Counter Club Japan, a Community for CVC and New Business Developers, Expands Membership and Fully Launches Activities

Counter Club Japan (CCJ), a community for Corporate Venture Capital (CVC) and new business developers launched by Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm Counterpart Ventures, has expanded its registered participants to 300 members since its pre-launch on February 23, 2026, and is now fully activating its community activities in Japan.

CCJ was established as the regional community in Japan for 'Counter Club', a global CVC community in which 750 CVCs and over 1,700 capitalists participate worldwide. It was launched as a place for CVC personnel and new business developers of Japanese companies to share practical knowledge and connect it to actual implementation.

With the expansion of the number of participants, we are launching an ambassador system to further promote CCJ's activities. Additionally, we are pleased to announce that a kick-off event will be held on Wednesday, May 13, 2026.

Ambassador Company Logos

■ Expansion of Counter Club Japan Participants and Community Activation

Since its launch in February 2026, CCJ has broadened its participant base, centering around CVC personnel and new business developers from Japanese companies. Currently, the number of registered members stands at 300. The number of participants has been steadily increasing since the pre-launch phase.

In the realms of CVC and new business development, there are numerous issues that are only visible on the front lines of practical operations, such as investment practices, business co-creation, organizational design, consensus building with management, and methods for creating touchpoints and collaborating with startups. On the other hand, networks where practitioners can frankly consult with each other on these themes remain limited.

At CCJ, we will support the promotion of innovation in Japanese companies by connecting practitioners tackling these challenges from the same standpoint and sharing practical knowledge.

■ Launching the Ambassador System

At CCJ, we are launching an ambassador system to further enhance the value of the community and support the expansion of the practitioner network in Japan. Based on their respective practical experiences and networks, the ambassadors will act as role models to support the dissemination of CCJ's philosophy and community building.

We are pleased to have seven individuals joining us as initial ambassadors.

Ambassadors (Titles omitted, in alphabetical order)

Woven Capital

Michiko Kato

Chief Investment Officer and Partner

[Comment]
I am very pleased to be appointed as a Community Ambassador for Counter Club Japan (CCJ). Counterpart Ventures operates one of the world's largest CVC communities, and I feel that the newly launched CCJ will become an exciting platform that accelerates open innovation in Japan. I look forward to expanding this network and collaborating with everyone.

ENEOS Holdings, Inc.

Masashi Shimanuki

General Manager, CVC Office

[Comment]
It is a great honor to participate as a Community Ambassador in Counter Club Japan (CCJ), the Japanese version of the largest global CVC community. I strongly resonate with CCJ's mission, and while actively sharing the learnings and challenges gained from our company's activities so far, I would like to work with everyone to elevate the new business development and CVC activities of Japanese companies to a higher global standard.

KYOCERA Venture Fund

Kenji Kodomari

General Partner

[Comment]
I encountered Counter Club in 2019, and from there, transitioning from Japan to the US stage, the experiences of being taught and trained in the practical arena of Counter Club, along with the peers I met, form my major foundation today. By grasping macro trends to draw corporate strategies, creating startups and new businesses, and ultimately building a culture of generating businesses ourselves, I look forward to creating a new tide in Japan's CVC landscape together with everyone at CCJ!

Japan Airlines Ventures, Inc.

Shiro Matsuzaki

Japan Airlines Ventures, Managing Partner
Founder of JAL's officially recognized internal venture 'W-PIT'

[Comment]
A community is an 'aggregate sharing a worldview.'
Combining the technological prowess, brands, and global aspirations that Japanese companies boast with the global market.