University of Tokyo to set up $536m fund for school-born startups

Goal is to help launch 300 ventures with financial backing

The University of Tokyo plans to financially support the formation of 300 startups. (Photo by Tsuneyuki Kenmochi)

ASUKA HATA and KENJIRO SUZUKI, Nikkei staff writers

September 30, 2021 18:02 JST

TOKYO -- The University of Tokyo plans to start investing in startups spawned at the institution drawing from a new 60 billion yen ($536 million) fund, Nikkei has learned, as it aims to support the creation of unicorns and help Japan catch up in the global tech race. The fund is expected to become Japan's largest university-launched startup fund.