Mitsubishi UFJ Financial : Launch of Artemis Ventures, Ltd. （PDF / 187KB）

About this update from Mitsubishi Ufj Financial Group, Inc.

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc. MUFG Bank, Ltd. Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking Corporation Launch of Artemis Ventures, Ltd. Tokyo, February 3, 2026 --- Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc. (MUFG), MUFG Bank, Ltd. (MUFG Bank), and Mitsubishi UFJ Trust & Banking Corporation (MUTB) today announced that MUFG Bank has established Artemis Ventures, Ltd. (Artemis) as a general partner for an equity fund (the Fund) that mainly invests in Japanese growth companies, as announced on October 1, 2025 in the press release "MUFG to Establish Equity Fund to Invest in Japanese Growth Companies". Artemis started its business today, with Mr. Archibald Ciganer, who has extensive experience investing in public and private companies in Japan, serving as Managing Partner. Annual fundraising by Japanese startups has reached 80 billion yen, increasing roughly ten-fold over the last decade. International investors have recently increased their investment in Japanese startups as these have been looking to diversify their funding and for opportunities to expand globally. Japan's startup ecosystem itself is becoming more global, with many foreign entrepreneurs relocating to Japan to develop their businesses, accelerating its growth. On the other hand, as the Tokyo Stock Exchange Growth Market's listing criteria become stricter, startups are also expected to remain private longer, requiring more private capital to continue growing. Exit methods are also diversifying, with fewer IPOs and more exits through M&A or secondary transactions. There is therefore a need for venture capital firms that are both local and global experts, are adept at all kinds of exits, and who can be long-term partners for investee companies, including post IPO. Under these circumstances, MUFG Bank established Artemis, which operates the Fund as a general partner. and the Company started its business today. The firm will be led by Mr. Archibald Ciganer, who has more than 15 years of investment experience in public and private companies in Japan. The Fund will invest in mid-to-late-stage startups, including crossover investments and direct secondaries. In addition, its first fund, Artemis I Investment Limited Partnership (tentative name), is scheduled to receive LP investments from MUFG Bank and MUTB in April 2026. MUFG also plans to invite LP investments from Japanese and international investors, envisioning a total fund size of 50 billion yen. MUFG's key aims for the Fund Through Artemis, MUFG will connect Japanese growth companies with domestic and international investors, by leveraging the capabilities of the MUFG Group to develop investees and Japanese markets, and seek to deliver superior returns to investors. Overview of Artemis Name Artemis Ventures, Ltd. Date of establishment (registration) October 27, 2025 Business launch date February 3, 2026 Location 3-17-3 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo Directors Representative Director Toshio Nakao Board Director and Managing Partner Archibald Ciganer Board Director Sunao Sano Business description Fund management Overview of the Fund Name Artemis I Investment Limited Partnership (tentative name) Fund type Investment limited partnership Expected launch date April 2026 (final close expected in FY2026) Fund size Approx. 50 billion yen General partner (GP) Artemis Ventures, Ltd. Limited partner (LP) Domestic and international investors (including MUFG Bank and MUTB) Main target investees Japanese mid-to-late-stage startups About Archibald Ciganer, Managing Partner, Artemis After joining BNP Paribas (Tokyo) in 2000, Mr. Ciganer worked as a credit analyst and M&A banker before joining T Rowe Price Japan as a research analyst in 2007. For over a decade, he was the fund manager for the Japan Equity Strategy and CIO of the Investment division, leading a number of investment projects in both public and private stocks. In particular, since 2018, Mr. Ciganer has been involved in many crossover investments in late-stage companies. He also been supporting the growth of Japan's startup ecosystem through various initiatives such as serving as a judge for the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's "Deep Ecosystem". -End- About MUFG Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc. (MUFG) is one of the world's leading financial groups. Headquartered in Tokyo and with over 360 years of history, MUFG has a global network with approximately 2,000 locations in more than 40 countries. The Group has about 150,000 employees and offers services including commercial banking, trust banking, securities, credit cards, consumer finance, asset management, and leasing. The Group aims to "be the world's most trusted financial group" through close collaboration among our operating companies and flexibly respond to all of the financial needs of our customers, serving society, and fostering shared and sustainable growth for a better world. MUFG's shares trade on the Tokyo, Nagoya, and New York stock exchanges. For more information, visit https://www.mufg.jp/english .

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