news

Preparing for an IPO, Japan’s business chat tool provider Chatwork raises $2.5 million

Junya Mori 2015.04.27

See the original story in Japanese. 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 300 million yen ($2.5 million) from GMO Venture Partners. The funds will be used to hire engineers to strengthen system development, promotional efforts for user acquisitions, and partnering with other companies. Chatwork will greatly expand business in Asia, leveraging GMO Venture Partners’ massive links with startup ecosystems and payment networks in the region. Headquartered in Osaka, Chatwork has regional offices in Tokyo and Silicon Valley. The company is a 35-person team, but will grow to over 100 people within a few years. Chatwork plans to release the tool’s version 4.0 in this year, rolling out a fully-renewed interface of the mobile app, strengthening task management and video conference functions, developing a desktop app, and officially launching an application programming interface (API). Since its launch in 2000, Chatwork has been bootstrapping the business in positive balance. With the funding, the company will focus on strengthening its business structure and product development. The company is today preparing for an IPO. Translated by Masaru Ikeda Edited by Kurt Hanson and “Tex” Pomeroy

ryu-muramatsu-toshiyuki-yamamoto — From the left: GMO Venture Partners’ founding partner Ryu Muramatsu, Chatwork CEO Toshiyuki Yamamoto

See the original story in Japanese.

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 300 million yen ($2.5 million) from GMO Venture Partners. The funds will be used to hire engineers to strengthen system development, promotional efforts for user acquisitions, and partnering with other companies.

Chatwork will greatly expand business in Asia, leveraging GMO Venture Partners’ massive links with startup ecosystems and payment networks in the region. Headquartered in Osaka, Chatwork has regional offices in Tokyo and Silicon Valley. The company is a 35-person team, but will grow to over 100 people within a few years.

Chatwork plans to release the tool’s version 4.0 in this year, rolling out a fully-renewed interface of the mobile app, strengthening task management and video conference functions, developing a desktop app, and officially launching an application programming interface (API).

Since its launch in 2000, Chatwork has been bootstrapping the business in positive balance. With the funding, the company will focus on strengthening its business structure and product development. The company is today preparing for an IPO.

Translated by Masaru Ikeda
Edited by Kurt Hanson and “Tex” Pomeroy

news

Japan’s leisure booking site Asoview secures $5 million from travel giant JTB Group, others

Junya Mori 2015.04.22

This is the abridged version of our original article in Japanese. Tokyo-based Asoview (previously known as Catarizm), the company behind an online leisure booking site under the same, announced today that it has partnered with Japanese travel agent company JTB Group. Upon this announcement, Asoview also announced it has secured 600 million yen ($5 million) funding in the round led by JTB Group with participation from YJ Capital, Jafco, and Globis Capital Partners. Asoview and JTB Group will join forces in online sales, running promotional campaigns to motivate more foreigners to visit Japan towards the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, as well as developing additional services such as benefit packages for businesses. Asoview was incorporated in March 2011. Since the launch of the service back in July 2012, Asoview has been providing 6,000 excursion programs in 300 genres in partnership with more than 2,000 companies nationwide in Japan. The company previously fundraised about 200 million yen (about $1.7 million) from Global Capital Partners and Jafco in March 2014. See also: Asoview partners with Yahoo Japan, proposes more weekend leisure options CNet Japan Startup Award nominees: Travel startups Asoview and Trippiece Translated by Masaru Ikeda

tomohisa-yamano-hiroki-furuno — From the left: Asoview CEO Tomohisa Yamano, JTB Group vice president Hiroki Furuno

This is the abridged version of our original article in Japanese.

Tokyo-based Asoview (previously known as Catarizm), the company behind an online leisure booking site under the same, announced today that it has partnered with Japanese travel agent company JTB Group. Upon this announcement, Asoview also announced it has secured 600 million yen ($5 million) funding in the round led by JTB Group with participation from YJ Capital, Jafco, and Globis Capital Partners.

Asoview and JTB Group will join forces in online sales, running promotional campaigns to motivate more foreigners to visit Japan towards the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, as well as developing additional services such as benefit packages for businesses.

