Setouchi Startups

Setouchi Startups functions as a specialized venture capital fund, investing strategically in Japan's Setouchi region. The firm targets pre-seed and seed-stage startups, providing capital and tailored support to cultivate nascent local companies. It leverages regional insights and networks, empowering founders through critical early growth phases to foster innovation.

Keiichilo Fujita and Kuniaki Yamada established Setouchi Startups in 2021, driven by the conviction that a regional VC would significantly advance local innovation. Fujita, an entrepreneur, cultivated startup communities in Okayama for years. Yamada, a lawyer with startup and IPO experience, returned to the region, recognizing the vital need for localized expertise and capital to build a thriving ecosystem.

The fund supports early-stage companies and entrepreneurs linked to the Setouchi area, offering capital and mentorship. Setouchi Startups envisions cultivating a self-sustaining entrepreneurial culture and a thriving startup ecosystem across the region, providing innovators resources and guidance to achieve objectives and drive development.