HiJoJo Partners Inc. (“HiJoJo”) is pleased to announce the successful completion of its Series B1 financing round. The company raised ¥1 billion through a third-party allotment of shares, bringing total capital raised since inception to approximately ¥2.8 billion.
The round was subscribed by a total of 31 investors, including funds operated by Pegasus Tech Ve
ntures, i-nest capital, Inc., and SMBC Venture Capital Co., Ltd., along with H.I.S. Co., Ltd., as well as individual investors.
This capital will be strategically deployed to strengthen our organizational structure and expand our business foundation. In the rapidly growing global private equity market, we aim to accelerate service expansion and business growth, providing our clients and investors with increasingly diverse and attractive investment opportunities.
The Series B1 round was subscribed by a total of 31 investors. Key investors include:
Other corporations and individual investors, totaling 31 investors.
Spyridon Mentzas, Co-CEO of HiJoJo Partners
“To date, we have welcomed affiliates of Mizuho Financial Group and Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group as shareholders. With the participation of a Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group affiliate in this round, we have now established capital relationships with all three of Japan's leading megabanks. This reflects the financial industry's recognition of our track record and business model's long-term growth potential, and we believe it will provide significant support for our future business expansion.
Regarding the investment from H.I.S. Co., Ltd., a company from a different industry sector, we share a common goal of providing high-value-added services to affluent and other customers. Despite our different sectors, we look forward to creating concrete synergies going forward.
In addition, we are pleased to welcome Pegasus Tech Ventures, a Silicon Valley–based global venture capital firm, as a participant in this round following its investment in our previous round. We view their continued support as a strong endorsement of our business model and long-term vision on an international scale. Going forward, we aim to deepen our partnership beyond capital by sharing investment opportunities and strengthening cross-border collaboration, thereby providing Japanese investors with access to higher-quality private investment opportunities.
Furthermore, receiving recognition from professional investors based primarily overseas, such as Mr. David Heller, a Managing Partner at Vertex Ventures with an outstanding global investment track record, is tremendously encouraging and holds significant meaning for our future global expansion.”
Hironori Shimizu, Senior Managing Director, SMBC Venture Capital Co., Ltd.
“HiJoJo is one of Japan’s leading players, with a strong track record of structuring and managing thematic funds that provide exposure to some of the world’s most closely watched unicorns. We believe Mr. Mentzas and his team are well positioned to build a first-of-its-kind domestic secondary market for private company shares that can be traded globally, helping to accelerate the development of Japan’s venture ecosystem. By connecting startups in Japan and overseas with investors at home and abroad, HiJoJo can help position Japanese private company shares as a globally investable asset class. The SMBC Group will continue to support HiJoJo’s growth as the business scales.”
Masayuki Umitsu, General Manager, New Business Management Division, Group Manager, CVC Group, Investment Strategy Division of H.I.S. Co., Ltd.
“Since our founding, H.I.S. has worked to make international travel accessible to all, paving the way for everyone to explore the world freely. Our history of delivering “Waku-Waku” (Soul-stirring) experiences—born from encounters with the unknown and connections between people—resonates deeply with HiJoJo’s mission of “Democratization of Startup Investing”.
Just as “Travel” enriches lives by encouraging that first step, “Investment” shapes the future by championing innovation. Through this partnership, we will leverage our mutual strengths to create new value by exploring unknown possibilities. H.I.S. is fully committed to supporting HiJoJo in their next leap forward and their bold challenges ahead.”
Anis Uzzaman, Founder & CEO of Pegasus Tech Ventures
“We are pleased to have made a follow-on investment in HiJoJo following the previous round. This additional investment reflects our strong confidence in the company’s business model, growth strategy, and its proven ability to execute consistently to date. HiJoJo’s mission to provide Japanese investors with access to leading global unicorn companies aligns closely with our own strategic vision. Moreover, the company’s mid- to long-term plan to list funds composed of high-potential private companies has the potential to significantly contribute to the development of Japan’s startup ecosystem and private investment market. As the Pegasus team, we remain committed to supporting HiJoJo’s continued growth and ambitious endeavors.”
David Heller, Managing Partner, Vertex Ventures
“I am pleased to participate in HiJoJo’s Series B1 financing round. I have closely followed the company’s evolution and have been consistently impressed by the quality of the proprietary investment opportunities it has sourced and delivered to its clients.
As a Managing Partner at Vertex Ventures, a global venture capital firm, I have seen many platforms across markets. HiJoJo stands out for its disciplined execution, strong institutional standards, and its ability to connect Japanese investors with global private market opportunities.
I have known Founder and Co-CEO Mr. Mentzas and Co-CEO Mr. Akiyama for nearly a decade, including before their roles at HiJoJo. In the relatively short period since its founding, the company has built a highly capable team with the professionalism and rigor expected of leading international financial institutions. Under the leadership of Mr. Mentzas and Mr. Akiyama, I believe HiJoJo is well positioned to deliver continued growth and progress in the years ahead, and I am pleased to support its next phase of growth.”
HiJoJo is a Japanese independent asset management firm founded in 2017 by Spyridon Mentzas. It is one of the largest VC funds investing in U.S. unicorn companies, selling to Japanese investors through face-to-face and online channels. HiJoJo has achieved cumulative sales exceeding ¥50 billion (February 6, 2026). Shareholders include major Japanese financial institutions such as Credit Saison, Mizuho Securities, SBI Group, Finatext Holdings, MUFG Innovation Partners, Okasan Securities Group, Japan Investment Adviser, Monex Group, Pegasus Tech Ventures, i-nest capital, Inc., and SMBC Venture Capital Co., Ltd.
Learn more at https://www.hijojo-partners.com/en
Company Name: HiJoJo Partners Inc.
Registration Number: Director of Kanto Local Finance Bureau No. 3065
Registered Operations: Type II Financial Instruments Business, Investment Management Business, Investment Advisory and Agency Business
Membership Associations: Type II Financial Instruments Firms Association, Japan Investment Advisers Association
Contact for Inquiries:
HiJoJo Partners Inc.
Corporate Planning Department
TEL: +81-3-6705-8660
Email: ir@hijojo.com