Japanese telecommunications giant NTT Docomo has launched its fourth corporate venture investment fund, committing approximately 15 billion yen (about $96 million) to support early-stage startups in Japan and abroad, the company announced in a press release.
The DOCOMO Innovation Fund IV is structured as a 10-year vehicle managed by NTT Docomo Ventures, Inc. (NDV), the company’s corporate venture capital arm, and is intended to deepen collaboration with startups that can help create new business opportunities and drive open innovation for the NTT Docomo Group through the 2030s.
NTT Docomo has been building a startup investment programme since 2013, with prior funds of similar scale established in 2013, 2017 and 2022. With the addition of the latest fund, the total amount committed by the operator to startup investments is now more than $350 million, according to industry reporting.
The new fund will target emerging companies developing technologies and business models that align with broader market trends and NTT Docomo’s strategic priorities, although specific sectors and potential early investments have not yet been disclosed publicly.
NDV’s portfolio spans roughly 100 startups across areas such as AI, cybersecurity, healthcare and enterprise software, with several notable successes, including early backing of Israeli fraud-prevention firm Riskified and Swedish industrial IT company Crosser, which was acquired earlier this month by a UK rival.
The establishment of the DI4 Fund signals a continued emphasis by Japanese corporates on venture capital as a means to foster innovation and strategic growth amid increasing global competition for technology leadership.
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