Rakuten Capital, launched in 2013 as Rakuten Ventures before its rebrand, is the corporate venture arm of Rakuten Group, the Tokyo-based internet services company behind Japan's largest ecommerce marketplace and a sprawling 70-plus-service ecosystem spanning fintech, travel, and mobile. The firm's largest and boldest single bet came in March 2015, when it led Lyft's $530 million Series E with a $300 million commitment for an 11.9% stake - a striking move for a Japanese ecommerce company betting big on American ride-sharing years before the category matured. Under Managing Partner Saemin Ahn, who runs the firm's international investment arm from Singapore, Rakuten Capital has since invested in more than 70 companies worldwide including Pinterest, Careem, Carousell, and Upstart.
Lyft's 2019 Nasdaq IPO - Rakuten led the ride-sharing company's $530 million Series E in March 2015, investing $300 million for an 11.9% stake at the time