Retail Tech Startups

Esper is an AI-powered e-commerce analytics tool that automatically analyzes sales data, advertising spend, and contributing factors, and forecasts future sales. It provides improvement recommendations and 24/7 monitoring through a simple interface aimed at making consulting-style EC analysis accessible to non-experts.

1 investor

Tokyo Base is a fashion company that creates and operates multiple apparel and lifestyle brands for global markets. The company manages over 100 retail shops worldwide under brands including STUDIOUS, THE TOKYO, UNITED TOKYO, and others.

1 investor

True Data operates a big-data platform handling purchase data at the scale of about 60 million people, providing ID-POS and POS data analysis for consumer goods manufacturers, retailers, and marketers. Its services support product development, marketing strategy, area marketing, and AI-driven optimization of flyers and direct mail in Japan.

1 investor

USEN provides an integrated suite of store-operation services for Japanese businesses, especially restaurants and retail shops, including POS registers, cashless payment (USEN PAY), reservation systems, in-store BGM/music streaming, network/Wi-Fi, IP telephony, security cameras, digital signage, robotics, insurance, and business-opening support. Its offerings target physical store operators looking to digitize and manage day-to-day operations.

1 investor

Pricey (プライシー) is a shopping assistant app that tracks products on a user's watchlist and sends notifications when prices drop or items are restocked. It offers price comparison across more than 50 e-commerce sites and price history charts to help consumers decide when to buy.

1 investor

Inglewood is a Japanese retail-tech company that supports retailers across strategy, product development, sales channel selection, promotion, and fulfillment, drawing on data and knowledge from operating its own e-commerce brands. It also offers AI/ML tools such as marketing automation, LTV prediction, and merchandising optimization, plus recruiting and staffing services aimed at advertising, marketing, and IT businesses.

1 investor

Interfactory provides EC (e-commerce) platform and related services in Japan, including the "EBISU PIM" product data integration/management platform and the "EBISU AGENT" AI service for e-commerce operations. It serves retailers, manufacturers, and BtoC marketers with tools for product information management, EC operation outsourcing, and multichannel commerce.

1 investor

Smaregi provides a cloud-based POS (point-of-sale) and register system for retail and store operations. The company is a registered IT implementation support vendor supporting Japanese digitalization and AI adoption subsidies.

1 investor

Naturum is an online retailer selling fishing gear, camping equipment, apparel, and outdoor/disaster preparedness products. The company operates an e-commerce marketplace primarily serving outdoor enthusiasts and anglers in Japan.

1 investor

NetStars operates cashless payment solutions including StarPay (multi-cashless payment), StarPay-DX (in-store operations automation), and StarPay-Global (overseas cashless payment), and is developing Stablecoin Pay for stablecoin-based payments. The Japanese fintech company works on payment infrastructure for retailers and merchants and is pursuing Web3 payment initiatives.

1 investor

Subsidiary of Impact Holdings that runs a BPO center handling back-office field-marketing work such as mystery shopping, in-store promotional material installation, and surveys, and operates field marketing and IoT digital signage services in the Kyushu and Okinawa regions of Japan. It also provides staffing and recruitment matching, debugging, and call center services.

1 investor

Log Note provides an electronic receipt platform (iReceipt) that digitizes paper receipts for retail stores, enabling store digital transformation and new customer engagement experiences.

1 investor

World Party is a Japanese company that plans, manufactures, and wholesales rain goods under brands such as Wpc., KiU, and unnurella by WPC. Founded in 1985, it operates from Osaka with offices in Tokyo and trading subsidiaries in Beijing and Xiamen, China.

1 investor

Watts operates a chain of 100-yen discount shops in Japan under brands including FLET'S and BuonaVita, selling everyday items, accessories, and seasonal products across multiple retail locations and an online platform.

1 investor

Luckin Coffee is a coffee retail chain that sells freshly roasted and ground coffee made from Arabica beans, using automated Swiss coffee machines in its outlets. It operates a large network of stores serving consumers, with over 33,000 locations globally including outlets in Singapore.

1 investor

Kinsho Store operates a chain of grocery supermarkets, offering everyday food products, private-brand items, and meal-planning ideas to consumers. It runs a store loyalty app with membership campaigns and promotions.

1 investor

Kintetsu Retailing operates restaurants, shops, and retail spaces inside train stations along the Kintetsu railway lines in Japan, including locations at stations such as Yamato-Saidaiji, Osaka-Namba, Kyoto, and Kintetsu-Nara. It also runs other businesses including an online mall of regional specialty products ("Irodori Mall"), craft beer sales, and e-commerce sites such as one for the Tennoji Zoo.

1 investor

3 Day Blinds provides custom window treatments including blinds, drapery, and shades, offering in-home design consultation, measurement, and professional installation. The company serves residential customers looking to furnish and decorate their windows.

0 investors

A Custom offers made-to-measure clothing using 3D body scanning and fit sample garments to achieve a personalized fit and style. The company operates a tailoring service for customers seeking custom-fitted apparel.

0 investors

American Eagle (AE) is an apparel retailer selling jeans, tops, activewear, loungewear, shoes, and accessories for men and women, including its Aerie and AE77 premium lines. It operates an online store with denim as a core product category.

0 investors

Appriss Retail provides an AI platform for retailers to detect and reduce total retail loss — including returns fraud, claims abuse, and inventory shrink — across in-store and online channels. Its products span returns/claims authorization, shrink and exception analytics, and case/audit management, serving large U.S. retailers.

0 investors

Arryved provides an all-in-one operations platform for craft beverage makers, including point-of-sale, production, and web tools. It serves taprooms, brewpubs, and tasting rooms in the craft brewing industry.

0 investors

Atlantic Farms grows cannabis in greenhouse and full-term outdoor farms in Midcoast and western Maine, selling flower, concentrates, edibles, and prerolls under its Atlantic Farms and Rogue Wave brands alongside products from partner farms. It operates three dispensary locations across Maine for both medical and recreational customers.

0 investors

Beluga offers a digital restaurant platform with mobile apps for diners, kitchen staff, and waiters, covering order management, online ordering, and personalized dine-in service. It is aimed at restaurant owners and operators looking to increase sales, manage labor shortages, and personalize guest experiences.

0 investors