T2, a Japanese company developing autonomous trucks, raised about ¥5bn (about $31m) in the first close of a Series B round, it announced on 21 July 2026. Eleven companies invested through a third-party share allotment, LNEWS reported.
Cumulative funding now exceeds ¥16.5bn (about $102m). The company plans another Series B close within fiscal 2026. No valuation was disclosed.
Who invested
The investors are MOL PLUS, the venture fund of Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Sumitomo Warehouse, Fujitrans, Kuribayashi Steamship, Sumitomo Mitsui Auto Service, Daiwa House Ventures, Mitsui Fudosan & Innovation Fund, Yoshida Kaiun, K4V Vital Platform Fund, Life Design Fund and MLC Ventures.
The Bridge identified several as corporate venture funds: K4 Ventures is the fund of Kansai Electric Power, Life Design Fund belongs to AEON Mall, and MLC Ventures is the venture arm of Mitsubishi Logistics Group.
What T2 is building
T2 is developing Level 4 autonomous trucking, meaning driverless operation in defined conditions, for trunk-line transport between major Japanese logistics hubs. It aims to start service from fiscal 2027 onward.
Today the company runs commercial operations with Level 2 trucks it developed itself. According to LNEWS, it has hauled cargo for more than 50 partner companies since 2024 and began regular transport for partners in summer 2025. The Bridge added that commercial operations began on 1 July 2025 and that the number of users grew to 23 companies over the past year.
Infrastructure and safety
The Bridge reported that T2 set up a driver-switching hub it calls Transgate in spring 2026, with locations near Ayase, Kobe and Nishinomiya. It is also strengthening its safety case, including the use of formal methods, before Level 4 deployment.
What the money is for
T2 said the funds will move its business and technology development towards Level 4 further forward. It did not give a breakdown of spending. The reports did not name the founders, the company's city or its headcount, and no individual was quoted in either article.
Company background
T2 is an unlisted company headquartered in Chiyoda ward, Tokyo, and was founded on 30 August 2022. Masatomo Kumabe is chief executive. His stated vision is to use autonomous driving technology to support Japan's logistics together with partners, according to the company's press release.
Level 2 means advanced driving assistance with a driver monitoring the vehicle, while Level 4 means autonomous operation in limited, specified conditions with no driver required, the release explained.
Milestones
In March 2026 T2 completed a run of roughly 500 km on the expressway between the Kanto and Kansai regions without any momentary manual steering, which it says was a first in Japan. In May 2026 its trucks passed expressway toll gates, which the company says it did ahead of other firms.
Its Transgate hubs are driver-switching points near expressway interchanges, where drivers board and leave the autonomous trucks, moving between unmanned expressway driving and manned driving on general roads. The company had 23 users as of 21 July 2026.
What the investors said
Several investors said how they plan to work with T2. The president of MOL PLUS, Takuya Sakamoto, said he will support business development from a shipping perspective, including sea-land integrated transport. Akihito Nagata, president of Sumitomo Warehouse, said Level 4 trunk-line transport can help address driver shortages. Masahiko Tsumoto, president of Fujitrans, plans to link coastal roll-on roll-off ship transport with T2's trucks in the Chubu region.
Kenichi Fujino of Kansai Electric Power said joint work could cover logistics hubs, last-mile delivery and decarbonisation. Kumabe thanked the investors and said the company will advance both business and technology development.
Company website: t2.auto