Incubate Fund releases "IF Talent Network," a talent network system - Accelerates support for venture companies to acquire talent through the formation of a "community connecting VCs, portfolio companies, and individuals unclassified

Incubate Fund Inc. (Location: Minato-ku, Tokyo / Representative Partners: Toru Akaura, Masahiko Homma, Keisuke Wada, Yusuke Murata, hereinafter referred to as "Incubate Fund") is pleased to announce the release of "IF Talent Network," a talent network system that connects venture capitalists (hereinafter referred to as "VCs"), portfolio venture companies, and individuals. (hereinafter referred to as "Incubate Fund") is pleased to announce the release of "IF Talent Network," a talent network system that connects venture capitalists (hereinafter referred to as "VCs"), portfolio companies, and individuals, on Friday, November 16.

IF Talent Network (Web version only): https://incubatefund.talentcld.com/

Background to the release of the IF Talent Network

1. Evolving VC support systems that go beyond financial assistance
For venture companies in the early stage of their business development that lack name recognition and know-how, the problem of "securing human resources" is a prominent one, and it is extremely difficult to recruit excellent human resources on their own*2. Incubate Fund is the only VC firm in Japan that employs full-time employees dedicated to both HR and Community, and is licensed as an employment agency to support the recruitment of its portfolio companies.

2、Aiming to build a three-way community of VCs, investee venture companies, and individuals
With the release of the Talent Network System, we will strive to make continuous contact with as many individuals as possible and accelerate recruitment support for the companies we support. In addition, not only contact on the system, through the formation of a community through individual interviews and events, in addition to the option of "job change", "side jobs" and "venture company participation in the project unit", to contribute to maximize the realization of individual careers, Incuhate Fund will make every effort. All of us at the Incubate Fund will make every effort.

What is the IF Talent Network?
"This is a talent network system that connects VCs, portfolio companies, and individuals.

[Subject.
Individuals: All those who are interested in the latest trends and job opportunities in venture companies and those who are considering starting their own business in the future.
Companies: Venture companies invested in by incubate funds and partner funds*3
V C : Incubate funds and partner funds

[Expenses
Free (for both individuals/venture companies)

[Features for individual users
1、You can be "the first to reach" the latest job openings at IF portfolio companies.
You're interested in building a career at a startup, but you don't know what kind of company it is or what its hiring needs are. It's hard to know what kind of team members and business model they have. In order to answer these questions, we always post the latest job information on our portfolio companies. We also plan to post "Hiring PITCH Materials" that provide an overview of each company's business and management team, as well as articles on the attractiveness of the company from a VC perspective and interviews with the management team.
Example: SQUEEZE Company Job Position https://incubatefund.talentcld.com/job/940

2, "Connect" with VCs and interested startups
It is a community where individuals can easily get involved with VC and start-up companies. "There are many people who are interested in venture companies, but are not familiar with them yet. "The IF Talent Network welcomes anyone who is even slightly interested in venture companies. We also welcome people who are thinking about starting a business or a career as a venture capitalist. We hope that through communication with our incubate funds and partner funds, we can encourage you to take a step forward in your own career, such as "starting a business" or "participating in a start-up".
We are fortunate.

3, a lot of contact opportunities "to meet" community
Incubate Fund will provide various information to the registered members of "IF Talent Network". In addition, we will also invite you to offline events where you can interact with venture companies and VCs.

Online: Scheduled transmission information
Press release information of portfolio companies
Service updates of portfolio companies
Job information on invested venture companies (currently 40 companies with 206 job postings, to be expanded)
Interviews with entrepreneurs of portfolio companies
Interviews with capitalists from IF and IF partner funds
(indicating an approximate quote or vague suggestion) or something

Offline: Events to be held
Industry Trend Study Session
CXO/employee speaking events at portfolio company ventures
A small dinner party for IF Talent Network registrants only.
(indicating an approximate quote or vague suggestion) or something

Your registration information will be reviewed by an employee of the Incubate Fund and the CEO or HR manager of the portfolio company (information will only be provided to the portfolio company if the individual has given permission for the information to be disclosed).

