JPY 670 million (~USD 4.8 million) raised to accelerate drone and AI-powered public health initiatives across Africa

SORA Technology Co., Ltd. (Headquartered in Nagoya, Japan; Founder & CEO: Yosuke Kaneko), a frontier technology startup addressing infectious diseases and climate change through drones and AI, today announced the first close of its late seed funding round in March 2025.

Investors

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Accelerators

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Strategic Investment Backed by Sustainability Vision

The round includes participation from several leading institutional investors, notably including Nissay Capital’s Sustainability Challenge Fund, which invested in strong support of SORA’s mission to tackle global health inequities and climate-related challenges through advanced technology. Other participants include SMBC Venture Capital, DRONE FUND, Central Japan Seed Fund, and Rheos Capital Works, bringing the company’s cumulative funding to approximately JPY 670 million (approx. USD 4.8 million), including debt financing.

Expanding Global Health Infrastructure in Africa

This funding underscores growing international recognition of SORA’s mission to build resilient, technology-enabled infrastructure for global health and climate resilience. The company is currently active in six African countries—including Ghana, Sierra Leone, Benin, DRC, Senegal, and Kenya—where it collaborates with governments, academic institutions, and international organizations to implement drone-based malaria control and AI-powered disease forecasting systems.

Mission-Aligned with Global Sustainability Goals

SORA’s efforts have gained increasing international attention as the intersection of public health, climate action, and technology becomes a key priority in sustainable development.
In September 2023, the company joined to the Triple I (Impact Investment Initiative) for Global Health, an initiative endorsed at G7 Hiroshima Summit to raise awareness and share best practices of impact investment with a view to contributing to Global Health.

SORA is also a participant in the Business Leaders’ Coalition for Global Health, an advocacy group led by Japanese private-sector organizations that aims to strengthen Japan’s contribution to global health through strategic partnerships, innovation, and policy dialogue on the international stage.

In November 2024, SORA was  selected for the X-HUB Tokyo OUTBOUND Program, through which it joined the CANOPY startup community hosted by the University of Cambridge’s Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL). This global recognition further highlights the alignment between SORA’s impact-driven business model and international sustainability priorities.

The participation of a sustainability-focused investor like Nissay Capital not only reflects financial support, but also deep alignment with SORA’s values and long-term vision. This latest funding round represents strong validation from both the public and private sectors of the company’s potential to drive meaningful impact in underserved regions.

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Use of Funds

The newly raised capital will be used to:

• Advance AI algorithms for infectious disease prediction
• Expand field operations across African partner countries
• Strengthen partnerships with international institutions and governments
• Enhance drone systems and local deployment capabilities

Comments from thought leaders in sustainable / impact investing

Viola Jardon, Head of Innovation Programmes at the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL)

We are delighted to see the progress SORA Technology has made in advancing innovative solutions at the nexus of climate resilience and public health. Through the X-HUB Tokyo OUTBOUND Programme, delivered by CISL’s Canopy, we’ve been proud to support SORA’s international expansion and mission-driven approach. It has been a pleasure to work with the team, and we look forward to seeing their continued impact across global health systems.

Ken Shibusawa, Shibusawa and Company, Inc. Chief Executive Officer ,Impact Investment Initiative for Global Health” (Triple I for GH), Co-Chair

First of all, congratulations to Yosuke and his colleagues at SORA Technology for their first close of late seed round. This is a clear recognition by investors who saw the value and growth potential of the team’s passion, commitment and hard work in the field to integrate drone technology and AI to provide innovative solutions in malaria control and disease forecasting systems. We are expecting great things from SORA Technology, so this only the beginning, a milestone in their journey to save the people on the planet.

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Comments from Investors

Yusuke Itou, Kazutaka Terao , Nissay Capital No.14 Investment Limited Partnership Nissay Capital Sustainability Solutions Fund No.1 Investment Limited Partnership

We are honored to have the opportunity to invest in SORA Technology. Infectious diseases, including malaria, remain a pressing global challenge. SORA Technology is addressing this issue with an impactful and highly efficient approach, leveraging advanced technologies such as drones and AI. We have strong trust and respect for Mr. Kaneko and the team, who are deeply engaged on the ground in Africa—steadily advancing toward implementation through hands-on data collection and close collaboration with governments, universities, and international organizations.
We are committed to providing our full support as SORA Technology grows into a key player in the global fight against infectious diseases.