Asoview was incorporated in March 2011. Since the launch of the service back in July 2012, Asoview has been providing 6,000 excursion programs in 300 genres in partnership with more than 2,000 companies nationwide in Japan. The company previously fundraised about 200 million yen (about $1.7 million) from Global Capital Partners and Jafco in March 2014.

See also:

Translated by Masaru Ikeda

news

Japan’s Akerun smart lock to start shipping soon, expecting to reach 10,000 orders in a year

Junya Mori 2015.04.19

See the original story in Japanese. At the press conference last month, Tokyo-based IoT (Internet of Things) product developer Photosynth announced that it will start shipping a new smart lock product called Akerun on 23 April. They have been accepting pre-orders on their website since almost one month ago. The product will be available for 36,000 yen (about $300) excluding consumption tax. The company aims to sell 10,000 devices in the fiscal year 2015. Akerun is a smart lock that you can attach over an existing thumb turn-type door lock, controllable from smartphones via BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy). It has also the automatic lock function, will automatically detect whether the door is open and lock it when needed just in case that a user forgot to do so. Photosynth is currently applying a patent for the product as an attachable smart lock system as well as the aforementioned automatic lock function. Users can generate spare keys via the mobile app; these keys can be shared with other selected persons using communication channels such as Line or Facebook messaging apps. The target of the product includes hotels, real estate agencies, and shared rooms which typically need to give multiple persons access to…

photosynth-kodai-kawase — Photosynth CEO Kodai Kawase unveils Akerun at the press conference.

See the original story in Japanese.

At the press conference last month, Tokyo-based IoT (Internet of Things) product developer Photosynth announced that it will start shipping a new smart lock product called Akerun on 23 April. They have been accepting pre-orders on their website since almost one month ago. The product will be available for 36,000 yen (about $300) excluding consumption tax. The company aims to sell 10,000 devices in the fiscal year 2015.

Akerun is a smart lock that you can attach over an existing thumb turn-type door lock, controllable from smartphones via BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy). It has also the automatic lock function, will automatically detect whether the door is open and lock it when needed just in case that a user forgot to do so. Photosynth is currently applying a patent for the product as an attachable smart lock system as well as the aforementioned automatic lock function.

Users can generate spare keys via the mobile app; these keys can be shared with other selected persons using communication channels such as Line or Facebook messaging apps.

The target of the product includes hotels, real estate agencies, and shared rooms which typically need to give multiple persons access to a room. This spare key function also supports one-time password and designation of key activation date and time.

Akerun allows users to record room entry and exit logs, so it can be integrated with other services to monitor their children’s home return hours or manage attendance at companies. In partnership with Docomo Ventures, Japan’s largest property search portal company Next (TSE:2120), and Japan’s leading property developer Mitsui Fudosan (TSE:8801), Photosynth will launch derived services based on the smart lock solution, such as 39hotels (allowing hotel guests to enter their room using their BLE-enabled smartphone), Smart Nairan (real estate mediation), and short-time rentals of vacant office spaces.

Regarding future plans, Photosynth CEO Kodai Kawase said that they aim to make the device be something more than a smart lock, like a ‘smart lock robot.’ In the Consumer Electronics Show earlier this year, we could hear many announcements made in the smart home sector. So it will be interesting to see how Akerun can expand business range beyond more than that of a smart lock.

Translated by Kenji Hayakawa via Conyac crowdsourced translation service
Edited by Masaru Ikeda and “Tex” Pomeroy

news

Japanese-led sports-betting startup Kibow snags $840K from CyberAgent Ventures

Junya Mori 2015.04.15

This is the abridged version from our original article in Japanese. Singapore-based Kibow, a Japanese-led startup behind a sports-betting service focused on the mobile sector, has fundraised about 100 million yen (about $838,000) from CyberAgent Ventures and unnamed angel investors. Prior to launching Kibow, the company’s CEO Fumitada Naoe launched a funeral service company called Sanctuary and subsequently sold off the company. Kibow has received a license for sports-betting in the Philippines, and is now working to obtain a license in UK. According to Naoe, there are several online sports-betting companies in UK but many of them cannot keep up with the mobile shift. So this is the space that Kibow wants to get into. Kibow is developing a platform where people can enjoy participating in sports-betting more casually. We expect to launch the service and obtain a license in UK by this year’s end, planning to expand to North America, mainland China, and other Asian markets. Naoe wants to promote minor sports and extreme sports through his sports-betting business. He elaborated: Since minor sports and extreme sports have had limited chance in connecting with core fans, it has been difficult to find a market for monetization. But the higher penetration of the Internet has made…

This is the abridged version from our original article in Japanese.

