Great Wave Ventures

Great Wave Ventures
  • Acceralation
  • Seed
  • Urban Development
Web site

Overview

Great Wave Ventures is a venture capital firm based in New York and Tokyo. We mainly invest in seed and early-stage startups in the U.S. and Japan with a focus on urban development, leveraging strong networks with top-tier U.S. VCs and accelerator programs, including Y Combinator, as well as partnering with our Japanese LPs in real estate and construction. Our ambition is to bridge the startup ecosystems of Japan and the U.S. by connecting capital, talent, and expertise, starting from challenges in urban development. Under this mission, we invest in entrepreneurs in both the U.S. and Japan and support the growth of unicorn companies that can scale globally.

Initiative details

This initiative aims to support startups in the pre- and post-foundation stages by helping them adopt a global perspective from the seed phase, and by building systems that enable access to global capital, talent, and markets. The goal is to form competitive teams and establish a solid foundation for business growth that could scale globally. The program leverages startup development methods that is adopted in Y Combinator, which is the leading accelerator program globally that has produced the most unicorns, to provide selected entrepreneurs with intensive support that combines foundational lectures, one-on-one mentoring sessions, and thematic workshops. Even individuals or teams that are not yet incorporated or do not have a completed product are eligible to apply for the program, as long as they show a strong entrepreneurial intent. Participants receive knowledge on problem-solving approaches and product–market fit (PMF) from U.S. startups, helping them refine their business ideas for global expansion. In addition, the program offers hands-on learning through investor pitch events and in-person sessions with startups and VCs in New York and Boston, creating opportunities for participants to connect with U.S. VCs and entrepreneurs and build international networks. The program also emphasizes cross-sector collaboration among entrepreneurs, local governments, and corporations—with a focus on challenges in urban developments—with the aim of fostering startups that achieve both social impact and business viability. Even after program completion, we provide continued support for follow-on fundraising and business partnerships beyond Series A, establishing a long-term support system to foster unicorn startups from Tokyo.

SU Support Info

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