Sony Group said it has launched a new corporate venture capital fund, Sony Innovation Fund 4 L.P., marking the latest step in its push to back high-growth startups and deepen open innovation efforts.
The Japanese conglomerate said its venture arm, Sony Ventures Corporation (SVC), completed the first closing of the fund in April and has begun full-scale investment activities.
The fund, which counts MUFG Bank, Development Bank of Japan, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, Sony Bank and Sony Group among its initial limited partners, is targeting a final size of more than 20 billion yen (about $130 million).
Once fully raised, the group’s total assets under management across its innovation fund platform are expected to exceed 85 billion yen.
The Japanese congloromate has been expanding its venture investment strategy over the past decade, having launched its Sony Innovation Fund in 2016. It later introduced the Innovation Growth Fund in 2019 to focus on later-stage companies, followed by Sony Innovation Fund 3 in 2022.
The group has also rolled out thematic funds, including an environment-focused vehicle in 2020 and an Africa-focused fund in 2023 aimed at supporting entertainment-related ventures on the continent.
The group said the new fund will take a more selective investment approach, prioritising startups that align closely with its core business areas, while leveraging the company’s technologies and global footprint.
“Sony Group will remain firmly committed to supporting the growth of venture companies through collaborations such as joint development and strategic alliances,” Chief Strategy Officer Toshimoto Mitomo said.
SVC CEO Kazuhito Hadano said the fund would build on previous investments by deepening collaboration between startups and Sony’s business units to accelerate sustainable growth.
In Africa, where Sony launched a dedicated innovation fund in 2023, the company has increasingly focused on the continent’s fast-growing creative economy, particularly in music, film, and digital entertainment. The new fund is expected to further support African startups building technology-driven entertainment and media platforms, alongside broader venture investments across emerging markets.