Each index in the chart is calculated by LUCA Japan as the value of December, 2005 (for Nikkei Stock Price and S&P500, the closing price of December, 2005) equal to one. The index for Nikkei Stock Average is compiled by LUCA Japan, based on the data from Nikkei Indexes (Nikkei Inc’s Nikkei 225 official site). The other indices are compiled by LUCA Japan, based on the data from Preqin Ltd. Nikkei Inc. shall not accept any responsibility or liability for the compiled index of Nikkei Stock Average and bears no responsibility or liability for any actions arising from the use of the compiled index of Nikkei Stock Average. Preqin Ltd shall not accept any responsibility or liability for the other compiled indices and bears no responsibility or liability for any actions arising from the use of the other compiled indices. Nikkei Stock Average is copyrighted by Nikkei Inc..
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Bridging the Gap in Alternative Investing
LUCA streamlines the complex investment process and delivers world-class alternative investment opportunities to a wider range of investors
What is LUCA?
The first alternative investment platform in Japan
Access to alternative investments has long been limited to institutional investors due to the complexity of the investment process. LUCA streamlines this investment process through digitalization, enabling a wider range of investors, including individuals, to access investment opportunities seamlessly through a single, integrated platform.
As digitalization enhances market scalability, the minimum investment requirement for overseas alternative funds—typically set at several millions of dollars—can be reduced to hundreds of thousands of dollars or less.
Alternative investments in the past
Before
Limited channels to access information
Intermediaries and brokers complicating the process
Difficult to compare investment opportunities
Complicated onboarding process
Large minimum investment amount
Alternative investments with LUCA
After
One-click access to world-class funds
One-stop service covering subscription to reporting
Comprehensive comparative analysis
Seamless, digital onboarding and KYC/AML
Reduction of minimum investment size
What are alternative investments?
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Alternative investments
Alternative investments are financial assets that fall outside of the traditional investment category (stocks, cash and bonds). They have become popular in investment portfolios as a means of diversification, to reduce risk during market downturns and to seek higher returns.
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Low correlation with the public market
Investing in alternative assets can reduce an investor’s exposure to the volatility experienced in traditional markets. Unlike stocks and bonds, alternatives are not as correlated to public market dynamics and have typically performed better during market downturns.
Liquidity
While listed stocks and bonds can be sold on public markets, alternative investments typically have mid-to-long-term time horizons ranging from around 5 to 10 years and are often more difficult to sell. However, certain open-ended alternative investment funds may offer quarterly liquidity.
Why are alternative investments
in the spotlight now?
Low market correlation
Alternatives are more insulated from short-term market fluctuations as they are independent from public market pricing mechanisms and tend to be held longer-term.
Portfolio diversification
Alternatives provide exposure to unique asset types, strategies and industries that are not typically accessible through traditional investments and can better position investors to achieve their long term wealth goals.
Attractive risk-adjusted returns
Alternatives are known for delivering attractive risk-adjusted returns by leveraging strategies and asset types that differ from traditional markets.
Recommended for:
Investors who aim to diversify their assets away from just listed stocks, bonds, mutual funds and cash
Investors who are interested in investing into tangible assets
Investors who aim to increase their exposure to foreign investments
Investors who aim for high returns in the medium to long-term
Open an account and view LUCA's current investment opportunities.
The LUCA platform
Onboarding
No more complicated and time-consuming onboarding. LUCA enables a seamless and integrated onboarding experience all the way from account creation to your first investment.
Easy to compare funds
LUCA’s structured format makes it easy to compare fund documents, which are often presented in varying styles. By centralizing all essential documents in a single, organized data room, LUCA eliminates the need for back-and-forth email exchanges, streamlining the review and decision-making process.
Reporting
LUCA's dashboard contains all investment-related administrative procedures, such as capital call notifications, payment confirmations, and document signatures, ensuring that there are no omissions in client communication.
The platform also allows investors to check the latest status of their portfolios by providing regular reports on the progress of their investments.
Flow of Use
Step 2
Getting set up
An email is sent within 3 business days with login and onboarding instructions.
Step 3
ID verification and screening
KYC process to verify the investor's ID and qualifications.
Step 4
Finalization of investment amount
LUCA finalizes your investment amount (commitment amount) by coordinating with other prospective investors, ensuring an efficient and balanced allocation process.
Step 5
Application
The investor signs the documents and enters into a contract.
Step 6
Wire transfer
Investors are required to pay the committed amount along with any applicable fees. An initial payment of 50% of the commitment is made upfront, with the remaining 50% to be paid later based on the fund's capital requirements.
FAQ
Alternative investment funds have specific investor eligibility criteria based on factors such as asset status and financial qualifications. Only investors who meet these requirements—specifically those classified as "specified investors"—are eligible to participate in trades on the LUCA platform.
To get started, simply reach out to us using the contact form above. We will assess whether you qualify as an accredited investor and guide you through the next steps.
Both Japanese and overseas products are within our scope of investments.
Alternative investments such as private equity, venture capital, private debt, real estate and infrastructure funds. We plan to offer a broader range of alternative products in the future.
The performance of your investments is tracked and disclosed through the LUCA platform, providing you with regular updates and reporting.
The asset holding period varies depending on the product, but generally, shares cannot be redeemed before the specified term.
We are in the process of preparing for launch. For the latest update please sign up to our newsletter or get in touch through the form below.
News
LUCA Team
Keiko Sydenham
Keiko has been involved in alternative investments since 2003, and after heading institutional investor relations at a U.S.-based asset management firm in Japan in 2007, she became the head of the Alternative Investment Strategy Office at JP Morgan Asset Management. She then worked as a Managing Director at Blackstone Group before joining LUCA as a founding member in 2021.
Motoya Kitamura
Motoya has worked for private equity fund management companies in Japan and abroad since 2005, including Macquarie Group, based in Tokyo and Hong Kong. Published "Introduction to Private Equity (PE) Investment for Individual Investors" (Chuokeizai-sha, Inc.) in October 2022.
After serving as CTO of Macromedia Japan and CEO Advisor to Macromedia in the U.S., Akio headed international venture investment at Adobe. Joined Infinity Ventures LLP as co-head partner, rebranded to Headline Asia in 2021. Executed an early-stage investment in a fintech unicorn.
Open an account to view LUCA's current investment opportunities.
