SUNNY SIDE UP GROUP Inc. (Head Office: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Etsuko Tsugihara) will establish “Social Good Ventures,” a corporate venture capital* (hereinafter, CVC) that invests in and supports the commercialization of businesses that address social issues, within the “Social Good Promotion Office,” and will begin accepting applications from companies seeking investment on Wednesday, September 1.

■ Operating as a CVC specializing in solving social issues to promote social change

The “Social Good Promotion Office” is a department newly established within our company in July 2021 with the concept of “Something Good – One Thing We Can Do -,” with the aim of promoting the resolution of social issues through public relations know-how and knowledge. As a “social issue-solving platform” that consistently handles everything from planning to organizing projects that contribute to solving social issues, we are moving forward with our activities. “Social Good Ventures,” which will begin operations this time, was established within the same department as a corporate venture capital to be in charge of investment and commercialization support. For companies that have businesses that contribute to solving social issues, if it is determined that the company’s growth will have a positive impact on society and the environment, we will comprehensively support corporate activities from the three perspectives of: ① investment in terms of funding, ② support for commercialization and business growth, and ③ public relations and IR support through the provision of PR communication services.

■ Co-creating “Social Good Businesses” in areas such as well-being and environmental conservation

“Social Good Ventures” will broadly invest in and support seed-stage, early-stage, and mid-stage companies in Japan and overseas that can contribute to solving social and environmental issues from a medium- to long-term perspective. Towards the achievement of the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals: the sustainable development goals advocated by the United Nations), while assuming that investees and support recipients are working on gender equality, etc., we will target companies whose business areas include well-being, childbirth and childcare support, pre-disease measures, women’s empowerment, work style reform, education reform, climate change countermeasures, renewable energy, and environment-harmonized businesses called circular economy. In addition to providing funding to supported companies, SUNNY SIDE UP GROUP is also considering collaboration and partnerships aimed at creating a greater social impact by providing the branding, communication, and marketing know-how that SUNNY SIDE UP GROUP has.

*What is Corporate Venture Capital (CVC)?
An activity organization in which a company forms an investment fund with its own funds and invests in and supports mainly unlisted startup companies.

■ Recruitment Guidelines for Investment Companies

[About the scale of companies eligible for support]

We mainly invest in and support seed-stage, early-stage, and mid-stage companies in Japan and overseas that can contribute to solving social and environmental issues from a medium- to long-term perspective.

[About the business areas of companies eligible for support]

Towards the achievement of the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals: the sustainable development goals advocated by the United Nations), while assuming that investees and support recipients are working on gender equality, etc., we target companies whose business areas include the following environment-harmonized businesses. Well-being, childbirth and childcare support, pre-disease measures, women’s empowerment, work style reform, education reform, climate change countermeasures, renewable energy, circular economy, etc.

In addition to providing funding to supported companies, we are also considering collaboration and partnerships aimed at creating a greater social impact by providing the branding, communication, and marketing know-how that SUNNY SIDE UP GROUP has. If you would like to apply for investment or commercialization support, please contact us using the form below.https://www.ssu.co.jp/contact/ssug/