Eight Knot Raises ¥450M Series A

Eight Knot, based in Osaka, Japan, a developer of intelligent ship technology and autonomous navigation systems, has raised 450 million yen in the first closing of its Series A funding round.

Investors

This round was led by Technology Ventures Fund No. 6, managed by Itochu Technology Ventures Co., Ltd., and Nissei Capital Fund No. 15, managed by Nissei Capital Co., Ltd. Additional participating investors include QB Fund No. 2, managed by QB Capital LLC and NCB Venture Capital Co., Ltd., and Kansai Innovation Network Fund No. 2, managed by Ikeda Senshu Capital Co., Ltd.

Eight Knot Use of Funds

Eight Knot plans to use the capital to accelerate the commercialization and mass production of its Eight Knot AI CAPTAIN autonomous navigation system and module. The company will also use the funds to intensify business development in overseas markets including North America and Southeast Asia, while strengthening its recruitment and organizational structure.

About Eight Knot

Founded in 2021 by Hiroto Kimura and Tomoaki Yokoyama, Eight Knot aims to make safe operation commonplace through intelligent technology. The company develops autonomous navigation systems and modules that can be retrofitted to ships, providing functions such as ship handling control, self-position estimation, real-time route generation, and obstacle recognition.

Funding Details

Company Website: https://8kt.jp

Company: Eight Knot Co., Ltd.
Raised: ¥450M
Round: Series A
Funding Date: September 17, 2026
Lead Investor: Technology Ventures Fund No. 6 (Itochu Technology Ventures), Nissei Capital Fund No. 15 (Nissei Capital)
Additional Investors: QB Fund No. 2 (QB Capital, NCB Venture Capital), Kansai Innovation Network Fund No. 2 (Ikeda Senshu Capital)
Company Website: https://8kt.jp/
Software Category: Autonomous Navigation
Source: https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000073.000077033.html