A Japanese Accelerator Offering a Fast Track to Series A Funding: XLIMIT 3rd Batch Startups Share the Program’s Attractive Support

XLIMIT is an accelerator program hosted by Global Brain (GB), an independent venture capital firm in Japan, aimed at supporting startups before Series A funding. Five startups selected for the 3rd batch, conducted in 2024, reflected on their experiences.

Participating startups

• Hayato Asazawa, Representative Director and CEO, Out Loud Inc.
• Masato Uchida, Representative Director, LOOV Inc.
• Yuto Hagiwara, Representative Director and CEO, any style, Inc.
• Yoshitaka Ushiku, Representative Director, NexaScience, Inc.
• Evan Lee, CEO, Seven Point One Inc.

Seed-stage startups seeking Series A-focused support ​

──First of all, why did you all apply for XLIMIT?

Asazawa, Out Loud: We became interested in the program because GB, which primarily focuses on Series A and beyond, was supporting seed-stage startups. We were right at the seed phase, developing a prototype, and thought we could gain insights for future stages.

Uchida, LOOV: GB’s Hosomura-san first told me about the program as we were in talks for flagship fund investment. I found GB attractive because of their extensive communication expertise with numerous founders.

Lee, Seven Point One: We were exploring entry into the Japanese market and looking for a suitable accelerator program when an acquaintance strongly recommended XLIMIT to us.

Ushiku, NexaScience: We were also introduced by an acquaintance. BitQuark’s Komori-san, who participated in the 2nd Batch, recommended it to us. We did not even have a product yet, but we applied for it as a long shot (laughs).

Hagiwara, any style: I had previously won the top prize in another accelerator program, which led to a pre-Series A funding round. My mentor at that time was GB’s Doh-san. I was originally interested in XLIMIT, which was launched by Doh-san, and this time I applied for additional funding.

Accelerating business through interaction with experts ​

──XLIMIT’s highlights include office hours with GB’s hands-on support members specializing in sales, marketing, intellectual property, and PR. Which topic covered during these office hours did you find most helpful?

Uchida, LOOV: The brainstorming session on developing a PR strategy for category leadership was the most helpful. It also led to our rebranding efforts focusing on the keyword Video Agent.

Hagiwara, any style: Advice on PR was very helpful for us as well. While we had worked on many projects with large corporations, we had not been actively communicating those initiatives to the public, which prevented us from acquiring new inbound leads. Based on the advice we received during the office hours, we have hired writers to work on case study and SEO articles for our company website.

Asazawa, Out Loud: I apologize if this sounds repetitive, but the advice on recruitment PR was particularly insightful. We received guidance on whether PR is necessary even at the seed stage, and if so, where to begin. Based on that discussion, we created a careers page on Notion and linked it to our PR activities, which led to interviews with multiple candidates.

Ushiku, NexaScience: For us, it was sales. Since we do not have in-house sales representatives, discussions with GB’s hands-on support members specializing in sales were especially valuable. They advised us that open source seems to be a good fit, so recently we released open source software (OSS) that automates everything from research and development to academic writing.

Learning practical approaches to growth from seasoned entrepreneurs ​

──You also had active roundtable discussions with seasoned entrepreneurs. What were the most memorable takeaways from what they shared?

Uchida, LOOV: What Mirrativ’s Akagawa-san told us was unforgettable. I was deeply impressed by how the founder himself engaged with users and went through trial and error until the first breakthrough. This was insightful both as a mindset and for practical tips.

Asazawa, Out Loud: I was also interested in Akagawa-san’s discussion about increasing headcount. Hiring directly correlated with growth in the past, but now, by utilizing external resources and AI, growth can be achieved without excessive hiring. I learned that talent acquisition is more crucial for organizational expansion, which was very helpful.

Hagiwara, any style: For me, the story of Shinozuka-san from Reiwa Travel was striking. I was initially considering a user-centric approach, but Shinozuka-san’s style of thoroughly mastering the fundamentals before refining uniqueness resonated with me, becoming a turning point.

Fostering new perspectives through mentoring ​

──What was most helpful during the three months of mentoring?

Asazawa, Outloud: Genesia Ventures’ Mizutani-san gave us a lot of advice on how to shape business ideas and how to approach issue exploration. His explanations incorporating past examples were very enlightening.

Hagiwara, any style: Our mentor was W Fund’s Higashi-san, and he mentored us on refining our business strategy and structuring our pitch decks. It was beneficial as we were able to solidify our business strategy, specifically how to reach our goals by benchmarking successful predecessors.

