SBI Holdings, the Japanese financial giant, has announced a strategic alliance with Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm Across Ventures to create a new fund of funds focused on specialized micro venture capital firms in the United States. The initiative targets a fund size of approximately $100 million and aims to connect U.S. early-stage innovation with Japanese enterprises.
The new fund, named “Across Ventures Fund I, L.P.,” will invest in micro VCs that specialize in deep tech sectors including AI, physical AI, fintech, blockchain, climate tech, health tech, next-generation computing, and space. This approach seeks to provide Japanese companies with better access to promising U.S. startups at the pre-seed and seed stages, an area that has traditionally been difficult for them to reach.
SBI Holdings partners with Across Ventures to launch a $100M Fund of Funds led by former Ripple VP Emi Yoshikawa @emy_wng 🇯🇵🇺🇸
The alliance will focus on specialized Micro VCs in:
🔹 Blockchain & Fintech
🔹 AI & Physical AI
🔹 Climate Tech
🔹 Deep Tech
SBI is joining as an anchor… pic.twitter.com/HrzDISZXzz— 𝗕𝗮𝗻𝗸XRP (@BankXRP) April 14, 2026
Micro VC funds are small venture capital firms, usually under $100M in assets, that invest small amounts (around $25K–$500K) into early-stage startups, mainly at the pre-seed and seed stages. They focus on fast decisions and niche sectors like AI, SaaS, and fintech, acting as a bridge between angel investors and larger VC firms while taking many small, high-risk bets for potential high returns.
SBI to act as anchor investor
SBI Holdings plans to participate as an anchor limited partner (LP) in the fund. The company will leverage its investment expertise and extensive network of Japanese enterprises to support deal sourcing, investment review, and operational aspects. The partnership is expected to accelerate SBI’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its startup investments in the U.S. market.
Focus on bridging U.S. innovation and Japanese capital
The U.S. venture capital market has become increasingly divided between large mega funds and specialized micro VCs. This new fund of funds strategy allows for diversified exposure to high-potential micro managers while helping Japanese firms tap into cutting-edge technologies. SBI emphasized that the collaboration will promote open innovation and create future business collaboration opportunities between the two ecosystems.
Notably, SBI Holdings and blockchain infrastructure firm Startale Group have announced a strategic partnership to develop and launch JPYSC, a regulated Japanese yen-denominated stablecoin.
Enjoyed this piece? Bookmark DeFi Planet, explore related topics, and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Threads and CoinMarketCap Community for seamless access to high-quality industry insights.
Take control of your crypto portfolio with DEFI PLANET PRO, DeFi Planet’s suite of analytics tools.
