ANA HOLDINGS INC. (hereinafter “ANA HD”) will establish a corporate venture capital (CVC) fund, “AH-GB Future Creation Investment Limited Partnership” DBA “ANA Future Frontier Fund L.P.” with Global Brain Corporation, a leading independent venture capital firm based in Tokyo, on April 11, 2024.
The ANA Future Frontier Fund L.P., will support the growth of startup companies and accelerate new businesses. The new fund will strengthen non-airline linked businesses to capture new revenue streams, and invest in promising startups expected to enhance airline profitability and improve the customer experience.
“Our corporate strategy is focused on three pillars: maximizing airline profits, expanding non-airline revenue and expanding ANA Group’s ecosystem for sustainable growth and today’s announcement supports expanding the broader startup industry that will benefit society,” President and CEO of ANA HD, Koji Shibata said. “We will launch the ANA Future Frontier Fund to partner with innovative startups and instilling our legacy venture spirit, rooted in the company since ANA was founded in 1952 with just two helicopters, coupled with their startup agility to create groundbreaking value.”
ANA Group is expanding its business beyond aviation to next-generation mobility, enriching daily life offerings and bridging reality with virtual worlds, all in pursuit of its vision: “Uniting the World in Wonder.” Additionally, ANA Group is expanding its business portfolio to enhance the aviation business and create synergies with existing ventures.
“Since establishing our “Digital Design Lab” in 2016, we have been working to create new businesses through open innovation, collaborating with startups and making LP investments in venture capital firms” said Yoshiaki Tsuda, Executive Vice President, Director of Future Creation of ANA HD. “Leveraging our past experiences, we are now poised to intensify our proactive startup investments with the support of our partner Global Brain, and I am excited for the opportunity to collaborate with startups sharing a vision for the future.”
“We have long been interested in open innovation in the airline business,” said Yasuhiko Yurimoto, CEO of Global Brain Corporation. “We have seen great potential in partnering with ANA HD which has focused on expanding its business field as well as strengthening its core business since COVID, and will fully utilize the assets of both companies to discover and nurture startups that will spread their wings to the world.”
About “ANA Future Frontier Fund L.P.”
| Name | AH-GB Future Creation Investment Limited Partnership
（called: “ANA Future Frontier Fund L.P.） |
| Fund Size | 8 billion yen |
| Operational
Period |
10 years |
| Major Investment Fields | Accelerating the creation of new businesses and strengthening non-airline ventures to improve the profitability of revenue streams, while simultaneously enhancing airline profitability and elevating the customer experience.
EXAMPLES Next-generation mobility, which includes air mobility, MaaS platform, Universal MaaS, drones and space. Customer base utilization businesses such as Fintech, data analytics and NFT. Carbon neutral fuels such as SAF, negative emission technologies like DAC, green energy and carbon offsets. In addition, innovations in aviation services and operations, such as robotics, AI and self-driving technologies, are being explored. |
| Investment Stage | Seed Early Middle (focus on early stage) |
| Investment
Region |
Worldwide
Approximately 60% in Japan/ 40% overseas |
| Unlimited Partner | Global Brain Corporation |
| Limited Partner | ANA HOLDINGS INC. |
