JAFCO

JAFCO is Japan's institutional memory of venture capital—founded in 1973, it has witnessed and survived every boom-bust cycle in Japanese entrepreneurship. With 1,000+ portfolio IPOs over five decades and fund commitments exceeding ¥1 trillion (~$7 billion), JAFCO functions like an ancient tree whose deep roots stabilize the soil for younger growth. Their dual venture-buyout strategy provides lifecycle coverage that pure VCs cannot match. This longevity creates pattern recognition advantages: having seen multiple 'revolutionary' technologies fail, they calibrate hype better than younger firms still learning from first-hand mistakes.