Dentsu Inc. Ventures, a venture fund managed by Dentsu Inc., has invested in Jibo, Inc., a U.S. startup developing social robots.

On August 6, Dentsu Ventures 1 Global Fund (Dentsu Ventures), a corporate venture capital fund managed by Dentsu Inc., announced an investment of approximately 370 million yen in Jibo, Inc. (Jibo), a U.S.-based startup developing social robots.

Dentsu Ventures Inc. is a fund established in April this year to realize the Dentsu Group's open innovation strategy through investments in ambitious startups creating unseen futures and through collaboration with portfolio companies. It supports businesses and entrepreneurs not only through funding but also by providing solutions and resources unique to the Dentsu Group for tackling challenges. Jibo Inc. became its first investment.

Jibo Inc. is a company founded by Dr. Cynthia Breazeal, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor known as a pioneer in social robotics, aiming to develop, manufacture, and sell the social robot "Jibo." Jibo incorporates technologies such as voice and emotion recognition, natural language processing, machine learning, and emotion-expressive displays and movements. It is designed to interact with household members and build trusting relationships.

Dentsu Inc. Ventures believes Jibo has the potential to evolve into a fundamentally new type of media that transforms how information is consumed, potentially serving as foundational infrastructure and a communication hub within the smart home.

Moving forward, the Dentsu Group will support Jibo's development and promote its adoption from this perspective, while also supporting the new business opportunities Jibo is expected to bring in the future.

The investment details and overviews of Jibo Inc. and Dentsu Ventures Inc. are as follows.

 

＜Jibo＞

<Investment Overview>
Investment Method: Dentsu Inc. Ventures acquired Series A preferred stock in Jibo through a third-party allotment capital increase
・Total Investment Amount: $3 million USD (approximately ¥370 million)

＜JiboCompany Overview＞

Company Name: Jibo, Inc.

Headquarters Location: Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Representative: Steve Chambers (CEO)

Number of Employees: 28

Business Activities: Development, manufacturing, and sales of the social robot "Jibo"

URL: https://www.jibo.com/

<OVERVIEW of Dentsu Ventures>

Name: Dentsu Ventures Global Fund I

Total Fund Size: 5 billion yen

Fund Formation Date: April 2015

Operation Period: Scheduled for 7 years until March 2022

Investment Regions: Primarily overseas, including Europe, the Americas, and Asia, with a global investment focus

Investment Stage: Primarily seed/early stage, while also including mid/late stage for a broad, balanced portfolio

Investment Areas: (1) Areas with the potential to transform broad marketing/communication businesses

　　　　　　　　(2) Innovative, high-potential new domains not fitting the above

URL: http://dentsu-v.com/

Dentsu Inc. News Releasehttp://www.dentsu.co.jp/news/release/2015/0806-004114.html

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