Issei Ikeda, SMBC Venture Capital NO.8 Investment Limited Partnership

We are pleased to participate in this round in support of SORA Technology, whose bold challenge addresses the urgent need for infectious disease solutions in the Global South.
While the business itself is highly complex, our interviews with Kaneko, CEO of SORA Technology, and external experts confirmed that the company has accumulated a rare and valuable combination of assets: drone operation capabilities, water environment sensing expertise, and strong human networks across Africa and with organizations such as the Global Fund.
We believe these assets position SORA Technology to become a leading company in solving global health challenges, and we are committed to continuing our full support going forward.

Soki Ohmae, DRONE FUND III Investment Limited Partnership

Since our initial investment, we have supported SORA Technology’s ambitious mission and closely followed its growth. This additional investment reflects our strong expectations for the further evolution of their malaria control initiative—SORA Malaria Control—which leverages drones and AI to create a greater impact on public health challenges in Africa.
We deeply value SORA Technology’s commitment to grounding their work in local realities and driving the social implementation of advanced technologies. We view this as a critical step toward realizing a society where drone and air mobility solutions are integrated into everyday infrastructure.Together, we will continue working toward the development of sustainable healthcare systems and a future where more lives can be saved.

Go Fujita, Central Japan Seed Fund Investment Limited Partnership

Since our initial investment, we have closely observed the sincere dedication and steady progress of the team led by Kaneko and Umeda. We are deeply inspired by their innovative approach to tackling malaria—one of the world’s most persistent infectious diseases—through drone- and AI-powered larval source management, and their ability to deliver tangible results, step by step, even in the most challenging environments.
Their efforts to scale the business while building international partnerships on the ground in Africa represent a powerful model of how a startup from Japan can contribute to solving global social issues. Through this additional investment, we are committed to strongly supporting SORA Technology’s continued growth and impact on the world stage.

Toso Toda, Rheos CPI Investment Limited Partnership 

We initially invested in SORA Technology and its CEO, Kaneko, in alignment with their mission—to realize a safer and more prosperous society anywhere in the world, as reflected in the company’s name “SORA” (meaning “sky” in Japanese).
We were particularly drawn to their commitment to addressing urgent social issues in emerging economies as a starting point. In the two years since, SORA Technology has made remarkable progress, building strong partnerships with international organizations, government agencies, and research institutions across Africa, and delivering tangible results. Our decision to make an additional investment is a renewed vote of confidence in their execution capabilities and unwavering passion.
We look forward to SORA Technology becoming a leading player in global health, and to seeing their work drive reverse innovation—ultimately contributing to greater productivity and the future of air mobility in developed markets as well.
We remain fully committed to supporting their continued growth and impact.

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Comment from Yosuke Kaneko, Founder & CEO of SORA Technology

I am deeply encouraged by the support we’ve received through this fundraising. It affirms that our vision and mission—to eliminate preventable deaths from infectious diseases—resonate with many who share our commitment to global health.
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all the investors who have placed their trust in us.
With the power of drones and AI, we’ve been tackling medical infrastructure challenges in Africa and beyond, aiming to build a future where no one loses their life to a treatable disease.
This funding will allow us to accelerate product development, scale local operations, and bring new talent on board. Together, these efforts will strengthen our foundation and help us expand our impact to more communities in need.
We remain committed to creating life-saving social infrastructure through technology—always grounded in the realities and needs of the regions we serve.

About SORA Technology

SORA Technology Co., Ltd. is a Japanese startup leveraging drones and AI to address global challenges in public health, agriculture, and disaster response. Its flagship project, SORA Malaria Control, integrates drone-based vector control and AI-driven disease forecasting to support malaria elimination efforts across Africa.

Founded: 2020
Headquarters: Nagoya, Japan
CEO: Yosuke Kaneko
Website: https://sora-technology.com/en/
LinkedIn: SORA Technology
Facebook: SORA Technology Facebook