Upsider is a technology company.
Upsider has raised $35.0M across 1 funding round.
Upsider has raised $35.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Upsider has raised $35.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Upsider's investors include ANRI, Salesforce Ventures.
UPSIDER is a Tokyo-based financial technology company founded in 2018 that builds a global financial platform leveraging AI, technology, and finance to support challengers, particularly startups and growing businesses.[3][4][5] It provides solutions for growth and security, such as flexible financing, expense management, and credit services tailored to emerging companies, helping them overcome funding and operational hurdles like limited credit limits or cash flow issues.[3][4] Serving startups and enterprises in Japan and globally, UPSIDER addresses the scarcity of rapid-growth startups in Japan by acting as "new infrastructure" for the future economy, with major backing from Mizuho Bank and a focus on cashless operations and business expansion.[2][3][4]
Note: Search results reference a separate, earlier U.S.-based "Upsider" (a 2015 recruiting tech firm acquired in 2021), but the active entity matching the query's technology context is the Japanese UPSIDER.[1][3]
UPSIDER Holdings, Inc. was established in May 2018 in Tokyo, Japan, with Toru Miyagi as representative and major shareholder Mizuho Bank providing foundational support.[3] The company emerged amid Japan's startup ecosystem challenges, where fewer firms achieve rapid global growth compared to overseas peers; UPSIDER was created to fill this gap as a "new infrastructure service" under the theme "Boost Your Dream."[2][3] Key executives include Tomonori Mizuno (EVP, with experience at NewsPicks and ABeam Consulting), Kensuke Tsujimoto (CLO, from top law firms and hedge funds), and Yusuke Izumi (VPoE, ex-Morgan Stanley, DeNA, and CTO roles), bringing expertise in marketing, finance, legal, and engineering to build tech-driven financial tools.[3] Early traction stemmed from targeting underserved startups, evolving from basic support to AI-powered growth solutions.[4]
UPSIDER rides the wave of Japan's fintech boom and global AI integration in finance, capitalizing on post-pandemic demand for agile funding amid slow traditional bank lending to startups.[2][3][4] Timing aligns with rising startup activity in Asia, where cashless economies and embedded finance are accelerating—Japan's lag in high-growth ventures creates a ripe market for UPSIDER's "challenger platform."[2] Market forces like Mizuho Bank's involvement and AI adoption favor it, enabling solutions for procurement, expenses, and growth that traditional players overlook.[3][4] It influences the ecosystem by nurturing rapid scalers, fostering a virtuous cycle of more Japanese startups competing globally and reducing reliance on overseas funding.[2]
UPSIDER is poised to expand its AI-powered platform amid surging demand for embedded finance in Asia's startup surge, potentially deepening Mizuho partnerships and entering new markets like Southeast Asia.[3][4] Trends such as AI risk assessment, regulatory tailwinds for fintech, and cashless mandates will propel growth, evolving its role from niche supporter to core infrastructure for global challengers.[2][4] As it scales, expect enhanced enterprise features and broader impact on Japan's "future economy," directly advancing its mission to boost dreams in a tech-driven financial world.[3]
Upsider has raised $35.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $35.0M Series D in November 2024.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 1, 2024 | $35.0M Series D | ANRI, Salesforce Ventures |