tokyo
Roblox beefs up its developer tools as it looks to a future beyond games
Roblox CTO Dan Sturman talks about how the company is building tools for developers, the challenges of building a tech stack for the masses and its foray into virtual currency.
World Innovation Lab wants to connect the innovation gap between startups and corporates in the US and Asia with $1B
World Innovation Lab (WiL), a Palo Alto- and Tokyo- headquartered venture capital firm, said Tuesday it has raised more than $1 billion. It’s an enormous fund for the outfit, relatively…
Niantic transcends Discord to build Campfire, an AR social network, and unveils Lightship VPS
Since the launch of Pokémon Go in 2016, players have been coordinating meetups, in-game raids and battles on platforms like Reddit and Discord. This summer, parent company Niantic is unveiling…
Nexon founder Jung-ju Jay Kim has passed away at age 54
Jung-ju Jay Kim, founder of South Korean gaming company Nexon, has passed away at age 54. On Tuesday, Nexon’s holding company NXC released a statement: “With deep sadness, Nexon mourns…
How our SaaS startup broke into the Japanese market without a physical presence
As a SaaS company with a community-led growth model, our journey to breaking into Japan might be different to companies with other models, but the core tenets remain the same.…
Warehouse robotics startup ForwardX raises $31M in first Series C close
ForwardX Robotics, a Beijing-headquartered company that makes autonomous mobile robots (AMR), said Tuesday it has closed the initial tranche of its Series C funding round as it looks to expand…
News aggregator SmartNews raises $230 million, valuing its business at $2 billion
SmartNews, a Tokyo-headquartered news aggregation website and app that’s grown in popularity despite hefty competition from built-in aggregators like Apple News, today announced it has closed on $230 million in…
YouTube TV adds a $20 monthly upgrade for 4K support and offline viewing
With less than a month to go before the Olympics kick off in Tokyo, cord-cutting services like YouTube TV are attempting to woo new subscribers who are looking for a…
Fashion wholesale marketplace JOOR opens China office
JOOR, an online marketplace that connects fashion brands and retailers around the world, has opened its first China office in downtown Shanghai as it eyes growth in the region. The…
Japanese VC Samurai Incubate closes $18.6M fund for African startups
Samurai Incubate, a Tokyo-based venture capital firm, announced today it has closed its “Samurai Africa 2nd General Partnership” fund, totalling 2.026 billion yen (~$18.6 million). According to the firm, the…
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Virgin Galactic debuts its first third-generation spaceship, ‘VSS Imagine’
Commercial human spaceflight company Virgin Galactic has unveiled the first-ever Spaceship III, the third major iteration of its spacecraft design. The first in this new series is called “VSS (Virgin SpaceShip) Imagine,” and will start ground testing now with the aim of beginning its first glide flights starting this summer. VSS Imagine has a snazzy…
Google is announcing a handful of major updates to Google Maps today that range from bringing its Live View AR directions indoors to adding weather data to its maps, but…
Japan’s Uncovered Fund launches $15M fund to back early-stage startups in Africa
Uncovered Fund, a VC firm targeting early-stage startups in Africa, announced today that it has launched its $15 million fund, which is expected to close at the end of June…
Japanese payment service provider Paidy raises $48M from ITOCHU
Paidy, a Japanese fintech startup that allows customers to make online purchases without credit cards, announced today that it has raised a $48 million Series C extension from ITOCHU. The…
American Airlines cuts long-haul international flights by 75%
American Airlines said it will suspend 75% of its long-haul international flights from the U.S., beginning March 16 in response to decreased demand and government travel restrictions put in place…
These specialized Africa VC funds are welcoming co-investors
For global venture capitalists still on the fence about entering Africa, a first move could be co-investing with a proven fund that’s already working in the region. Africa’s startup scene…
Japanese vacation rental management startup H2O raises $7 million Series B from investors including Samsung Ventures
Japan’s tourism industry is booming, but it faces a hotel room shortage, especially in Tokyo as the country prepares for the Summer Olympics. H2O (the name stands for Hospitality 2.0)…
Rocket Lab readies Electron for its first launch with rocket recovery systems on board
Update: Running Out of Fingers has launched successfully! We’ll know more about the results of the recovery system study soon. Rocket Lab is getting ready to fly its tenth mission,…
AI Medical Service raises $42.9 Series B for AI-based software that checks endoscopy scans for signs of cancer
AI Medical Service, a Tokyo-based company developing AI-based software to help detect gastric cancer, announced today that it has raised a $42.9 million Series B. Investors include Globis Capital Partners,…
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Bodega, once dubbed ‘America’s most hated startup,’ has quietly raised millions
The startup — now Stockwell — is backed by GV, NEA and DCM Ventures.
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Ricoh’s Theta Z1 is the first truly premium consumer 360 camera
Ricoh has a well-earned good reputation when it comes to building smart, technically excellent photographic equipment — including the almost legendary Ricoh GR series of pocketable APS-C cameras, which are a favorite among street photographers everywhere. Earlier this year, the company released the Ricoh Theta Z1, which builds on its success with its pioneering Theta…
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The Sony RX100 VII is the best compact camera you can buy
Sony’s latest advanced compact camera is the highly pocketable RX100 VII, the seventh iteration of the RX100. Since its debut, this line of cameras has proven a very popular option among enthusiasts looking for a great travel camera, vloggers and even pros who want a compact backup option just in case. The RX100 VII should…
We Company reportedly mulls slashing its valuation ahead of its initial public offering
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the company formerly known as WeWork is considering slashing its valuation as it looks to woo public market investors. The company is reportedly considering…
Elliptic banks $23M to shrink crypto risk, eyeing growth in Asia
Crypto means risk. To UK company Elliptic it also means business. The startup has just closed a $23M Series B to step up growth for a crypto risk-management play that…
Hackers will soon be able to stress-test the Facebook Portal at the annual Pwn2Own hacking contest, following the introduction of the social media giant’s debut hardware device last year. Pwn2Own…
Toyota partners with AI startup Preferred Networks on building helper robots for humans
Toyota is enlisting the help of startup Preferred Networks, a Japanese company founded in 2014 with a focus on artificial intelligence and deep learning, to help move forward its goal…
Cybereason raises $200 million for its enterprise security platform
Cybereason, which uses machine learning to increase the number of endpoints a single analyst can manage across a network of distributed resources, has raised $200 million in new financing from…
ispace Europe tapped by the European Space Agency for mission to extract water from the Moon
Space startup ispace, which is headquartered in Japan but has a European subsidiary based in Luxembourg, will take part in PROSPECT, a program run by the European Space Agency (ESA)…
Meet the robots Toyota is bringing to the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games
Tokyo’s 2020 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games are fast approaching, and Toyota is playing a key role in on-site mobility and transportation. The Japanese automaker has unveiled five robots it’s…
For western startups looking to enter Asia and Asian startups expanding globally, more funding has become available as investors are increasingly looking to export local tech solutions to overseas markets.…
