This is the abridged version from our original article in Japanese.
As IT industry workers normally work facing to desktops or laptops, more than a few of them are willing to use items like a standing desk to avoid sitting at work for all day. While there are many jobs that let people work while standing, one of the hardest is probably surgical operations which force surgeons to keep standing for long hours.
A wearable chair called Archelis (meaning ‘walkable chair’ in Japanese) is designed for surgeons, allowing them to sit during surgery, thus reducing fatigue during long and physically demanding operations. It was developed for people in the medical field, but it can also help any worker in any industry who must stand for long periods. [1]
Translated by Minako Ambiru via Mother First Edited by Kurt Hanson and Masaru Ikeda
Regarding wearable chairs, Swiss startup Noonee was in the news last year for developing a line for factory workers. A product similar to “Archelis” or “Noonee” can be found gaining patents － expired since － 37 years ago. The name for this product given by its inventor, one “Robert Bonner,” was in fact “wearable chair.” ↩
See the original story in Japanese. Usually, means of contacting apparel factories in Japan are limited to word-of-mouth or assistance by acquaintances. Since there are difficulties in finding appropriate factories, it is not easy to launch anew an apparel business or to manufacture products that are different from conventional ones, so that a new idea can barely be realized in this field. Japan’s SD Factory aims to solve such problems. SD Factory, launched last November by Osaka-based Raccoon (TSE:3031), is a matching platform for those wanting to order manufacturing of clothes and find domestic apparel infrastructure such as factories or patterners. Currently 22 factories are listed on the website with each detailed information including the number of lots, unit price, completion date, characteristics or pictures of the factory inside. Based on these information, one can search out factories and inquire or order from them. Although the service has just started up recently, some business negotiations for various matters have already been proceeding, based on requests of from sole proprietors to major trading companies. The average number of employees for listed factories is about 30. For factories which cannot afford information provision or sales promotion, SD Factory has turned into an…
Usually, means of contacting apparel factories in Japan are limited to word-of-mouth or assistance by acquaintances. Since there are difficulties in finding appropriate factories, it is not easy to launch anew an apparel business or to manufacture products that are different from conventional ones, so that a new idea can barely be realized in this field. Japan’s SD Factory aims to solve such problems.
SD Factory, launched last November by Osaka-based Raccoon (TSE:3031), is a matching platform for those wanting to order manufacturing of clothes and find domestic apparel infrastructure such as factories or patterners. Currently 22 factories are listed on the website with each detailed information including the number of lots, unit price, completion date, characteristics or pictures of the factory inside. Based on these information, one can search out factories and inquire or order from them.
Although the service has just started up recently, some business negotiations for various matters have already been proceeding, based on requests of from sole proprietors to major trading companies. The average number of employees for listed factories is about 30. For factories which cannot afford information provision or sales promotion, SD Factory has turned into an effective tool for customer acquisition.
Bringing diversity to the apparel productline
The operating company Raccoon had been originally running a wholesaling website focused on apparel and grocery products, especially for the retailer Super Delivery. More than 1,000 manufacturers and 40,000 retailers have been registered on it. Behind the development of SD Factory, this conventional service revealed a problem in the apparel field.
We received many requests from downstream manufacturers or retailers to introduce them domestic factories. They wanted to manufacture their own products but had no idea which factories to ask.
Moreover, a result of our own survey indicated current problems which domestic factories have in common, so we came to start development of a solution which connects manufacturers and factories.
A lack of means to connect creators and factories will impact the apparel industry and customers as a whole. If manufacturers pursue only their profitability, only similar products would be going on the market, and that can spoil the joy of shopping or ideals of consumers. However, since retailers or creators that have interesting ideas do not know how to turn them into concrete products, the variety of products on the market cannot be expanded.
By support of SD Factory for matching these creators with factories having capable of producing, appearance of unique products in terms of prices, shapes, or materials, can be expected and that will bring the activation of the apparel field.
The point which the team was most particular about upon the development of SD Factory was being a cool website especially for younger users. That was to eliminate the dull image of typical factories. All photos on the website are taken by Raccoon’s staff in order to secure a high quality of the website. In addition, detailed impressions of the factories are described on the website by sales staff who actually visited there, trying to convey the atmosphere or the passion of the factory workers.
