JETRO and Coolwater announce partnership to bring Fund Accelerator Program to Japan VC ecosystem

Calling all emerging VCs to join - Tokyo Accelerator for VC Institutionalization and Globalization



[画像1: https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/147686/2/147686-2-62136adf0fd968d35d897344603dec71-2069x528.jpg?width=536&quality=85%2C75&format=jpeg&auto=webp&fit=bounds&bg-color=fff ]


Coolwater Capital, often referred to as the “Y Combinator for emerging venture capital funds,” has partnered with the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) to bring its program exclusively to the Japanese venture capital ecosystem.

Over the last four years, Coolwater has built the most successful accelerator for funds program in the United States, having launched over 200 venture capital funds with an 89% success rate, helping almost 9 of every 10 firms get into business when launching a new fund. These venture capital funds in the United States have raised over ＄3B USD, and over 50 of these funds have already raised follow-on funds. Coolwater is now bringing this success story to Japan.

JETRO has been pioneering the effort to grow the Japanese venture capital ecosystem, aiming to make Japan a more attractive global destination for global startups, for example.

JETRO has now partnered with Coolwater Capital to bring a proprietary Venture Fund Acceleration Program to increase skills and knowhow of Japanese venture capitalists by leveraging resources from Silicon Valley, the cradle of the startup and venture capital industry. Specifically, the program will aim to refine investment strategy, optimize strategic positioning for investors, and develop fundamental fund management and investment skills through mentoring from top Silicon Valley venture capital investment professionals - including former General Partners from Sequoia Capital, Kleiner Perkins, A16Z, and other Tier 1 firms who have gone on to lead successful funds.

The program will expand Japan’s network internationally, enhance its global community of investors and founders, and institutionalize emerging and top-tier-to-be (Funds I through III) to an institutional, global investment and fund management standard.

The inaugural program will launch in fall 2024, October 23.
The team is actively considering new applications.
If you are interested, please contact us below and also apply at JETRO’s website to be provided.
The program itself will involve several in-person sessions in Tokyo, as well as a conference in Silicon Valley in early 2025.

■Program Summary:
- Launch and 1st Module - fall October 23rd Wed, 2024 Japan time 18:00-21:00PM
- 6 modules on topics such as portfolio construction, data room building, LP archetypes, etc., through multi-hour sessions provided in the morning on weekdays, both online and in-person over the course of 3 months
- 2nd Module - November 5th Tues Japan time 9:00-11:00AM
- 3rd Module - November 19th Tues Japan time 9:00-11:00AM
- 4th Module - December 3rd Tues Japan time 9:00-11:00AM
- 5th Module - December 17th Tues Japan time 9:00-11:00AM
- 6th Module - January 7th Tues Japan time 9:00-11:00AM
- Office Hours with Coolwater, Sand Hill Road VCs, as well as international and U.S. LPs
- Institutional Investor Conference in Silicon Valley to pitch to global LPs in early 2025 (scheduled for January 22, Wed. 2025)

■Application Process and Criteria:
- For first time to third VC fund managers (including ex operators, founders, and angel investors looking to launch unique investment funds)
- Application must be submitted by September 17th Tuesday, 2024


■About JETRO
JETRO, or the Japan External Trade Organization, is a government-related organization that works to promote mutual trade and investment between Japan and the rest of the world with our global network. Since 2013, JETRO has helped thousands of Japanese startups scale globally. We support 700+ Japanese startups per year through over 40 different acceleration programs, and 3,000+ through mentoring. We are now focused on inviting global top-tier accelerators and VCs into Japan as well as delivering some educational programs for Japanese VCs/CVCs in order to establish a global standard ecosystem here in Japan.

■About Coolwater Capital
Known colloquially as the Y-Combinator for emerging fund managers, Coolwater Capital administers comprehensive proprietary institutional training courses with topics ranging from fund strategy formation & narrative, fund setup & management to fundraising and scaling. Coolwater continues to be the highest-rated fund manager program globally, with an NPS score of 83. Coolwater Capital was founded by Winter Mead, who previously co-managed all FoF investments at both Sapphire Ventures (＄10B+ AUM), where he led fund investments into early-stage VC funds, as well as at Hall Capital (＄40B+ AUM). To date, Coolwater Capital cohort funds have raised ＄3b+ (200+ funds); we have conducted 300+ LP-led modules, made 1000's of intros to LPs, service providers, and others, and hosted hundreds of events both in-person and online all over the world. Within the Coolwater community are 8,000+ startups and thousands of individuals, including billion-dollar family offices, endowments, pension funds, C-suite executives of Fortune 100 companies, HNWs, celebrities, exited founders, and more.

■Stakeholder Comments:

Winter Mead, Founder and CEO of Coolwater Capital
[画像2: https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/147686/2/147686-2-e7e81a3567411eec3a47f12813e3729b-256x256.png?width=536&quality=85%2C75&format=jpeg&auto=webp&fit=bounds&bg-color=fff ]

“I’m very excited to partner with JETRO to bring this revolutionary firm-building and fund launch program to the Japanese startup ecosystem. Our goal is to both launch new VC funds, and co-build existing VC funds already in the market to make them more institutional. We’ve already been approached by world-class teams fitting both of these new and existing fund profiles, and are thrilled to support Japan’s innovation and growth.”



Eriko Suzuki, Coolwater Japan Advisor
[画像3: https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/147686/2/147686-2-95601f4be4117e87c635c92108e238bd-2545x2700.jpg?width=536&quality=85%2C75&format=jpeg&auto=webp&fit=bounds&bg-color=fff ]

"The Japanese startup ecosystem has grown tremendously over the last 10 years. I believe the next phase of further maturation requires global competitiveness. Hence, I am very excited that JETRO has partnered with Coolwater, an exceptional force in the U.S. VC fundraising ecosystem, to help bring over U.S. and global VC best practices to Japan and also boost the bridge between Japanese startups and VCs to U.S. VCs, LPs, and other stakeholders."




■For inquiries to the program：
Coolwater Capital: Winter Mead
Coolwater Japan: Eriko Suzuki


以下、日本語概略：
この度、日本貿易振興機構（JETRO）は、VC業界におけるYCombinatorと呼ばれる「Coolwater Capital」と提携し、日本のベンチャーキャピタリストの育成に特化したプログラムを提供します（以下、「当プログラム」）。
本プログラムは2024年秋10月23日の開始を予定。
現在参加者を募集しています。ご興味のある方はCoolwater Capitalへの問い合わせと共に、JETROウェブサイトからご応募ください。
当プログラムでは、東京で数回の対面及びオンラインセッションと、2025年初頭（1月22日予定）にシリコンバレーで開催されるカンファレンスを予定しています。


[画像4: https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/147686/2/147686-2-82937ae35171cda4200233c69e579082-3000x1331.png?width=536&quality=85%2C75&format=jpeg&auto=webp&fit=bounds&bg-color=fff ]Coolwater Capital
Coolwater Capital は、エマージング・ファンドマネジャーのためのYコンビネーター（Y-Combinator）という俗称で知られ、ファンド戦略の形成やファンドの設立や管理から資金調達やスケーリングに至るまで、包括的且つ独自の機関投資家向けトレーニングコースを運営。

企業プレスリリース詳細へ
PR TIMESトップへ