Go plans robotaxi expansion and acquisitions after Japan’s largest 2026 IPO
10 reported
Go, a Japanese taxi-hailing company, went public Tuesday in what is Japan's biggest IPO so far in 2026, raising ¥88.6 billion ($553 million). The company plans to use the proceeds to expand its robotaxi business and make acquisitions, according to a company spokesperson. Go's IPO drew investments from BlackRock, Wellington Management, and M&G Investment Management. The stock has since fallen below its offering price, closing at ¥2,314 on Friday, down about 4% from the IPO price of ¥2,400. The company's robotaxi ambitions are driven by a shortage of taxi drivers in Japan, with the number of drivers falling roughly 20% in recent years, according to a report citing Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. Go has partnered with Waymo and Nihon Kotsu for autonomous driving efforts, but has not set a timeline for fully driverless operations. The company also has partnerships with Kakao T, Alipay, and WeChat Pay to serve inbound travelers from South Korea, China, and Taiwan.
What’s reported
Go went public Tuesday in Japan's biggest IPO of 2026.
The IPO raised ¥88.6 billion ($553 million).
Proceeds will fund robotaxi R&D and acquisitions, per a company spokesperson.
Investors include BlackRock, Wellington Management, and M&G Investment Management.
Stock closed at ¥2,314 on Friday, down about 4% from the ¥2,400 IPO price.
Japan's taxi driver count has fallen roughly 20% in recent years, per a report citing Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.
Go has 35 million downloads, 85,000 partner vehicles, and an 80% share of Japan's taxi app market by usage time, covering 46 of 47 prefectures.
Go partnered with Waymo and Nihon Kotsu; CEO Hiroshi Nakajima said Go will not invest in autonomous driving systems itself, per Nikkei Asia.
Go has partnerships with Kakao T, Alipay, and WeChat Pay for inbound travelers.
Uber, Wayve, and Nissan announced plans to pilot robotaxi services in Tokyo by late 2026.
Key figures
Hiroshi Nakajima, CEO of Go
Company spokesperson for Go (name not provided)
Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (cited in a report)
Sources: TechCrunch
