
Investments
221Portfolio Exits
20Funds
5Partners & Customers
2Service Providers
1About Sony Innovation Fund
Sony Innovation Fund operates as a venture capital initiative focused on investing in early-stage companies within the technology, content, and services sectors. The fund provides investment and access to Sony's global network, fostering business creation and innovation in various areas of interest to Sony, including entertainment, health, and emerging technologies. It primarily targets seed to Series B funding stages for consumer and enterprise-facing businesses. It was founded in 2016 and is based in Tokyo, Japan.
Latest Sony Innovation Fund News
Nov 1, 2025
Sony-Funded Jabali.ai lets users create 2D and 3D games without coding The platform offers Vibe Code for mechanics and Design Mode for storytelling Full source code access and AI integration supported by Sony Innovation Fund A Sony-funded artificial-intelligence company is launching a platform it says will make video-game creation accessible to people without coding expertise, the latest effort to lower technical barriers in the multibillion-dollar gaming industry. Jabali.ai this week introduced Jabali Studio, which uses automated tools and AI assistants to help users design, build and publish games in both 2D and 3D formats. The platform represents a bet that AI can democratize game development, a field that has traditionally required specialized programming skills and sizable teams. The startup raised $5 million in seed funding in March 2024, led by Bitkraft Ventures, with participation from Sapphire Ventures and the Sony Innovation Fund, the investment arm of the Japanese entertainment and electronics giant. The launch of Jabali Studio comes as the company advances its vision of making game creation more accessible. AI-Powered Platform Targets Independent Game Creators Jabali Studio offers two primary modes: Vibe Code for gameplay mechanics and Design Mode for visual elements. The platform integrates with major AI systems including Alphabet Inc.'s Gemini, Anthropic's Claude, OpenAI's ChatGPT and xAI's Grok, allowing users to work with multiple AI assistants through a single interface. The software supports several game engines and frameworks, including Godot and Phaser, with plans to add Unity Technologies' Unity and Epic Games Inc.'s Unreal Engine. Users retain full access to source code, a feature aimed at more experienced developers who want granular control. Among its AI-powered features are automated debugging, self-healing projects that can repair broken code, and publishing tools. An AI co-pilot operates in four modes—Autonomous, Collaborative, Cautious and Creative—giving users varying levels of AI assistance. "Game creation has long been limited by the complexity of tools and the need for large technical teams," said Vatsal Bhardwaj, Jabali.ai's founder and chief executive. The launch aligns with Sony Innovation Fund's broader investment strategy in AI-powered entertainment technologies. The move comes as major gaming companies explore how artificial intelligence can streamline production and expand the creator base beyond traditional studios and experienced programmers. Probaho Santra is a content writer at Outlook India with a master's degree in journalism. Outside work, he enjoys photography, exploring new tech trends, and staying connected with the esports world.
Sony Innovation Fund Investments
221 Investments
Sony Innovation Fund has made 221 investments. Their latest investment was in VaultN as part of their Seed VC - II on November 04, 2025.
Sony Innovation Fund Investments Activity

