GMO VenturePartners, Inc., the venture capital arm of GMO Internet Group, has announced the launch of its eighth fund, GMO Fintech Fund 8 Investment Limited Partnership, also known as GFF8. The new fund has completed an interim close with approximately JPY 10 billion in total commitments from a range of institutional, corporate, and strategic investors. GFF8 has set a fundraising cap of JPY 12 billion and will continue raising capital toward a final close.
Fund Launch and Investor Base
The interim close drew support from financial institutions including Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation and Mizuho Bank, as well as corporate investors and companies within the GMO Internet Group. The fund also attracted participation from several startups that GMO VenturePartners backed at an early stage and that have since grown into leading Japanese companies. Their involvement reflects broad recognition of the firm's two-decade track record in cross-border fintech investing and its role as a bridge between Japan and global innovation.
Investment Thesis for the AI Era
GFF8 continues the investment focus of its predecessor fund by targeting fintech as it is reshaped by artificial intelligence. The fund intends to deploy capital from seed through growth stage, with particular attention to companies at or near the Series A stage. Its geographic focus spans Japan, India, Southeast Asia, and North America, regions where GMO VenturePartners has built a sustained cross-border investment presence.
Initial Portfolio and Partnerships
GFF8 has already begun investing in businesses that sit at the intersection of AI and financial infrastructure, including stablecoin infrastructure and AI-agent payment systems. Portfolio companies include Japan-based 10pct., Inc., which provides a software and AI-driven managed hotel operation service, and the United States-based 1Money Co., a full-stack infrastructure company for the stablecoin and real-world-asset lifecycle. The fund has also invested in an early-stage, fintech-focused venture capital fund managed by experienced payments and fintech professionals in Silicon Valley.
Equity and Debt Support
A distinguishing feature of GFF8 is its ability to support portfolio companies through both equity and debt. By working with the payments and financial infrastructure of the GMO Internet Group, including GMO Payment Gateway, the fund can accelerate growth in capital-intensive areas such as lending, buy now pay later, and B2B payments. This approach is designed to limit equity dilution for founders while providing flexible growth capital.
Relevance for Japanese Regions
Beyond direct investment, GFF8 seeks to bring insights, technology, and networks from global AI and fintech innovation to Japanese businesses and regional economies. The fund aims to serve regional financial institutions that face population decline and asset outflows to major urban centers, as well as leasing companies seeking exposure to new asset classes. It also targets corporates interested in finance and fintech as strategic areas for growth.
Track Record and Vision
Since its founding in 2005, GMO VenturePartners has invested in approximately 230 companies, of which 21 have listed on stock exchanges in Japan and abroad. Its portfolio has included multiple unicorns, including Razorpay in India, Kredivo, CODA, and Xendit in Indonesia, and Flex in North America. Founding Partner Ryu Muramatsu expressed gratitude to the fund's investors and described the participation of former portfolio companies as a meaningful vote of confidence in the firm's mission.
GFF8 enters the market at a time when AI is beginning to reshape core financial functions such as credit underwriting, customer engagement, and the movement of capital itself. With a final target of JPY 12 billion, the fund is positioned to connect Japanese financial institutions and regional economies with global fintech innovation. Its combination of cross-border deal flow, equity and debt support, and partnerships with major financial institutions may help foster the next generation of leading fintech companies.