Yamaha Motor Ventures

ActiveVenture Capital

Updated: Dec 5, 2025 ·

Financial History

Total Raised

N/A

Valuation

N/A

Investments Made

Date	Company	Round	Lead Investor(s)	Co-Investor(s)
Sep 1, 2025	Goodpath	$18.0M Series A	—	MassMutual Ventures
Jul 1, 2025	CertifID	$48.0M Series C	—	Arthur Ventures
Jun 1, 2024	bem	$4.0M Seed	—	Andreessen Horowitz, Band of Angels, Cherry Ventures, Expedite Ventures, HV Capital, SNR, Stellar Capital, Uncork Capital, Y Combinator, Charles Zedlewski, Chris Schagen, Konstantin von Unger, Omar El-Ayat
Nov 1, 2023	Augment	$6.0M Seed	—	20VC, Afore Capital, Ascend Vietnam Ventures, Autotech Ventures, BILL, Browder Capital, Countdown Capital, eFounders, Felix Capital, Fireside Ventures, Founders' Co-op, Founders Fund, Kima Ventures, Leap Forward Ventures, Matrix, Motier Ventures, Pareto Holdings, Point Nine Capital, Seven Seven Six, The Hit Forge, Thirty Five Ventures, Akin Babayigit, Alex Payne, Austin Walters, Cory Levy, Derrick Li, Dharmesh Shah, Maria Raga, Mario Götze, Nicolas Julia, Robin Sabban, Ryan Chan, Thibaud Elziere, Youcef Es-skouri
Sep 1, 2023	CertifID	$20.0M Series B	—	Arthur Ventures
Jun 1, 2023	Parabola	$24.0M Series B	—	Abstract Ventures, AirAngels, Alt Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, AngelPad, Ascend Vietnam Ventures, Audacious Ventures, Battery Ventures, B Capital Group, BILL, Connect Ventures, Craft Ventures, Era Ventures, First Round Capital, Founders' Co-op, Greylock, ICONIQ Capital, LGF, Lightspeed India Partners, Madrona Ventures, Matrix, Merus Capital, MKT1 Capital, mParticle, Norwest Venture Partners, Openview Venture Partners, Paradox Capital, Pareto Holdings, Pear VC, Sapphire Ventures, Stripe, The Hit Forge, Todd and Rahul's Angel Fund, Y Combinator, Akshay Kothari, Alex Payne, Allison Pickens (Allison Pickens Ventures), Aston Motes, Austin Walters, Chris Murphy, Chris Schagen, Christian Reber, Cristina Cordova, Derrick Li, Dharmesh Shah, Emily Kramer, Eric Wu, Evan Moore, Gokul Rajaram, Immad Akhund, Jon Brelig, Mathilde Collin, Melissa Tan, Mike Hennessey, Mike Hudack, Ron Pragides, Roxanne Varza, Ryan Chan, Saran Chari, Scott Belsky, Stanley Tang, Thibaud Elziere, Tony Xu, Zack Kanter
Apr 1, 2023	PlayAI	$3.0M Seed	—	Adjacent, Amplify Partners, Array Ventures, Ascend Vietnam Ventures, BILL, Bond, CapitalX, Compound, Felicis Ventures, Founders' Co-op, Matrix, Race Capital, The Hit Forge, Adam Gries, Alex Payne, Austin Walters, Derrick Li, Howie Liu, Lukas Biewald, Moshe Lifschitz, Roxanne Varza, Ryan Chan, Thibaud Elziere
Feb 1, 2023	Quell	$10.0M Series A	—	Ascend Vietnam Ventures, BILL, Cherubic Ventures, Founder Collective, Founders' Co-op, Heartcore Capital, Matrix, The Hit Forge, Alex Payne, Austin Walters, Derrick Li, Dharmesh Shah, Elliott Cohen, Roxanne Varza, Ryan Chan, Steph Korey, Thibaud Elziere, TJ Parker
Nov 1, 2022	Simbel	$4.0M Seed	—	Ascend Vietnam Ventures, BILL, Brighteye Ventures, eFounders, Foundamental, Founders' Co-op, Matrix, Northzone, Playfair Capital, Seedcamp, Speedinvest, The Hit Forge, Adam Wiggins, Alex Payne, Austin Walters, Derrick Li, Dharmesh Shah, Jonathan Widawski, Ralph Gootee, Roxanne Varza, Ryan Chan, Thibaud Elziere
Sep 1, 2022	Next Level Burger	$20.0M Venture Round	—	Ascend Vietnam Ventures, BILL, Founders' Co-op, Matrix, The Hit Forge, Austin Walters, Derrick Li, Dharmesh Shah, Roxanne Varza, Ryan Chan, Thibaud Elziere
