The "FIRST CVC" has launched a new meetup event called "CVC Office Hour," where startups can meet with CVCs!

Startups often face challenges such as not knowing where to meet CVCs or corporate investors, and difficulty getting meetings when there are no clear collaboration topics. The lack of opportunities to connect is one of the barriers to open innovation in Japan.

As the largest CVC community in Japan, FIRST CVC is working to solve this problem by creating a casual meetup event series. The goal is to provide an opportunity for startups and CVCs to meet before discussions about collaboration or investment become formal.

This is "CVC Office Hour," a unique event where CVC capitalists and startup executives gather in a relaxed atmosphere to discuss potential collaboration.

In the first event on December 14, 2022, six CVC companies and nine startups gathered to engage in lively discussions about collaboration.

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【Participating CVC Capitalists】

Tokyu Corporation
Future Design Lab
Hayato Takei

Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.
Strategic Investment Center, CVC Team
Ta Kashima

SoftBank Corporation
Technology Investment Strategy Division
Keisuke Terashita

Hakuhodo DY Ventures Inc.
Manager
Keita Yamashita

Toshiba Tec Corporation
New Business Development Division, CVC Promotion Office
Tatsuya Ishii

Benesse Corporation
Digital Innovation Partners
Tsukito Takagi

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【Participating Startups】

Loglass Inc.

OniGO Inc.

Tippsy, Inc.

M Inc.

Lean on Me Inc.

Ikura Inc.

Fanova Inc.

VALT JAPAN Inc.

KB-eye Inc.

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The venue for the event was kindly provided by Tokyu Corporation at the "SOIL (Shibuya Open Innovation Lab)" in Shibuya. The lab focuses on "social implementation" of open innovation and provided a perfect space for discussions between CVCs and startups. A special thanks to the Tokyu team for their support.

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Event Report

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As this was an "Office Hour" format, it wasn’t just a CVC x Startup discussion; there were also in-depth conversations between CVCs and between startups themselves. In this report, we’ll share the highlights from the event and some participant feedback.

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‍The event program was as follows:

• Part 1 - Roundtable Sessions: Corporates x Startups
• Part 2 - Networking

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Part 1 - Roundtable Sessions: Corporates x Startups

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We divided into three tables, each consisting of three CVCs and three startups. The aim was to find synergy between the broad business domains and resources of large corporations and the potential of startups. We intentionally used a roundtable format with multiple participants to encourage diverse perspectives.

After introductions by the CVC capitalists and company pitches by the startups, each table engaged in informal discussions about the potential for collaboration. Since it wasn’t one-on-one, there were lively exchanges and questions, and new collaboration ideas emerged from fresh perspectives.

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Part 2 - Networking

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After Part 1, we had an hour of networking time. This gave everyone the opportunity to have one-on-one conversations with multiple CVCs, continuing the discussions from Part 1 or meeting new people. There were also lively conversations between startups and between CVCs, creating new connections and a friendly atmosphere.

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Feedback from Participating CVCs

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Toshiba Tec Corporation
Tatsuya Ishii

It was a valuable experience to discuss not just one-on-one, but with multiple companies. Even if our focus is different, there were many discussions that gave us fresh perspectives and ideas. I look forward to further collaboration in the future.

Hakuhodo DY Ventures Inc.
Keita Yamashita

It was great to have direct conversations with startup executives. The informal setting allowed for spontaneous and honest exchanges, which made the event feel very natural. It helped me learn more about the companies and ideas they have.

Benesse Corporation
Tsukito Takagi

The relaxed and open atmosphere allowed for effective communication. We had very interesting discussions that touched on areas outside of just investment. I'm excited about the potential for collaboration with startups that we met today.

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Feedback from Participating Startups

Ikura Inc.

It was a great opportunity to have candid discussions with CVCs. We were able to have deep conversations about how our technology could be used in large corporations and received valuable feedback.

OniGO Inc.

It was refreshing to meet with people from large corporations who are genuinely interested in the future of startups. We were able to discuss ideas for collaboration and received helpful advice from the CVCs.

VALT JAPAN Inc.

It was a great experience to connect with CVCs in such an open and informal way. We were able to talk about potential partnerships and collaborations, and the atmosphere was very conducive to constructive conversations.

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This was the first "CVC Office Hour" event hosted by FIRST CVC. We believe that it succeeded in fostering valuable conversations between CVCs and startups, and creating new opportunities for collaboration. We look forward to more such events in the future!