Nasdaq Private Market Welcomes HiJoJo as Strategic Investor to Drive Asia Pacific Expansion

Strategic Partnership Marks Entry of First Japanese Financial Institution into NPM Consortium

Nasdaq Private Market has unveiled a significant milestone in its geographic expansion strategy with the appointment of HiJoJo Partners as a cornerstone investor and the inaugural Japanese financial institution within its elite investor consortium. This development underscores NPM’s commitment to penetrating the Asia Pacific region, particularly Japan’s burgeoning private equity landscape.

The move follows the successful completion of NPM’s Series B funding round in January 2024, which garnered $62.4 million in capital commitments. The investment syndicate includes a prestigious array of global financial powerhouses: Nasdaq, Allen & Company, Citi, Goldman Sachs, BNP Paribas, DRW Venture Capital, UBS, and Wells Fargo. This robust financial backing positions NPM to accelerate product innovation and regional infrastructure development.

HiJoJo’s Role in Reshaping Japan’s Private Markets

HiJoJo Partners brings substantial credibility and market presence to the partnership. Founded in 2017 by Spyridon Mentzas, the Tokyo-based asset management firm has established itself as a premier gateway connecting Japanese investors with U.S. venture capital opportunities. The firm’s portfolio reflects impressive traction, with cumulative sales surpassing 35 billion yen. Its investor base comprises leading Japanese financial institutions including SBI Group, Mizuho Securities, Credit Saison, and MUFG Innovation Partners—relationships that provide NPM with direct access to institutional capital flows across Japan.

Strengthening Private Liquidity Infrastructure

The strategic alliance will catalyze several key initiatives. NPM intends to leverage HiJoJo’s regional expertise to enhance brand penetration throughout Japan, expand distribution of the SecondMarket trading platform to qualified Japanese investors, and facilitate international capital-raising channels for domestic startups. These efforts directly address structural inefficiencies in Japan’s pre-IPO liquidity markets.

NPM’s operational footprint already demonstrates substantial market traction. Since inception, the platform has facilitated more than $50 billion in transactional value across 760 company-sponsored liquidity programs and block trades. This track record validates the company’s technology infrastructure and market credibility—assets that will prove instrumental in establishing comparable scale within the Japanese market.

Comprehensive Private Market Solutions

NPM’s integrated platform spans multiple critical functions. The Company Solutions division leverages proprietary technology to orchestrate tenders, auctions, and pre-direct listing programs for private enterprises. The SecondMarket Trading Marketplace introduces institutional-grade transparency and operational efficiency to block trading of private securities, employing a model structure explicitly aligned with company interests. Patent-pending Transfer and Settlement technology streamlines post-match workflows, while Tape DTM Data and Analytics delivers actionable intelligence on trading dynamics and company performance. The Wealth Solutions vertical connects clients with financial advisory resources and tax compliance support.

Forward-Looking Strategic Implications

According to Tom Callahan, Chief Executive Officer of Nasdaq Private Market, the partnership represents a pivotal moment: “We are excited to welcome HiJoJo Partners as a key strategic investor and our first based out of Japan. Together, we believe that we can create a more efficient and accessible private market for startups, other disruptive private companies, institutional investors, and shareholders in Japan and across Asia Pacific.”

Spyridon Mentzas, CEO of HiJoJo, articulated complementary strategic objectives: “We are honored and delighted to become an investor in Nasdaq Private Market and expand our business in Japan together. Leveraging NPM’s track record and experience, we look forward to delivering attractive private asset investment products to Japanese investors. We also aim to support the creation of a platform for private stock trading, fostering collaboration between Japanese and U.S. startups, multinational companies, shareholders, and investors contributing to the rejuvenation of the Japanese innovation economy.”

The partnership positions NPM to capture significant market share in Asia Pacific’s fastest-growing private markets segment, while enabling HiJoJo to enhance its value proposition to existing and prospective investors through access to cutting-edge trading infrastructure and secondary market liquidity solutions.