Lee, Seven Point One: Our mentor, Angel Bridge’s Kasai-san, has extensive experience and networks in Japan. Thanks to his helpful advice considering the Japanese market’s unique aspects, we were able to close deals with customers.

GBAF and Demo Day opening new doors ​

──Through GB’s annual event GBAF and XLIMIT’s Demo Day, you must have gained connections with large corporations and other VC firms. Did any of those connections lead to next steps such as business collaborations or fundraising?

Asazawa, Out Loud: Through GB’s support, I felt that GB has very strong connections with large corporations and VCs. After the Demo Day, we had meetings with about 10 VCs and discussed various topics including investment considerations.

Lee, Seven Point One: We also had many meetings with VCs on investment after the Demo Day, and we are currently exploring specific partnership and investment opportunities. We also had the chance to be interviewed by the Nikkei, a Japanese newspaper.

Hagiwara, any style: The GBAF created opportunities for us to talk with large corporations attracted by our regional revitalization project leveraging VTubers. At the Demo Day, we were able to conduct multiple meetings with various VC representatives to discuss future fundraising.

What makes XLIMIT so unique? ​

──Could you elaborate on any features you felt were unique to XLIMIT compared to other accelerators?

Hagiwara, any style: Well, in my opinion, it is an accelerator program that addresses an unmet need because investments are made through a renowned independent VC’'s flagship fund without valuation caps. Also, as GB’s Value Up Team provides some hands-on support for startups through the program, we were able to have a clear image of the support we would receive if GB invests in our next round.

Asazawa, Outloud: I agree. What is clearly different from other accelerators is the hands-on support given by the Value Up Team, which seed VCs do not typically have. I believe this program offers a unique opportunity to communicate closely with GB at the pre-seed stage, making it an excellent program.

Uchida, LOOV: I also felt that the extensive hands-on support system was a key feature. Having professionals in each area, such as intellectual property, PR, and HR, who can answer any questions, is extremely valuable.

Lee, Seven Point One: As I mentioned previously, having built numerous connections with large Japanese corporations through XLIMIT is truly a significant value. By leveraging GB’s network, we gained collaboration opportunities with major corporations that would have been difficult to approach on our own, and we were able to develop a concrete roadmap for the Japanese market. The practical support system for overseas startups entering Japan is a unique feature not found in other accelerators.

To entrepreneurs who want to pave the way to Series A ​

──Finally, from your experience with XLIMIT, what kind of entrepreneurs would you recommend this program to?

アウトラウド朝澤：普段接することが多いシードVCとは違う切り口での支援やフィードバックを受けられるので、事業案やプロダクトなどがある程度形になってきていると感じているシード期の起業家にぴったりのプログラムだと思います。

Asazawa, Out Loud: It is a perfect program for seed-stage entrepreneurs who feel their business idea or product has taken a certain shape, as they can receive support and feedback from a different perspective than that of typical seed VCs.

Hagiwara, any style: I would recommend this program to entrepreneurs aiming for their next round of funding. Participating in the program when they are in the Series A preparation phase would be especially ideal. Startups selected for the program are guaranteed a JPY 10 million investment, and they can refine their pitch decks and business plans during the three-month hands-on support. Furthermore, events like GBAF and the Demo Day enable startups’ efficient networking for Series A rounds, enabling them to achieve fundraising in a short period.

Uchida, LOOV: We used the pitch decks from this program as a basis for discussions with other investors, and as a result, we successfully completed our pre-A round of funding. The biggest benefit of participating in XLIMIT is being able to leverage external expertise to identify your challenges and gain new perspectives for coming up with solutions. This is a robust program suitable for entrepreneurs whose teams have limitations in divergent thinking, are struggling with initial growth, or lack extensive business experience.

Ushiku, NexaScience: Yes, I think it is a better fit for those who have founded their companies, developed their products, and are now aiming for Series A. On the other hand, even if you do not have a product yet, you can learn about potential future challenges in advance. We, as a very early-stage company, received flexible advice tailored to our needs. So, I would encourage entrepreneurs starting their companies without a product to try applying if they get the chance. Especially for startups like ours with a biased team composition, the broad range of support was truly helpful.

Lee, Seven Point One: I would definitely recommend this program to overseas startups like us who are seriously considering entering the Japanese market. Beyond just fundraising support, XLIMIT’s network and expertise efficiently helped us overcome the high hurdles that foreign companies would struggle to overcome by themselves, such as building connections with large Japanese corporations, understanding market characteristics, and adapting to business customs. Without participating in this program, our business expansion into the Japanese market might have taken much longer, or we might have even given up. Considering the value gained in just three months, I truly believe choosing this program was the right decision.