The reason for sticking to being cool is also upon looking forward to Japanese factories’ future 10 or 20 years on. As the birthrate is falling and the society rapidly aging in Japan, the younger labor population has been gradually decreasing. Without young workers to keep alive the skills and the technologies, the very existence of Japanese factories may become threatened.
Nagamine pointed out:
In spite of the move to create brand new products, the factories’ future is under threat. I think that this is because young Japanese do not regard working at factories as an employment option.
A lack of young and superior human resources will result in the decline of the entire industry. I want them to feel first how fun manufacturing is or how cool the existence of a particular technology is.
Currently focusing on matching companies or sole proprietors with factories, they are also considering the business of securing and developing human resources in the apparel field henceforth. Although there are many graduates from technical colleges that relate to apparel, most of them get a job as apparel shop salespersons. Their future vision is to provide opportunities to launch business careers for students who are interested in manufacturing, and to provide for successors to factories.
Anyone can realize their own products
The ordering users being targeted by SD Factory include not only companies but also sole proprietors or individuals who want small-scale production. You may think typical factories tend to avoid small lot orders. It is the opposite however, according to Nagamine. While small lot production requires more labor than mass production, it ensures appropriate remunerations and holds the possibility of business expansion, so that factories would rather receive small lot orders at preferance. Upon gaining exposure at SD Factory, further new orders may be expected as well.
For example, a female office worker searched out a factory utilizing SD Factory, and established her own brand. A system for anyone with just an idea to realize any product could become a fact of life in the apparel industry.
For the moment, SD Factory aims to increase the number of registered factories or patterners. Additionally it plans to enhance functions including those for search or schedule management.
Nagamine concluded:
We hope new made-in-Japan products or brands will appear from retailers or designers utilizing SD Factory. That will also act as industrial stimulus. Moreover, our export sales support service called SD Export can provide the infrastructure for exportation.
Translated by Taijiro Takeda Edited by “Tex” Pomeroy
Kyoto-headquartered internet company Hatena had earlier submitted an IPO application to the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE), which was approved on Thursday. This is the first IPO approved by the TSE this year. The company will be listed on the TSE Mothers Market on 24 February with plans to offer 370,000 shares for public subscription and to sell 113,200 shares in over-allotment options, for a total of 385,000 shares. The underwriting will be led by SMBC Nikko Securities. According to the consolidated statement as of July 2015, they posted a revenue of 1.4 billion yen ($11.9 million) and an ordinary profit of 150 million yen ($1.3 million). Major shareholders include the company’s founder and chairman Junya Kondo (66.3%) and its employee stock owners. Since its launch back in 2001, the company has been offering several internet services including blogging platform, online bookmarking service and native ad platform. In association with Japanese game giant Nintendo, Hatena developed in 2012 a communication platform for the Nintendo Wii called Miiverse. Hatena derives 30.9% of its revenue from Nintendo. While 92 companies were IPO-ed in 2015 in Japan, many financial interests say that 90 to 100 Japanese companies are expected to be approved for IPO…
Image Credit: Norio Nakayama (licensed under Creative Commons)
Kyoto-headquartered internet company Hatena had earlier submitted an IPO application to the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE), which was approved on Thursday. This is the first IPO approved by the TSE this year.
The company will be listed on the TSE Mothers Market on 24 February with plans to offer 370,000 shares for public subscription and to sell 113,200 shares in over-allotment options, for a total of 385,000 shares. The underwriting will be led by SMBC Nikko Securities. According to the consolidated statement as of July 2015, they posted a revenue of 1.4 billion yen ($11.9 million) and an ordinary profit of 150 million yen ($1.3 million).
Junya Kondo, Founder and Chairman, Hatena
Major shareholders include the company’s founder and chairman Junya Kondo (66.3%) and its employee stock owners. Since its launch back in 2001, the company has been offering several internet services including blogging platform, online bookmarking service and native ad platform. In association with Japanese game giant Nintendo, Hatena developed in 2012 a communication platform for the Nintendo Wii called Miiverse. Hatena derives 30.9% of its revenue from Nintendo.
