Asahi Kasei Europe GmbH

Asahi Kasei Ventures — formally Asahi Kasei Corporate Venture Capital — is the CVC arm of Asahi Kasei Corporation, a diversified Japanese conglomerate with revenues exceeding $20 billion across its Materials, Homes, and Health Care divisions. Established in 2008 in Tokyo and operating from Silicon Valley since 2011, with additional offices in Menlo Park and Boston, the fund invests in innovative startups strategically aligned with Asahi Kasei's long-term business development. General Manager Takashi Morishita has guided the fund since inception, personally involved in investments in 30-plus startups. The firm has invested in 53-plus companies across the United States, Europe, China, and Japan, averaging two new investments annually. Checks range from $1 million to $10 million at seed through Series B stages. Focus areas include healthcare and digital health, advanced materials, IoT, clean technology, energy storage, hydrogen, and biopharmaceuticals. The most recent investment was in Glycomine at Series C in April 2025. The fund's Care for Earth investment framework extends the mandate to environmental startups in sustainability and carbon neutrality. Portfolio companies gain access to Asahi Kasei's extensive research capabilities, manufacturing infrastructure, and global commercial network — advantages that have resulted in multiple strategic collaborations and two acquisitions for the parent company. The fund's long-term orientation and corporate backing allow it to support companies through extended development cycles that financial-only investors may not sustain.