akippa Inc.
Tokyo, JP · 12 known investors
akippa operates a parking marketplace that connects available parking spaces with drivers who need them, letting owners list spaces and users reserve them. Based in Japan, the service has grown to over 5 million registered users and aims to build a broader mobility platform.
Also known as akippa · akippa株式会社 · アキッパ
Founders & leadership
Investors · 12
Also in the syndicate · 10
Company profile
researched Aug 2026akippa Inc. (akippa株式会社) operates "akippa," a parking marketplace that matches drivers seeking affordable parking with owners of underused space. Supply comes from unused monthly parking spaces, vacant garages, open lots and commercial facilities, and individual owners can list space such as a home driveway or vacant land with no initial investment. Drivers search by station name, place name or parking lot address, filter by date, vehicle type and availability, and reserve and pay in advance by credit card through the mobile app or website; reservations can be as short as 15 minutes and all listed lots have maximum charges. Receipts can be issued for business use.
The company frames the parking marketplace as the starting point of a broader effort to resolve friction in physical travel and in-person meetings. In May 2019 it added long-term reservations on request, starting from one month. Alongside the consumer marketplace, akippa works with event organizers, sports clubs and local governments, handling official parking for festivals and fireworks events and holding sponsorship and cooperation arrangements with J.League football clubs.
Business model
Two-sided marketplace: space owners (individuals and businesses) list unused parking capacity, and drivers reserve and pre-pay for it via the akippa app or website. Owner earnings are based on actual usage, so owners incur no fixed costs in months without bookings, and users pay no monthly fees.
Revenue derives from paid parking reservations transacted on the platform, with drivers paying in advance by credit card and owners compensated in proportion to usage.
Traction
Registered users grew from over 1.3 million as of July 2019 to more than 5.5 million, with over 55,000 reservable parking spaces available at any given time as of the end of July 2026; the Android app has over 500,000 downloads.
Latest developments
In August 2026 akippa announced approval for listing on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Standard Market, reported a No. 1 ranking for number of reservable parking spaces listed, renewed its official sponsorship with J1 club Cerezo Osaka, announced cooperation with Mito HollyHock, and took on official parking reception for events including UNAGI ROCK FESTIVAL 2026. In July 2026 it announced that registered users surpassed 5.5 million.
▸Full profile — market position, technology, go-to-market, geography, history
Market position
Describes itself as holding the largest number of parking spaces in Japan's reserved/shared parking segment, and announced in August 2026 that it ranked No. 1 for number of reservable parking spaces listed. It positions itself as an alternative to conventional coin parking operators such as Times and Mitsui Repark.
Inventory of otherwise unavailable space — monthly parking spaces, private garages and vacant land — offered with advance reservation and guaranteed availability, 15-minute booking increments, capped maximum charges, and pricing positioned below conventional coin parking.
Technology
Consumer mobile applications (Android app distributed on Google Play) and a web service handling parking search, availability display, reservation in 15-minute increments and card payment, plus an owner-side listing interface within the app.
Go-to-market
Direct-to-consumer distribution via mobile app stores and the web, supported by media coverage of the service, official parking operations for festivals and events, and partnerships and sponsorships with J.League football clubs such as Cerezo Osaka and Mito HollyHock.
Drivers needing parking near event venues, travel and sightseeing destinations, residential areas without coin parking, and business travellers making appointments by car; on the supply side, individuals and businesses with unused parking spaces, garages, vacant land or commercial facility lots.
Geography
Japan; headquarters at Namba Parks Tower 14F, 2-10-70 Nambanaka, Naniwa-ku, Osaka. Events and partnerships span multiple prefectures, including Osaka, Ibaraki, Yamagata and Tokushima.
History
The company was established in February 2009 and is led by representative director and CEO Motoki Kanaya. It raised third-party allotment financing from corporate and financial investors in 2017 and 2018, expanded the service with long-term (from one month) reservations in May 2019, is designated under Japan's J-Startup program, and in August 2026 announced approval for listing on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Standard Market.
Compiled by commissioned research from 8 cited public sources — announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.
Key figures
latest reportedCompany-reported or press-reported figures, each dated to when it was claimed — not independently audited.
Timeline · 9
launches, deals, and filingsakippa announced it obtained the No. 1 position for number of reservable parking spaces listed.
The company announced receipt of approval for listing on the Standard Market of the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
akippa handles reception for official parking at the festival.
akippa began offering long-term reservations by request, starting from one month.
Private placement of common shares for gross proceeds of ¥810,000,000, including new investors Japan Post Capital, Nippon Rent-A-Car Service, FFG Venture Business Partners, Chubu-Nippon Broadcasting, Chishima Real Estate and JR East Start UP, plus existing investor Sumitomo Corporation.
akippa announced gross proceeds of ¥40,570,000, with participation from SI Regional Creation Fund L.P (co-managed by The Senshu Ikeda Bank and the Regional Economy Revitalization Corporation of Japan), existing investor Sumitomo Corporation, SI Sogyo Ouen Fund, Nankai Electric Railway, Hankyu Corporation, Chishima Real Estate, Chubu-Nippon Broadcasting, Japan Post Holdings, Fukuoka Financial Group's asset management arm, JR East Start UP and Nippon Rent-A-Car Service.
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
▸Research sources · 8
primary sources listed
- akippa Inc.akippa.co.jp · web
8 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does akippa Inc. do?
- akippa operates a Japanese parking marketplace letting owners list unused spaces and drivers reserve them by app or web.
- Who founded akippa Inc.?
- akippa Inc. was founded by 金谷 元気.
- Who are akippa Inc.'s investors?
- akippa Inc.'s investors include Globis Capital Partners, JR East Start UP.
- Where is akippa Inc. headquartered?
- akippa Inc. is headquartered in Tokyo, JP.