Go eyes robotaxis and acquisitions after Japan’s biggest IPO of 2026. Here’s why it matters

Go’s IPO — Japan’s biggest so far this year — has done more than provide a much-needed boost to the country’s languishing listing season. It has also supplied the taxi-hailing app with the capital required to address an existential issue: Japan’s shortage of drivers. Go, which went public Tuesday, plans to use the ¥88.6 billion ($553 million) raised in its IPO to expand its robotaxi business and make acquisitions, according to a company spokesperson. “We intend to use the proceeds from the sale of newly issued shares toward investment in research and development related to robotaxis and investment in business expansions, including strategic mergers and acquisitions in our business inside and outside of the taxi industry,” the spokesperson said. The Japanese taxi-hailing company’s debut came in one of Japan’s quietest listing seasons, at a time when the government has been telling startups to sell themselves rather than go public. Go drew investments from BlackRock, Wellington Management, and M&G Investment Management in the process, underscoring where global institutional money is willing to go in Japan right now. The stock has since pulled back below its offering price, closing at ¥2,314 on Friday, down about 4% from the IPO price of ¥2,400. Go’s robotaxi ambitions are rooted in a human problem. Japan’s taxi industry is running out of drivers . …