Steve Aoki Launches Aoki Labs

July 11, 2025 — Global DJ, producer, and entrepreneur Steve Aoki has officially launched Aoki Labs — his exclusive venture arm focused on investments at the intersection of entertainment, wellness, consumer innovation, and longevity. With its first fund now closed and capital actively being deployed, Aoki Labs is committed to enhancing human well-being by backing companies that are reimagining how we live and feel. Guided by Aoki’s passion for community and meaningful connection, the firm targets opportunities that redefine human experience, strengthen networks, and create lasting impact through innovation in mental performance, physical health, and lifestyle.

“This is about channeling the same energy and curiosity I’ve brought to music into a new chapter — one focused on investing in things that make life better,” Aoki shares. “Whether it’s longevity, mental performance, or culture-shifting consumer brands, I want to help build the future I want to live in — and create a better world for future generations. That means backing founders and companies who share that passion and purpose.”

While Aoki has been a private investor for over a decade — with early personal stakes in companies like Uber and Pinterest — Aoki Labs marks the first time he’s formalized these efforts into a structured investment vehicle. The platform is led by Aoki alongside founding partners and his longtime managers Matt Colon and Dougie Bohay, with Tashi Nakanishi (CEO of X& Financial) serving as the CEO. X& anchors people of influence who are looking to build institutional VC funds and currently works with HartBeat. Nakanishi brings deep venture experience, having co-founded Dreamers VC with Keisuke Honda and Will Smith, and launched X&KSK, alongside one of Japan’s first influencer-led investment vehicles.

“This fund reflects a serious commitment to long-term value — for founders, for culture, and for human health,” shares Tashi Nakanishi. “Steve brings a rare combination of global influence and entrepreneurial insight, making him an invaluable partner to both consumer and frontier-tech companies. He’s not just investing — he’s actively building in these spaces.”

Aoki Labs’ early portfolio includes Audio Media Grading (a collectibles grading company founded by Aoki in 2022), Mantel (Alex Ohanian's content and community platform for collectors), Freaks of Nature (Kelly Slater’s skincare line), and Neuro (functional gum and mints for energy and focus). Aoki is also deeply committed to supporting underrepresented founders and companies rooted in community. His investment in Sanzo (Asian-inspired sparkling water) — along with a continued focus on AAPI-led ventures across wellness and lifestyle — reflects a broader mission to expand access and amplify diverse voices in venture. 

Looking ahead, Aoki Labs will continue to invest at the intersection of health and AI — with a focus on forward-thinking brands that drive real impact. Deeply embedded in the communities he engages with, Aoki has a rare ability to detect early signals, spot emerging trends before they go mainstream, and help shape them into widespread movements. His work is rooted in a belief that health and happiness are essential to human progress — from extending healthy lifespans to fostering joy through shared experiences. Aoki Labs partners with founders building at the intersection of well-being, innovation, and community — offering not just capital, but hands-on brand strategy, cultural positioning, tastemaker engagement, and access to a powerful network across entertainment, tech, and lifestyle.

 

About Aoki Labs

Aoki Labs is the venture platform founded by global artist and entrepreneur Steve Aoki. Combining strategic capital, brand insights, and community access, Aoki Labs partners with early-stage companies at the intersection of culture and innovation. The platform is actively investing across consumer, health, AI, and emerging tech — with an ethos rooted in collaboration, creativity, and long-term value building.

ABOUT STEVE AOKI

Counting nearly 3 billion music streams to his name, Steve Aoki is a true visionary. Billboard described the 2x-GRAMMY-nominated music producer, artist, fashion designer, entrepreneur, futurist, and Dim Mak Records founder as “one of the most in-demand entertainers in the world.” A Guinness World Record holder for the “Most Traveled Musician in a Single Calendar Year,” Aoki has performed at nearly every top festival around the world, including Coachella, Ultra Music Festival, Lollapalooza, Fuji Rock Festival, Tomorrowland, and Electric Daisy Carnival. Aoki also graced recent covers of Entrepreneur Magazine, Success Magazine, Electronic Musician, and Adweek as their “Visionary of the Year.” 

As a globally successful cross-genre solo artist, Aoki has collaborated with an impressive list of varied artists, including BTS, Maluma, Snoop Dogg, Linkin Park, blink-182, One Direction’s Louis Tomlinson, Machine Gun Kelly, Lil Uzi Vert, 2 Chainz and Daddy Yankee, on top of having released three Platinum singles, six Gold singles, and over ten Top 10 radio records. 

Aoki approaches each new endeavor with the same sense of dedication he’s put into his past achievements, including the Grammy-nominated Netflix documentary I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead (2016) and his memoir BLUE: The Color of Noise (2019). In 2012, he also founded THE AOKI FOUNDATION to support organizations in brain science and its research. His influential record label Dim Mak, which celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2021, is known for being a launching pad for the careers of prominent acts like Bloc Party, The Chainsmokers, Bloody Beetroots, The Kills, Zedd, and Diplo. 

 

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For more information on Steve Aoki, please contact 

Allison Elbl or Rebecca Shapiro or Mike Jones or Alena Joyiens at Shore Fire Media.