Access built on trust
Proprietary opportunities begin with relationships inside Japan’s entrepreneurial and business ecosystem.
PRIVATE EQUITY INDEPENDENT SPONSOR · JAPAN + UNITED STATES
Japan’s next chapter.
Built together.
For capital partners, access to unique opportunities in Japan’s lower middle market, deal by deal. For founders, a path to liquidity that puts the future of your business, your people and your legacy at the center.
JAPAN–US RELATIONSHIPSUNIQUE DEAL FLOWFOUNDER LEGACY
01 / THE OBV APPROACH
Where founder trust
becomes investment opportunity.
Our Billion Ventures is a private equity independent sponsor focused on Japan’s lower middle market. We originate opportunities through direct founder relationships, shape each transaction and bring together capital partners and operating expertise around the company’s next stage of growth.
Founders gain a partner focused on an exit that respects what they have built. Family offices, private equity firms and private investors gain access to opportunities grounded in those relationships, with the choice to participate deal by deal. Our Japan–US network supports both sides of that partnership.
An exit with continuity
Founder liquidity, employees, customers and the future of the business belong in the same conversation.
Capital for the next chapter
Each transaction brings together a company, a growth plan and capital partners aligned around the opportunity.
02 / WHY JAPAN. WHY NOW.
Japan is rethinking
value, ownership and growth.
Corporate reform, an active M&A market and business succession are bringing new urgency to decisions about the future. Turning that momentum into a successful partnership takes local trust, a clear strategy and the right capital.
A sharper focus on corporate value
The Tokyo Stock Exchange is pressing Prime and Standard Market companies to improve capital allocation and management awareness of capital costs and share prices. Its April 2026 update puts resource allocation in sharper focus.
TSE / April 2026An expanding M&A landscape
Japanese-company M&A reached record levels in fiscal 2025, with both domestic and cross-border activity contributing. Ownership change and strategic partnerships are part of a wider shift in how businesses pursue growth.
Teikoku Databank / May 2026Succession with a future
For privately held businesses, the question is who will carry the business forward and how it can keep growing. Third-party succession through M&A is one recognized route alongside family or employee succession.
METI / Business successionOBV brings founders, capital partners and growth expertise together at this intersection, through a deal-by-deal platform rooted in Japan and connected to the US.
03 / FOR FOUNDERS & BUSINESS OWNERS
An exit that respects
what you built.
You have built more than a business. You have built a reputation, a team and relationships that matter. We help you pursue an exit that realizes your value and makes the future of that legacy part of the deal.
Discuss your exit confidentiallyRealize value on your terms
Explore a full sale or a partial exit that creates liquidity while leaving room to participate in future growth. Your financial goals and preferred future role guide the structure.
Make legacy part of the deal
Bring employees, customer relationships, company culture and leadership continuity into discussions about partner selection, ownership and governance. These priorities help define the right fit.
Give the business a future
Develop a growth plan with the right capital and strategic support behind it. Our Japan–US relationships can open new partnerships, capabilities and markets where they fit the business.
04 / CAPITAL PARTNERS
Unique opportunities.
Access built in Japan.
OBV partners with family offices, private equity firms, angels and other capital partners on opportunities in Japan’s lower middle market. We bring direct founder relationships, local insight and a defined investment thesis to each transaction.
Discuss transaction opportunitiesOpportunities developed at the source
We originate through relationships with founders and business leaders, developing an understanding of the company, the owner’s objectives and the opportunity for change.
Choose the businesses you back
Evaluate an identified company, its management, the proposed transaction and the growth thesis before deciding whether to participate. Capital structure and participation are agreed for each transaction.
A sponsor to connect access and execution
Work with OBV on the strategic rationale, founder alignment and capital partnership behind a transaction.
05 / HOW THE MODEL WORKS
The business comes first.
The capital follows the opportunity.
As a private equity independent sponsor, OBV originates and structures transactions, bringing together capital partners for each opportunity. We work with founders and management on the investment thesis, transaction execution and plan for future growth.
Start with trust.
Understand the owner, the business and the opportunity through relationships. Establish what a successful outcome would mean for the founder and company.
Founder priorities · Business fundamentals · Strategic fit
Build the case together.
Work with management to identify growth opportunities, assess ownership options and develop the investment thesis. Bring in specialist financial, legal and accounting expertise as needed.
