Moving Growth Capital Through "Region x Overseas x Startups": BIG Impact Forms 2nd Fund, Completes First Closing - Accelerating from Kobe/Kansai
BIG Impact has established its 2nd fund, the "K2 Fund," to invest in startups by collaborating with regions, overseas markets, and startups. Having completed its first closing with the participation of Kobe City and others, it aims to construct a "Growth Circulation Model."
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- 📰 Published: April 15, 2026 at 19:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 15, 2026 at 10:31
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BIG Impact Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; Kobe Office: Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture; Representative Director and CEO: Naotaka Hosono) has established its 2nd fund, the "BIG Impact K2 Investment Limited Partnership (hereafter, K2 Fund)," which invests in domestic and international startups. Following participation from Kobe City, financial institutions, and business corporations, the fund has completed its first closing and concurrently commenced investment activities. The fund remains open after the first closing and is accepting participation from additional investors leading up to the final closing within the year.
BIG Impact promotes the construction of a "Growth Circulation Model," where regional industrial infrastructures and startups collaborate to generate sustainable value for all stakeholders, going beyond mere investment or support, to circulate the growth of domestic and international startups back into the region. By bringing together the respective strengths of local governments, financial institutions, corporations, and startups, and implementing a structure where customers, proof-of-concept (PoC) opportunities, technology, and human resources circulate in addition to capital, continuous value creation becomes possible.
Overview of the K2 Fund
The K2 Fund is a startup fund originating from Kobe and the Kansai region. However, it is not confined to a specific region; it collaborates with nationwide financial institutions and corporations, as well as investors and business partners primarily in East Asia (South Korea, Taiwan), realizing a structure that is rooted in the local community while simultaneously interlocking with the outside world.
Inheriting the policy of the 1st fund, the K2 Fund is based on a three-tier structure of "Region (Government) x Financial Institutions x Corporations" driven by Kobe City, regional financial institutions, and corporations. This allows the fund to go beyond providing capital to startups, integrally offering customer touchpoints, PoC fields, and business collaboration opportunities, providing support that extends to social implementation.
The K2 Fund is positioned as an investment platform that concretely implements this Growth Circulation Model. Rather than confining investments to a specific region, it adopts an investment model that incorporates external growth opportunities and returns those results to the local area.
Background and Purpose of Establishing the K2 Fund
Currently, Japan's structural challenges are concentrated in its regional areas. On the other hand, there exist underutilized industrial infrastructures and implementation fields in these regions. BIG Impact aims to create a structure that simultaneously achieves "solving regional issues" and "economic growth" through the power of startups.
Building on the Kansai/Kobe base cultivated in the 1st fund, the K2 Fund will function as a "Region x Overseas x Startup Collaboration Fund" that connects capital, businesses, and markets cross-sectionally by linking with overseas networks, notably in East Asia (such as South Korea and Taiwan).
Key Investment Areas
The K2 Fund focuses on the following three areas, aiming to balance the resolution of social issues with business growth.
- Industrial Transformation (DX)
Manufacturing DX, Logistics DX, Environmental GX, AI, etc. Utilizing the industrial base of Kansai to promote commercialization premised on on-site implementation.
- Healthcare/Well-being
Medical devices, healthcare data, preventive medicine, lifestyle sectors, etc. Collaborating with the medical and life science fields in Kansai/Kobe to achieve both social value and economic returns.
- City & Infrastructure Implementation (including Culture & Content)
Smart cities, tourism, drones, etc. Utilizing the city as a PoC field to support the creation of new experiential value and industries.
List of Investors
[Continuing LPs from 1st Fund]
- Kobe City / Kobe Foundation for Industry and Employment Support
- The Minato Bank, Ltd.
- The Kobe Shimbun
- ARAIGUMI CO., LTD.
[New LPs]
- ROHTO Pharmaceutical Co.,Ltd.
- Digiara Holdings Corp.
- Ryuhei Sadoshima (Representative Director, Safie Inc.)
