ByJohn Kang,
Forbes Staff.
O
ver a two-decade football career, Keisuke Honda was a versatile midfielder for both club and country. He has played for a variety of top clubs around the world, including in his native Japan, the Netherlands, Russia, Italy and beyond. Now, Honda, 39, is remaking himself as a venture capitalist with his VC firm X&KSK. Launched last year, the firm’s most recent fundraising in January drew 15 billion yen (around $100 million) from blue-chip investors including Sumitomo Mitsui Banking and Strategic Business Innovator (SBI).
As a venture capitalist, Honda displays a versatility similar to his performance on the field. While his investments are focused mainly on Japan, his interests span a broad range of industries. Honda recently discussed his low-profile firm and its investment strategy with Forbes at the Forbes Global CEO Conference in Jakarta.
