product Management"
"The Complete Book of Product Management" is a second book authored by our founding partner, Takuya Oikawa. This book covers corporate strategy, IT development, UX design, marketing, team building and overall management relating to the Product Management. It describes the view of knowledge, skill, method and mindset. Must read item for all managers/engineers/designers who are involved in new business/service development, propping up the existing business, digital transformation, entrepreneurship, start-up, etc. Let’s go buy this book!
2021.02.17 Takuya Oikawa was selected as "LinkedIn influencers"
LinkedIn influencers is a thought leader within a particular industry who shares organic content to a large LinkedIn audience. LinkedIn has an invite-only, premium LinkedIn Influencer Program featuring the foremost thinkers and innovators in a field, such as Bill Gates or Richard Branson. Takuya was invited to this exclusive tier. LinkedIn Influencers in Japan include Kathy Matsui/ex-Goldman Sachs, Hiroshi Mikitani/Rakuten, Shintaro Yamada /Mercari, Miki Tsusaka/Boston Consulting and Marie Kondo/Tidying expert.
2021.02.10 Fireside chat with Nicholas Brathwaite of WRVI at JVCA Global Committee event
Ken Yasunaga had a fireside chat with Nicholas Brathwaite of WRVI, renowned technology venture capitalist in Silicon Valley, in the event hosted by Japan Venture Capital Association (JVCA). Nic and Ken had candid conversation about various topics including, opportunities and challenges for Japanese start-up, VC’s role to help start-up to grow, the difference between US and Japanese VCs, etc.. It was a great opportunity for Japanese VCs to learn about the basic philosophy of top tier US VC. Ken is a chairman of Global Committee at JVCA.
2020.12.08 Takuya Oikawa delivered a keynote speech at Veriserve Academic Initiative 2020
"Veriserve Academic Initiative 2020 ~What is the quality demanded for this new era of Digital Transformation~" was held online and our Founding Partner, Takuya Oikawa delivered a keynote speech. Japan is now in the midst of the urgent need for digitalization. In his keynote titled “The product development in the Age of No Answer”, Takuya proposed business growth through product development utilizing software, business, and organization.
2020.11.25 Presented at “Born Global ~Townhall meeting~”
Ken Yasunaga presented at “Townhall meeting” and talked about “Path to Successful Globalization for Startups in Japan”. According to the survey during the event, 88% of audience agreed that Japanese start-up should aim for global market, and 64% think those start-ups should go global from the day one. This BornGlobal TOWN HALL MEETING is organized by Astoria Consulting, a renowned organizer of PE/VC LP event, and supported by LINK-J, Pfizer, J-startup and others.
2020.10.22 Allen Miner delivered keynote presentation at CEATEC 2020 ONLINE
Allen Miner, our Founding Partner, addressed about the strange points and improvement measure in the Japanese Digital Transformation (DX) during the keynote discussion titled “The upcoming digital transformation”. CEATEC is the Japanese equivalent of CES and the largest IT and electronics exhibition and conference in Asia. CEATEC 2020 was held online between Oct.22-23.
2020.10.14 Takuya Oikawa’s special talk at NTT Communication Digital Showcase is now available online
NTT Communications hosted “NTT Communications Digital Forum 2020” on 10/14 and the contents are available online. Our Founding Partner, Takuya Oikawa is the Technical Advisor of NTT Communications and delivered two special keynote speeches at this event titling “Next stage of DX accelerated by ‘New Normal’ ~ The future of data platform interwoven by software and infrastructure ~” and “The importance of product management”.
2020.09.23 Ken Yasunaga hosted JVCA Global Committee event
Japan Venture Capital Association (JVCA) hosted a zoom event titled “Let’s Go Global Fireside Chat ~WHILL’s challenge toward the global market~.
Following opening remarks by Ken Yasunaga, JVCA’s Global Committee chairman, Mr. Satoshi Sugie, CEO/WHILL explained his story of success and failure for the global expansion including the very first several steps for market entry, building and managing international team, etc.
2020.09.21 Presented at Super Return Virtual （Hong Kong）
Allen Miner and Ken Yasunaga presented at the panel discussion to talk about “Japanese Venture Capital: the story post COVID-19” at Super Return Virtual (Hong Kong). Allen and Ken talked about what’s hot in the growing Japanese VC market.