Development Bank of Japan (DBJ), Mitsubishi UFJ Lease & Finance Company (Mitsubishi UFJ Lease) and Fuyo General Lease (FGL) 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.

Airbus Ventures was established by Airbus to search for and invest in early-to-growth-stage startup companies that 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 and 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 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 networks of Airbus and its group companies.

Eyeing Japan as a core base in the Asia Pacific region, Airbus Ventures set up an office in Tokyo and is actively looking for investment opportunities in Japanese startup companies that need support for the overseas expansion of their business.

DBJ has been supporting the growth of the Japanese aviation industry by providing loan and equity finance for more than 40 years. 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.

Through the investment, Mitsubishi UFJ Lease aims to expand its businesses into new fields by supporting businesses using its networks with a focus on the global assets and social infrastructure fields. 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.

Based on its mid-term management plan ‘Frontier Expansion 2021,’ the FGL Group considers ‘aircraft’ 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.