Zenkoku Hosho backs proptech startup Facilo through new corporate venture fund

What's the deal? Zenkoku HoshoDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → has invested in Tokyo-based startup Facilo through the Zenkoku Hosho Innovation FundDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, its corporate venture vehicle. The fund was set up jointly with Spiral CapitalDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → and its subsidiary Spiral Innovation Partners LLPDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →. The amount was not disclosed.

What's the endgame? Founded in October 2021, Facilo runs a real estate communication cloud of the same name. It centralises exchanges between brokerage firms and their customers on a cloud-based personal page, aiming to make property transactions smoother and moving home a more accessible option.

Why now? The Zenkoku Hosho Innovation Fund targets startups with advanced technology and business models in proptech, fintech, and housing-related services. Facilo fits that mandate as the fund's investment focus.

Zenkoku Hosho said it wants to combine both companies' knowledge and resources to deliver "new value" in daily living. The credit guarantor plans to extend its services beyond guarantee screening to cover the full journey — from house-hunting to life after moving in.

The signal: The deal shows a Japanese credit guarantee firm using corporate venture capital to move upstream in the housing market, betting that proptech partnerships can broaden its role from financing into the wider home-buying experience.

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