5 Innovative AI Startups in Japan

Executive Summary

Harnessing the Power of AI: Insights from Japan’s Leading Innovators

In this slide deck, we present the latest trends and significant advancements in AI within Japan, as illustrated by five pioneering companies: neoAI Inc., FLUX, Lightblue Inc., xenoBrain, and Ghelia Inc. Each company demonstrates unique capabilities and innovative applications of AI technology, driving efficiency and transformation across diverse industries. From AI-driven solutions for banking and marketing to advanced image analysis and economic forecasting, these companies exemplify the cutting-edge developments shaping the future of AI in Japan. Our goal is to provide overseas executives with a comprehensive understanding of these trends and inspire potential collaborations and investments.

Exploring Japan’s Dynamic AI Landscape: Key Players and Innovations

Japan's AI landscape is rapidly evolving, with several leading companies at the forefront of technological innovation. neoAI Inc. leverages academic expertise to deliver high-precision AI solutions across various sectors. FLUX enhances operational efficiency through technology-driven services in media, marketing, and HR. Lightblue Inc. focuses on AI-powered image analysis, improving safety and operational workflows. xenoBrain offers the largest economic forecasting AI service in Japan, supporting corporate decision-making with predictive analytics. Ghelia Inc. utilizes advanced AI technologies to automate and optimize operations across multiple industries. This presentation highlights the key contributions and advancements of these companies, showcasing the dynamic AI ecosystem in Japan.

Company Overview - neoAI Inc.

Business Overview

neoAI Inc. is a company that originated from the Matsuo Laboratory, leveraging academic technology and agility to provide multifaceted AI-driven solutions. We collaborate with various industry partners to solve business challenges using AI technology.

Key Business Areas

1. AI Solutions
2. We deliver high-precision solutions utilizing generative AI technology to address challenges across diverse industries.
3. Notable projects include the development of "PATPOST" functionalities for ORIX and the full-scale implementation of "neoAI Chat" for Japan Post Bank.
4. AI SaaS
5. We offer generative AI SaaS tailored to specific business operations, utilizing in-house data.
6. By harnessing the latest LLMs (such as GPT and Gemini), we achieve business efficiency and enhanced response to inquiries.
7. neoAI Research
8. This division leads the R&D of generative AI, including image generation and LLM development.
9. We develop high-precision proprietary Japanese LLMs and provide services like DreamIcon and Dream Animal that leverage image generation models.

Major Clients

• SUNTORY
• D-Lab | BY MENTALIST DaiGo
• Rank King
• ORIX
• Iwate Bank
• Japan Post Bank
• Sagri
• want
• NTT | Security Holdings
• DENSO | Crafting the Core
• KASUMIGASEKI CAPITAL
• Hamamatsu Iwata Shinkin Bank

Representative Projects

• ORIX "PATPOST" Development: Integrated generative AI with OCR to extract transaction information from business documents.
• Japan Post Bank "neoAI Chat" Implementation: Implemented a specialized AI system for banking operations, enhancing efficiency.
• Want.jp EC Product Information Generation System: Developed a system to extract product information from unstructured text, generate taglines, and summaries.

Company Overview - FLUX

Business Overview

FLUX enhances Japan's economic flow by providing services that boost operational efficiency through technology and specialized personnel. We promote technology adoption in business and support DX, Media/Marketing, and HR areas.

Key Business Areas

1. Media & Marketing
2. FLUX AutoStream: A service for publishers that maximizes ad revenue and reduces operational workload, offering features like header bidding, ad display optimization, brand safety, and ID management.
3. FLUX Connect: A performance-based chatbot service that increases prospective customer buying intent through automated LINE chats, optimizing new conversions.
4. FLUX CMS: A service for creating and managing websites using high-quality design templates, editable with no-code.
5. DX (Digital Transformation)
6. FLUX Insight: An end-to-end service that combines cutting-edge AI with in-house business knowledge to support business goals.
7. FLUX Assistant: A service utilizing generative AI to enhance business efficiency, ensuring data management security and boosting productivity.
8. HR (Human Resources)
9. FLUX Hire: A product that optimizes direct recruiting by datafying recruitment candidates, aiming to reduce hiring costs and maximize results.
10. FLUX Agent: An agent service introducing candidates from executives to young professionals, leveraging technology and extensive experience to recommend the best candidates.

