Recruit Strategic Partners

Recruit Strategic Partners (RSP) was the corporate venture capital arm of Recruit Holdings, a leading Japanese conglomerate renowned for its extensive services in HR, marketing, and media. Established with a mission to invest in innovative startups globally, RSP played a pivotal role in Recruit Holdings' strategic initiatives, fostering innovation and market expansion. In 2021, RSP underwent a significant rebranding, transitioning its operations and identity to Recruit Ventures. This strategic evolution aimed to reflect an updated investment strategy and a broader focus on future-oriented sectors, while maintaining its commitment to supporting groundbreaking companies.

Recruit Ventures, building upon the foundation laid by RSP, maintains a global investment mandate, with a particular emphasis on identifying and backing promising startups in Japan, the United States, and Europe. The firm primarily targets companies across Seed, Series A, and Series B stages, seeking out disruptive technologies and business models that align with their core investment themes: the "Future of Work," "Future of Life," and "Future of Media." Beyond providing capital, Recruit Ventures is dedicated to offering strategic value, leveraging Recruit Holdings' vast network, operational expertise, and deep market insights to accelerate the growth and market penetration of its portfolio companies.

Since its inception as RSP, the venture arm has cultivated a substantial portfolio, having invested in over 100 startups worldwide. The cumulative total investment amount across all its funds has exceeded 30 billion Japanese Yen, which translates to approximately $200 million USD (at prevailing exchange rates), demonstrating a significant commitment to the startup ecosystem over time. The firm's typical first check size ranges from several hundred thousand dollars, often starting around $200,000, up to several million dollars, reaching approximately $5,000,000. This flexible investment approach enables them to participate effectively in various funding rounds and support startups through different critical phases of their development, from early-stage ideation to significant growth.