Zürich, Switzerland – Emerald Technology Ventures, a globally recognized venture capital firm focused on industrial innovation, has announced Mitsui Kinzoku as a new limited partner in its Industrial Innovation Fund. The investment underscores Mitsui Kinzoku’s commitment to accelerating innovation and expanding its global technology sourcing capabilities in response to rapidly evolving industrial and sustainability challenges.
As a leading manufacturer of non-ferrous metals and advanced materials, Mitsui Kinzoku operates at the heart of industries undergoing profound transformation. Demand for advanced materials is expected to grow significantly, driven by electrification, semiconductor expansion, and next-generation computing. Global battery demand alone is projected to increase more than fivefold by 2030. Against this backdrop, access to breakthrough technologies and scalable innovation ecosystems has become a strategic imperative.
Through its partnership with Emerald, Mitsui Kinzoku gains direct access to a curated pipeline of high-potential startups addressing critical challenges across carbon neutrality, robotics, batteries, next gen energy and computing. Emerald’s platform, built on over 25 years of industrial venture investing and more than €1.3 billion in assets under management and advisory, provides limited partners not only capital deployment opportunities but also structured pathways to collaboration. This includes joint development, pilot projects, manufacturing partnerships, and commercial scaling opportunities, enabling Mitsui Kinzoku to translate emerging technologies into tangible business value faster.
Emerald has established itself as a key bridge between global startups and leading industrial corporations, particularly in Japan. Over the past decade, the firm has built one of the most active industrial innovation networks in the region, annually convening innovation leaders from more than 100 Japanese corporations at its Tokyo Open Innovation Conference. Mitsui Kinzoku becomes Emerald’s 13th Japanese LP, joining industry leaders such as DIC, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and Nabtesco.
This growing Japanese LP base reflects a broader shift: Corporations in Japan are increasingly turning to venture capital partnerships to stay competitive, with corporate venture investments now accounting for over 20% of global venture activity. Emerald’s model uniquely combines investment expertise with deep industrial integration, ensuring that partnerships deliver measurable strategic outcomes as well as financial returns.
For Mitsui Kinzoku, this collaboration is expected to accelerate the identification of new business opportunities while strengthening its position in high-growth sectors. By combining its core strengths in materials science with Emerald’s global innovation reach, the company aims to drive both near-term impact and long-term transformation.