Lingble Raises ¥300M in J-KISS Funding for Global Growth

by Yasuaki Yokoyama

Global e-commerce support company Lingble (LINGBLE) has raised a total of ¥300 million through a J-KISS convertible equity financing round. The round was led by venture capital firm DG Daiwa Ventures, with participation from six investors including Headline Asia (formerly Infinity Ventures), Gazelle Capital, and Hayate Investment.

The newly raised funds will be used to strengthen development of “Tsuro-san,” an AI-powered overseas expansion support platform, expand the functionality of Lingble’s global e-commerce platform “Lingble Link,” reinforce sales efforts in new markets such as South Korea, and grow the company’s sales organization.

Alongside the funding announcement, Lingble unveiled Tsuro-san, an AI system designed to assist brands with the marketing and operational decision-making required for international expansion. The system incorporates the company’s accumulated expertise in operating global e-commerce businesses across 170 countries. Lingble plans to begin providing a beta version to existing customers after May.

"Denimio" is a Japanese denim shop operated by Lingble in Yokohama.

Founded in 2019, Lingble provides end-to-end support for global e-commerce, covering everything from international strategy development and D2C store creation to multilingual customer support, international logistics, and customs procedures. The company has served 45 brands, primarily in the apparel sector. Its clients include companies such as Descente and Narumiya International. In 2023, Lingble received the Innovation Award at the WWDJAPAN DX Awards.

What Is J-KISS Financing?

A J-KISS (Japan Keep It Simple Security) financing round is a fundraising method adapted from the startup investment instrument known as KISS (Keep It Simple Security). Under this structure, investors provide capital in exchange for stock acquisition rights, which are later converted into equity during a subsequent major financing round.

Because companies can raise funds without having to determine a precise valuation at the time of investment, J-KISS transactions are generally simpler and faster than issuing preferred shares. As a result, the method has become widely used among seed-stage startups in Japan.