Tokyo-based healthtech startup THE PHAGE has secured ¥570 million in its first Series A closing, combining share issuance with bank loans to support its next stage of growth. Announced October 9, 2026, the financing was led by Itochu Technology Ventures and will support the expansion of personalized preventive healthcare services and further development of an artificial intelligence model built around blood glucose data. Founded in 2021 and headquartered in Tokyo's Shibuya district, THE PHAGE is led by CEO Shohei Tokunaga and is transitioning from research and pilot testing toward larger-scale commercial operations.
Funding and Investor Participation
Itochu Technology Ventures led the transaction, while Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance and Fukui Capital Partners joined THE PHAGE as new shareholders. Existing backers Genesia Ventures and Vision Incubate, which had led the company's two previous funding rounds, also made follow-on investments. Shoko Chukin Bank provided lending, making the ¥570 million a combination of equity and debt.
The company did not disclose the respective amounts provided through share issuance and loans or announce a valuation for the round. Returning investors and new strategic shareholders broaden its funding base for expansion. In a separate announcement, Genesia Ventures confirmed that its investment came through Genesia Venture Fund 3, reinforcing its continued backing of the startup.
Partnership With Tokio Marine
Alongside the fundraising, THE PHAGE agreed to a capital and business alliance with Tokio Marine Holdings, opening discussions about preventive healthcare solutions across the insurance group. The planned collaboration includes exploring services intended to help prevent lifestyle-related conditions from becoming more severe, using the startup's glucose analysis capabilities. Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance's participation as a new shareholder links the investment to this broader commercial relationship.
Developing Its Glucose AI Model
Central to THE PHAGE's technology strategy is its Continuous Glucose Foundation Model, or CGFM, which learns from continuous glucose monitoring data. Rather than treating blood glucose readings as isolated measurements, the model aims to identify patterns associated with an individual's metabolic responses. Potential applications include forecasting glucose fluctuations, categorizing metabolic profiles and assessing health risks, although the technology continues to undergo development and validation.
The model applies the foundation-model approach associated with modern AI systems to physiological measurements rather than language data. THE PHAGE is collaborating with research institutions, including Chiba University, to develop and assess the technology across fields spanning machine learning, metabolic science and nutrition. The company also plans to combine glucose measurements with dietary and other lifestyle information for individualized analysis.
Commercial Plans and Recruitment
THE PHAGE plans to use the new capital to extend its existing personalized preventive healthcare business and accelerate research into AI tools addressing lifestyle-related diseases. Its Glucose Flight service helps users connect food choices with fluctuations in blood glucose, providing a consumer-facing application for its broader approach. Tokunaga said the company intends to expand that service in Japan and overseas while working toward a platform focused on identifying risks before illness develops.
The next phase will also require additional expertise as THE PHAGE increases commercial operations and model development. The startup is recruiting across product development, engineering, finance, marketing, healthcare solutions and nutrition-related roles to support that expansion. Its hiring plans emphasize multidisciplinary expertise and performance-based compensation, including possible stock options.
The ¥570 million financing gives THE PHAGE additional resources to commercialize personalized preventive healthcare while continuing to develop its glucose-focused AI technology. Its partnership with Tokio Marine creates a possible pathway for applying those capabilities within established insurance and healthcare services, though specific products and rollout arrangements remain under discussion. The company's progress will depend on translating its research and early deployments into validated offerings that can operate at greater scale.