MPower Partners Fund, Japan’s first ESG-focused global venture capital fund, has invested in Lisse as lead investor, a startup servicing AI-based contract reviews. 

Contract checks are essential for preventing legal disputes, including potential damage claims. However, many businesses in Japan still lack sufficient legal support. According to a survey1 by the Japan Federation of Bar Associations, around 60% of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) report facing legal challenges, while over 70% have never consulted a lawyer. Of the approximately 5.15 million businesses in Japan, 56% have 4 or fewer employees, and 88% have 19 or fewer—highlighting the overwhelming presence of SMEs. These companies often operate without in-house legal professionals and face significant cost barriers when outsourcing legal work to external counsel.

Lisse, a legal tech startup founded by former Nishimura & Asahi attorney Miki Fujita, was established with a mission to enable “frictionless business operations free of legal conflict.”

Its flagship service, LeCHECK, is an AI-powered contract review tool that has been adopted by over 4,000 companies since its launch in 2020. Clients range from SMEs to large enterprises listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

MPower is proud to announce our investment in Lisse as lead investor, driven by deep confidence in both the company’s growth potential and its broader impact. In addition to the continued evolution of LeCHECK, we are particularly impressed by Lisse’s expansion into new areas, including LeTRANSLATE, a translation service, and LeFILING, an AI-driven solution for automated contract management. MPower is committed to supporting Lisse’s growth and to helping bring its services to more businesses and organizations across Japan and beyond.

Works Cited

1. Japan Federation of Bar Associations, “Nationwide Survey Report on Legal Needs of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (Results Edition)”

Comment from Miki Fujita, CEO of Lisse

"We are honored to have received support from an investor who places a strong emphasis on ESG. This funding round reaffirmed the importance of our mission and the role we play in addressing one of Japan’s critical societal challenges.

Through our AI-powered contract review service, we aim to support legal operations at small and mid-sized enterprises that often lack sufficient in-house legal resources. In doing so, we are creating fairer business environments and improving access to legal support. From a compliance and risk management standpoint, our solution also helps companies strengthen their corporate governance.

With this funding, we are committed to delivering even more value-added services to a wider range of businesses, helping them achieve sustainable growth."

Comment from Masatoshi Fukasawa, Partner at MPower Partners

Lisse’s product, which combines the expertise of experienced legal professionals with the power of AI, is already being adopted by thousands of companies - from SMEs to large enterprises - across various industries. It has proven to be a highly effective tool for enhancing the efficiency and quality of legal operations, ultimately reducing risks and resolving pain points.

Under the strong leadership of CEO Fujita-san and her exceptional management team, the company continues to evolve by harnessing cutting-edge AI technologies. We believe Lisse has the potential to become Japan’s leading legal tech company, and are proud to support the company’s next phase of growth and its broader ESG-driven impact.

About Lisse

• CEO: Miki Fujita 

• Established: June 2018

• Location: 2 Chome-2-1 Kanda Nishikicho, Chiyoda City, Tokyo 101-0054

• Corporate URL: https://lisse-law.com/

About MPower Partners

MPower Partners Fund is Japan’s first ESG-integrated global venture capital fund that aims to support entrepreneurs providing solutions to societal challenges through the power of technology, and to promote sustainable growth by incorporating ESG (Environment, Social, Governance) into their core business strategies. The founding team draws on their extensive experience in the financial industry and ESG matters to support the global expansion of startups and strives to infuse ESG elements into the ecosystem. 

Fund website: https://www.mpower-partners.com

For inquiries, please contact: info@mpower-partners.com

This press release has been prepared for the purpose of providing information to qualified institutional investors and potential portfolio companies of the Fund, and is not a disclosure document pursuant to the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act, and does not constitute a solicitation or recommendation to purchase the Fund.