RFC Venture Debt Fund 1 Executes 300 Million Yen Loan to CRISP Inc.
RFC Venture Debt Fund 1, established by Fivot and Resona Bank, has provided a 300 million yen loan to CRISP, the operator of the custom salad specialty chain 'CRISP SALAD WORKS.' The financing recognizes CRISP's potential as a 'FoodTech' company driven by its proprietary data-and-AI-powered operating system.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 23, 2026 at 22:40
- 🔍 Collected: April 23, 2026 at 14:01
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 23, 2026 at 23:16 (9h 15m after Collected)
Fivot Inc. (CEO: Shogo Abe, 'Fivot'), in collaboration with Resona Bank, has executed a 300 million yen loan through its venture debt fund, 'RFC Venture Debt Fund 1 Investment Limited Partnership' (the 'Fund'), to CRISP Inc. (CEO: Hiroshi Miyano, 'CRISP'), which operates the custom salad specialty store 'CRISP SALAD WORKS.'
An interview regarding this financing case is available on Flex Capital's official website: https://flex-capital.jp/case/crisp/
### Overview of the Borrower and Background of the Financing
CRISP SALAD WORKS, the custom salad specialty store developed by CRISP, opened its first store in Azabu-Juban in December 2014 and has since expanded to 54 locations (as of the end of March 2026). With a mission to 'Create Enthusiastic Fans,' the company is promoting store expansion in Tokyo, Osaka, and Kanagawa, capturing the needs of urban business people who value time performance and healthy lifestyles.
However, CRISP is more than just a salad chain. With the purpose 'Overturn Japan's food service industry,' it operates as a 'FoodTech company' that utilizes its self-developed store management OS (Operating System) to optimize operations and reform cost structures in the food service industry. CRISP's unique DX (Digital Transformation) method, the 'Crisp Method,' introduces AI and 1st-party data into critical store management processes, enhancing the reproducibility of business growth through technology-driven decision-making. The Fund decided to support CRISP after evaluating these unique data and technology assets as core values that will accelerate growth in the fast-casual market.
### About RFC Venture Debt Fund 1
The Fund was established in November 2025 by Fivot and Resona Bank to expand growth capital support for domestic startups from seed to middle stages (total fund size: 3.1 billion yen). Financing began in January of this year, with cumulative loan executions reaching approximately 1.8 billion yen (as of March 2026).
The Fund aims to realize unprecedented financing operations by merging Resona Bank's venture debt expertise, which began in October 2023, with Fivot's AI credit models and LLM-based data analysis technologies. Moving forward, the Fund aims to increase examination speed and accuracy through AI to meet a broader range of funding needs.
### Comments
**Hiroshi Miyano, CEO of CRISP Inc.:**
'We are deeply grateful to Fivot for their support in this fundraising effort. Using the "Crisp Method" as our foundation, CRISP will continue to challenge the platforming of the food industry through technology and create new possibilities for urban daily food brands while working toward a 100-store network and multi-brand expansion.'
**Shogo Abe, CEO of Fivot Inc.:**
'CRISP, which has evolved uniquely by merging technology with the food service industry, is a company with the potential to innovate the next generation of food service. We resonate with their management policies and strategies aimed at advanced management through data-driven approaches like the Crisp Method. We are delighted to accompany CRISP in their challenge to advance DX in the food service industry.'
### About CRISP Inc.
Founded in Tokyo in 2014, CRISP Inc. is a new type of food service company that aims to evolve Japan's food industry through technology under the purpose 'Overturn Japan's food service industry,' primarily through its 'CRISP SALAD WORKS' chain.
### About Fivot Inc.
Founded in 2019 with the mission 'Create new flows of money in the new industrial structure,' Fivot is a startup aiming to be a challenger bank. It contributes to creating new value by providing liquidity through an ecosystem consisting of the cashless savings app 'IDARE' and the startup financing business 'Flex Capital.'
An interview regarding this financing case is available on Flex Capital's official website: https://flex-capital.jp/case/crisp/
### Overview of the Borrower and Background of the Financing
CRISP SALAD WORKS, the custom salad specialty store developed by CRISP, opened its first store in Azabu-Juban in December 2014 and has since expanded to 54 locations (as of the end of March 2026). With a mission to 'Create Enthusiastic Fans,' the company is promoting store expansion in Tokyo, Osaka, and Kanagawa, capturing the needs of urban business people who value time performance and healthy lifestyles.
However, CRISP is more than just a salad chain. With the purpose 'Overturn Japan's food service industry,' it operates as a 'FoodTech company' that utilizes its self-developed store management OS (Operating System) to optimize operations and reform cost structures in the food service industry. CRISP's unique DX (Digital Transformation) method, the 'Crisp Method,' introduces AI and 1st-party data into critical store management processes, enhancing the reproducibility of business growth through technology-driven decision-making. The Fund decided to support CRISP after evaluating these unique data and technology assets as core values that will accelerate growth in the fast-casual market.
### About RFC Venture Debt Fund 1
The Fund was established in November 2025 by Fivot and Resona Bank to expand growth capital support for domestic startups from seed to middle stages (total fund size: 3.1 billion yen). Financing began in January of this year, with cumulative loan executions reaching approximately 1.8 billion yen (as of March 2026).
The Fund aims to realize unprecedented financing operations by merging Resona Bank's venture debt expertise, which began in October 2023, with Fivot's AI credit models and LLM-based data analysis technologies. Moving forward, the Fund aims to increase examination speed and accuracy through AI to meet a broader range of funding needs.
### Comments
**Hiroshi Miyano, CEO of CRISP Inc.:**
'We are deeply grateful to Fivot for their support in this fundraising effort. Using the "Crisp Method" as our foundation, CRISP will continue to challenge the platforming of the food industry through technology and create new possibilities for urban daily food brands while working toward a 100-store network and multi-brand expansion.'
**Shogo Abe, CEO of Fivot Inc.:**
'CRISP, which has evolved uniquely by merging technology with the food service industry, is a company with the potential to innovate the next generation of food service. We resonate with their management policies and strategies aimed at advanced management through data-driven approaches like the Crisp Method. We are delighted to accompany CRISP in their challenge to advance DX in the food service industry.'
### About CRISP Inc.
Founded in Tokyo in 2014, CRISP Inc. is a new type of food service company that aims to evolve Japan's food industry through technology under the purpose 'Overturn Japan's food service industry,' primarily through its 'CRISP SALAD WORKS' chain.
### About Fivot Inc.
Founded in 2019 with the mission 'Create new flows of money in the new industrial structure,' Fivot is a startup aiming to be a challenger bank. It contributes to creating new value by providing liquidity through an ecosystem consisting of the cashless savings app 'IDARE' and the startup financing business 'Flex Capital.'