Global Brain Corporation

Global Brain has invested in THINKR inc. (THINKR), a virtual IP producer and virtual content creator, through its KDDI Open Innovation Fund III (KOIF III). https://lnkd.in/gwXrGTAM

Global Brain has invested in GEOFLA Inc. (GEOFLA), a company that provides solutions to increase the flow of people by leveraging incentives and gamification, through its Meiji Yasuda Future Innovation Fund L.P. (Meiji Yasuda FIF) as the lead investor. https://lnkd.in/gS683h68

Egypt has recently been praised for its efforts to establish an environment conducive to fintech growth and greater financial inclusion. We will look at the latest developments and explore how Japanese companies can capitalize on this trend. https://lnkd.in/gnrEHFQe

Timee, Inc. (Timee), a company offering an on-demand job platform, is newly listed on the TSE Growth Market as of July 26, 2024. Global Brain invested in Timee through its KDDI Open Innovation Fund III. https://lnkd.in/g2DnwrgU

Global Brain has made an additional investment in EneCoat Technologies Co., Ltd. (EneCoat Technologies), a developer of perovskite solar cells, through its JGC MIRAI Innovation Fund L.P. (JGC MIRAI Innovation Fund). https://lnkd.in/gFVpR_bK

An insight into the benefits of Government Relations (GR) that engage the Japanese government and municipalities. https://lnkd.in/gnDkvwYY

In the course of supporting our portfolio companies, some startups ask me whether patents can create an economic moat, and if yes, how they should get to work. I decided to gather my thoughts around this. https://lnkd.in/gNFKS5Gu

Global Brain has made an additional investment in Turing Inc. (Turing), a startup that develops full self-driving vehicles and system by leveraging generative AI, through its Canon Marketing Japan MIRAI Fund (Canon MJ MIRAI Fund), Kyocera Venture Innovation Fund-I, and SFV･GB L.P. (SFV･GB). https://lnkd.in/gr-EMnwp

Global Brain has invested in Valpas Enterprises Oy (Valpas), a company providing the hospitality industry with one of the first IoT-based bed bug trapping devices and software to prevent bed bug infection, through its Canon Marketing Japan MIRAI Fund (Canon MJ MIRAI Fund). Bed bugs are blood-sucking pests that cause severe itching in humans, and many hotel guests have been affected by them. In recent years, reports of bedbug infestations in Europe, the US, and South Korea have been widely covered by the media. The problem is expected to continue growing as the number of travelers increases, since bed bugs are introduced by guests regardless of the room’s hygiene. Additionally, there have been reports of bed bugs becoming resistant to insecticides, making them even harder to eliminate. Hotels dealing with bed bug infestations must hire professional pest control companies and undergo cleaning that can last several weeks or more, which is costly and can significantly damage their brand reputation. Guests also have no way to prevent infestations before they occur, and they face physical and emotional costs afterward. To address these challenges, Valpas has developed one of the first smart bed legs for the hospitality industry designed to capture and eliminate bed bugs before they can harm guests. The smart leg uses special colors, designs, and materials to attract insects and features a built-in pitfall trap and IoT sensor. A mobile and web app allows users to receive alert notifications when insects are captured and supports AI-based automatic pest image recognition. Additionally, the Bed Bug Safe certification label is provided to Online Travel Agencies and hotel websites, enhancing the hotels’ brand image and increasing their revenue. Valpas is already operating in more than 30 cities across 17 countries and counts major hotel groups among its customers. Global Brain has decided to invest in Valpas, recognizing its well-balanced management and team, their deep knowledge of the hospitality and pest control industries, its unique positioning in the market, and the anticipated further growth in demand due to the increasing number of travelers worldwide. Global Brain will contribute to Valpas's business growth by providing multifaceted support, including its business expansion into the Japanese market. https://lnkd.in/g3mvNiZV

Global Brain (GB) has a team called Value Up Team (VUT) which specializes in supporting portfolio companies in executing business strategies and achieving growth and development. Yoshinori Kawasaki and Naoki Sadakuni, both Venture Partners of VUT, supported HataLuck from two different angles–development and organizational structure. We sat down with the two to understand the details of their support and the essence of startup management. HataLuck is a company that offers a digital transformation tool named “Hata-Luck” for brick-and-mortar stores. https://lnkd.in/gmKm7RZ7