Yamaha Motor Establishes Company Fund for New Business Creation Accelerating global corporate venturing activities

December 11, 2018

IWATA, December 11, 2018—Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. (Tokyo:7272) announced today the establishment of the Company’s own US based Yamaha Motor Exploratory Fund, LP with the aim to further strengthen its global corporate venturing activities. The facility has a total investment of US$100million, and an operation period of 10-years. The establishment of the fund shows the Company’s long-term commitment to our corporate venturing activities.

Yamaha Motor has been exploring venture companies through the "Yamaha Motor Ventures & Laboratory Silicon Valley Inc. (YMVSV)" established in 2015. As results of these activities, a total of nine venture companies have been invested in, these include Veniam (USA), which provide mesh type Wi-Fi communication services for mobile units, and the development and sale of communication hardware etc.; and Robotics Plus (New Zealand), which work in the development of automated solutions in agriculture fields based on robot engineering and automation and analysis technology. Through the establishment of this fund, Yamaha Motor hopes to help accelerate investment in early stage venture companies worldwide.

Based on the key phrase “ART for Human Possibilities” in our long-term vision, Yamaha Motor applies its cultivated technology and sensibility to “Human-like” and “Expanding human possibilities.” In this way we believe we can respond to the needs of society. Through this fund, we will encourage investment in venture companies with innovative technologies and business models, and further help realize our long-term vision.

Yamaha Motor Exploratory Fund, L.P. Overview