Best Aerospace, Maritime and Defense Tech Companies in Japan

Developer of rockets for small payloads. Its rocket uses ethanol as fuel and liquid oxygen as the oxidizer and the rocket is claimed to deliver a payload of 10 kg to an altitude of 130 km and 20 kg to 120 Km. Its other offerings include rocket engines, orbital launch vehicles for the satellite market, and commercial flights.

Funding rounds

• Jan 2026Series F$93.3M
• Jan 2026Conventional Debt$33.4M
• Jul 2025Conventional Debt$17.1M
• Jul 2025Series F$45.1M

Founders & team

Takafumi HorieCo-FounderTakahiro InagawaCEO

Investors

Marubeni, SBI Investment, Nisso Corporation, SATUDORA HOLDINGS, Sanko Industries, CyberAgent

Tech stack

Apple Icloud MailAutoptimizeCore-JsExactmetricsGoogle AnalyticsGoogle Font Api

Developer of satellite-mounted lasers for space debris mitigation and LiDAR. The company designs and develops compact laser payloads for satellites, integrates laser systems with satellite platforms, and provides orbital services to remotely adjust debris motion and perform LiDAR-based remote sensing for environmental and asset monitoring.

Funding rounds

• Mar 2026Series A$19M
• Dec 2024Seed$5.9M

Founders & team

Tadanori FukushimaCEO

Investors

JSAT, UTokyo Innovation Platform, SMBC Venture Capital

Tech stack

Google AnalyticsGoogle Hosted LibrariesJqueryJsdelivrMysqlNginx

Developer of electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft for urban mobility. The company focuses on creating quiet, lightweight, and low-emission aircraft suitable for use in urban environments. Its aircraft require no runway and allow vertical takeoff and landing in small spaces. The company is working toward receiving type certification for its aircraft.

Funding rounds

• Jul 2025Series C$57.4M
• Aug 2024Series C—
• Jan 2024Series C—
• Oct 2023Grant (prize money)—

Founders & team

Tomohiro FukuzawaFounder & CEO

Investors

STRIVE, Drone Fund, ENEOS Innovation Partners, ITOCHU, Energy & Environment Investment, Obayashi

Developer of an unmanned surface vessel network designed for comprehensive maritime surveillance and data collection. The platform transmits sensor data from marine vessels. It facilitates disaster prevention monitoring and offers maritime monitoring. The platform delivers marine data acquisition for infrastructure maintenance. It enables coastal regions, maritime industries, and marine researchers. The platform provides enhanced maritime safety, efficient resource management, and advanced data insights.

Funding rounds

• Feb 2026Series B—
• Jan 2026Series B$12.6M

Founders & team

Takuma HondaCo-FounderSaneaki ObataCo-Founder

Investors

Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha

Tech stack

AzureCdnjsCloudflareGoogle AnalyticsGoogle Font ApiGoogle Hosted Libraries

Provider of optical inter satellite data relay services. They are developer of an inter satellite communication system based on laser communication aiming to establish a high capacity data transmission network in space.

Funding rounds

• Jan 2026Series C—
• Oct 2021Series A—
• Aug 2020Series A$3M

Founders & team

Kodai NagataCo-Founder & CTOToshihiro KamedaFounderSatoru TsunejiCo-Founder

Investors

Mitsubishi UFJ Capital, SBI Group, Mizuho Capital, ANRI, SBI Investment

Tech stack

FirebaseFont AwesomeGoogle AnalyticsGoogle CloudGoogle Cloud CdnGoogle Font Api

Provider of water-based propulsion systems for spacecraft. It designs and develops water resist jet thrusters, water ion thrusters, vacuum chambers, and thrust stands. These thrusters use electron cyclotron resonance to develop water plasma that acts like a thruster.

