MenuClose

  • JP
  • SearchClose
About JBIC
About JBIC

This page introduces information on JBIC's role and organization.

Close

Support Menu
Support Menu

JBIC offers a range of financial products and other services to our clients.

Close

Business Areas
Business Areas

Information about JBIC's activities in each business area and its efforts for environmental conservation.

Close

Public Information
Public Information

Various reports compiled and contributed by JBIC

Close

Sustainability
Sustainability

JBIC's Sustainability Initiatives

Close

Press Releases
Press Releases

Press-release-related web pages.

Close

Investor Relations
Investor Relations

This page introduces information on JBIC's investor relations.

Close

Equity Finance Group

Photo of Managing Executive Officer, Global Head of Equity Finance Group

JBIC has strengthened its equity financing operations with the aim of providing new value to the overseas business development of Japanese companies in the era of accelerating energy transformation and digital transformation. Aiming for a new stage in collaboration with JBIC IG Partners Co., Ltd. (JBIC IG), established in June 2017 to provide advisory services to overseas investment funds, the JBIC Group will continue to work on supporting Japanese companies’ overseas business development.

Providing equity financing is essential in a variety of situations, including funding for addressing global issues such as attaining the SDGs and realizing a decarbonized society, undertaking M&A for acquiring new technologies and developing new business models, and implementing overseas infrastructure projects. Along with equity investments in individual companies and projects, JBIC believes that providing financing through investment funds is also an effective means and will respond to diverse needs by leveraging the strong relationships and dialogue channels with other countries that have been cultivated through JBIC’s diverse operations.

In FY2023, the final year of the Medium-term Business plan, we will continue to actively support the overseas expansion of Japanese companies through our equity financing operations, in response to the expectations for JBIC and changing circumstances of Japan.

UCHIDA Makoto
Managing Executive Officer
Global Head of Equity Finance Group

Business Environment and Key Challenges

Maintaining and Improving the International Competitiveness of Japanese Industry

“The Basic Policy on Economic and Fiscal Management and Reform 2023” formulated by the Government of Japan in June 2023 calls for multiple actions that include promoting economic security policies and strengthening energy security as well as encouraging Japanese companies to invest in overseas business and contains such initiatives as strengthening supply chain resilience, accelerating green transformation and digital transformation, promoting the support for startups, and transforming to a new industrial structure. Meanwhile, M&A by Japanese companies for capturing overseas markets, and acquiring technologies and know-how is also gaining importance.

JBIC will also provide support for strengthening supply chain resilience and business development toward a decarbonized society through its equity investment operations. To support the acquisition of cutting-edge technologies for digital transformation and sustainability transformation and the business development of Japanese companies in countries and regions important to Japan, the entire JBIC Group, including JBIC IG, will provide funds not only through direct equity financing but also through investment fund schemes.

Overview of JBIC IG Partners (JBIC IG)

JBIC IG is an investment advisory firm established in June 2017, by JBIC and Industrial Growth Platform, Inc. (IGPI). JBIC IG applies the respective strengths of JBIC and IGPI as follows: JBIC has knowledge and experience of financing international projects as Japanese policy-based financial institution; IGPI has the knowledge of investments and broad experience in providing companies with hands-on support for long- term, sustainable growth in corporate and business value. JBIC IG aims to create long-term, sustainable value for Japanese investors and industries through the development of global business opportunities and a disciplined investment approach.

About JBIC IG Partners
JBIC IG Partners is an investment advisory firm established by JBIC and IGPI.

Figure: About JBIC IG Partners

Business Model of JBIC IG

JBIC IG composes overseas funds by partnering with foreign sovereign wealth funds and international investors, through investment advisory services to overseas funds.

As one noteworthy achievement, in January 2019, JBIC IG established a venture capital fund with AS BaltCap, a fund manager in the Baltic region, to invest in startups in the Nordic and Baltic regions. By the end of March 2023, JBIC IG executed a total of 20 investments. As investments have progressed smoothly, a successor fund was created in March 2023.

In May 2023, JBIC collaborated with ff Venture Capital, which has a proven track record of forming funds in the U.S. and Poland, to establish a new venture capital fund that will invest in startups in Central and Eastern Europe. JBIC IG brings together investee companies from these funds with Japanese companies and engages in activities to promote collaboration.

JBIC IG will continue to provide added value to Japanese industry through the creation of new investment funds.

Overview of JBIC IG Partners’ Investment Structure
JBIC makes equity investments in overseas companies through investment in funds that JBIC IG Partners launched in collaboration with overseas partners.

Figure: Overview of JBIC IG Partners’ Investment Structure

JBIC’s Activities

JBIC supports the overseas business expansion of Japanese companies through M&A and other means as well as business alliances between Japanese companies and overseas startups through equity investments. By collaborating with JBIC IG and overseas fund managers, we are also building a framework to support Japanese companies in improving their international competitiveness. The recent major initiatives of the Equity Financing Group are as follows.