While 92 companies were IPO-ed in 2015 in Japan, many financial interests say that 90 to 100 Japanese companies are expected to be approved for IPO this year.
See the original story in Japanese. Japanese IoT (Internet of Things) startup Vinclu announced on Monday that it is developing Gatebox, a hologram-based communication robot allowing users to enjoy their daily lives with their favorite 2D character. The company also announced that it has fundraised from several Japanese investors to prepare for the launch of the product by a crowdfunding campaign in the fall of 2016. Participating investors in this round are Incubate Fund, Primal Capital, and iSG Investment Works, in addition to loans from various financial institutions are utilized. The fund gathered totaled some 90 million yen (about $768,000). Along with the funds announced, Hiroshi Sasaki (General Partner, Primal Capital) as external board director and Toru Akaura (General Partner, Incubate Fund) as auditor, joined the management board of Vinclu. As for details such as the third-party shareholdings ratio and fund transfer date have not been disclosed. Now, some very intriguing products and approaches. As shown in the moving pictures Gatebox has a 2D character as a hologram projected inside the box which can be spoken to for provision such as turning on lamps and setting the alarm. Vinclu CEO Minori Takechi notes that in principle the hologram tech as…
Japanese IoT (Internet of Things) startup Vinclu announced on Monday that it is developing Gatebox, a hologram-based communication robot allowing users to enjoy their daily lives with their favorite 2D character. The company also announced that it has fundraised from several Japanese investors to prepare for the launch of the product by a crowdfunding campaign in the fall of 2016. Participating investors in this round are Incubate Fund, Primal Capital, and iSG Investment Works, in addition to loans from various financial institutions are utilized.
The fund gathered totaled some 90 million yen (about $768,000). Along with the funds announced, Hiroshi Sasaki (General Partner, Primal Capital) as external board director and Toru Akaura (General Partner, Incubate Fund) as auditor, joined the management board of Vinclu. As for details such as the third-party shareholdings ratio and fund transfer date have not been disclosed.
The Vinclu investor/founder team
Now, some very intriguing products and approaches. As shown in the moving pictures Gatebox has a 2D character as a hologram projected inside the box which can be spoken to for provision such as turning on lamps and setting the alarm. Vinclu CEO Minori Takechi notes that in principle the hologram tech as well as the boxtop projector were those used at a Miku Hatsune concert.
There are outlooks that during 2016 the Smart Home will become commonplace upon dissemination and in fact many startups related to smart locks and security in Japan.
As of now the role of robots in the Smart Home is within the “home controller” realm. The development of social media our lives have come to adopt lifelogs and updates online without being conscious of them.
Although at first glance the gatebox 2D character is a product with strong “geeky” features, but it is characterized as a versatile controller which makes everyday life smarter. Again as shown before in the moving pictures (and as indicated by the prototype) it is now at the simple consumer electronics control and character operations stage that henceforth is seen operating on respective storage data.
Yet according to Takechi, although specific moves are not ready his main goal currently is to enhance the corporate structure in time for a crowdfunding campaign in the fall.
Recently in Japan SoftBank’s Pepper has shown the possibilities, and this year’s CES saw several Japanese companies garnering attention across the Pacific in Las Vegas. On the other hand there are recurrent problems with robots that constantly require maintenance and occupy space. In view of this the Vinclu software approach that is constantly updated online through use of a hologram offers new possibilities.
Personally (though ignoring the visual aspects) this software approach is seen becoming the ultimate family use form. As an aside, Takechi’s explanation was that not only is the hologram just “for the box” but can be “materialized” in the room as well.