Singapore-based Kibow, a Japanese-led startup behind a sports-betting service focused on the mobile sector, has fundraised about 100 million yen (about $838,000) from CyberAgent Ventures and unnamed angel investors.

Prior to launching Kibow, the company’s CEO Fumitada Naoe launched a funeral service company called Sanctuary and subsequently sold off the company. Kibow has received a license for sports-betting in the Philippines, and is now working to obtain a license in UK.

According to Naoe, there are several online sports-betting companies in UK but many of them cannot keep up with the mobile shift. So this is the space that Kibow wants to get into.

Kibow is developing a platform where people can enjoy participating in sports-betting more casually. We expect to launch the service and obtain a license in UK by this year’s end, planning to expand to North America, mainland China, and other Asian markets.

Naoe wants to promote minor sports and extreme sports through his sports-betting business. He elaborated:

Since minor sports and extreme sports have had limited chance in connecting with core fans, it has been difficult to find a market for monetization. But the higher penetration of the Internet has made it possible to connect core sports with core fans. There’s no organization supporting this movement, so we’d like to establish a scheme helping such activities in the future.

According to Naoe, his team will also focus on branding, aiming to change the past image of conventional industries in the way Red Bull or GoPro have been doing. The Kibow team considers to host sports events in the future.

Naoe continuted:

kibow-fumitada-naoe — Kibow CEO Fumitada Naoe

We are aiming to be a betting platform where users can enjoy betting but can support athletes at the same time. I think that we can make it possible by leveraging the gamification method.

Whether or not betting on sports has a good impact on society depends on what the concept behind the service is. We want to carefully respect our concept upon development.

I am betting odds will be equalized in the future due to the adoption of artificial intelligence. When it happens, I think that people will want to bet their money based upon which team or player they want to support rather than pursuing profitability.

Translated by Masaru Ikeda
Edited by “Tex” Pomeroy

news

Japanese UX firm Goodpatch expands to Berlin, hoping to import more diversity in designs

Junya Mori 2015.04.15

This is the abridged version from our original article in Japanese. Tokyo-based user experience and interface (UX/UI) design agency Goodpatch announced today that it will launch the first overseas office in Berlin, called Goodpatch Berlin. The company’s executive officer Boris Friedrich Milkowski will be appointed as head for the new office. Goodpatch is well known for having served notable Japanese mobile apps such as news app Gunosy and accounting app Money Forward in improving user experience. The company launched a prototyping tool called Prott last year. See also: Japanese UX design firm Goodpatch raises $1M from Digital Garage Tokyo Office Tour: At new office, Goodpatch preparing official launch of prototyping tool Germany has a profound history of design as represented by the Bauhaus. Goodpatch selected Berlin as the location for its first overseas office because the city has a high profile as a global startup hub. Compared to UK or France, Berlin is easier to live in because of cheaper house rent and living expenses. So many people from all around Europe have moved into Berlin upon expanding their business to different markets in the entire region. Goodpatch CEO Naofumi Tsuchiya loves the UI designs of web services born out of…

This is the abridged version from our original article in Japanese.

Tokyo-based user experience and interface (UX/UI) design agency Goodpatch announced today that it will launch the first overseas office in Berlin, called Goodpatch Berlin. The company’s executive officer Boris Friedrich Milkowski will be appointed as head for the new office.

Goodpatch is well known for having served notable Japanese mobile apps such as news app Gunosy and accounting app Money Forward in improving user experience. The company launched a prototyping tool called Prott last year.

See also:

Germany has a profound history of design as represented by the Bauhaus. Goodpatch selected Berlin as the location for its first overseas office because the city has a high profile as a global startup hub. Compared to UK or France, Berlin is easier to live in because of cheaper house rent and living expenses. So many people from all around Europe have moved into Berlin upon expanding their business to different markets in the entire region.

