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Top Startup Exits in Japan for 2026

In Japan, we rank 18 startup exits based on an algorithm that considers factors such as total investment, quarterly employee count, and website traffic. Startup exits in Japan are falling behind the performance of their global counterparts.

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Top Startup Exits in Japan for 2026

2nd
freee logo
freeeSB Score: 704Public Exit

Free is an accounting software which is connected with bank account and it autometically categorise the entries.

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Website
www.freee.co.jp
Employee range
1,001 – 5,000
Web Traffic (Monthly)
Funding amount
$144M
National Rank(Japan)
Regional Rank(East Asia)
Global Rank(Worldwide)
3rd
Money Forward logo
Money ForwardSB Score: 703Public Exit

Money Forward provides online personal accounting solutions that enable individuals to better manage their daily expenses.

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Website
moneyforward.com
Employee range
1,001 – 5,000
Web Traffic (Monthly)
Funding amount
$43.4M
National Rank(Japan)
Regional Rank(East Asia)
Global Rank(Worldwide)

Total amount:13

Largest Startup Exits in Japan by Funding

The top three largest startup exits in Japan have raised total funding of more than USD 46.9M. Among the top three funded exits, the most popular industry, based on total funding, is Social & Leisure.
1st
Paidy logo
PaidySB Score: 603Public Exit

Paidy is a software platform that allows consumers to buy online without a credit card or pre-registration. It is optimized for mobile and instant-checkout, Paidy allows consumers to buy online and does not require a credit card or pre-registration. Paidy's payment service allows users to make purchases online, and then pay for them each month in a consolidated bill. The company uses proprietary technology to score creditworthiness, underwrite transactions and guarantee payment to merchants. Since many Japanese consumers prefer not to use credit cards for online payments, Paidy’s service can help vendors increase their conversion rates, average order values and repeat purchases.

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Website
paidy.com
Employee range
101 – 250
Web Traffic (Monthly)
Funding amount
$337.9M
National Rank(Japan)
Regional Rank(East Asia)
Global Rank(Worldwide)
3rd
Line logo
LineSB Score: 346Public Exit

LINE develops calling and messaging applications for mobile phones in Japan and internationally.

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Website
linecorp.com/ja
Employee range
1,001 – 5,000
Web Traffic (Monthly)
Funding amount
National Rank(Japan)
Regional Rank(East Asia)
Global Rank(Worldwide)

Total amount:13

Top Hiring Startup Exits in Japan by Employee Size

The top three hiring startup exits in Japan have an average employee size that is larger than to the global average. Among these, the Fintech industry features the startup exit with the largest workforce.
1st
freee logo
freeeSB Score: 704Public Exit

Free is an accounting software which is connected with bank account and it autometically categorise the entries.

View Full Page
Website
www.freee.co.jp
Employee range
1,001 – 5,000
Web Traffic (Monthly)
Funding amount
$144M
National Rank(Japan)
Regional Rank(East Asia)
Global Rank(Worldwide)
2nd
Money Forward logo
Money ForwardSB Score: 703Public Exit

Money Forward provides online personal accounting solutions that enable individuals to better manage their daily expenses.

View Full Page
Website
moneyforward.com
Employee range
1,001 – 5,000
Web Traffic (Monthly)
Funding amount
$43.4M
National Rank(Japan)
Regional Rank(East Asia)
Global Rank(Worldwide)
3rd
Line logo
LineSB Score: 346Public Exit

LINE develops calling and messaging applications for mobile phones in Japan and internationally.

View Full Page
Website
linecorp.com/ja
Employee range
1,001 – 5,000
Web Traffic (Monthly)
Funding amount
National Rank(Japan)
Regional Rank(East Asia)
Global Rank(Worldwide)

Total amount:18

Explore More Top Startups

Explore the Startup Ecosystem of Japan

Population

(Japan)

124.3 Million

new

Regional Rank

(East Asia)

2nd

1

Global Rank

(WorldWide)

18th

3

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Top Cities for Startups in Japan - Ranked by StartupBlink

StartupBlink ranks the startup ecosystems of more than 100 countries and 1,000 cities. Download our latest Global Startup Ecosystem Report.
2026 National Rank CityGlobal RankTotal Score & National ShareAnnual GrowthQuantity ScoreQuality ScoreBusiness Score
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