NEC X announced a new partnership with Carbide Ventures, a leading venture capital firm with hands-on mentorship and a proven track record of founding and rapidly scaling B2B SaaS startups.
Carbide Ventures is led by an experienced team that brings expertise in growth and fundraising to NEC X’s Elev X! programs. Hiro Yoshikawa, founder of Treasure Data, scaled the company to $200M ARR before leading its $600M acquisition by Arm. Dan Weirich adds to the team’s depth with a track record of successful IPO exits.
Elev X! empowers tech entrepreneurs with a unique blend of collaboration, R&D resources, capital and access to NEC’s extensive ecosystem to drive early-stage startup success.
The partnership will expand mutual access between Elev X! startups and Carbide Ventures’ vast networks of investors and entrepreneurs, providing even more resources and opportunities for new investments from Carbide Ventures and others. Additionally, Carbide Ventures leaders, who have personally raised hundreds of millions, will become mentors for Elev X! participants, offering first-hand insights into fundraising, direct investments and guidance on exploring exit strategies.
“Carbide Ventures’ leadership embodies the entrepreneurial spirit our Elev X! programs are designed to foster,” said Shintaro Matsumoto, President and CEO of NEC X. “In addition to new funding opportunities for startups, this partnership accelerates NEC X’s ability to drive groundbreaking technologies into global markets. Together, we’ll equip early-stage companies to scale faster and thrive in a fiercely competitive world.”
“Building a company is never easy—I’ve lived it firsthand. That’s why having the right long-term partners is essential,” said Hiro Yoshikawa, General Partner at Carbide Ventures. “Partnering with NEC X allows us to merge their world-class innovation expertise with Carbide Venture’s hands-on scaling strategy. Together, we’re creating a powerful launchpad to drive founders from startup beginnings to global impact.”
Carbide Ventures will join NEC X’s rapidly growing partner network, including leading accelerators, investors, R&D labs, and 6,000+ entrepreneurs. Other notable collaborations in this network include partnerships with Alchemist Accelerator, Entrepreneurs Roundtable Accelerator, SVG Ventures|THRIVE, Sand Hill Angels and more.
