SMBC Launches Video Pitch Platform for Startups in Collaboration with GoAhead Ventures
Mitsui Sumitomo Bank (SMBC), part of SMBC Group, has partnered with U.S. venture capital firm GoAhead Ventures LLC to launch a startup‑oriented video pitch platform in Japan, aiming to enhance early‑stage startup exposure and connect promising ventures with venture capital networks.
Under the initiative, SMBC and GoAhead have adapted GoAhead’s existing online video pitch model — which reviews thousands of startup pitches annually — for the Japanese market. This platform allows early‑stage and seed‑stage companies to present investment pitches via video, transcending geographic limitations and broadening investor reach.
Strategic Collaboration to Support Innovation
GoAhead Ventures is a Silicon Valley–based venture capital firm that operates a large‑scale video pitch service in the United States and receives over 3,000 submissions each year. SMBC initially became involved with GoAhead through a limited partner (LP) investment in GoAhead Ventures III Management, L.L.C.’s Delaware‑registered GoAhead Ventures III, L.P. fund. The new platform builds on this relationship.
The Japanese version of the video pitch platform is designed to:
Provide startups with broader access to investor evaluation and funding opportunities;
Facilitate connections between early‑stage companies and venture capital partners domestically and internationally;
Support the growth of Japan’s innovation ecosystem by lowering barriers for startup visibility.
Enhancing SMBC’s Innovation Support Framework
SMBC Group has identified innovation and sustainable economic growth as core strategic priorities. By integrating GoAhead’s digital pitch infrastructure with its own network, the bank intends to support a more vibrant startup ecosystem in Japan, especially in technology, deep tech, and scalable business models that benefit from global investment flows.
The video pitch platform will be accessible to Japanese startups across sectors, enabling them to present founders’ visions and business propositions in a format that aligns with modern investment evaluation practices. This initiative reflects a broader shift in financial institutions toward fostering ecosystems that combine capital access, digital engagement, and cross‑border connectivity.
First, please LoginComment After ~