Rakuten Capital

Profile

Rakuten Capital is the corporate venture capital arm of Rakuten Group, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. Founded in 2013, the firm focuses on investments that leverage Rakuten’s unique ecosystem, consisting of over 70 services. The team includes key leaders like Managing Partner Saemin Ahn, who oversees international investments and has a background in AI, New Energy, and Robotics, and President Seiichiro Sonoda, who manages corporate strategy and financial business supervision, drawing from extensive experience within the Rakuten ecosystem and beyond.

Rakuten Capital invests in transformative products and services within sectors such as Commerce, Communications, Marketing, Financial Services, Mobility, and Healthcare. The firm spans various stages of investment, focusing on companies all over the globe. The venture group has more than $100M under management and provides significant financial, operational, and strategic support drawn from its parent company's broad set of internet services.

Notable investments by Rakuten Capital include global players like Careem, an app-based car service, Carousell, an e-commerce platform, GoTo, a transport and logistics firm, Lyft, a ride-sharing service, Pinterest, a digital content sharing service, and Upstart, a fintech company. These investments reflect Rakuten Capital’s strategy of fostering synergy and growth across digital and consumer service sectors.