SIIFIC Wellness Fund
Here we outline the philosophy and investment criteria of the SIIFIC Wellness Fund.
Established on June 7, 2023, the SIIFIC Wellness Fund is a venture capital fund created through the collaboration of experienced fund managers and a foundation that has played a leading role in advancing impact investing in Japan. It represents a rare model of an impact VC fund in Japan.
The fund seeks to achieve both financial returns and social returns, meeting the expectations of a diverse group of investors—including institutional investors, corporations, academia, and family offices. Upon its establishment, the fund became a signatory to the Operating Principles for Impact Management, ensuring that all investment activities are guided by globally recognized impact investing standards.
#Achieving Wellness Equity
The SIIFIC Wellness Fund sets its “super goal” as the achievement of Wellness Equity. This is the core philosophy that underpins the fund’s impact investment approach and serves as the guiding standard for all activities.
SIIFIC defines “wellness” as a way of living in which individuals seek to live better in a manner true to themselves. “Wellness equity” therefore refers to a societal condition in which everyone—equally and without limitation—can engage in self-directed activities, make authentic life choices, and maintain both mental and physical well-being.
Achieving this goal requires a transformation from a society focused primarily on longevity and physical health to one that embraces holistic well-being. This transformation extends far beyond healthcare and welfare—it must reach into essential living infrastructures, working environments, community structures, and education systems, touching every aspect of people’s lives.
Based on this super goal, SIIFIC established two leverage points and four investment themes, which guide portfolio selection and ensure coherence within the broader Impact Management System.
#Advancing Wellness Literacy
Advancing Wellness Literacy is one of the two leverage points essential for achieving the super goal of Wellness Equity. Wellness literacy refers to the ability to obtain, interpret, and evaluate accurate information about physical and mental health. As wellness literacy increases, individuals become better equipped to gather relevant information, assess its quality, make decisions aligned with their circumstances, and take proactive action toward healthier, more fulfilling lives.
This concept is grounded in the Healthcare Vision Paper published in 2023 by the Japan Social Innovation and Investment Foundation (SIIF).
#Strengthening Social Capital
Strengthening Social Capital is the second leverage point, alongside wellness literacy. Social capital refers to the trust-based relationships and support networks that enable people to connect with one another. In a society with enriched social capital, people can support one another with ease, participate in community life in ways that feel natural to them, and enjoy lives that feel both meaningful and fulfilling. Such an environment nurtures not only physical well-being but also the personal agency people need to make self-directed decisions that help them live better.
This concept—like wellness literacy—is grounded in the 2023 Healthcare Vision Paper published by the Japan Social Innovation and Investment Foundation (SIIF).
#Healthcare Vision Paper
The Healthcare Vision Paper, published by SIIF in 2023, is a policy paper designed to reframe how Japan—a super-aging society—approaches the realization of wellness. SIIFIC’s Founding Partner Reiri contributed to its development while at SIIF.
Concepts such as “loose ties” and “social capital,” which appear in the paper, directly informed the two leverage points and the design of the fund’s four investment themes. While the Healthcare Vision Paper primarily focuses on older populations, the SIIFIC Wellness Fund broadens these perspectives to include people of all generations and backgrounds, aiming to support universal and sustainable wellness. Building upon the insights of the paper, SIIFIC designed the fund to promote a more inclusive and enduring approach to wellness.