Innovative Space Carrier Inc.(Chuo-ku, Tokyo; CEOKojiro Hatada), a start-up company that aims to realize a transportation system that makes space reusablepossible, has raised a total of 360 million yen through a third-party allocation of new shares with Miyako Capital, Angel Bridge, SMBC Venture Capital, MOL PLUS and others as the subscribers The company is pleased to announce the following
Funding Background
WE BELIEVE IN "A WORLD WHERE PEOPLE AND CARGO ARE DELIVERED EVERY DAY. OUR VISION IS TO ACHIEVE HIGH-FREQUENCY SPACE TRANSPORTATION USING FULLY REUSABLE SINGLE-STAGE SPACE VEHICLES (SSTOS) BY THE 2040S. REUSABLEWE ARE DEVELOPING REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLES FOR SATELLITE LAUNCHES BY 2028, WITH THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF USING FULLY REUSABLE SINGLE-STAGE SPACE VEHICLES (SSTOS) FOR HIGH-FREQUENCY SPACE TRANSPORTATION IN THE 2040S.
IN AUGUST 2023, THE COMPANY RAISED 550 MILLION YEN IN FUNDING WITH INCUBATE FUND AS THE LEAD INVESTOR AND ANIMAL SPIRITS, DENTSU VENTURES SGP FUND, AND OTHERS AS UNDERWRITERS. IN SEPTEMBER OF THE SAME YEAR, THE PROJECT WAS SELECTED BY THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION, CULTURE, SPORTS, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (MEXT) FOR THE SMALL AND MEDIUM BUSINESS INNOVATION PROMOTION PROJECT (SBIR PHASE 3) IN THE SPACE FIELD (THEME: DEVELOPMENT AND DEMONSTRATION OF COMMERCIAL ROCKETS) (MAXIMUM GRANT AMOUNT: 2 BILLION YEN).
This time, we raised funds from several new investors from the viewpoint of strengthening our financial base for further growth in the future based on the progress of research and development. As a result of this procurement, the cumulative amount of funds raised is 1.22 billion yen.
Major new investors added this time
Miyako Capital
Miyako Capital is an independent venture capital firm that invests in R&D start-ups that utilize the cutting-edge intellectual assets of Kyoto University and other academic and research institutions, and supports growth through industry-academia collaboration activities that lead to social implementation of research results. It is an independent venture capital firm that creates the next generation's leading industries and innovations.
WE HAVE DECIDED TO INVEST IN INNOVATIVE SPACE CARRIER INC.BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT UNDER CEO HATADA'S OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP, THE BUSINESS FOUNDATION IS IN PLACE FOR TO ACHIEVE DRAMATIC GROWTH.
Hiroaki Okahashi Partner, Miyako Capital CEOPresident
We are very pleased to have the opportunity to work with Innovative Space Carrier Inc.as it continues to make significant progress in its technology development and business.
We expect Innovative Space Carrier Inc.solutions to become indispensable as the number of projects utilizing high frequency, single-stage, reusabletype space transportation technology increases in all industrial and public policy fields due to geopolitical environmental changes and various technological innovations both domestically and internationally.
Through further support for industry-government-academia collaboration, we will contribute to the further development of the company and accompany it while encouraging its growth as a start-up company in the space and rocket field that represents our country.
Angel Bridge
Angel Bridge is an independent VC firm with the mission of "investing funds correctly, putting them to work correctly, and creating many mega ventures originating in Japan," aiming to make a significant contribution to improving Japan's GDP by creating mega ventures with high reproducibility, improving productivity, and creating new industries.
We have decided to invest in Innovative Space Carrier Inc.because we believe that the company has high potential to become a mega-venture in the space development market, which is growing into a huge industry.
Yutaro Kawanishi, Managing Partner, Angel Bridge
We are pleased to announce our investment in Innovative Space Carrier Inc..
AT FIRST GLANCE, THE CHALLENGE OF DEVELOPING A REUSABLE ROCKET MAY SEEM LIKE AN EXTREMELY HIGH HURDLE, BUT WHEN I WITNESSED THE COMPANY'S EFFORTS TO RAPIDLY ADVANCE DEVELOPMENT WHILE INCORPORATING SUPERIOR TECHNOLOGY AS A "PROJECT LEADER" USING IT DEVELOPMENT METHODS, I REALIZED THAT IT IS NOT A PIPE DREAM, BUT A FUTURE WELL WITHIN REACH. HOWEVER, WHEN I SAW THE COMPANY'S EFFORTS TO RAPIDLY DEVELOP THE TECHNOLOGY WHILE INCORPORATING SUPERIOR TECHNOLOGY AS A "PROJECT LEADER" USING IT DEVELOPMENT METHODS, I REALIZED THAT IT IS NOT A PIPE DREAM BUT A FUTURE THAT IS WELL WITHIN REACH.