Technology

• FLUX AI: A no-code AI platform utilizing predictive analytics and natural language processing, supporting efficient service development by leveraging extensive databases.
• Predictive Analytics: Forecasting future trends and demands.
• Natural Language Processing: Understanding and generating text data.
• Data Integration and Analysis: Utilizing obtained data while ensuring governance and privacy.

Achievements

• SmartNews: Provided technology for article summarization.
• JR West Customer Relations: Improved call summary tasks by up to 54%.
• Tokio Marine & Nichido: Halved the effort required to create customer correspondence.
• Mynavi: Increased efficiency in job posting creation by 30%.

Company Overview - Lightblue Inc.

Business Overview

Lightblue Inc. provides AI-powered image analysis services focused on human activities, enhancing operational efficiency across various industries.

Key Services

1. Human Sensing
2. Overview: Analyzes camera footage to determine human actions and states, enhancing safety management, workflow management, and customer service through automation and labor reduction.
3. Key Applications:
4. Construction Sites: Remote safety and progress management of workers.
5. Public Facilities and Infrastructure: Ensuring safe environments through monitoring and detecting hazardous behaviors.
6. Manufacturing and Logistics: Measuring work time and accuracy, contributing to process improvement.
7. Retail and Hospitality: Data-driven management of employee performance and customer behavior.
8. Notable Demonstrations:
9. Task Classification in Cell Production: Analyzing worker actions to improve training content and manuals, reducing recall costs.
10. Unsafe Behavior Detection on Stairs: Combining face orientation and posture estimation with object detection for safety management.
11. Ultra-lightweight Real-time Analysis: Analyzing footage from over 100 surveillance cameras in real-time with a single edge device.
12. Hand Sign/Skeleton Detection: Enabling machine operation and process management through gestures.
13. Package Series:
14. Human and Heavy Machinery Contact Avoidance: Systems to protect workers and heavy machinery.
15. HACCP Hygiene Checks: Checking hygiene routines.
16. Stair Climbing Safety Management: Detecting unsafe behavior in real-time.
17. Packing Error Prevention: Preventing mistakes in shipping operations.
18. Floor Plan Analysis: Analyzing room sizes and types from floor plan images.
19. Lightblue Assistant
20. Overview: An AI assistant for businesses, integrating with Slack and Teams to enhance productivity using ChatGPT.
21. Features:
22. Familiar Chat Tools: Utilizing ChatGPT within corporate chat tools like Slack and Teams.
23. Integration with Internal Data: Building custom FAQ systems.
24. Security Assurance: Preventing data leakage through API usage.
25. Professional AI Support: Customer success team aiding in precision improvement.
26. Use Cases:
27. Information Organization and Utilization: Organizing and transforming data sources.
28. Document Translation: Translating multilingual documents.
29. Email and Document Creation: Improving efficiency through template creation.
30. Meeting Minute Summarization: Highlighting key points from minutes.
31. Internal Rule and Work Regulation Search: Consolidating information and reducing workload.
32. Proposal Framework Creation: Creating bases for proposals.
33. Pricing: Starting at 980 JPY per user per month, with unlimited usage.

Company Overview - xenoBrain

Business Overview

xenoBrain is the largest economic forecasting AI service in Japan, utilizing generative AI and predictive AI focused on the economic sector. We provide the world's first economic forecasting platform supporting corporate decision-making.

Service Features

1. Economic Forecast Models
2. Data Sources: Forecasting based on 20 million news articles, 60,000 economic indicators, and xeno's proprietary structured data.
3. Predictive AI: Combining "xenoIndex 4.0" and "SPECKTLAM" to provide analysis with explainable AI (XAI).
4. Key Forecast Targets
5. Corporate Forecasting: Long-term forecasting of the performance trends of 500,000 listed and unlisted companies in Japan.
6. Industry Forecasting: Predicting trends in 15,000 domestic industries, including emerging and niche industries, with comprehensive analysis.
7. Market Forecasting: Providing demand and market forecasts for 40,000 items, analyzing industry and financial market trends.
8. Management Indicator Forecasting
9. Forecasting sales volume and revenue by segment for up to one year ahead with monthly trends analysis.