Goodpatch CEO Naofumi Tsuchiya loves the UI designs of web services born out of Germany, and he has written about many of them on his company’s bilingual blog called Memopatch. Boris found Tsuchiya’s article on the blog and applied to join the team while he was attending Keio Media Design (KMD), the graduate school of media design at Keio University.

Tsuchiya told The Bridge why they have chosen Berlin:

We have been eager to open our overseas office. Initially we were thinking of San Francisco, but the city is already a trending spot, meaning it is not so high priority.

Then Boris graduated from KMD last year and started working with us on a full-time basis. In charge of global marketing of Prott, he had been holding our workshops in Europe and San Francisco. While he is from Munich, we decided to set up an office in Berlin because the city is more interesting.

Goodpatch plans to rotate their employees between the Tokyo headquarters and the Berlin office, aiming to let them experience more diversity and inspiration in designs. Going forward, the company wants to help Japanese companies expand their business to the European market.

Goodpatch shares its Berlin office with Mimi, the Berlin-based startup developing an app for the hearing impaired. The address is Neue Schönhauser Straße 19, 10178 Berlin.

milkowski-tsuchiya — From the right: Goodpatch CEO Naofumi Tsuchiya, Head-designate for Goodpatch Berlin Boris Friedrich Milkowski

Translated by Masaru Ikeda
Edited by “Tex” Pomeroy

news

Japan’s KDDI buys members-only premium outlet site Luxa

KDDI
luxa

Junya Mori 2015.04.14

See the original story in Japanese. Japan’s leading telco, KDDI, will take a majority stake in Tokyo-based Luxa, the company behind a premium outlet e-commerce site under the same name. Luxa’s shareholders are Japanese VC firm Jafco, Tokyo-based startup BizReach, and KDDI. Upon this agreement, Luxa is expected to become a consolidated subsidiary of KDDI. The e-commerce site provides a variety of time-limited or quantity-limited items, including designer-branded fashion items, consumer electronics, cosmetics, and apparel that are carefully selected by the company’s buyers. Luxa was initially launched as a business of BizReach in August 2010 but was spun off in October 2010 because BizReach shifted its focus to an online premium job hunting and talent search site under the same name. Subsequently Luxa secured 500 million yen funding from Jafco in November 2010, followed by closing series B round worth 500 million yen ($5.3 million) from JAFCO Super V3 Fund in March 2013.

See the original story in Japanese.

Japan’s leading telco, KDDI, will take a majority stake in Tokyo-based Luxa, the company behind a premium outlet e-commerce site under the same name.

Luxa’s shareholders are Japanese VC firm Jafco, Tokyo-based startup BizReach, and KDDI. Upon this agreement, Luxa is expected to become a consolidated subsidiary of KDDI.

The e-commerce site provides a variety of time-limited or quantity-limited items, including designer-branded fashion items, consumer electronics, cosmetics, and apparel that are carefully selected by the company’s buyers.

Luxa was initially launched as a business of BizReach in August 2010 but was spun off in October 2010 because BizReach shifted its focus to an online premium job hunting and talent search site under the same name. Subsequently Luxa secured 500 million yen funding from Jafco in November 2010, followed by closing series B round worth 500 million yen ($5.3 million) from JAFCO Super V3 Fund in March 2013.

In September 2013, the company raised 330 million yen ($3.3 million) from KDDI Open Innovation Fund, the fund operated by Japanese telco KDDI and Global Brain, and started providing limited-offer discounts to mobile subscribers via au SmartPass, the telco’s flat-rate app subscription program.

Translated by Masaru Ikeda
Edited by Kurt Hanson
Proofread by “Tex” Pomeroy

news

CyberAgent Ventures now accepting startups from Asia to pitch at Rising Expo 2015 in Tokyo

