Hitachi Ventures
UnclaimedAt a Glance
- Check Size
- $. – $.
- Stage
- Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A, Series B+
- AUM
- $1B
- Sectors
- Aerospace & Defense, Digital Health, Other +2
- Founded
- 2019
- HQ
- Munich, Germany
About Hitachi Ventures
Hitachi Ventures is the corporate venture capital arm of Hitachi, investing in startups whose technology can plug into the group's digital transformation, IoT and industrial businesses. The operating entity, Hitachi Ventures GmbH, was registered in Munich on June 1, 2019 and launched Hitachi's first venture fund that month; it now works from Munich, Boston, Palo Alto and a corporate venturing office inside Hitachi Ltd in Tokyo, with more than $1 billion in assets under management across four funds and 57 active portfolio companies on four continents.
The firm invests from pre-seed through Series B and beyond, though Series A is the stated sweet spot, with initial checks averaging about $5 million and roughly 55 percent of the 2025 fund held back for follow-ons. Its four investment themes are digital, covering AI, advanced computing and data infrastructure; industrial, covering Industry 4.0 and sustainable productivity; environment, covering decarbonization and the circular economy; and healthcare, centered on techbio. Stated coverage also extends to aerospace and defense, digital health, consumer and fintech.
Fund sizes have climbed with the mandate: the first two vehicles in 2019 and 2021 were followed by a $300 million third fund in April 2023 and a $400 million fourth fund in February 2025, with Hitachi itself the limited partner. Portfolio names include Spiber and Kyulux in Japan alongside Ascend Elements, Thea Energy, WEKA, Rescale, Makersite and StrikeReady. What separates the firm from a financial investor is the commercial pathway: portfolio management teams get access to Hitachi's business units, engineers and customers, which is the argument it makes when competing with traditional venture funds for a Series A allocation.
Investment Thesis
“Corporate venture arm of Hitachi focused on digital transformation, IoT, and industrial technology startups that align with Hitachi's business ecosystem.”
Leadership Team
Stefan Gabriel is chief executive and managing director, and the registered managing director of Hitachi Ventures GmbH in Munich, where the entity sits on the commercial register as HRB 248641. Wolfgang Seibold serves as chief investment officer and partner and has been described in coverage of the 2025 fund as its finance lead. Pete Bastien is president and partner, running US operations, and Gayathri Radhakrishnan and Tobias Jahn round out the partner group. Galina Sagan and Joanna Soroka are investment partners, Radhika Ananth is head of India and investment director, and LiLing Poh is chief legal officer.
The firm lists roughly two dozen people spread across Munich, Boston, Palo Alto and a corporate venturing office inside Hitachi Ltd in Tokyo, a structure that keeps deal teams close to both Hitachi's business units and the startup markets they buy into.
Sector Focus
Investment Stage
Notable Portfolio Companies
View full portfolio →Fund History
Hitachi Ventures GmbH was established on June 1, 2019 and launched Hitachi's first corporate venture capital fund that same month. A second fund followed in October 2021 with a mandate covering environment and healthcare. On April 20, 2023 Hitachi established a third fund at $300 million, described at the time as double the size of each of the first two, which implies roughly $150 million apiece, and aimed at Web3, generative AI, blockchain, cloud, 5G and 6G, and VR. The fourth fund arrived in February 2025 at $400 million, taking Hitachi's committed startup capital past $1 billion.
Hitachi is the sole limited partner in the 2025 fund, and no Form D filings for the funds appear in SEC records. Initial checks average about $5 million, Series A is the stated sweet spot, and roughly 55 percent of the latest fund is reserved for follow-ons. The firm reports more than $1 billion in assets under management and 57 portfolio companies across four continents, including Ascend Elements, Thea Energy, Makersite, Ema and StrikeReady.
Frequently Asked Questions
What stage does Hitachi Ventures invest at?
Hitachi Ventures primarily invests at the Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A, Series B+ stages. This means they focus on companies that are at the earliest idea or prototype phase.
Where is Hitachi Ventures located?
Hitachi Ventures is headquartered in Munich, Germany. Many of their portfolio companies are also based in this region, though they invest across geographies.
What sectors does Hitachi Ventures focus on?
Hitachi Ventures focuses on investments in Aerospace & Defense, Digital Health, Other, Consumer, Fintech. Their portfolio reflects deep expertise and networks within these sectors.
What is Hitachi Ventures's typical check size?
Hitachi Ventures's typical investment check size ranges from $. to $.. Actual amounts may vary based on the stage, sector, and specific opportunity.
How much does Hitachi Ventures have under management?
Hitachi Ventures manages approximately $1B in assets under management (AUM) across their funds.
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