[Personal Benefits
1、Providing the opportunity to "consult with VC" as a third option other than the conventional "human resource agents" and "job media" when discussing one's career direction and career change.
2、You can receive not only job information on startups, but also the latest trends, service release information, and columns on how to change jobs to startups.
3、Offline connections such as event participation and casual interviews will increase opportunities for people to become more familiar with startups.
4、Early contact with venture capitalists to start preparing for future entrepreneurship

[Advantages of the investee venture company
1, Covering name recognition, know-how and resources
2、Improve opportunities to acquire founding members and employees through "connections
According to a questionnaire*4 conducted by Incubate Fund to the managers and HR managers of its portfolio companies, 40.4% of venture companies answered that "there is no full-time person engaged in HR other than the CEO (the CEO is also responsible for recruitment).
In addition, 82.71 TPT responded that "Referral recruitment" (acquaintances of their own or introductions by management, VCs, or other acquaintances) was the most effective way to acquire founding members. Reasons cited included "I feel secure because I know the person's abilities, personality and experience" and "I can build a trusting relationship over time", indicating the high demand for recruiting talent through connections with founding members and VCs.

Comments from related parties
Wall Valley, Incubate Fund HR Manager:.
In the U.S., it has been said for a long time that talented people are the ones who challenge entrepreneurship and venture companies. In fact, in the past 10 years, the U.S. has seen the birth of a variety of world-class ventures. I have been involved in the Japanese human resources industry for a long time, and if I were to ask myself whether only young people in the U.S. have the spirit to take on new challenges, but young people in Japan do not, I would never say that. If you ask me, I don't think so. However, in Japan's talent market, there is a lack of opportunities for "connections" and "encounters" between people who want to take on a challenge and companies that want to take on a challenge. Although there are chance encounters, there is still no system that can be said to be sufficient for society.
Incubate Fund creates new industries and invests in the new challenges of aspiring entrepreneurs, and through the IF Talent Network, companies, individuals, and VCs who aspire to take on valuable challenges can "get to know each other," "connect," and "meet. Through the "IF Talent Network", companies, individuals, and VCs who aspire to take on valuable challenges can "get to know each other", "connect", and "meet". Although it is still a work in progress, we are delighted to launch the Tanet Network as the first attempt of VC in Japan.

About Incubate Fund, Inc. (See: http://incubatefund.com/)
Incubate Fund is an independent venture capital firm that specializes in investing in and fostering start-up companies under the motto of "Foolishly supporting the challenges of aspiring entrepreneurs". We have the largest track record in Japan in terms of investments in seed startups, and have built a portfolio of more than 250 companies from funds with a total investment amount of 33.7 billion yen (as of September 2018). As a good partner of entrepreneurs, we strive to create new businesses and launch and increase the value of venture companies from the closest position.

Media Contact.
Incubate Fund Inc. Shimizu
Contact us: shimizu@incubatefund.com
Phone number: 03-/080-4608-9895

1 We are the first VC firm in Japan to operate a talent pool under the leadership of a dedicated staff member after obtaining approval for job placement.
2 According to a questionnaire survey conducted by the Small and Medium Enterprise Agency on management issues at the time of starting a business among 10,000 companies that started a business between 2001 and 2010, "securing high-quality human resources" was cited next to "financing. (Source: "Figure 2-2-1: Challenges in Starting a Business and Sources of Startup Capital," Policy Planning Division, Cabinet Office)
3 The Incubate Fund has a track record of providing investment support for the establishment of independent VCs by young GPs and contributing to the production and development of venture capital. In addition, we established IFLP, a fund specializing in this investment strategy, in 2018. In this way, we collectively refer to the independent VCs that Incubate Fund is supporting to invest in startups as "Partner Funds".
4 Results of a questionnaire survey of managers and human resource managers of Incubate Fund portfolio companies

40.4% ventures say they have no dedicated person working on HR other than the CEO.
Q. Is there anyone other than the CEO who is dedicated to HR?

"82.7% responded that "Referral Recruitment" was the most effective way to attract founding members.
Q. Which method do you think was the most effective in attracting founding members (co-founders and executives)?

82.7% responded "Referral recruitment (acquaintance or introduction by acquaintance such as management or VC)" as "employees (general employees) after founding members".
Q. Which method do you think was the most effective in attracting employees (general employees) after the founding members?

Survey on Startup Hiring by Incubate Fund Investment Partners
・Implementation period: November 6 - November 13, 2018
Target: Managers and HR managers of incubate fund portfolio companies
Number of responses: 52