Jun 1, 2022	Pulley	$4.0M Seed	—	01 Advisors, 11, 75 & Sunny, Accel, Addition, Ascend Vietnam Ventures, Avalon Ventures, BILL, Bond, C2 Investment, Conviction Partners, Craft Ventures, Kevin Ding, Dimension Capital, Fifth Wall, Founder Collective, Founders' Co-op, Founders Fund, Freestyle Capital, Greenoaks Capital, Greylock, Haun Ventures, ICONIQ Capital, Innovation Endeavors, In-Q-Tel, Insight Partners, IVP, Jetstream, Khosla Ventures, Kleiner Perkins, Kluz Ventures, LGF, Long Journey Ventures, Matrix, Paradox Capital, Plaid, Primer Sazze Partners, Scale Venture Partners, Sequoia Capital, Spark Capital, Susa Ventures, The Hit Forge, TSVC Capital, XStarPartners, Alex Payne, Amjad Masad, Anna Yuan, Austin Walters, Bradley Horowitz, Charles Zedlewski, Cristina Cordova, David Mytton, Dharmesh Shah, DJ Patil, Dylan Field, Gokul Rajaram, Greg Brockman, Guillaume Lestrade, Julie Zhuo, Oleg Rogynskyy, Omar El-Ayat, Ron Pragides, Roxanne Varza, Ryan Chan, Sam Altman, Scott Belsky, Thibaud Elziere, Tobias Lutke, Tony Xu, Young Song
May 1, 2022	CertifID	$13.0M Series A	—	Arthur Ventures
Apr 1, 2022	Airgap Networks	$13.0M Series A	—	AYANA Capital LLC, Brewer Lane Ventures, Cervin Ventures, Curie.Bio, Lux Capital, Operator Partners, Storm Ventures, Trucks Venture Capital, Dylan Taylor
Feb 1, 2022	Konta	$3.0M Seed	—	Better Tomorrow Ventures, Broadhaven Capital Partners, John M. Mueller
Nov 1, 2021	Luma Health	$130.0M Series C	—	Bonfire Ventures, SOSV, U.S. Venture Partners
Sep 1, 2021	Thankful	$12.0M Series A	—	Accomplice VC, Alex, Alpha Edison, Bond, Bonfire Ventures, Drive Capital, Ensemble VC, FirstMark Capital, ‎GreatPoint Ventures, H.I.G. Capital, Juxtapose Capital, Menlo Ventures, SOSV, Trajectory Ventures, Dafina Toncheva, Anne Wojcicki
Sep 1, 2021	Urbio	$2.0M Seed	—	Array Ventures, Contrarian Ventures, DCM, foobar.vc, Founderful, Long Journey Ventures, Mithril Capital Management, Julie McDermott, Mantas Mikuckas
Sep 1, 2021	CodeSignal	$50.0M Series C	—	Curie.Bio, Menlo Ventures, Operator Partners, Storm Ventures
Aug 1, 2021	Pumpspotting	$1.0M Seed	—	Array Ventures, DCM, foobar.vc, Long Journey Ventures, Mithril Capital Management, Julie McDermott
May 1, 2021	Trella	$30.0M Series A	—	8VC, Algebra Ventures, Antler, Shigeru Handa, La Famiglia, David Petersen, Jett McCandless
Feb 1, 2021	Goodpath	$4.0M Seed	—	MassMutual Ventures
Feb 1, 2021	C. Light Technologies	$4.0M Seed	—	Array Ventures, DCM, foobar.vc, Long Journey Ventures, Mithril Capital Management, Julie McDermott
Dec 1, 2020	Quell	$3.0M Seed	—	Amity Ventures, Ascend Vietnam Ventures, BILL, Cherubic Ventures, Electric Capital, Felicis Ventures, Founder Collective, Founders' Co-op, Heartcore Capital, Lobby Capital, Matrix, The Hit Forge, Alex Payne, Austin Walters, David Fraga, Derrick Li, Dharmesh Shah, Elliott Cohen, Frederic Kerrest, Roxanne Varza, Ryan Chan, Steph Korey, Thibaud Elziere, TJ Parker
Dec 1, 2020	CodeSignal	$25.0M Series B	—	Cherry Ventures, Curie.Bio, Felicis Ventures, Menlo Ventures, OMERS Ventures, Operator Partners, Storm Ventures
Aug 1, 2020	Ansel Health	$2.0M Seed	—	1776, AIX Ventures, Courtney Robinson, Convoz, Curie.Bio, Founder Collective, Govtech Fund, High Alpha, Innovation Endeavors, NFX, Hans Tung, Operator Partners, Simon Equity Partners LLC, Storm Ventures, Techstars, Two Sigma Ventures, Andy Coravos, George Morrison, Joe Zawadzki, Mark Pincus

Financial History

Total Raised

N/A

Valuation

N/A

Leadership Team

Key people at Yamaha Motor Ventures.