Growth thesis · Transaction structure · Diligence
Bring the right partners to the table.
Connect the opportunity with capital partners whose approach fits the business. Work toward agreement on financing, ownership, governance and management’s role.
Capital partnership · Shared objectives · Execution
Turn the plan into progress.
Support the agreed value-creation agenda with management and capital partners. Draw on operating experience and Japan–US relationships as the business enters its next stage.
Operational support · Strategic partnerships · Growth
Financing, governance, founder participation and OBV’s continuing role are agreed for each transaction.
06 / SELECTED TRANSACTION
A completed
Japan take-private.
JAPAN · 2025
Take-private with The Longreach Group
OBV originated the opportunity and helped structure the take-private of Japanese corporate learning company Lightworks with management and The Longreach Group. Longreach reports that the transaction closed in July 2025.
68.91%Tender-offer premium
Above the average closing share price in the preceding three-month period.
¥2,179Tender offer per share
The announced common-share offer price.
July 2025Transaction closed
Completion reported by The Longreach Group.
OBV’S ROLE
Origination · Growth strategy · Transaction structuring · Capital partner alignment
FROM THE FOUNDER“Jonathan Rossi and the Our Billion Ventures team provided exceptional strategic clarity and operational insight.”
Natsuo EguchiFounder and CEO, LightworksFrom the August 2025 announcement
07 / OUR JAPAN–US ECOSYSTEM
Relationships that reach
beyond a transaction.
Our platform brings together entrepreneurs, business leaders, capital partners and specialist advisers across Japan and the United States. We are founders who have built, scaled and exited businesses ourselves. That experience shapes how we work with owners.
In Japan
Founder relationships and local business context help us understand opportunities at their source.
Across the US
Capital relationships, operating perspectives and strategic connections expand the possibilities for a business.
At the intersection
We help people across markets understand one another’s priorities and build a partnership they can execute.
08 / WHERE WE FOCUS
At the intersection of
technology and people.
We look for businesses where stronger capabilities, relevant technology and the right partnerships can open a meaningful next stage of growth.
Our starting point is the business and its potential. We assess strategic fit and transaction needs individually.
01Corporate learning & human capital
Learning platforms, workforce development and HR solutions that help organizations develop and support their people.
02Cybersecurity
Businesses helping organizations and people manage digital risk, strengthen security and build safer behavior.
03B2B software
Software businesses addressing practical enterprise needs, with opportunities to deepen their products, customer relationships and reach.
04Technology-enabled services
Business services and technology implementation capabilities that help customers improve how they operate.
09 / A CLOSER LOOK
Questions, answered.
01What does “independent sponsor” mean?
An independent sponsor originates and structures private equity investments on a deal-by-deal basis. OBV develops the opportunity and brings together capital partners for that transaction, with the company, structure and growth plan available for those partners to assess.
02Do founders have to sell the entire business?
The structure depends on the founder’s objectives, the company and the capital partner. Options can include a full sale, a partial exit or retaining an ownership stake to participate in future growth. Continuing management involvement is discussed as part of the transaction.
03How do sponsorship and advisory fit together?
OBV works as an independent sponsor and provides strategic M&A advisory. Depending on the opportunity, our role can include origination, growth strategy, transaction structuring, capital partner alignment and ongoing support. The scope and responsibilities are established for each engagement.
04How can capital partners work with OBV?
Work with OBV on opportunities where your investment approach and our Japan relationships align. We develop the investment thesis and transaction structure together. Participation, access to diligence and terms are agreed for each transaction.
05Does every transaction need to cross the Pacific?
No. Our core focus includes Japanese businesses pursuing succession or growth within Japan. Our US–Japan network brings additional capital, strategic relationships and expansion possibilities where they serve the business.
06What is the first step for a founder?
A confidential discussion about your business, objectives and timing. An initial no-name overview can help establish fit before more detailed information is shared. You do not need to have settled on an exit structure to begin.
LET’S BEGIN A CONVERSATION
Start with the
right partnership.
Whether you seek proprietary deal exposure or an exit that preserves your legacy, let’s discuss the outcome you want to achieve.
Capital Partners
Explore opportunities originated through our relationships in Japan.
Discuss deal opportunitiesFor founders & owners
Discuss your liquidity goals and the legacy you want carried forward.
Discuss your exit