Date | Round | Company | Amount | New? | Co-Investors | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
11/4/2025 | Seed VC - II | VaultN | $3.45M | Yes | 2 | |
10/1/2025 | Series B | Phaidra | $50M | Yes | Collaborative Fund, Energy Impact Partners, Helena Capital Partners, Index Ventures, NVIDIA, and Undisclosed Investors | 4 |
9/24/2025 | Series A | Bastion | $14.6M | Yes | A16z Crypto, Coinbase Ventures, Hashed, and Samsung Ventures | 2 |
8/12/2025 | Seed VC - II | |||||
8/6/2025 | Series C - II |
Date | 11/4/2025 | 10/1/2025 | 9/24/2025 | 8/12/2025 | 8/6/2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Round | Seed VC - II | Series B | Series A | Seed VC - II | Series C - II |
Company | VaultN | Phaidra | Bastion | ||
Amount | $3.45M | $50M | $14.6M | ||
New? | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||
Co-Investors | Collaborative Fund, Energy Impact Partners, Helena Capital Partners, Index Ventures, NVIDIA, and Undisclosed Investors | A16z Crypto, Coinbase Ventures, Hashed, and Samsung Ventures | |||
Sources | 2 | 4 | 2 |
Sony Innovation Fund Portfolio Exits
20 Portfolio Exits
Sony Innovation Fund has 20 portfolio exits. Their latest portfolio exit was Covr Financial Technologies on September 29, 2025.
Date | Exit | Companies | Valuation Valuations are submitted by companies, mined from state filings or news, provided by VentureSource, or based on a comparables valuation model. | Acquirer | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
9/29/2025 | Merger | 3 | |||
8/20/2025 | Acquired | 4 | |||
6/13/2025 | Acquired | Ankusu | 3 | ||
Date | 9/29/2025 | 8/20/2025 | 6/13/2025 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Exit | Merger | Acquired | Acquired | ||
Companies | |||||
Valuation | |||||
Acquirer | Ankusu | ||||
Sources | 3 | 4 | 3 |
Sony Innovation Fund Fund History
5 Fund Histories
Sony Innovation Fund has 5 funds, including Sony Innovation Fund 3 L.P..
Closing Date | Fund | Fund Type | Status | Amount | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1/20/2023 | Sony Innovation Fund 3 L.P. | $204.17M | 1 | ||
7/31/2016 | Sony Innovation Fund | ||||
Sony Innovation Fund: Environment | |||||
Sony Innovation Fund: Africa | |||||
Innovation Growth Fund |
Closing Date | 1/20/2023 | 7/31/2016 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fund | Sony Innovation Fund 3 L.P. | Sony Innovation Fund | Sony Innovation Fund: Environment | Sony Innovation Fund: Africa | Innovation Growth Fund |
Fund Type | |||||
Status | |||||
Amount | $204.17M | ||||
Sources | 1 |
Sony Innovation Fund Partners & Customers
2 Partners and customers
Sony Innovation Fund has 2 strategic partners and customers. Sony Innovation Fund recently partnered with IFC on October 10, 2023.
Date | Type | Business Partner | Country | News Snippet | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
10/12/2023 | Partner | United States | Sony Launches Innovation Fund For Africa To Support Growth Of Entertainment Businesses In addition , Sony Innovation Fund has concluded a collaboration agreement with the International Finance Corporation , the largest global development institution focused on the private sector which is actively investing in emerging countries , including start-up companies in Africa . | 6 | |
10/29/2019 | Partner |
Date | 10/12/2023 | 10/29/2019 |
|---|---|---|
Type | Partner | Partner |
Business Partner | ||
Country | United States | |
News Snippet | Sony Launches Innovation Fund For Africa To Support Growth Of Entertainment Businesses In addition , Sony Innovation Fund has concluded a collaboration agreement with the International Finance Corporation , the largest global development institution focused on the private sector which is actively investing in emerging countries , including start-up companies in Africa . | |
Sources | 6 |
Sony Innovation Fund Service Providers
1 Service Provider
Sony Innovation Fund has 1 service provider relationship
Service Provider | Associated Rounds | Provider Type | Service Type |
|---|---|---|---|
Commercial Bank |
Service Provider | |
|---|---|
Associated Rounds | |
Provider Type | Commercial Bank |
Service Type |
Partnership data by VentureSource
Sony Innovation Fund Team
3 Team Members
Sony Innovation Fund has 3 team members, including current Chief Executive Officer, Chief Investment Officer, Gen Tsuchikawa.
Name | Work History | Title | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
Gen Tsuchikawa | Innovation Growth Ventures, Sony, Sony Mobile, Sony Electronics, and Merrill | Chief Executive Officer, Chief Investment Officer | Current |
Name | Gen Tsuchikawa | ||
|---|---|---|---|
Work History | Innovation Growth Ventures, Sony, Sony Mobile, Sony Electronics, and Merrill | ||
Title | Chief Executive Officer, Chief Investment Officer | ||
Status | Current |
Compare Sony Innovation Fund to Competitors

Samsung NEXT operates as a venture capital firm investing in technology sectors, including artificial intelligence, healthtech, consumer services, and frontier technology. The company focuses on funding founders who are developing innovations and applying technologies to various use cases, improving health management and consumer experiences. It primarily invests in startups that are active in the technology landscape. Samsung NEXT was formerly known as Samsung Global Innovation Center. It was founded in 2012 and is based in Mountain View, California.

Qualcomm Ventures operates as the venture capital arm of Qualcomm, focusing on investments in the technology sector. The company provides funding and support to mobile technology companies, focusing on internet of things (IoT), connected automotive, artificial intelligence (AI), consumer, enterprise, and cloud. Qualcomm Ventures connects entrepreneurs with resources and relationships. It was founded in 2000 and is based in San Diego, California.

Samsung Ventures operates as the venture investment arm of Samsung Group, focusing on technologies and industries through venture capital. The company invests in anticipatory technologies and industries to support the growth of a venture ecosystem. Samsung Ventures aims to contribute to society and the group. It was founded in 1999 and is based in Seoul, South Korea.

Intel Capital focuses on venture capital investment within the technology sector, specifically targeting early-stage startups. The company provides financial backing and support to companies involved in cloud computing, silicon technology, device innovation, and frontier technologies. Intel Capital primarily serves the technology ecosystem, investing in ventures within the computing domain. It was founded in 1991 and is based in Santa Clara, California.

Toyota Ventures operates as an early-stage venture capital arm of Toyota, focusing on frontier and climate technologies. The company invests in artificial intelligence, autonomy, mobility, robotics, cloud technology, smart cities, digital health, fintech, materials, and climate technologies aimed at carbon neutrality. Toyota Ventures provides support to its portfolio companies, utilizing Toyota's expertise and resources. Toyota Ventures was formerly known as Toyota AI Ventures. It was founded in 2017 and is based in Los Altos, California.

Deloitte Ventures operates as the corporate venture arm for Deloitte. Deloitte Ventures is focused on investing in and collaborating with early-stage companies. Deloitte Ventures works with startups in sectors including financial services, consumer, data, artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, healthcare, and more. It is based in London, United Kingdom.
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