Japan's Go BIG or Go Home Plan
Japan Post Bank to spend $7bn on turning startups into unicorns.
1 trillion! That’s right folks, you read it right, 1 trillion yen is to be invested into startups in Japan to create Unicorns in the land of the rising sun. Japan Post Bank is leveraging on its presence of 24,000 outlets across the country to hopefully nab a few unicorn worthy startups through private equity investments.
What does this have to do with you?
Being in the know is, in my opinion, the first step to information gathering and being prepared for any scenario. With the knowledge of such initiatives that may start a ripple in the funding world is something to be excited about. Perhaps our local funders may play catch up and start a funding blitz too out of FOMO (One can hope). Perhaps this may be a time to update and review your pitch decks and offering to be prepared to would be funders.
What Japan Post Bank is planning to invest in?
The postal bank aims to help technology startups in artificial intelligence and biotechnology in marketing and developing sales routes, in addition to funding. Additionally they would consider investing in fields like renewable energy that promote environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals. I would like to point out that ESG goals by companies (startups or established businesses alike) will take more precedents in consideration for funding or financing. The planned roll out for this initiative is in April 2026.
If you are a Japanese Startup, please don’t start bombarding them with request for funding just yet and perhaps you can take the time to secure some key accounts that would improve your company’s financials to warrant an investment. Furthermore, consider aligning your company with ESG goals that may need to be conveyed in your pitch decks. Remember guys, it is about how the message is coming across, not how you want to write it.