Oita Venture Capital

Oita Venture Capital Co., Ltd. is a regional Japanese venture capital and private equity firm headquartered in Oita City, Oita Prefecture, founded in 1997 and operating as the venture-capital arm of Oita Bank Ltd. One of Kyushu's longest-running institutional venture investors, the firm focuses almost exclusively on the Oita region and the broader Kyushu ecosystem, with occasional investments elsewhere in Japan. Oita VC specializes in growth capital, management buyouts, and turnaround investments in local small- and mid-sized enterprises, with particular emphasis on promising venture companies possessing differentiated technology or products and targeting IPO. Thematic priorities include agriculture and corporate farming, renewable energy, technology, and growth and turnaround opportunities for SMEs contributing to the regional economy. The firm leads rounds and operates a series of funds, with Oita VC Success Fund No. 6 as the current active vehicle. Across the firm's history, approximately 70 disclosed investments have been made across 61 companies, resulting in 11 IPO exits — notable listings include iQPS in satellite SAR imaging, QD Laser in semiconductor lasers, and Thinca in payments. Recent deployment has been measured at roughly one new investment per year, including INSPIRATION PLUS at Series A in 2024, GexVal in drug discovery in January 2025, and ATOMica at Series B-III in February 2026, the firm's most recent disclosed investment. Oita VC's role extends beyond financial return to regional economic development: by systematically backing and listing locally grown technology companies, the firm helps anchor high-skill employment and entrepreneurial activity in a prefecture that otherwise sits outside Japan's main technology corridors.