Use Cases

1. Corporate Planning
2. Supporting future market environment research during budget and mid-term planning, offering demand and market forecasts for 40,000 products.
3. New Business Development
4. Evaluating future trends in 15,000 domestic industries, screening growth industries, and supporting market size forecasting.
5. Sales
6. Analyzing credit reports to evaluate future performance trends and supporting the creation of sales lists.
7. Procurement
8. Providing market forecasts for 5,000 raw materials and components, supporting procurement operations.
9. Information Gathering and Research
10. Supporting research operations by gathering information on suppliers and competitors.

Implementation Examples

• NEC Solution Innovators, Ltd.: Achieved industry and company analysis.
• Panasonic Environmental Engineering Co., Ltd.: Optimized new customer targeting and customer research.
• Nishimatsu Construction Co., Ltd.: Predicted price fluctuations in the construction industry.
• Ignition Point Co., Ltd.: Supported market exploration for new businesses.
• Japan Investment Advisor Co., Ltd.: Enhanced discussions with customers.
• Nomura Holdings, Inc.: Improved research efficiency.

Support and FAQ

• Pricing: Subscription-based with fees depending on the number of users. Details provided during the demo.
• Free Trial: Various schemes available. Contact us via the inquiry form for details.
• Recommended Environment: Usable on the latest versions of Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge.
• Prediction Accuracy: An average error rate of approximately 7% for short-term statistical predictions. More details available through downloadable materials.
• Data Update Frequency: Real-time or weekly for short-term, quarterly for long-term.
• Similar Services: As of December 2021, no similar services are identified in Japan.
• Support System: Chat support and in-house training provided.
• Industries Implemented: Chemical manufacturers, building materials manufacturers, trading companies, telecommunications, recruitment agencies, logistics, advertising agencies, and more.
• Departments Implemented: Sales planning, corporate planning, procurement, and new business development.

Company Overview - Ghelia Inc.

Business Overview

Ghelia Inc. provides solutions across various industries utilizing advanced AI technology, supporting operational efficiency and creating new value. We achieve automation and optimization of operations through AI technology, helping clients achieve their business goals.

Key AI Technologies

1. Image Analysis
2. Technology for recognizing specific targets in video and image data detected by cameras.
3. Deep Reinforcement Learning
4. Technology for learning action patterns to achieve objectives through interaction with the environment.
5. Natural Language Processing
6. Technology for interpreting and processing the meaning and structure of written and spoken human language.
7. Posture and Gaze Analysis
8. AI technology for determining the direction of gaze and the posture or state of individuals in videos captured by cameras.
9. Data Analysis
10. Technology for analyzing big data, performing segmentation, and predicting the future through deep learning.

AI Training Data Creation Team

Ghelia has a specialized team for creating AI training data, supporting AI accuracy improvement by providing high-quality data with appropriate tagging. This ensures that AI can be utilized to its full potential.

Implementation Examples

1. Development of Academic Performance Diagnosis System
2. Case study with Try Group Inc., which operates home tutoring and private tutoring schools.
3. Posture Estimation for Racehorses
4. Case study with JRA System Service Co., Ltd., which develops and provides information on horse racing.
5. Fall Prevention Measures for Medical and Nursing Beds
6. Case study with Paramount Bed Co., Ltd., which manufactures and sells medical and nursing beds and mattresses.
7. Automation of Construction Planning
8. Case study on the efficiency of automating planning work.
9. Knowledge Utilization Promotion Solution Development
10. Case study with Zuken Prisite Inc., an IT solutions manufacturer for the manufacturing industry.
11. Signage Viewing Data Analysis
12. Case study with a company providing contract development and manufacturing services

Embracing AI Advancements: Opportunities for Collaboration and Growth

The advancements made by neoAI Inc., FLUX, Lightblue Inc., xenoBrain, and Ghelia Inc. underscore the transformative potential of AI technology in Japan. These companies not only demonstrate the diverse applications of AI but also highlight the innovative spirit driving the industry forward. As overseas executives consider entering the Japanese market, the insights provided by these leading companies offer a glimpse into the opportunities for collaboration and growth. Embracing these AI trends will be crucial for staying competitive and driving future success in an increasingly digital world. We invite you to explore these opportunities and join us in shaping the future of AI in Japan.