Junya Mori 2015.04.10

See the original story in Japanese. Japanese startup-focused VC firm CyberAgent Ventures announced earlier this week that it has started accepting applications for pitches at Rising Expo 2015 in Japan, the company’s annual startup conference to be held in Tokyo on 7 August. Prior to that, they will hold regional qualifier events in Southeast Asia and South Korea in June. See also: 15 startups pitch at Rising Expo 2014 finals, regional winners from around Asia take part Venue rental marketplace Space Market wins top prize at Rising Expo 2014 The Southeast Asia edition invited 13 startups, 30 VC firms, and 10 business enterprises in Jakarta last year while eight startups and 15 VC firms participated in the South Korea edition in Seoul last year. From Japan, 15 startups, 60 VC firms and 60 enterprises participated in the Tokyo edition last year. According to CyberAgent Ventures, startups having participated in the last year’s event fundraised over 4 billion yen ($33 million), meaning each participating company fundraised over 300 million yen ($2.5 million) on average. Regional events and finals are scheduled to take place on the following dates: Rising Expo in Southeast Asia (Jakarta) … 25 June 2015, Thursday Rising Expo in…

See the original story in Japanese.

Japanese startup-focused VC firm CyberAgent Ventures announced earlier this week that it has started accepting applications for pitches at Rising Expo 2015 in Japan, the company’s annual startup conference to be held in Tokyo on 7 August. Prior to that, they will hold regional qualifier events in Southeast Asia and South Korea in June.

See also:

The Southeast Asia edition invited 13 startups, 30 VC firms, and 10 business enterprises in Jakarta last year while eight startups and 15 VC firms participated in the South Korea edition in Seoul last year. From Japan, 15 startups, 60 VC firms and 60 enterprises participated in the Tokyo edition last year.

According to CyberAgent Ventures, startups having participated in the last year’s event fundraised over 4 billion yen ($33 million), meaning each participating company fundraised over 300 million yen ($2.5 million) on average.

Regional events and finals are scheduled to take place on the following dates:

Rising Expo in Southeast Asia (Jakarta) … 25 June 2015, Thursday
Rising Expo in Korea (Seoul) … In June 2015 but no exact date yet announced
Rising Expo in Japan (Tokyo) … 7 August 2015, Friday

They have started receiving applications for Rising Expo 2015 in Southeast Asia, which will take place in Jakarta on 25 June. Startups exploring funding opportunities or business partnerships should not miss this opportunity.

Translated by Masaru Ikeda
Edited by Kurt Hanson

news

Japan’s Metaps ties up with Yukai Engineering to help robotics companies make money

Junya Mori 2015.04.07

See the original story in Japanese. Tokyo-based Metaps, the startup best known for an app monetization platform using artificial intelligence, partnered with Japanese robotics and hardware startup Yukai Engineering towards launching a monetization platform for robotics startups. The new platform is called Metaps Robotics and willed be launched after this summer. See also: Japan’s Metaps secures $35.7M series C round to strengthen big data business Yukai Engineering pushes the limits of Japanese hardware creativity Yukai Engineering has developed social communications robots such as Coconatch and Bocco, having extensive experiences in developing products utilizing internet and sensors. Joining forces, the two companies will try to establish a new business model leveraging the cloud, sensor, hardware technologies and apps to help drive the development of the robotics industry. CEO Katsuaki Sato explained how Metaps will monetize the new platform: We plan to monetize the new platform with advertising, setting up a scheme where developers and we will share revenue. In addition to smartphones, homes and cars will also deliver the right information to the right people at the right time. So the role of advertising will be also changed. Translated by Masaru Ikeda Edited by Kurt Hanson Proofread by “Tex” Pomeroy

See the original story in Japanese.

Tokyo-based Metaps, the startup best known for an app monetization platform using artificial intelligence, partnered with Japanese robotics and hardware startup Yukai Engineering towards launching a monetization platform for robotics startups. The new platform is called Metaps Robotics and willed be launched after this summer.

See also:

Yukai Engineering has developed social communications robots such as Coconatch and Bocco, having extensive experiences in developing products utilizing internet and sensors. Joining forces, the two companies will try to establish a new business model leveraging the cloud, sensor, hardware technologies and apps to help drive the development of the robotics industry.

CEO Katsuaki Sato explained how Metaps will monetize the new platform:

We plan to monetize the new platform with advertising, setting up a scheme where developers and we will share revenue. In addition to smartphones, homes and cars will also deliver the right information to the right people at the right time. So the role of advertising will be also changed.

