Former Ripple VP Secures $100M SBI Fund Focused on AI and Blockchain

TL;DR

• Key Players and Capital: Emi Yoshikawa, former Ripple VP, leads Across Ventures with a $100 million fund anchored by financial giant SBI Holdings.
• Strategic Sectors: Capital will be deployed to micro-VCs specializing in AI, blockchain, fintech, and next-generation computing in the United States.
• Market Objective: The alliance aims to build a direct bridge between early-stage U.S. startup innovation and the Japanese corporate ecosystem.

Japanese financial firm SBI Holdings has officially announced its alliance with Across Ventures to launch a fund-of-funds focused on technological innovation. This project, named Across Ventures Fund I, L.P., is led by Emi Yoshikawa, a key figure who previously held leadership roles at Ripple.

SBI’s participation as the anchor Limited Partner (LP) solidifies a long-standing relationship between the two entities. The alliance comes at a time when the U.S. venture capital market shows a clear segmentation between mega-funds and specialized micro-VCs, the latter offering significant potential returns in pre-seed and seed stages.

The collaboration goes beyond a mere capital injection; it encompasses deep operational integration. SBI will actively support the investment review process and deal sourcing, leveraging its extensive network within the Asian banking and technology sectors.

For its part, Across Ventures will serve as a diversified investment vehicle, allowing Japanese corporations to systematically access disruptive technologies. Historically, Japanese companies have faced entry barriers when trying to participate in the most competitive financing rounds in Silicon Valley.

Strategic Expansion in AI, Blockchain, and Deep Tech

The fund’s sectoral focus is broad yet rigorous, prioritizing physical AI, climate tech, and the healthcare sector. Additionally, the blockchain vertical remains a fundamental pillar, given Yoshikawa’s background and persistent institutional interest in Web3 infrastructure.

Furthermore, SBI plans to utilize this fund to identify emerging market trends before they reach global maturity. This “open innovation” strategy enables Japanese companies to adopt cutting-edge technological solutions ahead of regional competitors, optimizing their internal operational processes.

It is worth noting that the micro-VC market continues to gain ground against traditional funds due to its agility and technical specialization. By investing in these smaller managers, Across Ventures achieves diversified yet highly technical exposure in niches such as spatial computing and deep tech.

This agreement strengthens the Japanese firm’s overseas presence, accelerating its ability to attract talent and intellectual property. The fund-of-funds structure mitigates risk while maximizing coverage across a wide spectrum of critical technological innovations for the next decade.

The alliance between Across Ventures and SBI capital represents a milestone in trans-Pacific financial integration. With a $100 million target, the initiative led by Emi Yoshikawa promises to redefine how Asian capital interacts with the world’s most dynamic startup ecosystem, ensuring a steady flow of innovation toward Japan.