Thu Feb 20 09:10:00 UTC 2025: ## NEC X Partners with Carbide Ventures to Boost Startup Growth

**Tokyo, Japan – [Date of Release]** – NEC X, Inc., NEC Corporation’s Silicon Valley-based new business incubator, today announced a strategic partnership with Carbide Ventures, a US-Japan venture capital firm, to enhance support for startups. As part of the partnership, NEC will invest in a Carbide Ventures fund.

This collaboration will significantly strengthen NEC X’s venture studio program, “Elev X!”, which offers two paths: “Ignite” for new company creation, and “Boost” for supporting seed-stage startups with NEC technology. Carbide Ventures, known for its experienced leadership team including Hiroshi Yoshikawa (founder of Treasure Data) and Dan Weirich (with two successful IPOs under his belt), will provide expertise in fundraising, investor introductions, and exit strategies.

The partnership builds upon NEC X’s existing relationships with accelerators like Alchemist Accelerator, SVG Ventures | THRIVE, and ERA. By combining Carbide Ventures’ deep industry knowledge with NEC’s resources, the program aims to accelerate startup growth and facilitate access to the Japanese market.

“By collaborating with Carbide Ventures’ experienced team, we can offer more concrete and practical advice to our supported startups,” said Makoto Matsumoto, President and CEO of NEC X. Hiroshi Yoshikawa, General Partner at Carbide Ventures, added, “We are excited to help startups reach the next level, leveraging NEC Group’s collaboration to strengthen business evaluations and expand market reach for our portfolio companies.”

This partnership underscores NEC’s commitment to fostering innovation and nurturing global competitiveness within the startup ecosystem. The combined expertise and resources are expected to create a significant boost for startups participating in the Elev X! program.

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