Joseph Tou
Managing Director, Sony Ventures at Sony Innovation Fund
San Diego, California
Overview
Work Experience
Venture Partner
2025 - Current
Structural Capital is a unique and differentiated financing platform focused on providing flexible capital investments to high growth venture and private equity sponsor backed companies. Target check sizes $10M+, primarily for companies experiencing rapid growth and scale. Expanding further into consumer, digital entertainment & games technology companies
Board Director
2025
We work for musicians. We give music makers the freedom to create and be heard. Creative platform offering AI-powered music mastering, distribution, plugins, collaboration, promotion and sample packs.
Interim Chief Strategy Officer
2025
Clinical Research and Clinical Trial optimization through training and content. Where can healthcare x tech/AI go from here?
Investment Committee
2025
Early stage (Pre-A) venture capital, including lead investor positions, focused on the tech powering the leading edge of digital entertainment and interactive media experiences.
Board Director
2023
Venture studio shaping and building San Diego's tech ecosystem
Board & Affiliations
2006
Over the years, I have been involved in evolving companies at various stages of maturity. Sidero Labs (Investor, 2024) Jabali (Investor, 2024) Runway (Investor, 2023-2024) Genpop (Investor, 2023-2024) Noodle Cat Games (Investor, 2023-2024) Forge (Investor, 2023-2024) Nexus (Board Observer/Investor, 2022-2024) Illumix (Investor, 2022-2024) LIV (Investor, 2022-2024) Trioscope (Investor, 2021-2024) Kiswe (Board Observer/Investor, 2021 - 2024) GGWP (Investor, 2021-2024) DSP Concepts (Board Observer/Investor, 2020-2024) LANDR (Board Observer/Investor, 2019-Present) Embodied (Board Observer/Investor, 2018-2024) Defined.ai (Board Director/Observer/Investor, 2016-2024) Community (Board Observer/Investor, 2017-2024) Techstars Music (Sponsor and Mentor, 2019 - 2023) Airmap (Board Observer/Investor, 2018 - 2021) - Acquired Mobcrush (Board Observer/Investor, 2020) - Acquired Streem (Board Advisor, 2017 - 2019) - Acquired Power Distribution Inc. (Board Director/Investor, 2006 - 2007) - Acquired
Managing Director - Entertainment & Gaming, Co-Head US / North America, Co-Founder, Sony Ventures
2016 - 2024
It all started with less than a handful of people, an idea, and some inspiration. We were fortunate enough to have good timing too. Over an 8+ year period, what we called Sony Innovation Fund turned into a family of 3 core and 2 smaller special-purpose funds built on internal and external capital. We established Sony Ventures to become the platform that managed all of it. Throughout my tenure we took this from inception, pulling double duty for years to our "day" jobs, to a team of 30+ people with offices in 7 geographies and a global portfolio of nearly 200 early stage and growth companies. I stand proud with my co-founders and team on everything Sony Ventures has become as the journey was not easy nor standard, even with corporate parents with innovation in mind.
Vice President, Corporate Development, Sony Corporation of America
2010 - 2022
As a lifetime gadget and technology geek, I proudly worked alongside the incredible people behind Sony products and services, especially Sony Corp. and Sony Interactive Entertainment (Playstation) as well as Sony's electronics, semiconductor, and imaging businesses. We focused on building solutions that deliver top shelf consumer experiences. My focus was on driving North America-based technology M&A, venture and growth investments, partnerships, and strategic & financial advisory.
Managing Director
2008 - 2010
Middle market advisory focused on operations-based companies in the industrial, technology and services sectors.
Vice President
2006 - 2008
Founding member and investment professional of inaugural $350 million private equity fund (the firm has currently raised over $4B in capital commitments). Identified and led investments in operations-based industrial/technology companies. Active due diligence with strong strategic and operational involvement with portfolio companies. Strong portfolio returns upon exit.
Bertram Capital is an equity firm that provides targeting investment services.