While the enthusiasm for investment is on the rise, companies find it difficult to succeed in startup investments.

• Increased interest in discovering future growth drivers and the initiation of investments have led to the growth of corporate startup investment volumes.

• However, the success rate of companies' new business ventures through startup investments (equity investments, M&A) is not high.

Identifying investment targets with scale-up potential is crucial. Examining the growth DNA commonly possessed by startups that have grown into unicorns reveals:

• Business Model (業): Concrete formulation of a business model based on digital platforms targeting customer needs precisely.

• Market and Industry (場): Harmonization of three pillars - significant background market, growth industry, and entry timing.

• Founding Team (人): Team composition consisting of serial entrepreneurs and highly educated members with diverse backgrounds.

Additionally, efforts to maintain successful partnerships after investment should not be overlooked.

• The honeymoon period is not long due to challenging and lengthy decision-making processes, opaque expectations, and encountering real-world issues.

• Finding common denominators for partnerships that can be win-win situations is the task at hand.