Techstars and Global Brain Formalize Strategic Partnership for Capital and Combined Networks

Techstars, the original mentorship-driven accelerator, led by David Cohen and the team, has announced a strategic partnership with Global Brain, Japan's leading independent venture capital firm, led by Yasuhiko Yurimoto and others. The collaboration brings together two organizations that have long admired each other’s work and share a remarkably similar philosophy on supporting founders.

The partnership allows Global Brain and Techstars to explore joint investment opportunities across the Techstars network. Global Brain will also support the expansion of Accelerator and Founder Catalyst programs across Japan and Asia, while Techstars connects partners to Global Brain’s CVC platform serving corporations such as KDDI, Epson, Mitsubishi, and Sony.

Shared Values at the Core

The partnership reflects a shared philosophy: Techstars’ “Give First” ethos and Global Brain’s “spirit of altruism.” Both emphasize consistent, non-transactional support for founders, forming the foundation of a lasting collaboration.

Why This Matters for Founders

Global Brain manages about $3 billion and is Japan’s most active CVC partner, with a network spanning more than 300 major corporations and 10 global offices. The partnership creates a new pathway for Techstars founders seeking expansion into Asia.

For Japanese founders and corporations, Techstars brings a 19-year track record, more than 5,000 portfolio companies, and over 1,500 mentors through accelerator programs worldwide.

“This partnership represents an important step in connecting Japan’s startup ecosystem with the global stage,” said David Cohen, founder and CEO of Techstars. Yasuhiko Yurimoto, CEO of Global Brain, said the collaboration is expected to create significant value for startups, investors, and partners across both networks.

The partnership marks the beginning of what could become one of the venture industry’s most impactful global startup collaborations. Global Brain will be introduced more broadly to the network in the coming months as founders across regions begin building with this expanded support.