Japan's CSK Venture Capital Co. Ltd. plans to invest about $100 million in Israel, including $15 million this year and $80 million over the next two years, says Israel's economic attaché in Tokyo Amoral Halevy. CSK Venture Capital invests in Japanese and foreign high-tech and life sciences start-ups. It is part of CSK Holdings Corporation (TSE:97370).
Halevy said CSK Venture Capital would make the investments from a recently raised $100 million fund, which is entirely designated for investment in Israel. He added interest in Israel has been rekindled among Japan's business community. "Bilateral trade could be much greater than the $2.3 billion reached in 2006," he added.
CSK decided to invest in Israeli technology companies after senior partners visited Israel in July, during which they toured 25 start-ups. The visit was organized by the commercial attaché in Tokyo and the Investment Promotions Center. CSK Venture Capital managing partner Satoshi Konno headed the delegation. He plans to make another visit to Israel in a few months to review additional investments.
CSK Holdings has 30 financial and IT subsidiaries. The company had $2.1 billion revenue in 2006. CSK Venture Capital has made more than $200 million in investments worldwide.
Konno said that CSK Venture Capital had invested in Israeli start-up Horizon Semiconductors Ltd. He said the investment was a success that CSK wanted to replicate. "The innovations emerging from Israel are extraordinary. The breakthrough technologies that come from Israel catch the attention of investors in general and in Japan in particular. Our investment fund, CSK Venture Capital, hopes to increase the synergy between Japanese and Israeli companies through joint investments in Israeli technology."