- SANPU TRAVEL GROUP
- South Korean Investors
Comments from Investors
[Mr. Kohei Ohata, Director General of Economic and Tourism Bureau, Kobe City]
Kobe City began supporting startups in 2016, ahead of the national government, and has enhanced its presence as a startup city. As part of this effort, in March 2021, Kobe City, along with Hyogo Prefecture, private companies, and financial institutions, established the "Hyogo Kobe Startup Fund" to invest in startups expected to achieve rapid growth and public listing, entrusting its management to BIG Impact Co., Ltd. The operation of this fund is progressing smoothly, giving rise to portfolio companies that have achieved IPOs and companies conducting PoC projects with local businesses. Furthermore, by establishing bases in the city, Kobe City...
BIG Impact promotes the construction of a "Growth Circulation Model," where regional industrial infrastructures and startups collaborate to generate sustainable value for all stakeholders, going beyond mere investment or support, to circulate the growth of domestic and international startups back into the region. By bringing together the respective strengths of local governments, financial institutions, corporations, and startups, and implementing a structure where customers, proof-of-concept (PoC) opportunities, technology, and human resources circulate in addition to capital, continuous value creation becomes possible.
Overview of the K2 Fund
The K2 Fund is a startup fund originating from Kobe and the Kansai region. However, it is not confined to a specific region; it collaborates with nationwide financial institutions and corporations, as well as investors and business partners primarily in East Asia (South Korea, Taiwan), realizing a structure that is rooted in the local community while simultaneously interlocking with the outside world.
Inheriting the policy of the 1st fund, the K2 Fund is based on a three-tier structure of "Region (Government) x Financial Institutions x Corporations" driven by Kobe City, regional financial institutions, and corporations. This allows the fund to go beyond providing capital to startups, integrally offering customer touchpoints, PoC fields, and business collaboration opportunities, providing support that extends to social implementation.
The K2 Fund is positioned as an investment platform that concretely implements this Growth Circulation Model. Rather than confining investments to a specific region, it adopts an investment model that incorporates external growth opportunities and returns those results to the local area.
Background and Purpose of Establishing the K2 Fund
Currently, Japan's structural challenges are concentrated in its regional areas. On the other hand, there exist underutilized industrial infrastructures and implementation fields in these regions. BIG Impact aims to create a structure that simultaneously achieves "solving regional issues" and "economic growth" through the power of startups.
Building on the Kansai/Kobe base cultivated in the 1st fund, the K2 Fund will function as a "Region x Overseas x Startup Collaboration Fund" that connects capital, businesses, and markets cross-sectionally by linking with overseas networks, notably in East Asia (such as South Korea and Taiwan).
Key Investment Areas
The K2 Fund focuses on the following three areas, aiming to balance the resolution of social issues with business growth.
- Industrial Transformation (DX)
Manufacturing DX, Logistics DX, Environmental GX, AI, etc. Utilizing the industrial base of Kansai to promote commercialization premised on on-site implementation.
- Healthcare/Well-being
Medical devices, healthcare data, preventive medicine, lifestyle sectors, etc. Collaborating with the medical and life science fields in Kansai/Kobe to achieve both social value and economic returns.
- City & Infrastructure Implementation (including Culture & Content)
Smart cities, tourism, drones, etc. Utilizing the city as a PoC field to support the creation of new experiential value and industries.
List of Investors
[Continuing LPs from 1st Fund]
- Kobe City / Kobe Foundation for Industry and Employment Support
- The Minato Bank, Ltd.
- The Kobe Shimbun
- ARAIGUMI CO., LTD.
[New LPs]
- ROHTO Pharmaceutical Co.,Ltd.
- Digiara Holdings Corp.
- Ryuhei Sadoshima (Representative Director, Safie Inc.)
- SANPU TRAVEL GROUP
- South Korean Investors
Comments from Investors
[Mr. Kohei Ohata, Director General of Economic and Tourism Bureau, Kobe City]
Kobe City began supporting startups in 2016, ahead of the national government, and has enhanced its presence as a startup city. As part of this effort, in March 2021, Kobe City, along with Hyogo Prefecture, private companies, and financial institutions, established the "Hyogo Kobe Startup Fund" to invest in startups expected to achieve rapid growth and public listing, entrusting its management to BIG Impact Co., Ltd. The operation of this fund is progressing smoothly, giving rise to portfolio companies that have achieved IPOs and companies conducting PoC projects with local businesses. Furthermore, by establishing bases in the city, Kobe City...