Japan Investment Corporation (JIC) Invests $19 Million (JPY 3 Billion) in Japan Private Equity & Buyout Firm Minerva Growth Partners 2nd Fund (Minerva Growth Partners II LP) to Invest in Growth Stage Technology Startups Primarily in Internet & Software, Minerva Growth Partners Founded in 2021 by Kei Nagasawa (ex-Mercari CFO), Kensuke Murashima (ex-Morgan Stanley Head of Japan for Global Internet Banking / Global Software Banking) & Pleiad Investment Advisors (Hong Kong Asset Management Company)
24th January | Hong Kong
Japan Investment Corporation (JIC) has announced to invest $19.2 million (JPY 3 billion) in Japan private equity & buyout firm Minerva Growth Partners 2nd fund (Minerva Growth Partners II LP) to invest in growth stage technology startups primarily in internet & software. Minerva Growth Partners was founded in 2021 by Kei Nagasawa (ex-Mercari CFO), Kensuke Murashima (ex-Morgan Stanley Head of Japan for Global Internet Banking / Global Software Banking) & Pleiad Investment Advisors (Hong Kong Asset Management Company). Minerva Growth Partners – Minerva Growth Partners is established by Kei Nagasawa, former Mercari CFO, and Kensuke Murashima, former Head of Japan for Global Internet Banking/Global Software Banking Group at Morgan Stanley, together with Pleiad Investment Advisors (Pleiad Investment Advisors is an independent asset management company established in Hong Kong in 2014 and is an approved asset management company by the Securities Futures and Exchange Commission (SFC) of Hong Kong. It invests in public companies in the Asia Pacific region (mainly Japan, China, and South Korea) through in-depth and extensive research, and specializes in a long-term, fundamental investment approach characterized by a relatively small number of concentrated holdings. As of the end of December 2023, it manages approximately 240 billion JPY (1.7 billion USD) and has a track record of investing in a variety of newly-listed growth stocks among Japanese start-ups). Minerva Growth Partners (“MGP”) plans to invest from 1 to 3 billion yen per company, primarily targeting growth stage private companies that have established product-market fit (PMF), revenue models, and an attractive unit economics to grow towards 10 billion yen scale in sales. In addition, we will also make private equity investments in growth-stage public companies and their business units and subsidiaries. Our focus areas include consumer internet and B2B software and services including healthcare tech and fintech. As a private equity fund focused on growth companies in the technology sector, MGP is able to offer a variety of strategic solutions, not only limited to investments in unlisted companies, but also buyouts, private investments in public equities (PIPEs), and carve-outs of specific business units or subsidiaries. In particular, we support companies who have concerns regarding their valuation in the capital markets, liquidity and stock price which make it difficult to raise capital, preventing them from pursuing proactive measures. MGP addresses these issues through providing strategic solutions through our private equity investments. MGP is capable of a long-term holding period from pre to post-IPO, allowing an investment across the company’s entire lifecycle. Pleiad Investment Advisors can also invest at an IPO and post-IPO and build large positions in the public markets for long and super-long holding periods. Japan Investment Corporation (JIC) – Japan Investment Corporation (“JIC”) was established in September 2018 under the Industrial Competitiveness Enhancement Act. JIC’s investment focus areas are creating a virtuous cycle of domestic investment and innovation; creating and fostering startups; leveraging promising untapped management resources lying dormant in local areas, including startups from academia and medium-sized companies; and promoting business restructuring in response to changes in market and business environments. JIC provides risk capital to these areas through funds independently established by JIC and LP investment in private funds to promote open innovation in Japan, strengthen the competitiveness of Japanese industries, and contribute to expansion of Japan’s investment ecosystem.
“ Japan Investment Corporation (JIC) Invests $19 Million (JPY 3 Billion) in Japan Private Equity & Buyout Firm Minerva Growth Partners 2nd Fund (Minerva Growth Partners II LP) to Invest in Growth Stage Technology Startups Primarily in Internet & Software, Minerva Growth Partners Founded in 2021 by Kei Nagasawa (ex-Mercari CFO), Kensuke Murashima (ex-Morgan Stanley Head of Japan for Global Internet Banking / Global Software Banking) & Pleiad Investment Advisors (Hong Kong Asset Management Company) “
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Japan Investment Corporation (JIC) Invests $19 Million (JPY 3 Billion) in Japan Private Equity & Buyout Firm Minerva Growth Partners 2nd Fund (Minerva Growth Partners II LP) to Invest in Growth Stage Technology Startups Primarily in Internet & Software, Minerva Growth Partners Founded in 2021 by Kei Nagasawa (ex-Mercari CFO), Kensuke Murashima (ex-Morgan Stanley Head of Japan for Global Internet Banking / Global Software Banking) & Pleiad Investment Advisors (Hong Kong Asset Management Company)
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