MENLO PARK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Development Bank of Japan Inc. (DBJ), Mitsubishi UFJ Lease & Finance Company Limited (Mitsubishi UFJ Lease) and Fuyo General Lease Co., Ltd. (FGL) have entered into an agreement to invest in Airbus Ventures Fund III LP, a venture capital fund newly launched by Airbus Ventures, the venture investment arm of Airbus SE.
Airbus Ventures was established by aerospace industry leader Airbus SE to search for and invest in early-to-growth-stage start-up companies which possess disruptive technologies and the potential to bring significant change into the industry. Beginning in 2016, its investment scope includes, but is not limited to, technologies in autonomous mobility, electrification, next-generation computing, advanced materials, reflecting the widening range of critical technologies and new players impacting the aerospace competitive landscape. Airbus Ventures invests globally in these sectors, capitalizing on its deep knowledge in advanced technologies; close relationships with various venture firms, mainly located in Silicon Valley; and proactive value-adding activities for its portfolio companies, utilizing the dense networks of Airbus and its group companies. Eyeing Japan as a core base in the Asia Pacific region, Airbus Ventures has set up an office in Tokyo and is actively looking for investment opportunities in Japanese start-up companies that need support for the overseas expansion of their business.
Development Bank of Japan Inc.
DBJ has been supporting the growth of the Japanese aviation industry by providing loan and equity finance for more than 40 years. In order to further expand its activities to include the space industry, DBJ established its Aerospace Office in April 2017 and has been actively promoting the development of the Japanese aerospace industry, conducting research and providing finance to enhance its competitiveness.
Through its Airbus Ventures investment, DBJ aims to facilitate advanced know-how related to the aerospace sector, fostering innovation and further contributing to the industry’s next phase of growth. In addition, DBJ will support the growth of ripple-effect technologies that develop in Japan as a result of the Fund’s investments, technologies with the potential to impact various industries and revitalize Japan’s regional economies.
DBJ aims to actively support innovation in Japanese industries based on its corporate philosophy: ‘Design the future with financial expertise: continue to expand financial frontiers; Provide the best solutions for customers and society; Pursue sustainable development for Japan and the world.’
Mitsubishi UFJ Lease & Finance Company Limited
In its medium-term management plan ‘Sustainable Growth 2030,’ launched in April 2020, Mitsubishi UFJ Lease is focusing its resources on domains involving solutions to societal issues, including the field of global assets, social infrastructure, and renewable energy as an asset business platform company. Through the investment, Mitsubishi UFJ Lease aims to expand its businesses into new fields by supporting businesses using its broad networks with a focus on the global assets and social infrastructure fields.
In the aerospace industry, there are new business opportunities such as the development of electric aircraft, new materials, and alternative fuel. Mitsubishi UFJ Lease will aim to become closer to cutting-edge expertise and know-how through the investment, and develop a new business model by blending these new insights with the existing expertise that Mitsubishi UFJ Lease Group has developed over the years.
Fuyo General Lease Co., Ltd.
In its mid-term management plan ‘Frontier Expansion 2021,’ the FGL Group considers ‘Aircraft’ as one of its strategic domains. Through its investment in the Fund, FGL will expand its business domain by grasping the trends of global innovation in the aerospace industry as well as advanced knowledge. In addition, as the technology the fund invests in is expected to have a wide range of impacts, not just limited to the aerospace industry, it will also be used to sharpen relevant knowledge and expand various business areas of the Group.
The FGL Group is actively participating in solving social issues and at the same time implementing its CSV (Creating Shared Value) concept for growth as a company, working to expand business domains and contributing to the creation of a sustainable society.
Airbus Ventures
‘From its founding, Airbus Ventures has embraced the heritage of its mothership Airbus in adaptive innovation, system, thinking and international mindset,’ comments Thomas d‘Halluin, Airbus Ventures’ Managing Partner. ‘Building on this heritage,’ Thomas continues, ‘Airbus Ventures closely supports its portfolio companies to better understand, team and promote their founders’ businesses – and now, with new Japanese investors alongside, we are confident that we can add to global scale and system play for all our entrepreneurs’ growth worldwide, as we continue to add to Airbus Ventures Fund III throughout 2020, and embark on our joint mission to accelerate humanity’s ascent of the Z-axis, from the ground to deep space.’