Leadership Team

Key people at Yamaha Motor Ventures.

Deep Dive

Yamaha Motor Ventures (YMVSV) is a global venture capital firm founded in 2015 as a subsidiary of Yamaha Motor Company, headquartered in Palo Alto, California. Its mission is to catalyze innovation by supporting early-stage startups that transform how people live and move, focusing on frontier technologies aligned with Yamaha’s vision. The firm invests primarily in early-stage companies across nine key sectors: transportation, robotics, digital health & wellness, fintech/insurtech, AI & machine learning, agriculture, industrial decarbonization & materials, energy, and advanced materials. Beyond capital, YMVSV provides strategic guidance, engineering support, and access to Yamaha’s global network, manufacturing capabilities, and infrastructure, helping startups scale efficiently and enter new markets[1][2][5].

Founded in 2015, Yamaha Motor Ventures leverages the extensive resources and industry expertise of its parent company, Yamaha Motor Corporation, which has a long history of product innovation since the 1950s. The firm is led by CEO and Managing Director Kei Onishi and operates with a lean team of industry experts. It has evolved to focus on transformative technologies in mobility, AgTech, and HealthTech, managing approximately $300 million in assets under management and having made over 50 investments globally, with a strong emphasis on the U.S. and Asia-Pacific regions[1][2][3].

Core Differentiators

Unique Investment Model: As a corporate venture capital (CVC) arm, YMVSV combines financial investment with operational support, leveraging Yamaha’s manufacturing, engineering, and global distribution capabilities.
Network Strength: Access to Yamaha’s global network spanning over 32 countries, including suppliers, distribution channels, and industry partnerships.
Track Record: Over 50 investments in startups pioneering rare earth metals processing, autonomous vehicles, AI-powered data infrastructure, agricultural robotics, and more.
Operating Support: Provides portfolio companies with strategic guidance, engineering resources (software engineers, data scientists), and go-to-market support.
Speed and Agility: Operates as a separate entity from Yamaha Motor Co., enabling rapid deal execution and flexible engagement with startups[1][2][5].

Role in the Broader Tech Landscape

Yamaha Motor Ventures rides the global trends of digital transformation in mobility, sustainability, and health technology. The timing is critical as industries face increasing pressure to innovate in decarbonization, autonomous systems, and AI-driven solutions. Market forces such as the rise of electric vehicles, smart robotics, and sustainable agriculture align with Yamaha’s core competencies and the firm’s investment thesis. By supporting startups in these sectors, YMVSV influences the broader ecosystem by accelerating the commercialization of breakthrough technologies and fostering cross-industry collaboration between startups and Yamaha’s established operations[1][5][6].

Quick Take & Future Outlook

Looking ahead, Yamaha Motor Ventures is poised to deepen its impact by expanding investments in emerging technologies like industrial decarbonization, advanced materials, and AI applications in mobility and health. As global demand for sustainable and intelligent solutions grows, YMVSV’s unique position as a corporate venture capital firm with strong operational backing will enable it to scale innovative startups effectively. The firm’s influence is likely to evolve from pure capital provider to a strategic innovation partner, helping shape the future of transportation, agriculture, and wellness industries while reinforcing Yamaha’s long-term vision of enhancing human possibilities and sustainable living[1][6].

Sources

Core Differentiators

Unique Investment Model: As a corporate venture capital (CVC) arm, YMVSV combines financial investment with operational support, leveraging Yamaha’s manufacturing, engineering, and global distribution capabilities.
Network Strength: Access to Yamaha’s global network spanning over 32 countries, including suppliers, distribution channels, and industry partnerships.
Track Record: Over 50 investments in startups pioneering rare earth metals processing, autonomous vehicles, AI-powered data infrastructure, agricultural robotics, and more.
Operating Support: Provides portfolio companies with strategic guidance, engineering resources (software engineers, data scientists), and go-to-market support.
Speed and Agility: Operates as a separate entity from Yamaha Motor Co., enabling rapid deal execution and flexible engagement with startups[1][2][5].