World Innovation Lab (WiL)

World Innovation Lab (WiL ) is a prominent U.S.-Japan cross-border venture capital firm and innovation platform founded in 2013 by Co-Founder and CEO Gen Isayama (Stanford Graduate School of Business MBA 2003; University of Tokyo Faculty of Law BA; previously Partner at DCM Ventures for approximately ten years; previous roles at the Industrial Bank of Japan; member of multiple Japanese government committees promoting entrepreneurship across METI, MEXT, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications) alongside Co-Founder Masataka Matsumoto (former senior Sony executive) and Co-Founder Jiro Isobe (former senior Panasonic executive). WiL is headquartered in Palo Alto, California (Silicon Valley) and Tokyo, Japan, and operates as a distinctive venture capital firm with a unique LP model aEUR" its limited partners are predominantly leading Japanese corporations and government entities (including Sony, Panasonic, Nissan, Olympus, and many others), creating a mutually-beneficial structure where portfolio companies gain Japan-market access and corporate customers, while LPs gain digital-transformation insight and tech innovation. WiL manages seven funds across three strategies: three direct-investment venture funds (WiL Fund I, Fund II, and Ventures III at USD 823 million in 2022), two WiL Strategic Partners fund-of-funds vehicles, and two corporate venture capital funds (Tokio Marine Fund, Fujiyama Bridge Lab Fund) aEUR" totalling aggregate committed capital exceeding USD 1.9-2 billion as of 2022. The firm invests across fintech, insurtech, automation and productivity, cybersecurity, cloud infrastructure, developer tools, healthcare technology, and sustainability themes. Portfolio includes 15+ unicorns and notable public exits: Asana (NYSE: ASAN, IPO 2020), Mercari (TYO: 4385, IPO 2018), Raksul (TYO: 4384, IPO 2018), Wise (LON: WISE, IPO 2021), and Auth0 (acquired by Okta for USD 6.5 billion in May 2021).