Notable Examples of JBIC’s Financial Support

Equity Participation in Wellesta Holdings Pte. Ltd

Supporting Overseas Business Expansion of Japanese Company in the Healthcare Sector
Photo of Examples of products handled by WellestaExamples of products handled by Wellesta

In March 2023, JBIC made an equity investment in MJ Pharma Pte. Ltd., a Singapore-based special purpose company (SPC) established by Mitsui & Co., Ltd., with the aim of acquiring shares and convertible bonds of Wellesta Holdings Pte. Ltd. (Wellesta) of Singapore through that SPC.

Wellesta is a startup founded in 2019 that primarily engages in the sales and marketing of pharmaceuticals and medical devices in Asia.

Mitsui has focused on the healthcare business in Asia. Against this backdrop, Mitsui has been the majority shareholder in IHH Healthcare Berhad (IHH), which is Asia's largest private hospital group and is positioned as Mitsui's core asset in this domain. Mitsui aims to expand its healthcare business value chain by securing pharmaceutical market access through the investment in Wellesta.

Wellesta’s business also contributes to solving social problems in Asia; the “drug lag” or “device lag”, the delay in making a drug or a medical device available in a particular market. Wellesta announces “Our endeavor is to provide accessible and right-priced healthcare solutions as we believe that everyone is entitled to good healthcare”. Facilitating the sales and marketing of pharmaceuticals and medical devices will contribute to solving the above-mentioned social problem.

JBIC's equity participation in Wellesta will support Mitsui in expanding its overseas business and resolving the social issue, thereby contributing toward maintaining and improving the international competitiveness of Japanese industry.

Equity Participation in Fund Investing in Startups in Northern Europe

Strengthening the International Competitiveness of Japanese Companies through Investments in Northern Europe as a Frontrunner in Sustainability & Digitalization Sector
Photo of Fund LP general meetingFund LP general meeting

In March 2023, JBIC committed to investing in Luxembourg-based NordicNinja Fund II SCSp (NordicNinja II).

NordicNinja II is a venture capital fund established by JBIC IG and others that invests in startups related to the sustainability and digitalization sector, mainly in Northern Europe. It is a successor to JB Nordic Fund I SCSp, established in 2019 with the equity participation of JBIC, investing in startups in the Nordic and Baltic regions.

Along with JBIC, the Fund is invested in by erex Co., Ltd., OMRON Corporation, Kyuden International Corporation, Kiraboshi Bank, Ltd., KOSÉ Corporation, TOKYO GAS CO., LTD (through its subsidiary), JGC HOLDINGS CORPORATION, Hitachi Zosen Corporation, Honda Motor Co., Ltd., KDDI CORPORATION, and SOMPO Light Vortex, Inc.

In Northern Europe, public awareness of SDGs and climate change is high, and the movement toward building a sustainable society and realizing a circular economy is gaining momentum. In recent years, this region has seen the emergence of various world-leading startups in the area of sustainability in a wide variety of industries. In addition, a cycle has been created where experienced entrepreneurs of unicorn startups, pass on their knowledge and capital to next-generation entrepreneurs. This has created a startup ecosystem that produces many up-and-coming startups in this region.

NoridicNinja II will support Japanese companies to achieve sustainability transformation by promoting businesses and capital alliances between startups in Northern Europe and Japanese strategic investors. The equity participation of JBIC is expected to contribute toward maintaining and improving the international competitiveness of Japanese companies.

* Northern Europe comprises 13 countries: the U.K., Ireland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Iceland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.

Equity Participation in Fund Investing in Startups in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE)

Strengthening International Competitiveness of Japanese Companies through Investments in CEE, “Next Innovation Hub of Europe”
Photo of Fund closing eventFund closing event

In May 2023, JBIC made an equity participation in Luxemburg-based ff Red & White.

ff Red & White is a venture capital fund to invest in startups that will contribute toward technologies for automation, remote operation, and labor-saving, mainly in the Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) region. The Fund is jointly established and managed by JBIC IG Partners and ff Venture Capital, which has a proven track record in the U.S. and Poland. At the first closing, besides JBIC, other companies committed to investing in the Fund include Sojitz Corporation, JGC HOLDINGS CORPORATION, DMG MORI CO., LTD., Ltd., KDDI CORPORATION, and SBI Holdings, Inc. (through its subsidiary).

As CEE has numerous highly skilled software engineers who graduated from universities or academic institutions with expertise in mathematics and computer science, leading European and American tech companies have established their R&D centers and promoted the development of cutting-edge technologies. Recently, the engineers who have worked for these tech companies have started their own businesses. In addition, Germany, one of the world's leading manufacturing nations, has developed technologies related to industrial automation. Therefore, promising startups that contribute to digital transformation, such as automation, remote operation, and labor-saving in industry and business activities, are beginning to emerge in the region.

ff Red & White will support Japanese companies in achieving digital transformation by promoting businesses and capital alliances between these startups in CEE and Japanese strategic investors. The equity participation of JBIC is expected to contribute toward maintaining and improving the international competitiveness of Japanese companies.

* CEE region comprises seven countries: Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania, Germany, and Austria.

Introduction of the Finance Groups