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Investment in Urban Us, a venture capital firm for startups supporting the development of sustainable cities

Sep 9, 2020
Takenaka Corporation

Takenaka Corporation (President: Masato Sasaki) has made an investment in the third fund of Urban Us*1, a venture capital firm (VC) based in New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco in the U.S.A., for the purpose of promoting technological development that can create new value through open innovation in association with startups, toward realization of Takenaka’s Group Growth Strategy for 2025*2.

  • *1Website: https://urban.us/
    Urban Us is an investment firm that supports early-stage private companies that are viewed as having high growth potential.
  • *2Formulated in 2014; a strategy aimed at realizing sustainable societies whereby residents can live with peace of mind, based on Takenaka’s characterization of all of the Group’s business domains as “Machi (town)” and on deepening dialogue with stakeholders at “all stages of creating the town,” addressing various issues both within Japan and around the world in close collaboration with individual member companies of the Takenaka Group.

Urban Us focuses on creating sustainable cities by providing support in terms of technology, human resources, and funding of startups which build technologies in sectors such as building construction,　transportation, infrastructure, energy supply, public health, safety, and environmental issues, and　which aim to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and urban disaster risks due to climate change.

Through this investment, Takenaka Corporation will advance demonstration of technologies that can contribute to further enhancement of Urban Us’ startup ventures and Takenaka’s construction projects. Takenaka Corporation will also take part in the startup development program operated by Urban Us with a view to creating new value through open innovation in pursuit of solutions for various issues confronting current urban communities, including lifestyle conditions associated with/after COVID-19, and with the goal of contributing to creation of sustainable cities.

Images from URBAN-X Cohort 7*3, a startup development program operated by Urban Us.

  1. *3Program aimed at business co-creation whereby large companies or self-governing entities provide funds or technology/human resources support to venture companies or startups. Cohort 1 (2015) through Cohort 7 have already been completed and Cohort 8 is now operating online as a countermeasure against COVID-19.
  • *3Program aimed at business co-creation whereby large companies or self-governing entities provide funds or technology/human resources support to venture companies or startups. Cohort 1 (2015) through Cohort 7 have already been completed and Cohort 8 is now operating online as a countermeasure against COVID-19.