Persol invests in Better Place’s pension platform
TOKYO, JAPAN — Japanese staffing giant Persol Holdings has invested in Tokyo-based Better Place as part of the latter’s Series D funding round, aiming to strengthen corporate pension solutions for essential workers and employees of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
The investment was made through Persol Venture Partners’ job creation fund, which targets startups advancing sustainable development goals in fields such as healthcare, energy, and mobility.
Better Place: Pioneering corporate pensions for SMEs
Founded in 2011 and headquartered in Tokyo, Better Place specializes in corporate pension and retirement benefit systems tailored for SMEs. Its flagship product, the Hagukumi Fund, is a defined benefit corporate pension system supporting asset formation and welfare for workers in medical care, childcare, and nursing care sectors.
Since launching Hagukumi in 2018, Better Place has served over 80,000 subscribers, with assets exceeding 32.5 billion yen.
CEO Shinji Morimoto, a certified financial planner, established the company to address the limitations of Japan’s public pension system and empower SME employees with greater financial security.
Persol stated, “By having many people use the Hagukumi Fund, we aim to reduce the gap in hopes for the future that arises from economic disparity and create a society where employees of small and medium-sized enterprises and essential workers can ‘work without worrying about money’ and ‘be themselves’.”
Persol Holdings: Global HR provider with broad reach
Persol Holdings, established in 1973 and based in Tokyo, provides a comprehensive suite of human resource services, including temporary staffing, permanent placement, outsourcing, consulting, and talent management.
The Japanese HR giant previously invested in Indian-based Vahan and AI platform developer AuthenticAI.
Persol operates across 13 countries in the Asia-Pacific region, including Australia, China, India, Singapore, and Vietnam, serving both local and Japanese companies.
With more than 65,000 employees worldwide, Persol reported revenues of ¥1.42 trillion (about USD 9.3 billion) for the most recent fiscal year. Its job creation fund invests in startups expected to drive employment and sustainability over the next decade.
