Marketplaces Startups

A matchmaking platform that connects clients with vetted video/content production studios, handling team recommendations, quotes, portfolio comparison, 1:1 consultation, meeting scheduling, contracts, and payment management. Production companies bid on project requests, allowing clients to compare studios and pricing in one place.

2 investors

ADDress operates a multi-location residential service in Japan that allows members to live across different cities and rural areas through access to vacant properties and vacation homes on a flat monthly subscription. The company addresses rural depopulation and urban isolation by enabling a distributed lifestyle that connects people to regional communities.

2 investors

A marketplace that aggregates scholarship information for Japanese students at all education levels, offering search functionality, personalized recommendations, and educational content about scholarship options and application processes.

2 investors

Bankers operates a loan-based crowdfunding investment service that pools money from individual investors to lend to companies, returning distributions from the interest those companies pay. It offers fixed-yield funds with minimum investments from 10,000 yen and terms from one month, screened by financial professionals, in Japan.

2 investors

Creema operates a creator empowerment platform and related businesses, serving creative professionals and artisans. The company builds marketplaces and services in the creator economy space.

2 investors

Spacee operates a space-matching service offering meeting rooms, shared offices, rental spaces, and single-person work booths that users can book by the hour. The company serves individuals and businesses in Japan looking for flexible workspaces and third places.

2 investors

Lancers operates a Japanese online marketplace connecting individuals and companies for outsourced work, including freelance and side-job matching services. The company launched Japan's first business-outsourcing platform "Lancers" and offers talent services supporting smart management for businesses.

2 investors

Asuiku (あすいく) is a Japanese service that lets parents search for and book spots at vetted short-term/temporary childcare facilities via smartphone and LINE, including weekend and same-day reservations. It also offers experiential and lesson-based childcare programs (e.g. English, rhythmics, calligraphy, and company-tie-in events) across 110+ partner facilities in the Tokyo metropolitan area.

2 investors

SmartRyde operates an online marketplace connecting taxi operators and travel agencies with international travellers to book airport-to-hotel ground transportation. Founded in 2017, the company aims to build a Global Distribution System (GDS) for ground transportation serving travellers worldwide.

2 investors

Audiostock is a Japanese online marketplace offering royalty-free music, sound effects, voice, and songs (over 1 million tracks) for commercial use in video, YouTube, games, apps, ads, and broadcast. It connects a network of 40,000+ music creators with buyers via single purchases or subscription plans, and offers API, dataset, and licensing options for businesses.

2 investors

Toysub is a toy subscription service that curates and delivers educational toys—ranging from traditional wooden items to modern electronic toys—to parents with young children, emphasizing parent-child interaction. The service operates on a sharing model where toys are returned and cycled to other families, reducing toy waste and promoting sustainable consumption practices.

2 investors

Nightley Inc. provides location intelligence services focused on analyzing Japanese residents and travelers, and supporting inbound tourism and urban development through its CITY INSIGHT and inbound insight platforms.

2 investors

"となりの執事さん" is a Japan-wide on-site installation service where the company's professionals visit customers to set up products such as mirror-type dashcams, outdoor security cameras, air conditioners, and smart door locks. Customers book the service (often purchased alongside the product on Amazon) via an app or web form, with flat-rate nationwide pricing.

2 investors

Retailer of authenticated autographed memorabilia and collectibles, primarily sports and entertainment signatures verified by reputable authentication services.

1 investor

GroovyX runs a global medical tourism business, helping Korean hospitals attract international patients through a system that combines its platform, data, and operations. It provides hospital marketing, digital advertising, data-driven growth strategy, and B2B partnerships focused on the Korean aesthetic/cosmetic medicine market.

1 investor

GroupBy aggregates startup job postings into a single place, letting candidates browse and apply to open positions across companies. The platform presents listings with role details, company information, and benefits for job seekers in South Korea.

1 investor

DiEnde is a subculture digital content company that specializes in the localization and distribution of manga, webtoons, doujinshi, and light novels, operating primarily between Korea and Japan. It handles licensing, translation, typesetting, review, and distribution to deliver Japanese content to Korean readers with a shortened release lead time.

1 investor

LiveX runs an on-demand platform for beauty professionals, providing salon space, equipment, operations, and marketing services along with online beauty education and consumer beauty products. It operates several brands spanning premium salons, beauty training, and cosmetics, with a focus on the Korean and Japanese markets.

1 investor

RachelBlue, Inc. is a South Korean company focused on sustainability through technology, operating a value-driven consumption platform called SFORE that lets users swap and reuse eco-friendly products. It also provides Green IT consulting and solutions, as well as settlement and administrative business-support services for corporate and institutional clients.

1 investor

Breeding is a South Korean service that connects dog owners with professional trainers through in-home, group, and video classes covering behavior correction, puppy training, and socialization. It also offers AI-based tools for behavior diagnosis and translation, along with self-training programs and yard/lodging rentals for dogs.

1 investor

Seoul Bund is an online marketplace selling curated craft and lifestyle goods such as tableware, kitchenware, tea ware, and traditional crafts, featuring works from individual makers and artisans. The site highlights maker interviews and exclusive products for consumers interested in handcrafted design items.

1 investor

An online retailer selling pre-owned, authenticated luxury goods, such as a used Louis Vuitton Melie Empreinte handbag. The product is listed with detailed condition grading and discounted resale pricing.

1 investor

Weddingbook is a mobile app for wedding planning in South Korea, helping couples find and get recommendations for wedding venues (halls) and create free digital wedding invitations. It also offers a store and benefits/deals for wedding preparation.

1 investor

Currency United operates Cuunit, a consumer-driven currency exchange platform aimed at recirculating idle foreign currency and reducing the time and cost of foreign exchange. The company targets individual consumers seeking transparent and reliable currency exchange.

1 investor