Funding rounds

• Aug 2025Series C$10.2M
• Jun 2024Series B$8.5M
• Feb 2024Grant (prize money)$27M
• Oct 2023Conventional Debt—

Founders & team

Yuichi NakagawaCo-FounderHiroyuki KoizumiCo-Founder & CTOKazuya YaginumaCo-Founder

Investors

Astart, KURONEKO, The Gogin Capital, Sumisho Venture Partners, Joyo Capital Partners, Chibagin Capital

Tech stack

All In One SeoApple Icloud MailCloudflareCloudflare Bot ManagementCookiebotCore-Js

Provider of satellite data pipeline services intended to deliver accurate satellite imagery. The company's technology is focused on selecting satellites from a wide variety of satellites and integrating data, enabling clients to get a report of vegetation that fits their objective, budget, and scope.

Developer of data analysis technology for SAR satellites. It uses data from SAR satellites that emit radio waves themselves and observe the earth's surface based on the information reflected from those radio waves.

Funding rounds

• Dec 2025Series B$4.7M
• Feb 2021Series A$4.8M

Founders & team

Naruo KanemotoFounder & CEO

Investors

NAGASE, Energy & Environment Investment

Tech stack

AosApache Http ServerGoogle AnalyticsGoogle Font ApiGoogle Hosted LibrariesJquery

Developer of multi-utility drones and solutions. It offers a data analytics platform for UAVs and services such as disaster resistance and more.

Funding rounds

• Dec 2025Seed$2.5M
• Apr 2025Seed—
• Mar 2025Seed$4.7M
• Mar 2025Conventional Debt—

Founders & team

Yosuke KanekoFounder & CEO

Investors

Nissay Capital, SMBC Venture Capital, Drone Fund, Rheos Capital Works, Uneri, Daiwa House

Tech stack

Google AnalyticsGoogle Font ApiJqueryJquery CdnJquery MigrateJsdelivr

Developer of satellite launch rockets using the Rockoon method. The company focuses on advancing space transportation through its launch vehicle development program. It aims to address challenges within the space industry. The company's activities include research and development related to space launch technology. The executive team includes expertise in aerospace engineering and rocket launch operations.

Funding rounds

• Feb 2026Series A$3.4M
• Dec 2025Conventional Debt—
• Dec 2025Series A$11.5M
• Sep 2024Seed$2.8M

Founders & team

Shotake OdaFounder & CEO

Investors

Nissay Capital, Mitsubishi UFJ Capital, Vector Co, Iceblue Fund, Spring Star Capital, G-Startup

Tech stack

Contact Form 7Google AnalyticsGoogle Font ApiMysqlNginxPhp

Provider of drone-based atmospheric measurement equipment. It has developed a lidar that measures wind information in the sky and the ocean using remote sensing technology and signal processing technology. It helps users to understand, visualize, and control the wind conditions in the city and sky.

Funding rounds

• Jul 2025Series A$5.7M
• Oct 2023Series A$1M
• Aug 2023Series A$2.5M
• Apr 2022Series A$5.6M

Founders & team

Kuniaki HigashiCEO

Investors

Senshu Ikeda Capital, Okasan Capital Partners, Resona Group, Mitsui OSK Lines, Drone Fund, NTT Finance

Tech stack

Amazon CloudfrontAmazon SesAmazon Web ServicesApple Icloud MailContact Form 7Core-Js

Developer of robotic solutions for space station support and exploration. The company provides robotic arms for internal and external space station services. It also develops lunar rovers for lunar resource exploration and infrastructure development. The company aims to offer safer and more affordable labor in space.

Funding rounds

• Nov 2024Series B$15.5M
• Aug 2023Conventional Debt$7M
• Aug 2023Series B$8M
• Aug 2023Series B—

Founders & team

Sho NakanoseCo-Founder & CEOKenichi UsamiCo-Founder

Investors

Pacific Bays Capital, Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Venture Capital, Maezawa Fund, Mitsubishi UFJ Capital, Green Co Invest Investment, Kyoto Capital Partners

Tech stack

CdnjsCloudflareCloudflare Bot ManagementContact Form 7Core-JsFacebook Login