Osaka University and Kyoto Institute of Polymer Science have both put money behind automated patent investigation platform Gold IP, taking its funding to $4.6m altogether.

Japan-based patent investigation platform Gold IP has obtained ¥350m ($3.6m) in series B funding from investors including Osaka University and Kyoto Institute of Polymer Science, according to TechCrunch Japan.
Osaka invested $1.2m through VC arm Osaka University Venture Capital, participating with consulting firms Cresco and Core, IP management services provider Japan Technology Trade, diversified conglomerate Elite Network and Seibu Shinkin Capital, part of credit union Seibu Shinkin Bank.
Founded in 2015, Gold IP has created an artificial intelligence-powered patent research tool called IP Samurai that scours patent databases in Japan and the US to check for existing applications and awards, assessing whether a client’s filing is likely to succeed.
Inventors thoroughly evaluate existing patents to gather essential market information before protecting their own intellectual property.
Gold IP had previously raised $1.1m in a March 2017 series A round featuring Future Creation Fund, a vehicle backed by carmaker Toyota, financial services firm Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp (SMBC) and Sparx Group.
SMBC also took part in the round through VC vehicle SMBC Venture Capital, as did Mizhuo Capital, the strategic investment arm of peer Mizhuo Bank, and VC firm Sensei Capital.