funding

Japanese re-entry-satellite startup ElevationSpace has raised $40m in Series B funding, accelerating its "Aoba" mission and post-ISS space plans.

Space BD raises $22m in additional Series C funding, days after providing Japan's first commercial rideshare slots on JAXA's sixth H3 rocket launch from Tanegashima.

LIFESCAPES, a Keio University spinout developing non-invasive brain-machine interface technology, has raised ¥600 million (about $4 million) to fund overseas expansion into ASEAN markets, a clinical trial of its therapeutic BMI device, and next-generation business development.

TriOrb, a Japanese startup developing a sphere-based AMR platform, has raised ¥2.88 billion ($18M) in a Series B round backed by SPARX Asset Management, Mizuho Bank, and MUFG Bank. Proceeds will fund mass production, U.S. expansion, and R&D.

MJOLNIR SPACEWORKS, a Sapporo-based hybrid rocket engine developer, has raised up to ¥1.7 billion ($11M) in a Series B round. The startup uses a plastic-fueled engine design pioneered at Hokkaido University, with backing from Z Venture Capital and Shoko Chukin Bank.

Atom, a Japanese startup developing humanoid AI robots, announced on May 27 the closing of a $19 million (3 billion yen) seed funding round. The company, founded in January 2026 by former Turing co-founder and CTO Shunsuke Aoki, aims to raise Japan's GDP by 1 percent through the development and mass production of dual-arm, bipedal humanoid robots for use in manufacturing and logistics. The seed round was led by ANRI, Beyond Next Ventures, and JAFCO Group, with participation from other investors including Sumisho Venture Partners. Funds will be used primarily for talent acquisition.

bitBiome, a Tokyo-based startup specializing in microbial genome analysis, has closed the third close of its extended seed funding round, securing approximately ¥3.5 billion ($22 million) in combined equity, debt, and grants. Around 80% of the total is non-dilutive capital. Investors in the equity portion include Taiwan-based Darwin Ventures and U.S.-based In-Q-Tel. The proceeds will fund expansion of the bit-GEM microbial genome database, enhancement of the SENS-AI platform, lab scaling, and global business development.