Translated by Masaru Ikeda
Edited by Kurt Hanson
Proofread by “Tex” Pomeroy

news

Japan’s adaptive learning tech startup Polyglots secures estimated $292,000 in seed round

Junya Mori 2015.03.31

See the original story in Japanese. Tokyo-based Polyglots, a Japanese startup that developed an English newsreader app under the same name, has secured funding from East Ventures in a seed round. Funding details have not been disclosed but it’s likely worth around 35 million yen or $292,000. The mobile app is available for iOS and Android, allowing Japanese users to learn English while reading news updates with many useful features such as managing unfamiliar English words in the app. Polyglots’ adaptive learning engine enables the app to offer optimized content for each user according to his or her learning progress. Since its launch eight months ago, the app has attracted over 140,000 users through viral marketing. The company plans to use the funds to strengthen their business foundation and increase the variety of content. Translated by Masaru Ikeda Edited by Kurt Hanson Proofread by “Tex” Pomeroy

See the original story in Japanese.

Tokyo-based Polyglots, a Japanese startup that developed an English newsreader app under the same name, has secured funding from East Ventures in a seed round. Funding details have not been disclosed but it’s likely worth around 35 million yen or $292,000.

The mobile app is available for iOS and Android, allowing Japanese users to learn English while reading news updates with many useful features such as managing unfamiliar English words in the app.

Polyglots’ adaptive learning engine enables the app to offer optimized content for each user according to his or her learning progress. Since its launch eight months ago, the app has attracted over 140,000 users through viral marketing. The company plans to use the funds to strengthen their business foundation and increase the variety of content.

Translated by Masaru Ikeda
Edited by Kurt Hanson
Proofread by “Tex” Pomeroy

news

Asia’s mobile flea market app Duriana raises $2.5 million from Beenos, others

Junya Mori 2015.03.31

See the original story in Japanese. Duriana Internet, a Malaysia- and the Philippines-based startup that provides mobile flea market app Duriana, has secured $2.5 million from Japanese internet company Beenos (TSE:3328) and existing investors, as well as Austria-/Singapore-based VC firm Alps Ventures. Beenos takes an over 10% stake in Duriana upon this round. In view of Beenos’ investment in this sector, the company invested in Fablic, the Japanese startup behind flea market app Fril, back in August of 2012. Duriana has listed over 600,000 items to date, providing an escrow system called Duriana Safe Payments, which assures safety for peer-to-peer transactions between users. Translated by Masaru Ikeda Edited by “Tex” Pomeroy

See the original story in Japanese.

Duriana Internet, a Malaysia- and the Philippines-based startup that provides mobile flea market app Duriana, has secured $2.5 million from Japanese internet company Beenos (TSE:3328) and existing investors, as well as Austria-/Singapore-based VC firm Alps Ventures.

Beenos takes an over 10% stake in Duriana upon this round. In view of Beenos’ investment in this sector, the company invested in Fablic, the Japanese startup behind flea market app Fril, back in August of 2012.

Duriana has listed over 600,000 items to date, providing an escrow system called Duriana Safe Payments, which assures safety for peer-to-peer transactions between users.

Translated by Masaru Ikeda
Edited by “Tex” Pomeroy

Junya Mori

Articles

Preparing for an IPO, Japan’s business chat tool provider Chatwork raises $2.5 million

Japan’s leisure booking site Asoview secures $5 million from travel giant JTB Group, others

Japan’s Akerun smart lock to start shipping soon, expecting to reach 10,000 orders in a year

Japanese-led sports-betting startup Kibow snags $840K from CyberAgent Ventures

Japanese UX firm Goodpatch expands to Berlin, hoping to import more diversity in designs

Japan’s KDDI buys members-only premium outlet site Luxa

CyberAgent Ventures now accepting startups from Asia to pitch at Rising Expo 2015 in Tokyo

Japan’s Metaps ties up with Yukai Engineering to help robotics companies make money

Japan’s adaptive learning tech startup Polyglots secures estimated $292,000 in seed round

Asia’s mobile flea market app Duriana raises $2.5 million from Beenos, others

Recent Articles

Trends

Junya Mori

Articles

Related news

Related news

Related news

Related news

Related news

Related news

Related news

Related news

Related news

Related news

Recent Articles

Trends