Novarca Inc.
7 known investors
Operates a cross-border business platform.
Also known as NOVARCA · Novarca CHINA · Trend Express · TrendExpress · 数慧光(上海)商務諮詢有限公司 · 株式会社NOVARCA · 株式会社トレンドExpress
Founders & leadership
Investors · 7
Also in the syndicate · 1
Company profile
researched Aug 2026Novarca Inc. (株式会社NOVARCA, formerly Trend Express / 株式会社トレンドExpress) operates a cross-border business platform that supports Japanese companies expanding into overseas markets, with a focus on China and Greater China as well as ASEAN, Western markets and overseas Chinese communities. The platform combines data analysis, marketing and promotion planning, distribution and sales support, integrating stages of the value chain from product development and demand forecasting through research, advertising, distribution and CRM.
A core line of business is social commerce and live commerce distribution, including support for selling on Douyin (the Chinese version of TikTok) and its cross-border commerce channel Douyin EC Global, using social sellers to drive demand. The company also provides comprehensive data-driven marketing and promotion planning and execution, building on its original social big data analysis technology.
Novarca is headquartered at KANDA SQUARE in Kanda Nishiki-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, and operates a wholly owned Shanghai subsidiary, Novarca CHINA (Shuhuiguang (Shanghai) Consulting Co., Ltd.), whose chairman and general manager is Director and COO Yoshihiro Nakazawa. Other listed officers include CSO Tomoya Kurasawa, outside directors Osamu Funatsu, Tatsuya Nakamura, Hiroaki Yasutake and Yi Ren, and executive officers Tamaki Kambayashi, Takeshi Sasagawa and Keita Shimakura.
Compiled by commissioned research from 5 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 · 15
launches, deals, and filingsNakazawa became Director/Vice President and COO while also serving as chairman and general manager of the Shanghai entity; Takeshi Sasagawa and Keita Shimakura were appointed executive officers in the same month.
Moved head office to KANDA SQUARE 11F, 2-2-1 Kanda Nishiki-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, to accommodate headcount growth.
Trend Express changed its corporate name to 株式会社NOVARCA (Novarca Inc.), combining 'NOVA' and 'ARCA', and adopted a new mission, 'A new normal beyond borders', framing the change as a second founding period.
Announced a Series C financing from investors including Globis Capital Partners and JIC Venture Growth Investments to accelerate the cross-border business platform, with investment in technology and hiring.
Started supporting Japanese brands opening stores on Douyin's cross-border e-commerce channel 抖音電商全球購 (Douyin EC Global).
Received the highest 'Diamond' grade, the only Japanese company to do so, under Ocean Engine Japan's FY2021 certified agency system for Douyin distribution services.
Announced a service to create touchpoints between Japanese brands and Chinese consumers as a replacement for inbound tourism demand.
CEO Tomonari Hamano became project leader (instructor) of the 'New China Marketing' course at NewsPicks NewSchool.
Announced a merger integrating its wholly owned Chinese subsidiary with a partner company.
The business was carved out of Hotto Link Inc. and incorporated as 株式会社トレンドExpress (Trend Express), co-founded by CEO Tomonari Hamano and Yoshihiro Nakazawa.
The business was started in November 2015 as a new venture inside Hotto Link Inc. (TSE Mothers: 3680).
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
▸Research sources · 5
primary sources listed
- NOVARCA Inc.｜Cross-border business platform, social commerce, cross-border EC supportnovarca.jp · web
5 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does Novarca Inc. do?
- Tokyo-based cross-border business platform helping Japanese brands sell in China, ASEAN and Western markets via social commerce and data.
- Who founded Novarca Inc.?
- Novarca Inc. was founded by Tomonari Hamano.
- Who are Novarca Inc.'s investors?
- Novarca Inc.'s investors include Dentsu Ventures, Dnx Ventures, Globis Capital Partners, Japan Post Capital Co. Ltd., Payforward, Prime Partners.