# SmartNews funding: rounds and investors > SmartNews has raised $457M across 5 rounds since 2016. Investors include Japan Post Capital, Globis Capital Partners and ACA Investments. Source: https://millionrounds.com/company/smartnews (Millionrounds; every figure on the page links to its filing or article) Japan · [Funded startup](https://millionrounds.com/companies) # Who invested in *SmartNews* 5 rounds we have observed, with the 10 investors named in them. Every figure came from a named source, and where the company reported a raise to the SEC itself, that is shown beside it. Creator Economy Internet Media Valuation: $2.0B, Mar 2026 Funding summary Updated 26 Oct 2026 **$457M** raised across 5 rounds since 2016, from 5 sources **$38M** Series D **$28M** Series E **$92M** Series E **$230M** Series F **$69M** Debt - **Latest round:** Debt, $69M Jan 2024 - **Biggest round:** $230M Series F · Sept 2021 - **Investors:** 10 (3 led) See who backed them ## The funding story Each circle is a round, placed by date and sized by amount. The line above is the running total. 2018 2020 2022 2024 **$38M** Series D **$28M** Series E **$92M** Series E **$230M** Series F **$69M** Debt - **First round:** Series D, $38M - **Biggest round:** $230M - **Usual gap between rounds:** 2.3 years ## The rounds - **Jan 2024** Debt **$69M** *1 new* [Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation](https://millionrounds.com/fund/sumitomo-mitsui-banking-corporation) Source recorded - **Sept 2021** Series F **$230M** *3 new* *1 returning* [SMBC Venture Capital](https://millionrounds.com/fund/smbc-venture-capital-2) [Atomico](https://millionrounds.com/fund/atomico) [Globis Capital Partners](https://millionrounds.com/fund/globis-capital-partners) [JIC Venture Growth Investments](https://millionrounds.com/fund/jic-venture-growth-investments) Source recorded - **Nov 2019** Series E **$92M** *4 new* *1 returning* [Japan Post Capital](https://millionrounds.com/fund/japan-post-capital) Lead [ACA Investments](https://millionrounds.com/fund/aca-investments) Lead [Globis Capital Partners](https://millionrounds.com/fund/globis-capital-partners) [Dentsu Ventures](https://millionrounds.com/fund/dentsu-ventures) [d.a.consortium](https://millionrounds.com/fund/d-a-consortium) Reported by FinSMEs - **Aug 2019** Series E **$28M** *1 new* [Japan Post Capital](https://millionrounds.com/fund/japan-post-capital) Lead Reported by TechCrunch - **Jul 2016** Series D **$38M** *1 new* [Development Bank of Japan Inc.](https://millionrounds.com/fund/development-bank-of-japan-2) Lead Reported by TechCrunch ## Who was in which round The busiest backers across the latest rounds. A filled square is a round they joined; a dark one, a round they led. **Series D** 2016 **Series E** 2019 **Series E** 2019 **Series F** 2021 **Debt** 2024 [Japan Post Capital](https://millionrounds.com/fund/japan-post-capital) L L [Globis Capital Partners](https://millionrounds.com/fund/globis-capital-partners) [ACA Investments](https://millionrounds.com/fund/aca-investments) L [Development Bank of Japan Inc.](https://millionrounds.com/fund/development-bank-of-japan-2) L [SMBC Venture Capital](https://millionrounds.com/fund/smbc-venture-capital-2) [Atomico](https://millionrounds.com/fund/atomico) [Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation](https://millionrounds.com/fund/sumitomo-mitsui-banking-corporation) [JIC Venture Growth Investments](https://millionrounds.com/fund/jic-venture-growth-investments) [Dentsu Ventures](https://millionrounds.com/fund/dentsu-ventures) [d.a.consortium](https://millionrounds.com/fund/d-a-consortium) ## Everyone who backed them [Japan Post Capital](https://millionrounds.com/fund/japan-post-capital) VC firm **2** rounds, led 2 [Globis Capital Partners](https://millionrounds.com/fund/globis-capital-partners) VC firm **2** rounds [ACA Investments](https://millionrounds.com/fund/aca-investments) Growth equity **1** round, led 1 [Development Bank of Japan Inc.](https://millionrounds.com/fund/development-bank-of-japan-2) Government **1** round, led 1 [SMBC Venture Capital](https://millionrounds.com/fund/smbc-venture-capital-2) Investment bank **1** round [Atomico](https://millionrounds.com/fund/atomico) VC firm **1** round [Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation](https://millionrounds.com/fund/sumitomo-mitsui-banking-corporation) VC firm **1** round [JIC Venture Growth Investments](https://millionrounds.com/fund/jic-venture-growth-investments) VC firm **1** round [Dentsu Ventures](https://millionrounds.com/fund/dentsu-ventures) Corporate VC **1** round [d.a.consortium](https://millionrounds.com/fund/d-a-consortium) Investment firm **1** round Missing a round, or an investor who was in one? [Tell us](https://millionrounds.com/corrections?slug=smartnews). ## Also claim to have backed them This firm lists SmartNews as a portfolio company on their own website, but no report of a round names it. They are the firms' own claims, kept apart from the rounds above. [Privatus Capital Partners](https://millionrounds.com/fund/privatus-capital-partners) Investment bank Per its own site ## Quick answers about SmartNews ### Who invested in SmartNews? SmartNews's investors include Japan Post Capital, Globis Capital Partners, ACA Investments, Development Bank of Japan Inc. and SMBC Venture Capital, and 5 more on record. ### How much has SmartNews raised? SmartNews has raised $457M across 5 rounds since 2016. ### When did SmartNews last raise? SmartNews's most recent round was a Debt of $69M in Jan 2024. ### What was SmartNews's biggest round? SmartNews's largest round on record is $230M (Series F), in Sept 2021. ### Who backed SmartNews first? SmartNews's first round on record, in Jul 2016, was backed by Development Bank of Japan Inc.. ### What stage is SmartNews at? SmartNews's latest named round is a Debt, in Jan 2024. ### Where is SmartNews based? SmartNews is based in Japan. ### Who led SmartNews's rounds? Development Bank of Japan Inc. led the Series D in 2016; Japan Post Capital led the Series E in 2019. ## Companies like SmartNews In the same sector, and raised in the last eighteen months. [**Trifa** $29M · Jun 2026](https://millionrounds.com/company/trifa)[**Ikura** $927K · Jun 2026](https://millionrounds.com/company/ikura)[**NeoRealX** $3.4M · May 2026](https://millionrounds.com/company/neorealx)[**YOAKE Entertainment** $3.2M · Feb 2026](https://millionrounds.com/company/yoake-entertainment)[**Tohakusha** $442K · Jan 2026](https://millionrounds.com/company/tohakusha)[**Note** $13M · Nov 2025](https://millionrounds.com/company/note) ## Find investors like these Search every investor by what they have actually funded, then narrow to your stage and market. Free. Open the investor searchOr these rounds in the app