DEEPCORE is a Japanese venture capital firm investing in startups in AI and advanced technology fields. In its own 10 June 2026 announcement of a third fund it states that it has invested in more than 140 companies cumulatively since 2018 and that the new fund invests mainly from pre-seed to Series A in AI and advanced technology. Its second fund, closed in May 2023 at 117 oku-yen (11.7 billion yen), was described by the firm as investing in seed and early-stage AI startups with generative AI and robotics as focus areas. Alongside investing the firm runs KERNEL, a Hongo-based startup community for founders, CxOs, researchers and engineers, through which it says it supports organisation building and the matching of technology seeds with management talent. Its 7 April 2025 announcement states more than 700 people have been supported through KERNEL.
2014
The legal entity behind DEEPCORE is incorporated in July 2014; the company's own profile block in its press releases gives its 設立 (establishment) as 2014年07月.
2017
The company changes its trade name from 汐留事業4号株式会社 to 株式会社ディープコア on 12 September 2017, according to the Japanese national corporate-number record.
2018
DEEPCORE announces on 1 February 2018 that it is recruiting the first members for KERNEL, an AI incubation facility it plans to open in Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo in spring 2018.
2018
DEEPCORE establishes DEEPCORE TOKYO1号 投資事業有限責任組合 with a stated target size of 60億円 (6 billion yen) and announces VAAK, invested in April 2018, as the fund's first deal.
2019
The registered head office moves on 7 February 2019 from 東京都港区東新橋1丁目9番1号 to Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, according to the national corporate-number record.
2023
DEEPCORE announces on 31 May 2023 the close of DEEPCORE TOKYO 2号投資事業有限責任組合 at 117億円 (11.7 billion yen), reporting 39 portfolio companies as of the end of April 2023.
2025
DEEPCORE announces on 7 April 2025 a rebuild of KERNEL membership into KERNEL Advanced, KERNEL Base and KERNEL Community, citing a record of supporting more than 700 people.
2026
DEEPCORE announces on 10 June 2026 that it has established a third fund for AI and advanced technology startups; the announcement does not disclose the fund's size.