Mitsui Sumitomo Financial Group (SMBC) is pushing business development for startups with a new ¥15 billion VC fund and the creation of a consulting unit. It has also set up a system to dispatch executive personnel to startups.

It renamed its VC subsidiary from SMBC Venture Capital Management to SMBC Edge. The unit will be led by former GMO Venture Partners director Tomohiro Miyasaka, heading a six-person investment team. Additional staff at launch include consultants specializing in electronics, pharmaceuticals, and materials industries.

SMBC Edge plans to establish a base in Singapore in spring 2026 to support overseas growth, including acquisitions of Asian companies. The fund's management period is 12 years, with a maximum investment per deal of 1.5 billion yen. It will target all industries, including AI and deeptech. It aims to recover investments through IPOs and large-scale M&As targeting domestic major corporations and overseas emerging companies.