Monday 5th January, Nagoya, Japan – SORA Technology Co. Ltd., a frontier technology startup addressing infectious diseases and climate change through drones and AI, today announces that it has raised JPY400 ($2.5 million) in the second close of its late seed round. This fresh funding comes after a $4.8 million late seed round in March 2025, bringing SORA Technology’s total funding to around $7.3 million.
In addition to existing shareholders, this funding round saw SORA Technology welcome three new investors. Daiwa House Group Investment Limited Partnership, Central Japan Innovative Research Fund I, and UNERI Capital Fund Series I have all backed the company’s mission to leverage the power of drones and AI to battle infectious diseases and climate change.
SORA Technology’s flagship project is SORA Malaria Control. The disease affects more than 200 million people annually, primarily in Africa, and causes almost 600,000 deaths annually. SORA Technology has developed data-driven malaria control solutions – as well as broader infectious disease prediction and environmental analysis platforms – powered by satellites, drones, and AI.
SORA Technology has already advanced on-the-ground implementation across more than 10 African countries – including Ghana, Sierra Leone, Benin, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Senegal, Kenya, and Mozambique – and has worked closely with international organisations, national and local government, universities, and research institutions. SORA Technology has also partnered with the World Health Organization (WHO) to expand sustainable infectious disease control efforts in Mozambique.
The company’s technologies extend beyond the public health domain and are being applied across multiple sectors, including environmental and operational monitoring for private enterprises such as mining companies, as well as productivity enhancement and environmental impact reduction in agriculture.
This pre-series A funding will be used to advance AI algorithms for infectious disease prediction, expand field operations across African partner countries, strengthen partnerships with international institutions and governments, and enhance drone systems and local operational capabilities.
Yosuke Kaneko, founder and CEO at SORA Technology, says “we are deeply grateful and encouraged by the support shown through this funding round, which reflects strong alignment with our vision and social mission. We sincerely thank our investors for their trust and partnership.”
“SORA Technology has been working to address critical healthcare infrastructure challenges – primarily across Africa – with the goal of achieving zero loss of life due to infectious diseases by leveraging the power of drones and AI,” Kaneko adds.
“The newly raised capital will be used to accelerate product development, strengthen local operations, and expand our team. Through these efforts, we will build a stronger foundation to generate impact across a broader range of regions.”
About SORA Technology
SORA Technology Co., Ltd. is a Japanese startup leveraging drones and AI to address global challenges in public health, agriculture, and disaster response. Its flagship project, SORA Malaria Control, integrates drone-based vector control and AI-driven disease forecasting to support malaria elimination efforts across Africa.