Translated by “Tex” Pomeroy Edited by Masaru Ikeda
Osaka-based Chatwork, a Japanese startup that operates a cloud-based chat tool for business under the same name, announced today that it has fundraised 1.5 billion yen ($12.8 million) in a series B round from Jafco, Shinsei Corporate Investment, SMBC Venture Capital, and GMO Venture Partners. This follows the company’s previous $2.5 million funding in April 2015. The latest funding means the company has raised 1.8 billion yen ($15.3 million) to date. Since its launch in March of 2011, the Chatwork app has been providing a business chat environment for corporate users, with features like group chat, task management, file management, and video conferencing. They are serving 86,000 corporate users worldwide, many of whom are small and medium-size enterprises. With the funding, the company will boost service expansion in the United States and Asian markets, aiming to acquire 150,000 companies as users in three years. See also: Japan’s Chatwork brings its business chat tool to Europe Edited by Kurt Hanson
Osaka-based Chatwork, a Japanese startup that operates a cloud-based chat tool for business under the same name, announced today that it has fundraised 1.5 billion yen ($12.8 million) in a series B round from Jafco, Shinsei Corporate Investment, SMBC Venture Capital, and GMO Venture Partners. This follows the company’s previous $2.5 million funding in April 2015. The latest funding means the company has raised 1.8 billion yen ($15.3 million) to date.
Since its launch in March of 2011, the Chatwork app has been providing a business chat environment for corporate users, with features like group chat, task management, file management, and video conferencing. They are serving 86,000 corporate users worldwide, many of whom are small and medium-size enterprises. With the funding, the company will boost service expansion in the United States and Asian markets, aiming to acquire 150,000 companies as users in three years.
Fukuoka-based Skydisc, a Japanese startup focused on developing detachable sensors and cloud services for data management, announced on Wednesday that it has fundraised 100 million yen (about $855,000) from three Japanese VC firms. Participating investors are Nissay Capital (investment arm of Japan’s leading insurance company) , Archetype Ventures (investment arm of Archetype), and Fukuoka-based VC firm Dogan. Since its launch back in October of 2013, Skydisc has been developing a variety of detachable sensor devices and the cloud for storing, then analyzing data from these devices. Prior to founding Skydisc, the company’s founder and CEO Osamu Hashimoto had been committed to the study of data analysis using high-speed distributed processing at Kyushu University. He was also developing sensor devices to acquire data in the study, which led him to launch the Skydisc business. Ginga Box, the company’s flagship sensor product line-up, allows users to choose up to three detachable sensors out of 14 different sensors to plug into a circuit board. Data acquired with these sensors can be monitored on Ginga Cloud, the company’s data management and analysis platform. Skydisc’s devices typically can detect temperature, humidity, three-axis acceleration, carbon dioxide concentration, and PM2.5 (particulate matter 2.5) concentration so that it…
Skydisc’s Ginga Box detachable sensor series (Image: Fukuoka Startup Selection, Fukuoka City Office)
Fukuoka-based Skydisc, a Japanese startup focused on developing detachable sensors and cloud services for data management, announced on Wednesday that it has fundraised 100 million yen (about $855,000) from three Japanese VC firms. Participating investors are Nissay Capital (investment arm of Japan’s leading insurance company) , Archetype Ventures (investment arm of Archetype), and Fukuoka-based VC firm Dogan. Since its launch back in October of 2013, Skydisc has been developing a variety of detachable sensor devices and the cloud for storing, then analyzing data from these devices.
Prior to founding Skydisc, the company’s founder and CEO Osamu Hashimoto had been committed to the study of data analysis using high-speed distributed processing at Kyushu University. He was also developing sensor devices to acquire data in the study, which led him to launch the Skydisc business.
Ginga Box, the company’s flagship sensor product line-up, allows users to choose up to three detachable sensors out of 14 different sensors to plug into a circuit board. Data acquired with these sensors can be monitored on Ginga Cloud, the company’s data management and analysis platform.
Skydisc’s devices typically can detect temperature, humidity, three-axis acceleration, carbon dioxide concentration, and PM2.5 (particulate matter 2.5) concentration so that it can be applied to environment managing businesses, logistics and distribution, agriculture, and other business sectors. Especially for the agricultural industry, Skydisc already started offering an optimized package called Hatamori, literally meaning vegetable field keeper.
The company claims that they will use the funds to solidify management foundation, hire talents to strengthen developing sensors and analyzing acquired data, in addition to polishing up the product management process for mass-manufactured sensor devices.
Skydisc CEO Osamu Hashimoto delivers his pitch at Myojo Waraku 2015, Fukuoka, Japan
Yukari Mitsuhashi
Masaru Ikeda
Takeshi Hirano
