SMBC to launch new startup video pitch platform as deal flow source

GoAhead invests in seed and early stage startups.

Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (SMBC Group) will launch a video pitch platform for startups alongside GoAhead Ventures LLC, a Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm.

GoAhead invests in seed and early-stage startups, receiving over 3,000 applications annually, according to a press release by SMBC.

SMBC plans to use the platform as a source of deal flow for its GoAhead Fund III.

SMBC first made an investment in GoAhead Fund III in October 2024.

The platform aims to provide startups with “equitable pitching opportunities” regardless of geography or network barriers.

Apart from using it as a source, SMBC plans to promote the adoption of the platform in Japan through its network.

“The platform aims to provide startups with “equitable pitching opportunities” regardless of geography or network barriers,” the Japanese megabank said in a press release on 6 February 2026.