UntroD Capital Japan Appoints Shinji Oshige as Head of Investment

UntroD Capital Japan Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Akihiko Nagata; hereinafter referred to as "the Company") is pleased to announce the appointment of Shinji Oshige as Head of Investment. Oshige has extensive experience leading investments, support, and exits for approximately 70 startups at INCJ, Ltd. Moving forward, he will work alongside Director Hajime Yamabe to oversee the entire process from seed and early-stage investments in the Real Tech Fund to portfolio company support and exits. President and CEO Akihiko Nagata will oversee the entire company, and the three, Nagata, Yamabe, and Oshige, will leverage their respective experiences and strengths to promote the social implementation of R&D-oriented startups and maximize fund returns.

Furthermore, Oshige will newly join the Investment Committee of the Real Tech Fund No. 4 Investment Limited Partnership, which the Company operates.

▶ Shinji Oshige Long Interview Article: https://untrod.inc/news/2387/

Background

Since the establishment of the Real Tech Fund in 2015, the Company has provided lead investments and long-term hands-on support to R&D-oriented startups from the seed and early stages. As the number of investees grows and their social implementation progresses, the importance of a system that oversees the entire portfolio, enhances investee value, monitors progress, makes follow-on investments, and guides them through to exit, in addition to individual investment decisions, has become even more critical.

Shinji Oshige, as Managing Director and Joint Group Head of the Venture Growth Investment Group at INCJ, Ltd. (formerly Innovation Network Corporation of Japan), led numerous startup investments and support initiatives, successfully completing exits for all approximately 70 portfolio companies by the company's liquidation in 2025. His experience in achieving a variety of exits, not limited to IPOs, will be utilized in building a system to guide the Company's seed and early-stage investments through to completion.

Overview of the New Structure

Co-head System: Director Hajime Yamabe and Head of Investment Shinji Oshige will jointly oversee investments for the Real Tech Fund (Japan Fund). President and CEO Akihiko Nagata will manage the overall company, and the two will proceed with investment decisions and support for investees through mutual complementarity, rather than fixed role divisions.

Investment Committee: The composition of the Investment Committee for the Real Tech Fund No. 4 Investment Limited Partnership will be changed, with Shinji Oshige newly appointed as an Investment Committee member, joining Representative Investment Committee Member Akihiko Nagata and Director Hajime Yamabe.

Oshige's Responsibilities: He will be responsible for the overall management of seed and early-stage investments in the Real Tech Fund, identifying individual investment opportunities, supporting the growth of investees, and driving exits. He will support growth managers (capitalists) in collaboration with the value-up team that assists in enhancing investee value, while also directly engaging with investees.

Significance

This new structure, with Oshige joining the Investment Committee, will enhance the multifaceted nature, expertise, and execution capabilities of investment decisions for the Real Tech Fund No. 4. It will also strengthen the system for post-investment value enhancement, monitoring, follow-on investment decisions, and exit strategy deliberations. By combining the strengths of Nagata, Yamabe, and Oshige, we will more powerfully advance the social implementation of R&D-oriented startups and the realization of fund returns.

Comments

UntroD Capital Japan Co., Ltd.

President and CEO

Akihiko Nagata

"The social implementation of deep tech requires both entrepreneurs who see things through to the end and investors who provide long-term, close support from before founding to the very end. By welcoming Oshige-san, who has achieved numerous investments through to exit, and strengthening our investment oversight system with Yamabe, we will further enhance the investment and incubation capabilities of the Real Tech Fund. We will make the future where science and technology originating in Japan become industries and contribute to solving societal challenges more certain."

UntroD Capital Japan Co., Ltd.

Head of Investment

Shinji Oshige

"The growth and exit of deep tech startups are highly individualized endeavors, with unique challenges and solutions for each company. I aim to leverage my experience in achieving diverse exits, not limited to IPOs, in our deep tech investments and contribute to building a system that can provide consistent support from seed and early stages through to exit. I will dedicate my efforts to the growth of our investees and their steady exits."

Shinji Oshige (Head of Investment) Brief Biography

Joined UntroD Capital Japan, the operator of the Real Tech Fund, as an advisor in 2025. Appointed Head of Investment in 2026. Prior to joining the company, he was involved in strategic consulting and business development at Boston Consulting Group and Dream Incubator after working at Nippon Life Insurance Company. From 2012, as Managing Director of the Venture Growth Investment Group at INCJ, Ltd. (formerly Innovation Network Corporation of Japan), he invested in numerous cutting-edge companies such as ASTROSCALE, WHILL, SmartDrive, ELEPHANTECH, Material Concepts, and SCIVAX, and contributed to their business growth as an external board director. From 2021, he served as Executive Officer and Joint Group Head, completing exits for all approximately 70 startup investees. Awarded No. 1 in Forbes' "Japan's Most Influential Venture Capitalists" 2025 edition.

Graduated from the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, The University of Tokyo.

Graduated from the University of Michigan, Stephen M. Ross School of Business (MBA).

About UntroD Capital Japan Co., Ltd.

UntroD Capital Japan Co., Ltd. established the "Real Tech Fund" in 2015 with the aim of socially implementing deep tech startups possessing innovative technologies that contribute to solving global and human challenges. The fund focuses on lead investments and hands-on support for startups in the seed and early stages. To date, the Company manages Real Tech Fund No. 1 to No. 4 (Japan Funds), Real Tech Global Fund No. 1 and No. 2 (Global Funds), and Real Tech Growth Fund No. 1 (Japan Fund), with total assets under management exceeding 40 billion yen. To further embody its mission of creating sustainable mechanisms where capital and human resources continue to flow by being the first to venture into uncharted territories that are essential to society but difficult to attract capital, the company was rebranded as "UntroD" (meaning "untrodden") and relaunched in June 2024.

HP: https://untrod.inc

Contact

UntroD Capital Japan Co., Ltd.

Public Relations: Narita

https://untrod.inc/contact