THE EXTRAORDINARY ENTHUSIASM OF CEO HATATA AND HIS TEAM HAS SPREAD TO THE PEOPLE AROUND THEM, AND THEY HAVE GAINED THE STRONG SUPPORT OF MANY PEOPLE IN BOTH THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS. I AM CONFIDENT THAT THIS TEAM WILL GROW INTO A MEGA VENTURE THAT WILL LAUNCH AND LEAD THE SPACE INDUSTRY IN JAPAN.
Angel Bridge is committed to supporting Innovative Space Carrier Inc..
SMBC VENTURE CAPITAL
SMBC VENTURE CAPITAL IS A VC FIRM THAT HAS BEEN INVESTING IN VENTURE BUSINESSES FOR OVER 20 YEARS WITH THE SUMITOMO MITSUI GROUP AS ITS MAIN SHAREHOLDER, AND HAS A LONG-TERM PERSPECTIVE. MOST RECENTLY, SMBC VENTURE CAPITAL HAS INVESTED IN SPACE STARTUPS THAT HAVE ACHIEVED IPOS, SUCH AS QPS RESEARCH INSTITUTE AND ASTROSCALE.
We have decided to invest in Innovative Space Carrier Inc.from the perspective of further accelerating the realization of our vision.
TETSUJI NAKANO, GENERAL MANAGER, INVESTMENT SALES DEPARTMENT I, SMBC VENTURE CAPITAL
We are very pleased to have the opportunity to invest in Innovative Space Carrier Inc..
Innovative Space Carrier Inc.is taking on the challenge of changing the fundamentals of Japanese rocket development through data-driven and agile development methods.
WE ARE VERY IMPRESSED BY CEO HATADA'S WARM PERSONALITY AND HIS PASSION FOR THE SPACE BUSINESS, AND WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT UNDER HIS LEADERSHIP, MHI WILL BE A LEADER IN THE SPACE BUSINESS IN JAPAN IN THE FUTURE.
MOL PLUS
MOL PLUS WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2021 BY MITSUI O.S.K. LINES (MOL) WITH THE MISSION OF "ADDING NEW VALUE TO THE SHIPPING INDUSTRY AND SOCIETY" AND IS THE ONLY CORPORATE VENTURE CAPITAL FIRM IN THE SHIPPING INDUSTRY IN JAPAN. MOL PLUS INVESTS IN A WIDE RANGE OF EARLY- AND MID-STAGE STARTUP COMPANIES IN JAPAN AND OVERSEAS THAT HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO TRANSFORM THE BUSINESS MODELS OF THE SHIPPING INDUSTRY AND CREATE NEW BUSINESSES FROM A MEDIUM- TO LONG-TERM PERSPECTIVE.
We are pleased to make this investment from the perspective of supporting the social implementation of the space transportation system that Innovative Space Carrier Inc.is aiming for by utilizing the resources of the MOL Group and working together to create a new industry in the shipping and maritime fields.
TAKUYA SAKAMOTO, CEO, MOL PLUS
Innovative Space Carrier Inc.The "One-Stop" initiative is not something that one company can tackle alone, but is something that is promoted by sharing wisdom and knowledge from related industries.
WE AT MOL PLUS, FROM THE STANDPOINT OF PROMOTING SHIPPING AND MARINE BUSINESSES, EMPATHIZE WITH THE WORLDVIEW THAT THE COMPANY HOPES TO REALIZE, AND DURING OUR DISCUSSIONS, WE BECAME CONVINCED THAT THIS IS AN INITIATIVE THAT WE CAN PROMOTE TOGETHER BY LEVERAGING OUR STRENGTHS AS WELL. I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THEM ON THEIR GRAND CHALLENGE. WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THEM FOR MANY YEARS TO COME.
Innovative Space Carrier Inc. CEO Kojiro Hatada Comment
With a view to accelerating future growth, we are very pleased to have Miyako Capital and Angel Bridge, who are strong in deep-tech investments, as well as SMBC Venture Capital and MOL PLUS as new shareholders in this fundraising, with a view to collaboration on the business front. We are also very pleased to welcome SMBC Venture Capital and MOL PLUS as new shareholders with a view to business collaboration.
The key to the growth of the space industry into one of Japan's key industries is the high frequency of space transportation, and we will accelerate our research and development efforts to realize this goal.
Purpose and Use of Funds
The main objective is to strengthen our financial base in anticipation of future development plans. In cooperation with the new investors, we will work on R&D and business development, aiming to realize internationally competitive space transportation services.
■We are actively recruiting personnel!
We want to go to space from Japan.
We take on challenges.
Aerospace technology x Knowledge of different industries x Backcast thinking
Create new industries with an eye on the future.
Let's do a job worth challenging with our life.
Click here for the employment page:
https://www.wantedly.com/companies/company_9146989
For business partnerships and other inquiries, click here
https://innovative-space-carrier.co.jp/contact/
■We are accepting "advanced applications" for space travel
Please follow this link to register.
https://forms.gle/TDc8HpdcR2zCU41t9