Japanese Pension Funds Tiptoe Into Moonshot Tech Investments

Tokyo-based Beyond Next Ventures Inc.’s latest startup fund is 56% bigger than its predecessor, thanks to growing interest from the country’s traditionally risk-averse pension funds.

Of the ¥25.7 billion ($160 million) the company raised for bets on cutting-edge tech and research startups, 20% came from trustees handling annuities and other long-term investments, according to the company. It’s one of the first signs that a trickle of money from the aging economy’s $3.3 trillion dollars’ worth of pension assets is going into the startup ecosystem.

A steady flow will likely continue to make its way into startups from pension funds ...